Padres run out of gas in extras, drop series opener to Dodgers
Jun 9, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) slides under the tag of San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) for a double during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
Petco Park- San Diego, CA
Finally, at long last, the Padres and Dodgers got together for their first series in 2025. It took over two months into the season.
It didn’t disappoint from a fan entertainment standpoint.
Nick Pivetta started the game for San Diego and promptly labored through the first inning, allowing two runs before some fans could sit down with their nachos.
Shohei Ohtani, the world’s most dangerous leadoff hitter, began the game by lacing a double into the right-center gap. Freddie Freeman later doubled to drive in the opening run. Will Smith drove home the second run with a sac fly.
The Padres rattled Dustin May in the bottom of the first and answered right back. After Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez began the inning with singles, Manny Machado laced a double down the right field line, scoring one.
Jackson Merrill tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
Thanks to some shoddy defense on a steal attempt by Tatis, the Padres were able to scratch across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the second.
The 3-2 lead was brief.
The Dodgers tied it in the top of the third before a Will Smith two-run shot made it 5-3 Dodgers.
The Padres continued the theme of answering back quickly. They loaded the bases with two outs for Tyler Wade. The lefty utility man looked to be the hero, as he lined one into the right-center gap that got past both defenders. It ended up being a three-run, go-ahead triple for Wade. The Padres led 6-5 after just three innings.
Tyler Wade clears the bases with a triple and gives the @Padres the lead! pic.twitter.com/qBjUVHdOyq
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2025
Of course, the game wouldn’t end there. Hyeseong Kim lined an RBI double in the fifth to tie it.
After 93 pitches, Pivetta left after four innings. Yukon Matsui entered the fifth and nearly got out of the inning before Kim and the Dodgers sparked a run with two outs.
Then, it became a battle of the bullpens. Neither starter pitched more than five frames. It remained 6-6 until both bullpens forced extra innings. Robert Suarez did his part in the ninth, with a scoreless frame.
Wandy Peralta, along with the Padres’ defense, struggled in the top of the 10th, as the Dodgers scratched across two runs. Brandon Lockridge took an awkward angle on an Andy Pages line drive in left field that sailed over his head, scoring the first run in extras.
Tommy Edman singled home Andy Pages to make it 8-6. The Padres were able to recover and hold it there.
That second run in the 10th ended up being critical. The Padres scored one on a double by Merrill. However, Machado got rung up on a pitch that appeared off the plate to mark the first out. The game might have gone differently had Machado walked instead of striking out.
Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts both popped out with the tying run on second to end the game.
The Dodgers earned an 8-7 win in a back-and-forth, emotional matchup that had playoff vibes.
The Padres will look to bounce back with Dylan Cease on the mound Tuesday night.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.