San Diego Padres Take Two of Three from Los Angeles

A good time was had by all over the weekend in Monterrey, Mexico as the San Diego Padres took two of three from their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After a thrilling, rallying, win over the Dodgers on Saturday night (I wasn’t around this morning to do a recap so we’ll do a quick run-through below), the San Diego Padres finished off the weekend on a high note by taking the rubber match today in Monterrey.

San Diego Padres win 7-4 on Saturday night (quick recap)

The Friars’ win yesterday was highlighted by an Eric Hosmer two-run homer early on and Matt Kemp doing what Matt Kemp does to the Padres, which is hit and drive in runs.

Rafael Lopez hit his first home run with the team and Chase Headley and Carlos Asuaje brought in some insurance runs in the eighth.

Craig Stammen pitched two scoreless innings before handing the ball off to Brad Hand to close things out, quite impressively after allowing a lead-off single to Chris Taylor in the ninth.

On to the San Diego Padres 3-0 win over the Dodgers today

The Padres got a much-needed win last night and were surely heading into today’s matchup with LA with a series win on their minds.

Our Swingin’ Friars did not disappoint. There was one player in particular that carried this team to victory today. Well, maybe a few players.

Eric Lauer was terrific for the Friars

Eric Lauer got his first MLB win and it was extremely well-earned. He got himself out of trouble all afternoon and showed a ton of poise doing it.

Lauer had to jump directly into the fire today, almost instantly pitching with a runner in scoring position but he worked around a Matt Kemp double with three strikeouts in the first inning.

He got two quick groundouts in the second after Austin Barnes led off the inning with a single. Tim Locastro singled to put runners on first and third but Lauer induced another groundball out to escape the frame.

After setting down the first two Dodgers in the third, another Matt Kemp single followed by a Cody Bellinger single left Lauer with two on and two outs. He got Barnes to line out on a 2-0 pitch to get himself out of yet another sticky situation.

Eric Lauer issued his first walk of the afternoon with one man on and one out in the fourth that brought Darren Balsley out of the dugout and A.J. Ellis to the bump for a mound visit.

After the chat, Lauer retired Ross Stripling (starting the game in place of Rich Hill, whose fingernail was apparently still an issue) and Chris Taylor in order to strand his sixth and seventh runners of the game.

There seems to be a theme developing for Lauer

Lauer began the fifth inning by setting down Enrique Hernandez and Matt Kemp (finally), before Cody Bellinger singled on a ground ball to the right side of the infield.

After a wild pitch put Bellinger in scoring position, Lauer got Barnes to line out again to end the inning. Barnes ended up leaving five Dodgers on base this afternoon. Tough day at the office.

Alex Verdugo reached on an error between Lauer striking out Kyle Farmer and Tim Locastro, but Lauer stranded another baserunner by inducing a weak pop fly from Yasmani Grandal to end his day.

Eric Lauer’s line for the afternoon was six innings, no runs on seven hits and a walk, with five strikeouts. He stranded nine Dodgers on base, six of them in scoring position. For his first major-league victory, I think he’ll take it.

San Diego Padres offensive rundown

Ross Stripling pitched very well for the Dodgers, allowing no runs, four hits, and two walks while striking out five. He came out after the fourth inning, and then the San Diego Padres began scoring some runs.

Jose Pirela and Freddy Galvis chipped in a couple of base hits in the second inning but the Friars didn’t come away with anything. Franchy Cordero singled to lead off the fourth, then Galvis added his second hit of the day, but again the Padres came away empty-handed.

In the bottom half of the fifth is when the real fun began for the Friars. Travis Jankowski singled with one out, and then Eric Hosmer tattooed a ball to right-center field that he even stopped to admire for a second to put the Friars out in front 2-0.

Franchy Cordero added his second hit of the day with a single later in the fifth, but the two runs on Hosmer’s blast was all the damage they could do against Tony Cingrani.

Travis Jankowski notched his second stand-up triple in as many days to lead off the Padres’ half of the seventh, and Cordero brought him home with his third hit of the afternoon to give San Diego a 3-0 lead that the bullpen would hold on to.

San Diego Padres bullpen performances

Craig Stammen came into pitch the seventh and set down Taylor and Chase Utley before Matt Kemp reached on a throwing error on a ball that ate up Christian Villanueva.

After issuing a walk to Cody Bellinger, he got Barnes looking at a called third strike to get out of the jam. Stammen has been utterly awesome so far this season.

Kirby Yates allowed a leadoff single to Joc Pederson, then set down Verdugo on strikes, walked Max Muncy, then struck out Breyvic Valera and Chris Taylor to strand two more Los Angeles baserunners.

Next: Franchy Cordero Keeps Getting On-Base

Brad Hand came in to pitch the ninth and set down the Dodgers in order, all on strikeouts, to lock down the Padres’ first series win since taking three of four from the Giants a couple of weeks ago.

Onward and upward!!!