Machado Homers Twice, but Yates Falters in 7-6 Loss to Dodgers
Credit: AP Photo
Petco Park- San Diego, California
The Padres and Dodgers sent left-handed starting pitchers to the mound for the second consecutive game. The Padres’ right-hand heavy line up looked to have an advantage but couldn’t capitalize Friday night. Joey Lucchesi entered the game with a 3-2 record to go with a 4.94 ERA and 1.452 WHIP. His FIP was a respectable 3.57, and his 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings lead Padres starters. Rich Hill started his second game of the season for the Dodgers. The 39-year old entered the game with a 1.50 ERA in 6 innings with a 0.833 WHIP. His numbers are deceptive as he gave up five runs including two home runs and began the game with a 5.45 FIP.
The game was characterized by a massive strike zone, with pitches away from right-handers being called strikes well off the plate, and pitches six inches below zone being called for strikes as well. Batters on both sides were frustrated.
The Padres started the game the way they had the night before. Manny Machado homered in the first inning for the second consecutive game, his seventh of the year.
Dodgers tied it in the top of the second. Alex Verdugo singled with two out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With first base open and the pitcher up next, the Padres chose to pitch to Chris Taylor. Taylor reached on an infield single to Ian Kinsler, scoring Verdugo.
The Padres defense looked poor on several plays. Turner reached on a double in the third inning with one out when Franmil Reyes misplayed the fly ball at the wall in right field. In the fourth, Lucchesi failed to cleanly field a Verdugo groundball to first base, chasing it down and flipping it to Hosmer late with his glove. Lucchesi tried another flip with the glove on a groundball in the sixth, lobbing the ball over Eric Hosmer’s head to let Seager reach base with no outs.
Lucchesi entered the game 0-10 at the plate with seven strikeouts. He worked a seven-pitch walk to lead off the third inning. Kinsler grounded to third, forcing Lucchesi at second, but beating the throw to first. Hill’s errant pick-off throw sailed over David Freese at first base, letting Kinsler advance to third. Franmil Reyes brought Kinsler home with a sacrifice fly to right field. Manny Machado took the next pitch deep to centerfield for his second home run of the game.
Padres got the lead-off man on in the 4th when Hosmer singled, but he was erased on Ty France’s ground ball double play. Margot then singled, and Austin Hedges was hit by a pitch before Hill got Lucchesi to strike out
Kinsler and Reyes singled to lead off the fifth. Rich Hill exited the game with four innings pitched, giving up seven hits, one walk, and three runs. Right-hander Pedro Baez came in to face Machado. Machado grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Renfroe followed with a ground out to third, ending the threat.
Lucchesi’s high for pitches in the season is 92. He reached 100 pitches on a walk to David Freese in the sixth. He left the game with two on and no outs. He gave up one run on five hits and two walks. His two-strikeout effort was his lowest of the year, having struck out at least four in each of his previous six starts.
Brad Wieck entered the game to face Max Muncy, threw three straight balls before getting a called strike and then giving up a three-run home run and the lead, two of the runs being charged to Lucchesi. The Dodgers added another run on a double by Verdugo, and singles by Chris Taylor and pinch-hitter Matt Beaty. Warren relieved Wieck, threw three straight balls, got a called strike on a questionable pitch the Kike Hernandez thought was outside, before missing with ball four. Turner stepped in the with the bases loaded. Warren got a groundball to Machado at short for what looked like a routine double play, but Turner beat the throw from Kinsler, adding another run for a 6-3 Dodger lead. Warren struck out Seager to stop the bleeding.
Hosmer led off the bottom of the sixth with a single off reliever Joe Kelly, the fourth inning in a row the Padres had the lead-off man on. Ty France followed with a 14 pitch at bat, doubling down the left field line, scoring Hosmer. After Manuel Margot grounded to shortstop, Hedges walked. Alex Dickerson, in his second at-bat since 2016, singled to left, loading the bases. Kelly gave way to Yimi Garcia. Kinsler came to the plate with one grand slam in 162 PAs with the bases loaded. He stroked a 1-2 pitch down the left field line missing a bases-clearing double by an inch on a long foul ball. The next pitch hit Kinsler, scoring Hosmer. Franmil Reyes struck out swinging at a high fastball, bring up Machado with two outs and the bases loaded. Machado walked on five pitches, tying the game at six. Garcia struck out Hunter Renfroe on three pitches to end the rally.
Kirby Yates entered the ninth inning, having given up the tie-breaking run and taking the loss last night. He gave up a lead-off single to Turner, then struck out Seager on three pitches, and Joc Pederson on four. Max Muncy, owner of the winning hit off Yates last night, walked after starting the at-bat with a 1-2 count. Yates hit the next batter, Russell Martin, to load the bases. Alex Verdugo came to the plate with three hits in the game and drew the bases loaded walk to push the go-ahead run across the plate. Yates then went 2-0 on Taylor before battling back and striking out Taylor on a full count with a breaking ball. For the second straight game, Yates struck out the side but gave up the go-ahead run.
Kenley Jensen came in to save the game for the Dodgers. Machado fouled out to first. Pinch-hitter Wil Myers walked on four pitches. Hosmer flew out to centerfield. Pinch-hitter Greg Garcia struck out to end the game.
The save was Jensen’s 12th of the year. Stripling earned the win, improving his record to 2-2. Yates took his second loss in two games, falling to 0-2 for the year.
Kenta Maeda (3-2, 4.41 ERA) and Nick Margevicius (2-3, 3.23 ERA) will square off on Sunday to finish the first series for the National League West rivals.
I don’t know if anyone is saying they have more talent, just that after the particular 30+ games played up to this point, they should be near first, or in first place. [because they have lost several games they should have won, thanks to Mr Green] There are several nuances that separate good managers from not-so-good ones, and this can make quite a difference. However, AG is weak at grabbing the low hanging fruit (not leaving an obviously fatigued starter in). This has to demoralize the players when they know they should have won these games (and others like them) but their manager parlays a victory into a crushing defeat.
Ouch, seriously you are saying the Padres (my team for going on 45 years now) have better talent then the Dodgers? By what statistics? It frustrates when Green brings in his closer, because it’s the 9th inning of a tie game (I sorta get it). I’m starting to get the feeling that Yates has become like many closers, just plain better when we have the lead. So don’t use him just to maintain a tie!
Yet another Andy Green special. 2 games in a row he leaves his starter in too long. This game he falls asleep in the 6th and let’s the Dodgers score 5 runs. With such a young and unproven rotation, why hasn’t he established Warren and Erlin as long men? Instead he’s overused Yates and Warren.
He better wake up and raise his game, because he just cost his team 2 games they could have won. Otherwise, cue Joe Girardi.
It’s official. Andy Green is not a good manager. The Padres can’t win with him at the helm. They should be a half game behind first after winning the last two games. Overall they should be comfortably in first with their talent. He was never really tested in games that mattered. Now that he has, it’s not pretty.