Padres escape Dodgers with 3-2 victory

The Padres gutted out a close one with the Dodgers on Thursday night, escaping with a 3-2 victory thanks to a strong effort by the bullpen and another solid start by Ryan Weathers.

Weathers went five and ²⁄₃ innings against Los Angeles, finishing with a season-high six strikeouts while walking one and allowing just one hit. Mark Melancon was masterful in the final inning, getting all three batters to strikeout looking to preserve the much-needed victory.

Manny Machado laced a RBI single to left center in the fourth to drive home Fernando Tatis Jr. for the game’s first points and a 1-0 lead. Two innings later, Trent Grisham hit his team-leading fourth home run of the year to push San Diego’s lead to 2-0. He finished two-for-four at the plate which also pushed him into the top spot on the Padres with a .318 average.

After leading the team with 22 hits through his first 18 games of the season, Jake Cronenworth has gone hitless over his last three outings — his first streak of going without a hit in consecutive games — which has sunk his average to .272, still good for third on the team.

In the seventh inning, the Dodgers managed to tie the game up with a quick pair of homers by A.J. Pollock and Sheldon Neuse. Both were their first times going yard this year.

In the top of the eighth, after a pair of singles by Jurickson Profar and Victor Caratini, Tatis drove home Profar from third for the game-winning run by grounding into shortstop for the zero-out double play.

The Padres came this close to losing the lead on the other side of the inning when A.J. Pollock was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs. Tim Hill miraculously forced Neuse to hit into a double-play to end the inning which allowed the entire fan base to let out an enormous sigh of relief.

The Padres are right back in Dodger Stadium tonight for game two scheduled for 7:10 p.m. For the second time this year, it’s Yu Darvish against Clayton Kershaw and the entire baseball world will be hoping for a repeat of their last matchup.