Los Angeles Dodgers @ San Diego Padres (9/14/20) — Final: SD 7, LAD 2

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The Los Angeles Dodgers lose a rough one to the San Diego Padres, who score five runs in the seventh and end up dominating, 7-2.

Dinelson Lamet touched 100mph on his fourth pitch of the game, and he worked around Corey Seager’s 1-out single with strike-outs of Joc Pederson and Max Muncy in the opening frame. Clayton Kershaw struck-out of Fernando Tatís Jr. to start his day in a harmless bottom half. Cody Bellinger drew a 1-out walk in the second, but he was caught stealing as Lamet got Edwin Ríos looking. Kershaw pitched an easy frame to end the inning, and Gavin Lux lined out sharply to start the third. Lamet walked Austin Barnes on four pitches, and Betts’ bloop double gave the Dodgers an opportunity to grab the lead. Seager got the job done, bringing home Barnes on a ground-ball to make it 1-0. Lamet got Pederson swinging again to strand Seager at 3rd. After Jorge Ona’s leadoff single in the home half, Kershaw struck-out the next three, including Tatís Jr. again. Muncy muscled a single up the middle to begin the fifth; however, Lamet had book-end strike-outs to work around it. Kershaw pitched a swift frame against the heart of the Padres order, sending the game to the fifth. Lamet pitched to book-end strike-outs again in an easy top half, and Kershaw calmly navigated Jake Cronenworth’s leadoff double to keep San Diego scoreless through five. Pederson’s fly-out to the warning track was all for LA in their half of the sixth, and Trent Grisham tied the game with a solo home run off of Kershaw in the bottom half. As Grisham rounded 3rd, he exchanged words with the Dodgers’ bench following a stare down of Kershaw, who got the next three outs with ease. Lamet kept the game tied in the seventh as hard contact from LA was in vain. Wil Myers, although Taylor made an incredible diving stop, reached on an infield single and another soft base hit put two on with only 1-out, enabling Kershaw to be pulled at 99 pitches. Pedro Báez entered and was unable to escape the jam, allowing a double and a ground-out that put the Padres ahead, 3-1. Muncy’s throwing error allowed another run to score, and the Dodgers fell behind 4-1. Báez, still with only 1-out, was then relieved by Blake Trienen. Another infield single loaded the bases, and Manny Machado’s knock, followed by a ground-out, extending San Diego’s lead to 6-1. The bullpen (and defense) floundered, and Kershaw’s brilliant outing turned into merely a decent one. LA was, unsurprisingly, shut down offensively in the eighth, and Josh Sborz allowed a solo homer to Myers before the inning came to an end. Hopefully building momentum headed into tomorrow’s ballgame, Muncy scored on Taylor’s double after he walked. That was all, however.

Nothing short an underwhelming and frustrating loss. Dave Roberts’ questionable decision, along with a lack of offensive production and defensive mishaps, causes the boys in blue to fall short in a crucial game. They lose the series opener to the Padres, who pull 1.5 games behind them for first in the NL West. Tomorrow will help display what team the Dodgers truly are. Tony Gonsolin, still searching for his first victory of the year, will get the start, hoping to improve his 1.57 ERA. More importantly, he’ll look to lead LA to a much needed win. Zach Davies, 7-2 with an ERA of 2.48, starts for San Diego. One can only hope that tonight’s ugly loss, and the return of Justin Turner tomorrow, will get the Dodgers back on track — looking to win the NL West, but ultimately, the World Series. 6:10pm first pitch. Go Dodgers!