Field Level Media
May 15, 2019
Joc Pederson and Cody Bellinger hit home runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers remained undefeated in Clayton Kershaw's starts this season after a 6-3 victory Tuesday over the visiting San Diego Padres.
Pederson went deep in the third inning, his 13th of the season, and Bellinger homered in the fourth for his first home run since April 28, giving him 15 on the year. While Kershaw improved to 3-0, the Dodgers are now 6-0 when he takes the mound.
Padres rookie starter Chris Paddack (3-2) had the worst start of his young career, giving up six runs (three earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. It is the first time he has given up more than three runs in his eight big league starts.
Franmil Reyes and Manny Machado each hit home runs for the Padres. Reyes now has 12 home runs, while Machado has hit four of his nine home runs this season against his former team, including two against Kershaw. Machado had three hits.
While the Padres took a 1-0 lead on Reyes' first-inning home run, Paddack had little trouble the first time through the Dodgers' lineup. Justin Turner reached base in the first inning when he was hit by a pitch, and Austin Barnes got aboard in the third on a Machado error.
Things changed immediately the second time through the Dodgers' batting order. Pederson hit his home run in his second at-bat against Paddack, a two-run shot that was the 100th of his career. Bellinger's two-run homer came three batters after Pederson's.
In the fourth inning, Machado got the Padres back within a run at 4-3 with a two-run home run, a shot to left field that nearly left Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers padded their lead with an RBI single from Chris Taylor in the bottom of the fourth inning, while Bellinger chased Paddack with an RBI ground out in the fifth. Paddack's pitch count was at 92.
Kershaw gave up three runs on five hits over seven innings. He had four of his five strikeouts in the first two innings, including three in the first inning alone, with one walk. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth inning to earn his 13th save.
--Field Level Media