The Dodgers are the best team in baseball because they can beat you just about any way on any given night. Pitcher's duel, slugfest, it doesn't matter.
But their biggest strength is probably the fact they are never … ever … out of a game.
Los Angeles came from behind again to beat the Padres 6-3 at Chavez Ravine. San Diego built a 3-1 lead on the strength of a Hunter Renfroe RBI double, a Jhoulys Chacin RBI single and the 24th home run of the season from Wil Myers.
Chacin was also effective if not efficient on the mound. The right-hander allowed one run in 5.0 innings of work but walked four and threw 93 pitches so he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 6th inning. Immediately the Dodgers offense went to work on the Padres bullpen.
Jose Torres gave up a walk and a double to start the 6th and was lifted for Craig Stammen, who walked Yasiel Puig to load the bases with nobody out. Amazingly it looked like Stammen would wiggle off the hook. He got Austin Barnes to fly out to shallow right field then struck out Chris Taylor and got two strikes on Corey Seager.
Problem is Seager is an All-Star for good reason. The young shortstop lined a single to right field that brought in two runs and then got caught in a rundown between first and second. When the ball found its way to Myers at first base, Puig broke for home and Myers made an awful throw up the 1st base line that allowed the Dodgers outfielder to dive in with the go-ahead run.
After that the Dodgers distanced themselves with a pair of solo home runs. Cody Bellinger hit his 34th of the year in the 7th inning, putting him just one shy of the L.A. rookie record held by Mike Piazza. Chris Taylor hit his 17th dinger of the season an inning later.
That was plenty for the Dodgers bullpen, who had four relievers throw a scoreless inning each. The Padres can still win the series on Sunday afternoon when Luis Perdomo takes the mound against Kenta Maeda. The Dodgers have not lost a series since dropping two of three against the Nationals in the first week of June.
