With the Padres continuously nipping at the Dodgers’ heels all season, Los Angeles picked up a massive win on Wednesday night. The Dodgers beat San Diego 5-2, relying on seven total relievers to secure the game and split the series.
A day after getting blown out 11-1, Los Angeles’s win was led by the lesser-known Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were a combined 3-for-14 without a single RBI.
Teoscar Hernández also became the hero of the day with one swing of the bat in the sixth inning. Hernández crushed a mammoth three-run home run to break a 1-1 tie and send two base runners home with him.
Hernández was only 1-for-5 in the game, but his blast put Los Angeles on top for good. He now has 47 RBI on the year.
Prior to Hernández’s homer, Michael Conforto hit just his fourth of the season in the fifth.
Catcher Will Smith, who was one of only two Dodgers with multiple hits, drove in a run to add some extra insurance in the top of the ninth.
Starter Ben Casparius only lasted four innings, giving up one run, three hits and walking a couple of batters. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then turned to his bullpen, sending out Lou Trivino, who earned the win, Jack Dreyer, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, Anthony Banda, Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia to the mound.
The Dodgers’ bullpen then allowed only one hit and five total base runners collectively, completely shutting down the Padres’ potent offense and any chance of a comeback once Los Angeles took the lead.
Los Angeles is now 41-28 as they hold a slim lead over both the San Francisco Giants and the Padres in the National League West.
The Dodgers will shift their focus to a three-game weekend series with San Francisco before battling the Padres again to start the next week.
