Padres blown out by Dodgers 14-2, lose third straight

Peoria Sports Complex- Peoria, Arizona

The Los Angeles Dodgers came into town as the San Diego Padres hosted their rival in Peoria, Arizona, Monday afternoon.

This game will be one to forget for the Friars, as LA just kept piling on runs. The Padres were the first on the board, but the Dodgers rallied 14 runs off 16 hits en route to the blowout win.

Starter Garrett Richards was on the bump for San Diego and pitched an impressive three 1/3 innings. Richards had his stuff working today as he rung up four batters, while only giving up one unearned run.

Something to keep in mind with Richards and that is, he has a 1.78 ERA in 30 1/3 career innings against the Dodgers, dating back to his days with the Angels.

The 31-year old remained in the game for the top of the fourth inning but gave up a lead-off double by reigning National League MVP winner, Cody Bellinger. After a pop-out that advanced Bellinger to third base, Craig Stammen came in to replace Richards. Chris Taylor then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Bellinger and evening the score.

The starting lineup from manager Jayce Tingler is one we may see on opening day for the Padres, except catcher Luis Torrens. With Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off, Tommy Pham second, followed by Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer, that front half of the lineup can be very productive in 2020.

Josh Naylor tripled to start the bottom of the third for the Padres’ second hit of the game. Tatis looked like his old self as he knocked in the first run, with an RBI bunt single to the pitcher — scoring Naylor. The speed of Tatis forced a quick throw by Alex Wood, but he beat out the throw with two outs already in the inning. The score was 1-0 going into the fourth.

The top of the sixth is where things started to get ugly. Adrian Morejon, Kyle Barraclough, and Gerardo Reyes combined to give up 11 earned runs in two innings. Four runs in the sixth, and seven in the seventh — off eight hits and six walks between the trio — as the Dodgers’ hitters kept reaching base.

LA added two more in the eighth, which extended their lead to 13 runs. This deficit was, without a doubt, the largest the Padres faced so far this spring.

The Padres got one back in the eighth off the sacrifice fly from Franchy Cordero, scoring Seth Mejias-Brean, making the score 14-2.

Some other notes from the game: Drew Pomeranz struck out the only two batters he faced in the fifth inning. Machado and Tatis both went 1-3 with a strikeout apiece. Jason Vosler went 1-1 with a single, keeping his BA at a solid .450 this spring.

San Diego falls to 11-5 and gets a much needed day off tomorrow and then will hit the road to face the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.

Chris Spiering

Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.