Field Level Media
Apr 23, 2021
Rookie left-hander Ryan Weathers went 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his second career start and Trent Grisham hit a home run as the San Diego Padres got the jump on the host Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-2 victory Thursday in the opener of a four-game series.
The Padres scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a double-play grounder by Fernando Tatis Jr., who also helped turn a game-saving double play in the bottom of the eighth after the Dodgers began the inning by putting two runners in scoring position with nobody out.
AJ Pollock and Sheldon Neuse hit back-to-back home runs for the Dodgers, while right-hander Walker Buehler gave up two runs on four hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts. The Dodgers have lost three of their last four after starting the season 13-2.
San Diego evened the much-anticipated season series between the National League West rivals at two games each. Thursday's game was the fourth of seven in a 10-day stretch between the clubs.
Former Dodger Manny Machado gave the Padres a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on an RBI single. Grisham's solo home run in the sixth, his fourth homer of the season, increased the advantage to 2-0.
Weathers gave up just one hit, a third-inning single to Buehler, with one walk and six strikeouts. Both of his starts have come against the Dodgers in a span of six days, going a combined 9 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing two hits with nine strikeouts.
With just one hit through six innings, the Dodgers got even in the seventh when Pollock hit his first home run of the season, followed by Neuse's first of his career. Both came off Padres right-hander Emilio Pagan.
After the Padres regained the lead 3-2 against Blake Treinen (1-1), the Dodgers immediately put runners on second and third with a Justin Turner leadoff single and a Will Smith double.
Max Muncy grounded out against right-hander Nabil Crismatt (1-1), and the Padres walked Pollock intentionally. Neuse then scorched a ball to Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who fed Tatis at second for the first out before getting the ball to Eric Hosmer at first, ending the threat.
Padres closer Mark Melancon struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his seventh save.
--Field Level Media