Recap: Joc Pederson Helps Dodgers Score Just Enough In Win Over Padres
Turner led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to center and advanced to second base on Venable’s fielding error. Whereas Ethier couldn’t snap the Dodgers’ scoreless streak in the second inning, he ripped an RBI double down the right field line to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
The Dodgers tied a Los Angeles franchise record with 35 consecutive scoreless innings, which ranks only behind streaks in 1908 (41 innings) and 1937 (36 innings). The Padres threatened to tie the game behind Solarte’s one-out double in the sixth and he was moved over to third on Spangenberg’s grounder to the right side.
Greinke then faced Kemp and got his former teammate to hit a slow roller to the left of the mound that Greinke got to and threw to Gonzalez to complete the shutdown inning. Cashner retired the first two batters faced in the bottom of the sixth, then had his inning extended due to poor defense.
Gonzalez hit a shallow fly ball to left field that Upton had a read on and called for. However, he became distracted by Barmes and dropped the ball. The base hit didn’t hurt Cashner or the Padres as Ellis flied out.
Norris lined a ground-rule double to left field with one out in the seventh and scored on Venable’s RBI single to center. Pederson’s throw home made for a close play at the plate; so much so that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly challenged the safe call.
The ruling was upheld after a brief review and the Padres tied the game at 1-1 along with ending their scoreless streak at 20 innings. Venable also took second on Pederson’s throw home, where he had to hold on Middlebrooks’ grounder.
Barmes worked a full count only to end the inning on a ground out, keeping the game tied. Brandon Maurer relieved Cashner and only needed eight pitches to get three outs. With a pitch count under 80, Greinke took the mound in the eighth.
Abraham Almote pinch-hit for Maurer and went down swinging to give Greinke four strikeouts in the game. Greinke proceeded to strikeout Solarte, but couldn’t get his glove on Spangenberg’s base hit that went through the pitcher’s legs and into center field.
Mattingly went out to the mound, but left his right-hander in the game to face Kemp with two outs. Greinke wound up walking Kemp and gave way to Chris Hatcher, who needed just one pitch to retire Upton. Alex Guerrero pinch-hit for Hatcher and flied out to lead off the bottom of the eighth against Joaquin Benoit.
The Padres’ right-hander didn’t fare nearly as well against Pederson as the rookie center fielder broke the tie with a solo home run to right-center field that carried halfway up the pavilion.
Kenley Jansen entered in the ninth and struck out two of the three batters faced to converted his second save of the season in as many opportunities to close out the Dodgers’ 2-1 win.
[divide]Don Mattingly On Losing Hyun-Jin Ryu
