After another instance where Rich Hill was scratched from a scheduled start because of concerns over his blister, the southpaw was on the mound Saturday night for just the second time since being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Luis Sardinas drew a leadoff walk in the first inning, and stole second base, but the San Diego Padres weren’t able to capitalize. Hill picked up two strikeouts and got Yangervis Solarte to line out.
Corey Seager broke an 0-for-19 skid with a one-out single in the bottom half of the first. Justin Turner lined out and Adrian Gonzalez was called out on strikes to end a scoreless inning for Luis Perdomo.
After Hill retired the side in order in the second, Josh Reddick gave the Dodgers another baserunner as he reached with one out on an infield single. But Howie Kendrick followed by hitting into an inning-ending double play.
Hill breezed through the third and fourth innings, giving him 12 consecutive batters retired to that point. Seager and Turner combined for back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with none out in the bottom of the fourth.
Gonzalez added to the string of hits by pulling an RBI single into right field. Yasmani Grandal then landed a big blow, crushing a three-run homer to straightaway center. Hill picked up two more strikeouts in the fifth and worked around a walk to throw another scoreless inning.
Hill struck out Perdomo and Sardinas in the sixth before having his no-hitter broke up by Alexei Ramirez on a base hit. Wil Myers popped out to strand Ramirez, and the Dodgers’ lead remained 4-0.
In his first game since collecting his first RBI with the Dodgers, Josh Reddick lined a solo home run, his first with the team, to right field in the bottom of the sixth. Hill finished his night with eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
Casey Fien gave up a one-out double to Sardinas in the eighth, and later an RBI single to Myers. Kenley Jansen struck out two of three batters faced in the ninth to complete the Dodgers’ 5-1 victory.
