Padres Can't Sweep, But Claim Series

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Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Series Overview

The Padres (64-71) could not quite pull off the sweep of the rival Dodgers (77-60) as Los Angeles pulled away late in Sunday’s game. The series win is the 6th consecutive series win at home for San Diego. The key to this series win was the stellar starting pitching and the solid bullpen behind them. They got hits when they needed them, but the offense sputtered at times.

The team hit .188 in the 3-game series. They also were 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position. The offensive player of the series was Rene Rivera. He had 4 hits in the series with an RBI, two runs scored and two doubles. He was instrumental in both walk-off wins. In fact, he played a big part in each of the three straight walk-off wins they Padres enjoyed this week.

Adrian Gonzalez was pesky in the series, with 6 hits, a home run and two runs scored. The Padres kept the mighty Dodgers lineup at bay for most of the series. It only got away from them in the 8th inning of Sunday’s 7-1 loss. Keeping the Dodgers off base and in the yard was key to this series win.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1 W, 3-2

The Padres got the series off with a bang on Friday with an extra-inning, walk-off win. Rene Rivera got the scoring started for the Padres in the first, driving in fellow catcher Yasmani Grandal with a sacrifice fly. Hanley Ramirez responded with a run-scoring double in the 3^rd to tie the game, but the Padres responded once again with an RBI single by Alexi Amarista in the 4^th. The score remained a 2-1 Padres lead until the 8^th when Ramirez unloaded on a pitch into the Western Metal Supply Company building, tying the game at 2-2.

The Padres pitched very well. Andrew Cashner had a Cashner-like outing, striking out 8 in 6 innings and only allowing one run. With the exception of Dale Thayer allowing Ramirez’s game-tying home run, the bullpen was lights out for the rest of the game. The bullpen pitched 6 innings, striking out 7 and only allowing that one run.

The game got into the 12^th inning still a 2-2 tie. The Padres eventually loaded the bases with one out, but thanks to an extreme shift that cut down the run at home on a Seth Smith ground ball. It didn’t matter however, as Yasmani Grandal shot one between the first and second baseman for the walk-off, 3-2 win.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2 W, 2-1

Saturday’s game looked very similar as the Padres once again scored first but let the Dodgers tie it. The starting pitcher Ian Kennedy got the scoring started with his first double of the season, driving in Rene Rivera for his 5^th RBI of the season. Former Padre Adrian Gonzalez did something he is very familiar with, hitting a home run at Petco Park, his 19th of the year, in the 6^th tying the game at one.

Thanks once again to a stellar outing from the bullpen, the game went into extra innings. But not before Ian Kennedy had a solid outing, striking out 8 in 7 innings and only allowing 4 hits. His counterpart Zack Greinke had an equally impressive night, also striking out 8 but going 8 innings. The Padres bullpen shut down the Dodgers in 3 innings, all scoreless with 4 hits allowed.

It didn’t take the Padres as long to get the walk-off win this time around. In the 10^th, Will Venable got on base then stole his 8^th bag of the year to get into scoring position. This set up the walk-off single by Alexi Amarista, the Padres’ third straight walk-off win.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3 L, 7-1

Sunday’s finale looked to be much of the same. But the Dodgers got a little help from the sun, blooping in a few hits that helped the Dodgers to two runs throughout the game. The Padres offense was stifled by Hyun-Jin Ryu in his return from the disabled list. He entered the 6^th inning with around 60 pitches. He eventually finished with 7 innings and 7 strikeouts, only allowing one run on 4 hits.

Eric Stults had a decent outing. He did walk 5 but he also struck out 4 and pitched 6 innings. The bullpen fell apart altogether for the first time in a while. In just 3 innings, the ‘pen allowed 5 runs and walked 3. The 8th inning is what tore open the game. Until that point, the Padres were very much in the game still, only down 2-1.The Dodgers broke it wide open thanks to a couple of RBI singles and a wild pitch by Jesse Hahn. Juan Uribe put the exclamation mark on it as he doubled home the 7th run in the ninth inning. The final score would remain 7-1 as the Dodgers salvaged the finale.

Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Where They Stand

The Padres have to be pleased with how this homestand has gone so far. They won a series against two first-place teams that are both near locks for the postseason. Now that September is here, the Friars will also get reinforcements that can only make them better. They finish the month of August 16-11, their first winning month of the season. We saw the offense finally wake up and the stellar pitching remain. The Padres were one of the best teams in the major leagues this month.

Padres Can’t Sweep, But Claim Series

Schedule