Dodgers best Padres 5-2 in strongly pitched game
Credit: G.Bull/ AP Photo
San Diego, California
The second game of the Padres/Dodgers series featured two budding aces, Dinelson Lamet and Dustin May. Lamet came into the game allowing only one run in each of his previous two starts. Dodgers’ pitcher Dustin May is the #25 overall prospect in baseball, according to mlb.com.
The action started in the third inning when Francisco Mejia was hit by a pitch from May. Two batters later, Fernando Tatis Jr. lined a double down the right-field line. Mejia scored on the hit while colliding with opposing catcher Austin Barnes. Padres lead 1-0.
In the fourth inning of a one-run game, Jake Cronenworth stepped up to the plate. On a 1-2 count, the rookie took a low curveball over the rightfield wall for his first career home run. That home run gave the Padres a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. He was not going to coast after this home run. While on defense, Corey Seager lined a hit right towards Cronenworth at first base. He leaped up to snag the ball, similar to what Fernando Tatis Jr. did just over a year ago.
The rookie, Cronenworth, has been surprising both on the offensive and defensive side. After coming over as a part of the trade to acquire Tommy Pham, he was slated to compete for the 26th roster spot if the full season played out. With the 30-man rosters to start the season, a spot was easier to win. Since then, he has taken over the first base duties while Eric Hosmer is on the IL. Coming into the game, he has hit in four of the five games played. On defense, he has held down the first base position, despite being a shortstop by trade.
Dustin May, aside from the two runs he gave up, had an electric night at Petco Park. He fooled Padre hitters all night with an arsenal that includes a sinker that touches 100 mph, a cutter with a lot of movement, and an occasional curveball. This combination earned him eight strikeouts over six innings pitched for LA. The Padres managed only three hits against him in that time. The right-hander is living up to the hype.
Through five and two-thirds innings Dinelson Lamet held the Dodgers to no runs and kept his pitch-count in a good spot. Then Justin Turner came to the plate of the 5th inning. Lamet hit him with an inside sinker. Five pitches later, Cody Bellinger lines the ball up the middle to give the Dodgers their first hit of the game.
After the no-hit bid ended in the 6th inning, things started to go downhill. Corey Seager lined a ball to center field, allowing both Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger to score, just like that the game was tied 2-2. On that play center fielder, Trent Grisham received an error for bobbling the ball while fielding it. That spelled the end for Lamet, as he gave up only one earned run. Craig Stammen came in to replace him.
In the 7th inning, Austin Barnes hit a soft groundball to Craig Stammen. The pitcher overthrew his target at first, and the ball sailed out of play. Austin Barnes was safe at second base with two outs. In the next at-bat, AJ Pollock lined a double to right field, scoring Barnes. Tim Hill relieved Stammen after that at-bat. Dodgers lead 3-2.
In the 8th, Hill started the inning by giving up a hit to Bellinger. With Bellinger on first, Hill balked him over to second on a botched pickoff attempt. After striking out Seager and hitting Matt Beaty, Tingler went to the bullpen, and Pierce Johnson took the bump for the Padres. Johnson gave Chris Taylor a curveball, and he used it to bring in Bellinger on a grounder to left field. Dodgers lead 4-2.
In the 9th, Pierce Johnson still was on the mound. A.J. Pollock continued his solid night. On a fastball down the middle, he launched the ball just over the center-field wall for what would become the final run of the game. Dodgers lead 5-2, and that would be it for the Padres.
The series finale is on Wednesday with Garrett Richards (0-0 3.38 ERA) set to take on Ross Stripling (2-0 2.92 ERA). The game time is 6:10 PM.
Evan is a student finishing up a degree in Finance from Northern Arizona University. The ability to break down numbers and find the story behind them has lead to his first of writing for East Village times. He covers baseball which is the sport he grew up playing and has followed even after his playing years.