Dodgers Video: Joc Pederson Hits Go-Ahead Home Run Vs. Padres
The Los Angeles Dodgers were back home Friday to begin a six-game homestand, starting with a three-game set against the San Diego Padres. Both teams entered play Friday largely struggling to score in recent contests.
The Dodgers had a 31-inning scoreless streak while the Padres hadn’t scored a run in 14 consecutive innings. Andre Ethier snapped the Dodgers’ streak in the fifth inning with an RBI double hit down the right field line.
Still trailing 1-0, the Padres broke through in the seventh behind Derek Norris’ one-out ground-rule double. He then narrowly beat Joc Pederson’s throw home to score on Will Venable’s RBI single. While Pederson was unable to prevent the Padres from tying the game, he made an impact with his bat in the eighth inning.
Joaquin Benoit was the third reliever out of the San Diego bullpen and he got pinch-hitter Alex Guerrero to fly out. Then after swinging at the first pitch and fouling off Benoit’s second, Pederson broke the 1-1 tie with a towering solo home run to right-center field that sailed halfway up the pavilion.
It was Pederson’s 11th home run of the season, first since May 13 and proved to be the difference in the game.
