Trailing the entire game, the Padres scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday to defeat the Dodgers 4-2 and avoid a four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.
After starting the series with a 1-1/2 game division lead over the Padres, the Dodgers find themselves 3-1/2 games up over their Southern California rivals. Even though it was a productive series for Los Angeles, Sunday’s loss was still disappointing because the team was so close to the sweep.
The Dodgers wasted an excellent outing from lefty Clayton Kershaw, a narrative that has been common throughout his career. Kershaw threw seven strong shutout innings, surrendering just four hits and a walk while striking out eight batters. He tossed a season-high 98 pitches.
The Dodgers got on the board in the first inning after Mookie Betts led off the game with a double to left field and later scored when Trea Turner smoked a double of his own to the same part of the park. That lead held throughout the entire game until the Padres came up to bat in the ninth.
Evan Phillips, who has emerged as a somewhat reliable eighth-inning option in the absence of Daniel Hudson and Blake Treinen, pitched a perfect eighth, setting his team up for the win with a 1-0 lead.
That is, until Craig Kimbrel entered the game to save it.
Third baseman Manny Machado started the ninth by striking out. Jake Cronenworth followed by smashing a 100-MPH line-drive comebacker that went off Kimbrel’s back, sending the pitcher to the ground. Kimbrel stayed in the game temporarily, but he was removed after Luke Voit doubled of the top of the left field wall to score Cronenworth and Eric Hosmer singled to score C.J. Abrams, who pinch ran for Voit.
When Kimbrel exited, the Padres had a 2-1 lead. San Diego added two more when Ha-Seong Kim hit a two-run homer of Yency Almonte, who replaced Kimbrel.
By the time the smoke cleared on the top of the ninth, the Padres had a 4-1 lead.
After Gavin Lux started the bottom of the ninth with a strikeout, Betts began a mini-rally with a one-out double to right field. Trea Turner followed with a single, setting up Freddie Freeman with runners at first and third with one out.
However, Freeman managed just a sacrifice fly to score Betts. Will Smith grounded out to second base to end the game.
The Dodgers begin a three-game series against the Rockies at home on Monday.
Lousy way to lose the game. I guess we’ll never know how much influence that line drive had on Kimbrel. He sure did look good striking out Machado right before it happened.
If we had lost yesterday’s game the way we did today’s and won today’s the way we did yesterday, we’d probably all be feeling better about things. 3 out of 4 against SD is still a nice way to spend a weekend.
Kimbrel sucks. Not the guy I want closing games in the post season.
You can’t just complain JW. Go out and find us a new closer. Or is there someone on the current roster you want to give the job to? Can’t make it Treinen because we don’t know when/if he’s coming back this year.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find us a closer and then suggest who we trade for him.
I hear Brandon League is available.
You got faulty information, Dennis. He’s not available because he’s taking part in a water ballet extravaganza with a huge number of his relatives.
They call it 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
(just realized you may be far too young for that reference)
That is AFs job. I would trust just about anyone to close over Kimbrel. Even Price and Bickford.
Well, I don’t know about Bickford, but we’re paying Price the same salary as Kimbrel, so I guess that makes them interchangeable.
Is your post going to self destruct like Kimbrel..
Kimbrel had Cronenworth struck out on a perfect breaking to the outside corner. Thank you Charlie Ramos, an umpire I’ve never heard of who had a horrible night and doesn’t belong. MLB has a bunch of those. Kimbrel got hit, but I think last night he deserved better.
Muncy, Thompson/Bellinger, Barnes and Lux, 0 for 15 with 6 Ks. .163, ..217, .207, .179. 4 of the 10 LA hitters last night.
Why did Ebel send Betts? Profar had the ball as Mookie rounded third. He was out by 8’. Bad call Dino.
3 for 7 WRISP, and only 2 runs. Hate it when that happens.
Why do they need to have a “Closer?”. Baseball is a game of statistics. Input the guys coming up and have the computer figure out who has the best odds at getting those guys out! Granted the bullpen needs another dominant arm however the Dodgers know the ETA for Treinen and the other injured guys. Regardless of the home run last night Almonte has been good. May will probably be in the bullpen and reports are he is throwing well. Kimbrel has not been unlucky he has left pitches over the plate consistently and obviously is getting hit hard. Roberts is always putting guys in the have had a bad outing which is very “Nice” of him. But this team is in it for the win not to worry about fragile ahtletes egos. Watching this team hit or not hit I have changed my opinion and think they should give T Turner a truck load of money to stay. Bellinger has consistenlty hurt the team by striking out rahter than advancing the runner. Muncy is not quite as bad but still not good, Muncy we believe is still injured but Bellinger continues to be a swing hard in case you hit it batter. J T at least is professionl in that he will consistently make contact enough to advance the runner. Hopefully there will be some changes in 2023. For his last controlled contract is Bellinger worth $20 million?
For 20 million we could get 3 or 4 better than him. Any idea how man players in the league are hitting 210 with 10 homers? A lot . OR add it to a contract for TT. And I’ve never understood the closer role. Rarely a pressure situation until you make it a pressure situations which kimbrel seems yo excell at.
Did you notice that Roberts has changed his rhetoric on Bellinger? He is starting to say he needs to become a doubles machine and getting RBI’s? He also said that Bellinger has to stop trying for an MVP year and start hitting the ball. Big change for Mr Nice Guy. The Dodgers must be incredibly frustrated by his refusal to be a team player for Roberts to say anything. Its a real shame as he has incredible talent and is a top tier defensive guy in CF and 1st base..
Reports are the Dodgers have signed Barnes for two years! What a great deal for the Dodgers and Barnes. Cartaya should be ready in two years and the the club should know about their other two hot catching progress by then. Nice that Smith is getting some hits. He has hit the ball hard all year with little to show for it.
Happy Fourth of July to all of you guys.
Same to you Keith, and to everyone else who visits here.
We had the family over on Saturday because everyone has their own plans for the 4th.
So tonight it’s just my wife and I, and the two dogs, both of whom will drive us crazy when the fireworks go off.