Dodgers vs Padres Recap: Padres Dominate 7-1

The Dodgers rolled into San Diego hungry to keep their winning ways going. Los Angeles came in at 52-30, fresh off a loss the night before. The Padres sat at 43-37 but had momentum with four straight wins. You could feel the energy at Petco Park as these division rivals took the field. Roki Sasaki took the mound for LA. Walker Buehler pitched for San Diego. In the second inning, Mookie Betts stepped up and hammered a fastball into left field. The ball sailed 360 feet over the wall and the crowd went quiet. The Dodgers led 1-0. But San Diego wouldn't stay down for long. Ty France came up swinging and crushed an 86 mph slider deep to left. The ball flew 372 feet. France's blast cleared the bases with Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets already on. Just like that, the Padres took a 3-1 lead and the momentum flipped completely.

The second inning was all San Diego needed. Ty France's monster blast turned the game upside down. The Dodgers' starter Roki Sasaki was in trouble. He threw an 89 mph splitter for a strike but couldn't find his rhythm. Sasaki walked five batters total in just four innings pitched. He gave up three runs. The Dodgers' pitching depth took a hit here without their ace Blake Snell available due to elbow surgery. Los Angeles fought back with solid swings from Freddie Freeman and others but couldn't close the gap. Freeman went 2-for-3 with a walk. Andy Pages stayed active at the plate too. Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy couldn't find their timing. The Dodgers needed runs badly but San Diego's pitching held firm. By the middle innings, the Padres had built their cushion. You could sense LA was running out of time to mount a comeback. Every batter mattered now.

The eighth inning became a showcase for San Diego's bats. Jonathan Hernandez took over pitching for the Dodgers and couldn't stop the bleeding. Sung-Mun Song ripped a single to center field. Bogaerts and another runner crossed home. The Padres were up 5-1 now. Then Rodolfo Durán doubled down the left field line. Song scored again. The Padres led 6-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped in next. He grounded out but drove in another run. San Diego stretched their lead to 7-1. The Dodgers never recovered. Los Angeles finished with just one run on limited hits. Mookie Betts' solo shot was their only bright spot. The final score read Padres 7, Dodgers 1. San Diego improved to 44-37 with their fifth straight win. The Dodgers dropped to 52-31. Petco Park erupted as the Padres dominated from start to finish.