Padres rally to avoid sweep, beat Dodgers 4-2
Jul 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) is greeted after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The San Diego Padres came back from the dead on Sunday afternoon, beating the Dodgers 4-1 after a long weekend that was capped off by a long game. The Padres were held scoreless through the first eight innings of Sunday’s game after a weekend in which they scored only four runs and scored four runs in the top of the ninth after being down 1-0 heading into the inning.
MacKenzie Gore had a gritty start, another good start from a Padres’ starter in the Los Angeles series, going 5.2 innings while giving up only one run, which was scored in the first inning, and striking out three. Though Gore only gave up one run, he struggled with his command and walked four while allowing five hits.
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Gore buckled down when he needed to and only kept the Padres in the game after allowing the one and only run of the first eight innings in the first frame.
Heading into the ninth inning, the Padres were down 1-0 and looking like they were headed for a four-game sweep by the hands of the Dodgers, who came into the series a game and a half back of Los Angeles.
After Manny Machado began the inning with a strikeout, Jake Cronenworth singled off of Craig Kimbrel to start the San Diego rally.
Luke Voit followed Cronenworth with an RBI double off the top of the left-field wall that scored Cronenworth to tie the game. Eric Hosmer then followed up Voit’s double with a single to put the Padres up 2-1 and change the feeling of the game and the series.
Bring him home, Hoz! 👏 #TimeToShine pic.twitter.com/L41SmLPAfr
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2022
Jorge Alfaro followed with a strikeout, which seemed to kill the momentum that the Padres had built, but in came Ha-Seong Kim, who hit a two-run home run to put San Diego up 4-1.
Oh, we Kim dig this! 🚀 #TimeToShine pic.twitter.com/1spH8HNETh
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2022
Though Taylor Rogers gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth to allow the Dodgers to come within a run at 4-2, the Padres held on for a much-needed win.
The win for San Diego kept them from getting swept in Los Angeles in a big four-game series. The Padres will look to continue their late-game momentum on Monday when they return to San Diego for a two-game series against the Mariners, including the opener on Monday, July 4th.
Kevin is a San Diego Native covering the San Diego Padres and their affiliates