Pollock shines as Urias returns in Dodger victory over Friars

SAN DIEGO — The Dodgers came down to San Diego to face a team moving in the wrong direction. Going into Tuesday night’s game, the Padres had lost 9 of the last eleven and were sinking like a bag of pennies in the NL West standings. And, in a game that was very tight for most of the evening, the Dodgers got some key plays on both sides of the ball to win the game 5-2 and keep pace with the Giants in the division.

Dodgers get an early homer to take the lead

It was a bullpen game for the home team at Petco Park, which actually wasn’t that bad of an idea. The Padres’ starters had been struggling mightily going into the game, so bypassing them altogether had some merit on paper. And for most of the game, it worked out pretty well for the Padres. However, the Dodger drew first blood in the contest in the top of the second inning. Will Smith led off the inning with a solid drive to left. It cleared the fence for a solo home run and the Dodgers were up 1-0.

Urias back in the saddle

Julio Urias got the start to night after being re-activated earlier in the day. The stint on the IL was a short one, and Urias seemed not to have missed a beat. In his first time through the lineup, the lefty was practically (and literally) unhittable, and he only ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth when he gave up his only hit of the game, a hustle double from Eric Hosmer. He quickly walked Wil Myers and suddenly things looked a little dicey with only a one-run lead. However, Urias got a fielder’s choice from Ha-Seong Kim and a flyout from Adam Frazier to end his night. His final line on his return to the rotation: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K.

Pollock with the glove!

However, Urias’s night was saved an inning earlier by AJ Pollock, who made the defensive play of the game. With a man on and one out, our old buddy Manny Machado stepped up to the dish against Julio. And he gave a curveball from Urias a mighty swat. It looked like the ball was headed for the left field seats for a sure two-run homer. However, AJ Pollock got back quickly on the ball, timed a jump perfectly, and snatched the home run ball out of the stands, turning what could have been a go-ahead dinger into the second out of the inning.

Pollock with the stick!

AJ wasn’t satisfied with only a defensive gem on Tuesday night. He added to it with the biggest hit of the game. It came in the top of the seventh. After a Justin Turner single, Corey Seager doubled Turner to third. Chris Taylor hit a hot shot down the third base line that Manny Machado was able to put leather on and prevent from going into the outfield for extra bases. With the bases loaded, Pollock stepped into the box against new reliever (and new Padre) Daniel Hudson. He got himself into a hitter’s count and then went opposite field to score two runs.

Insurance in the eighth

With a 3-0 lead to work with, the Dodgers added on in the visitors’ half of the the eighth. After a Trea Turner double and a Max Muncy walk, the Dodgers got a lot of nice situational hitting and score another two runs on a pair of sacrifice flies, the first from Justin Turner and the second from Corey Seager. Now leading 5-0, it seemed like the game was well in hand.

Knebel nicked for a two-run shot

However, the Padres managed to make the last inning and a half very interesting. Corey Knebel came on to pitch the eighth, but gave up a walk followed by a two-run homer from Jurickson Profar. He did manage to record two outs before handing the ball over to Blake Treinen for the final out of the inning. Treinen got the out, but not before walking Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, giving the Padres’ faithful a ray of hope before Treinen got a strikeout on Jake Cronenworth to end the inning.

Jansen for the save

After a quick top of the ninth, Kenley Jansen came in for a familiar ninth-inning save opportunity. At first, it looked like the Dodgers would sail through the inning as Jansen recorded two quick outs at the bottom of the lineup. However, Wil Myers broke through with a one-out single to left, and Jansen’s fellow countryman Jurickson Profar had an epic eleven-pitch at-bat that ended with a walk. That made Adam Frazier the tying run at the plate. The big man made Frazier look more like a little leaguer over in Williamsport than a professional hitter, as he struck out the NL’s leader in hits this season on three awesome pitches. Good morning. Good afternoon. Goodnight. 5-2 Dodgers’ win.

Buehler vs. Snell in Game 2

It was a great game, and one in which we started to see some of the separation that has been occurring between these two ball clubs in the last couple of months. Tomorrow will be another great opportunity for a Dodger win as the boys in blue send Walker Buehler to the mound. His opponent will be Blake Snell, who really hasn’t pitched a dominant game since Game 6 of last year’s World Series (thanks again, Kevin Cash!). Game time on Wednesday, 7:10.