The Dodgers beat the Padres 4-2 in the series opener
Los Angeles Dodgers #85 Dustin May had only three strike outs against the San Diego Padres. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Los Angeles Dodgers Dustin May pitched 6.2 innings and gave up two runs, and Caleb Ferguson with the win and Evan Phillips with the save shut down the San Diego Padres at Dodgers Stadium 4-2 in the series opener.
"It was a quality start. It was a good outing," May said. "I mean, I would have liked to finish on a better note. But [stuff] happens, and I didn't."
Chris Taylor got the Dodgers going in the bottom of the second inning leading off with a double to left field. Max Muncy grounded out to first base to advance Taylor to third base, but the Padres’ Blake Snell got the next three batters out to end the threat.
San Diego Padres #14 Black Snell (LHP) gave up two runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
Snell would walk Trayce Thompson and Mookie Betts in the bottom of the third inning. Freddie Freeman would double to right field, allowing Thompson and Betts to come home to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead with no outs.
Juan Soto would lead off for the Padres in the top of the fifth inning with a double to center field. Dustin May had allowed Soto to get to third base but got Ha-Seong-Kim to ground out for the third out of the inning.
The Padres would tie the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning after Seong-Kim hit a double to left field, and Xander Bogaerts and Rougned Odor came home to score.
Los Angeles Dodgers #50 Mookie Betts solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
The Dodgers would regain the lead 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning after Betts hit a solo home run over the left-center field, and Freeman, right after him, hit a home run over right field.
"That's why they're superstars," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Every time they get up to bat, they can change the game. That was a big lift."
With the win, the Dodgers improved their record to (24-15) first place in the NL West, and the Padres fell to (19-20) third place in the NL West.
Julio Urias (4-3) will take the mound for the Dodgers on Saturday, and for the Padres, it will be Joe Musgrove (1-0).