Padres make a statement in 7-2 victory over the Dodgers

The San Diego Padres won the first game in a crucial three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Petco Park- San Diego, California 

Dinelson Lamet continued his stellar 2020 campaign with an 11 strikeout performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the San Diego Padres 7-2 victory Monday night.

“It’s a good way to start the series,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said postgame.

The Padres used a four-run seventh inning, an inning that featured several weak hits to propel past the Dodgers. San Diego now sits just a game and a half back of the Dodgers in the standings.

It is fitting that the last pitch that Lamet threw of the night hit Edwin Rios on the foot. The slider moved so much that Rios went around for strike three. Lamet struck out Rios three times Monday night. His slider continues to give opposing hitters fits.

Dinelson Lamet is built different.#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/UPpqwACwMy

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 15, 2020

Lamet’s ERA is sinking, similar to his slider, towards two. It now sits at 2.12. Lamet completed the seventh inning for the second straight start, and tonight marked the seventh time he allowed one run or fewer on the season.

“It fills me with satisfaction to be able to face a team like the Dodgers and be able to make a quality start,” Lamet remarked, following the win.

His only run allowed came on a ground out in the third inning.

The victory marked the first time that Kershaw was the losing pitcher of record against the San Diego Padres since 2013. Kershaw lost to the Padres three times that year but won his last start against the Padres in 2013.

The Padres hang an "L" on Kershaw for the first time since June of 2013, when Tim Stauffer beat him. Oh, and Pads have won 8 straight for first time since 2012. Game 1 goes to the Brown.

— jesse agler (@jesseagler) September 15, 2020

Trent Grisham tied the game for the San Diego Padres in the sixth with a home run to right off of Kershaw.

I'm all for making the game fun and exciting, but there's a line you don't cross when showing up the opposing team.

Trent Grisham for whatever reason thinks he's bigger than the game pic.twitter.com/TfZIVMap4N

— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) September 15, 2020

Grisham pimped his home run, and the Los Angeles Dodgers dugout let him hear it when they chirped at Grisham as he rounded third. The Dodgers typically don’t appreciate when opposing teams show them up.

Wil Myers led the inning off the crazy seventh inning with an infield single, the first of two in the inning. Jorge Oña followed Myers by floating a double down the left-field line to take the lead. He didn’t hit the ball hard, but it stayed fair, which is all that matters.

Then, things got rather lucky for the San Diego Padres, with some help from Los Angeles Dodgers’ first baseman Max Muncy. The Dodgers do not beat themselves very often, especially against the Padres. Then again, the 2020 season for the Padres is not going like the previous years for San Diego. This team is different.

Muncy’s first mistake came on a ground ball hit by Greg Garcia. Profar came down the line and was in “no man’s land.” Muncy decided to let Profar stay out there and get the force out at first. Once Muncy went to first, Profar bolted home and scored with a hook slide. Not to mention, Muncy did not step on first, so Garcia reached first.

Face to face.

Mano a mano.

Won't back down. pic.twitter.com/od82N4zOgy

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 15, 2020

Creating energy and feeding your team 🗣#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/ITbLx6EnoT

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 15, 2020

The next batter, Grisham, hit another ground ball to Muncy, who threw the ball to second to turn a double play. He threw the ball into left field, and Oña scored.

“You felt like something good was going to happen,” Myers said about the seventh inning. “That’s what happens when you just keep chipping away.”

The San Diego Padres tacked on two more runs in the seventh and put the game out of reach.

In the eighth, Wil Myers hit an opposite-field home run to make the lead 7-1.

Where there's a Wil…

Reply with the hashtag #BudLightHomersSD for your chance to win his home run ball! pic.twitter.com/ETynyu6W1O

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 15, 2020

Wil Myers joined the Padres in 2015. He’s suffered many losses against the Los Angeles Dodgers, so his jog around the bases knowing that the Padres were up by six and now within striking distance for the NL West division title probably felt great.

Believe it or not, the Padres play another big game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. Zach Davies will face off against Tony Gonsolin in another great pitching matchup. Both pitchers boast ERAs below 2.50. The first pitch is at 6:10 p.m.

Dominic Stearn

Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also  is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”