Field Level Media
Aug 25, 2021
Will Smith hit a home run and Julio Urias pitched five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
By taking the opener of a three-game series, Los Angeles earned its 10th win in 11 games. San Diego fell for the 10th time in 12 games.
Dodgers left fielder AJ Pollock reached over the wall to rob Manny Machado of a two-run home run in the fourth inning and added a two-run single in the seventh as Los Angeles ended a four-game losing streak against the Padres this season.
Jurickson Profar hit a home run for the Padres, who had just one hit through seven innings and finished with three.
The Dodgers won for the 14th time in 16 games, but they remain 2 1/2 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants in their bid for a ninth consecutive National League West title.
Right-hander Pierce Johnson (3-3) started for the Padres in a bullpen game and pitched a scoreless first inning before running into trouble. Smith led off the second inning with a home run, his 19th, and Corey Seager walked, prompting Johnson to be replaced by Austin Adams.
The Dodgers padded their lead in the seventh inning. Los Angeles loaded the bases against Daniel Camarena before Pollock rolled a single into right-center field against Daniel Hudson to score a pair of runs for a 3-0 advantage.
Los Angeles made it 5-0 in the eighth on sacrifice flies by Justin Turner and Seager.
Profar hit a two-run home run in the eighth, his third long ball of the season, off Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel.
Urias (14-3) gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out four to win his fifth consecutive decision. It was his first outing since Aug. 13 against the New York Mets, when he was hit in the left calf by a pitch.
The Padres' only hit off Urias was an Eric Hosmer double in the fifth inning.
The Dodgers used six pitchers, with closer Kenley Jansen surviving a hit and a walk in the ninth inning for his 28th save. Adam Frazier, representing the potential tying run at the plate, struck out to end the game.
--Field Level Media