The most Padres thing ever would be to lose a series to the Reds, who are 18 games under .500 then win a series against the Dodgers, who are on a pace to become the 7th team in Major League history to win 110 games in a season.
But lo and behold, that's an actual possibility now.
The Friars used three solo home runs and some timely pitches from Clayton Richard to beat L.A. 4-3 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. It’s just the 5th time the Dodgers have lost since the All-Star break.
Rookie centerfielder Manuel Margot hit a pair of game-tying dingers, the first coming in the 3rd inning when he launched a solo shot off Dodgers starter Rich Hill to even the score 1-1. The Padres had a chance to make it a big inning but when Cory Spangenberg singled to right field to score Carlos Asuaje, the Friars tried to test Yasiel Puig’s arm.
That typically does not work out too well and Hunter Renfroe was thrown out at the plate but San Diego had a 2-1 lead that didn’t even last one inning.
In the bottom half L.A. loaded the bases on a double, single and hit batter then tied it up when Cody Bellinger singled to right field. It was shaping up to be a monster inning when Richard came up huge. The veteran lefty got Logan Forsythe to hit a comebacker that turned in to a 1-2-3 double play. Richard wiggled completely off the hook when Austin Barnes grounded in to a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
Barnes doubled in Bellinger in the 5th inning to put the Dodgers back on top 3-2 but in the 7th Margot hit his 2nd solo home run of the night, his 12th of the year. Over his last two full minor league seasons combined Margot hit a total of 12 home runs.
In the 8th inning Jose Pirela got in on the home run fun with another solo blast to put the Padres up 4-3. All-Star Brad Hand got the final four outs, needing just 16 pitches, to get his 9th save of the season.
Against all odds the Padres can win the series with a win Saturday at Chavez Ravine when Jhoulys Chacin takes the mound against Hyun-Jin Ryu.
