Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Apparently, the Los Angeles Dodgers don’t take kindly to getting smoked in their home stadium. A night after suffering their worst loss in over a year, the Dodgers punished the Padres at the Ravine on Saturday night. Riding yet another lights-out start from ace Julio Urias, the Dodgers’ offense was relentless in this one, collecting 13 hits and scoring a dozen runs en route to a 12-1 humiliation of the Friars.
Betts and Trea, back at the top!
For the first time all year, Trea Turner was not in the starting lineup on Friday night. And the offense sputtered its way to only one run in the entire contest. That mistake would not be repeated on Saturday. The inning led off with a thrilling triple from Mookie Betts (aided by some “defense” from Juan Soto in right). Betts had a legit shot at an inside the park homer, but Dino Ebel held him at third.
It hardly mattered, because the next hitter was the now-rested Trea Turner. And the night off must have done him wonders. In his first at-bat of the night, Turner blasted a two-run shot off Padres starter Sean Manaea, and the Dodgers were off to the races.
Freddie and Will produce a run in the 3rd
Seeing the 1-2 hitters come up big in the bottom of the first, the 3-4 hitters decided to get in on the action in the bottom of the third. Freddie Freeman got a two-out single, and Will Smith knocked him home with a double down the line. The play at the plate might have been close, but San Diego catcher Luis Camposano couldn’t hold onto the relay, so Freddie easily scored the Dodgers’ third run of the game.
Mama, there goes that man!
In the next inning, the Dodgers pretty much put the game away. With two on and two out, Mookie Betts smacked a Manaea slider into left centerfield. Off the bat, it didn’t quite look like it had enough oomph to make it over the fence but it just kept carrying. By the time it finally landed, it was a souvenir for one of the paying customers in the home run seats, and the Dodgers had doubled their lead to 6-0.
Urías fantastic. Again.
Meanwhile, Julio Urías was absolutely shoving. In the first couple of innings, he had a few command issues, and ended up walking three Padres, which he could have done with out, but other than that, he was spectacular. The lone blemish on his scorecard was a harmless Manny Machado homer in the 6th. With the outcome of the game no longer in doubt, he was pulled after that 6th inning, but what a six innings they were: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB 2 K. With this strong performance, Urías has got to be at least in the Cy Young conversation, especially since Sandy Alcantara seems to be fading a bit in the backstretch of the season.
Everybody hits as Dodgers pile on
The Dodgers kept taking the Padres to the punishment room all night. Justin Turner homered as part of a two-run 5th inning, and a Will Smith three-run shot capped off a four-run 6th. So yeah, it was kind of a good night at the plate for the Boys in Blue.
Blake’s Back, Kimbrel Clean
And as if Urías and the offense weren’t enough, the Dodgers got more good news in the late innings. Blake Treinen, finally off the IL, came in and pitched an efficient 1-2-3 inning on just five pitches. Then, in the 8th, Craig Kimbrel retired the side in order as well, looking as good as he has all year. Literally, the only thing that went wrong for the Dodgers in this one is that nobody will get free Jumbo Jacks on Sunday. Sorry, burger fans, only five strikeouts in this one. Other than that, I can’t imagine the game having gone any better.
Sunday’s Game to be featured on ESPN
It’s another appearance for the Dodgers’ on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball this weekend, with all which that entails. Mike Clevinger will get the ball for the Padres, and while the Dodgers got to him last time around for five earned runs, he’s not a pushover by any means. This season, the Padres’ righthander is 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA. It’ll be Ryan Pepiot again for the Dodgers, giving all the starters an extra day of rest before their next turn. Game time will be 4:10 PM, when temps are still going to be in the 90s, so get ready for some of that warm LA baseball. Yikes!
Cans of Corn…
- Treinen looked sharp in his return, inducing three weakly hit balls.
- Urías now is the NL leader for ERA with 2.29. I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’…..
- The Betts homer was the 33rd of the season, setting a new career high.
- Mookie played second base in this one and seemed to be having the time of his life.
- Gavin Lux sat out again, still hampered by the neck issue. Feeling better after a cortisone shot.
- Yency Almonte and Brusdar Graterol were ribbing Hanser Alberto from the dugout all night long. It was glorious.
