Field Level Media
Aug 4, 2020
Jake Cronenworth and Austin Hedges hit run-scoring singles against the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen in the bottom of the sixth inning Monday night to snap a 3-3 tie and lead the San Diego Padres to a 5-4 win in the opener of a three-game series at Petco Park.
Dodgers relievers had entered the game with a 0.59 earned run average.
But Manny Machado opened the Padres' sixth with a single off Brusdar Graterol and moved to second when Tommy Pham grounded out to third. Cronenworth, who was playing first for the Padres with Eric Hosmer on the disabled list with gastritis, then singled to right to score Machado and snap a 3-3 tie.
After Graterol struck out Wil Myers, Caleb Ferguson came on to pitch for the Dodgers and give up back-to-back singles to Abraham Almonte and Hedges, who had been hitless in 17 at-bats to start the inning.
The game was billed as a pitching duel between the Dodgers' Walker Buehler and the Padres' Chris Paddack.
Buehler allowed three solo homers by Trent Grisham, Myers and Fernando Tatis Jr. -- the only hits given up by the right-hander in five innings. He issued three walks with three strikeouts.
Paddack gave up a homer to the Dodgers' Joc Pederson on the game's first pitch. After the Padres tied the game in the bottom of the first on Grisham's fourth homer, the hosts took a 2-1 lead on Myers' third homer in the fourth.
Los Angeles scored twice in the fifth to regain the lead at 3-2. Corey Seager opened the inning with a double off Paddack. Matt Beaty singled with one out to put Dodgers at the corners, and catcher Will Smith followed with a two-run double to right-center.
Paddack (2-0) picked up the win, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts in six innings. Graterol (0-2) took the loss.
Kirby Yates gave up a home run to Cody Bellinger leading off the ninth then struck out the next three Dodgers to earn his first save of the season.
After leading the majors in saves last season, Yates had allowed four runs on five hits and four walks over 2 1/3 innings in his first three appearances of 2020.
--Field Level Media