Over the last handful of years the difference between the Padres and Dodgers has really come down to which team makes more highlight reel plays and which team makes fewer mistakes. Much more often than not, LA has been the team that comes up with the spectacular catch or timely hit while San Diego has made the blunder at the bad time.
Apparently the only time the Friars come out on top is the playoffs because it is sure not happening in the regular season.
Both teams put their defensive prowess on display to open a 4-game series at Petco Park on Friday night but it was the Padres bullpen that once again let a late lead get away in a 10-5 Los Angeles win.
In the 1st inning Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a towering fly ball to centerfield. James Outman made a fantastic leaping catch to bring it back in the ballpark, robbing Tatis of a 2-run home run. In the next inning Outman launched a solo homer of his own deep to right field off Darvish to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
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Outman's grab was the first, but possibly not the finest defensive play of the night. In the 3rd inning Mookie Betts hit a rocket to right-centerfield. That is where Tatis roams. Fernando, who is the odds-on favorite to win a Gold Glove, flew into the gap and made a running, outstretched catch to take extra bases away from Betts. Mookie was also denied a hit in the 6th inning when he hit a liner towards right that Ha-Seong Kim deftly short-hopped and made a throw to 1st base.
Darvish was fabulous, going 7.0 innings on just 82 pitches and allowing two runs with four punchouts. He left with the lead because the Dodgers made just enough mistakes to cost them. In the 4th inning Luis Campusano lined a single to right field to score Cronenworth and tie it 1-1. A couple of batters later, catcher Will Smith failed to catch a pitch from Joe Kelly, letting the ball through to the backstop. Ji Man Choi, who walked twice in his Padres debut, slid home to score on the passed ball and put the Padres on top.
They got got another one in the 6th inning with some small ball. Dodgers reliever and Steele Canyon High School alum Alex Vesia walked Choi and hit Luis Campusano with a pitch to put two runners on for Trent Grisham, who got the big hit the Friars were looking for. Grisham grounded a single up the middle to score Choi and make it a 3-1 game.
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In the 8th the Padres went to their bullpen and high-octane reliever Robert Suarez. He did not get off to a great start, allowing a single to Kike Herhandez and walking Betts. Then the defense showed up again. Freddie Freeman hit a soft liner towards left. Xander Bogaerts sprinted to his right and dove to make a catch just inches before the ball hit the ground. Suarez followed that with a punchout of Smith but couldn't wiggle all the way of the hook. David Peralta slapped a grounder just inside the bag at 3rd base to bring home Hernandez and tie it up again at 3-3.
Suarez fell behind Jason Hayward 2-0 before manager Bob Melvin decided to intentionally walk him and load the bases to face Chris Taylor. Suarez walked him, too, bringing home Betts to give the Dodgers back the lead 4-3. Suarez was replaced by rookie Tom Cosgrove ... who proceeded to walk JD Martinez and bring in another run. Amed Rosario followed with a double down the line to cap a 5-run inning that has been all too emblematic of the meetings between these clubs.
The Padres try to even the series on Saturday evening behind National League ERA leader Blake Snell.
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