Mookie Betts delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly, Teoscar Hernández added a decisive home run, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the San Diego Padres for a 3-2 victory Friday night at Dodger Stadium, pulling the two teams into a tie atop the National League West.
Oddsmakers had listed the Dodgers as -140 favorites entering the matchup, while San Diego carried slight +120 underdog odds. Los Angeles rewarded bettors with a bounce-back performance that ended a four-game losing streak and snapped San Diego’s five-game run of wins.
The Padres struck first in the opening inning when Ramón Laureano connected on a hanging curveball from Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw. The ball traveled 400 feet and ricocheted off the left-field foul pole for a solo home run, putting San Diego ahead 1-0. Kershaw, however, quickly regrouped and retired the next 12 Padres hitters in order through the fourth inning. The veteran left-hander improved to 7-2 on the season with another efficient outing, limiting further damage while keeping Los Angeles within striking distance.
The Dodgers broke through in the third inning, sparked by three consecutive hits to open the frame. Michael Conforto’s single set the tone, and he came around to score when Shohei Ohtani hit a sharp ground ball that was turned into a fielder’s choice at second base. That tied the score at 1-1. Los Angeles then moved ahead when Betts lofted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Alex Freeland for a 2-1 lead. The rally ended when Ohtani was thrown out attempting to steal second base.
Hernández gave the Dodgers breathing room in the seventh inning when he drove a 400-foot solo shot to center off reliever Jeremiah Estrada. The homer, his 21st of the season, extended Los Angeles’ lead to 3-1 and energized the crowd of over 50,000.
San Diego mounted a late challenge in the eighth. Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia struggled with command, hitting José Iglesias and Jake Cronenworth on consecutive pitches before walking Fernando Tatis Jr. to load the bases. Luis Arraez cut the deficit with a sacrifice fly, trimming the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2. Manager Dave Roberts then turned to Jack Dreyer, who induced a flyout to escape further damage. Dreyer returned in the ninth to close the game, earning his second season save.
Randy Vásquez (3-6) took the loss for the Padres, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. San Diego had limited opportunities at the plate, with only hits against Kershaw coming in the first inning.
There was a brief scare for the Padres in the fifth when catcher Freddy Fermin chased a foul ball near the camera well. He collided hard with the padded railing and jarred the ball loose, but remained in the game after being checked by trainers.
The series continues Saturday with another marquee pitching matchup. Padres right-hander Dylan Cease (5-10, 4.52 ERA) is scheduled to face Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (2-1, 2.37 ERA). Los Angeles opened as a -150 favorite, while San Diego sits at +130, in a game with significant implications for division control.
