Teoscar Hernández hits a 3-run homer and the Dodgers beat the Padres 5-2 to win the series
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Teoscar Hernández broke a sixth-inning tie with a three-run homer and Michael Conforto also went deep for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday to take two of three games in the first series this season between the NL West rivals.
The defending World Series champions bounced back from Tuesday night's 11-1 loss, a rout so bad for the pitching-strapped Dodgers that utilityman Kiké Hernández pitched the final 2 1/3 innings after starter Matt Sauer threw 111 pitches.
Rookie right-hander Ben Casparius got through four innings in his second start of the season, with just one rough patch. He allowed five straight Padres to reach in the second but they got just one run, thanks largely to center fielder Andy Pages throwing out Gavin Sheets at the plate on a 99 mph throw on the fly to catcher Will Smith.
After allowing three straight singles, Casparius walked consecutive batters, including No. 9 hitter Martín Maldonado with the bases loaded. Fernando Tatis Jr. then flied out on the first pitch to end the threat.
Conforto homered to left-center off Randy Vásquez with one out in the fifth, his fourth.
Hernández hit a 420-foot shot to straightaway center field off Jeremiah Estrada with one out in the sixth, his 11th. Freddie Freeman was aboard on a single off Adrian Morejon (3-3), and Smith drew a walk from Estrada.
After pulling to 4-2 on Sheets' sacrifice fly in the sixth, the Padres blew another prime scoring chance when Michael Kopech walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh. Anthony Banda came on and retired three-time batting champion Luis Arraez on a weak popup and Manny Machado on a grounder.
The Dodgers, who rallied from a 2-1 deficit to eliminate San Diego in a National League Division Series last year, host the Padres next Monday through Thursday.
Key moment
Pages' throw home was on the first base side of the plate, but Smith caught it, wheeled around and tagged Sheets.
Key stat
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
Lou Trivino (2-0) got the win and Alex Vesia, the Dodgers' eighth pitcher, struck out the side in the ninth for his third save.
Up next
Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-4, 2.20 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at home against San Francisco. Padres RHP Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.00) starts the opener of a three-game series at Arizona.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
25 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attend Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final between Panthers and Oilers
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce were among the celebrities that flocked to Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday to watch Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. Kelce, a Super Bowl-winning tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is a known hockey fan along with his brother Jason Kelce. And ever since Swift and Kelce began their high-profile romance in 2023, the 14-time Grammy Award winning singer has been known to pop in on big sporting events — including the last two Super Bowls — and cause an excited frenzy for fans. There were rumblings ahead of Thursday's game that the couple might attend the final. A helicopter landed near Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, ahead of the game. The VIP entrance to the area was also closed off and the media elevator was not available to be used for a period of time before pregame warmups began. Swift recently announced that she regained control over her entire body of work. In a lengthy note posted to her official website, Swift said that all the music she's ever made now belongs to her after she has purchased her catalog of recordings — originally released through Big Machine Records — from their most recent owner, the private equity firm Shamrock Capital. Over the last few years, Swift has been rerecording and releasing her early albums in an attempt to regain control of her music. Other celebs in attendance included former Miami Dolphins star defensive end Jason Taylor, who banged the drum before the game. Miami Heat captain Bam Adebayo was joined by former Heat captain Udonis Haslem on the drum on Monday. The defending champion Panthers led the best-of-seven series 2-1 heading into Thursday's game. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Denny Hamlin to miss NASCAR's first international race after birth of son
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Denny Hamlin will miss NASCAR's first international race of the modern era to remain in North Carolina following the birth of his child. Ryan Truex will replace him Sunday in Mexico City. 'See you guys in Pocono,' Hamlin posted on social media. 'We are happy to announce the birth of our son. Everyone is doing well. My main priority is to be here at home for Jordan and our family over the next few days when she is able to go home and we transition to life as a family of five.' Hamlin and fiancee Jordan Fish now have three children, two daughters and a son born Wednesday. Hamlin had been on baby watch the last 12 days as Fish went nearly two weeks past her predicted due date. He had planned to get out of the car at Michigan last Sunday if she went into labor early in the race, but when the first stage passed with no word, he went on to score his third win of the season. The victory was the 57th of his career and made him the all-time winningest driver at Joe Gibbs Racing. Through 15 races this season, Hamlin ranks third in the overall Cup Series standings. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Truex, younger brother of former JGR full-time driver Martin Truex Jr., is Gibbs' reserve driver. His last Cup Series start was in 2014 and he has 26 starts at NASCAR's top level. Hamlin will need NASCAR to grant him a waiver to be eligible to compete in the playoffs for the Cup Series championship. NASCAR during the offseason tightened the rules for granting waivers, but said it would permit a driver skipping an event for the birth of a child. The 44-year-old Hamlin will snap his streak of 406 consecutive starts. Hamlin last missed a race in 2014 at California Speedway because of an eye irritation. ___ AP auto racing:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Mi Hyang Lee shoots an 8-under 64 to take a 1-shot lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic
BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea played a six-hole stretch in 6 under and shot an 8-under 64 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic. Grace Kim of Australia was a shot back, a year after losing to Lilia Vu in a playoff that also included 2015 champion Lexi Thompson. Fellow Australian Karis Davidson, Akie Iwai of Japan and Sofia Garcia of Paraguay were two strokes behind at 66 in the final event before the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship next week in Texas. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., opened with a 68. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 69 and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., opened with a 71. Only three of the top 10 in the world are at Blythefield County Club, with Haeran Ryu the highest-ranked player at No. 5. She shot a 69 in the afternoon. Playing in the morning on the tree-lined course, Lee birdied Nos. 5-8, parred the ninth and eagled the 10th after surprising herself by reaching the green in two on the par-5 hole. 'I didn't expect I can hit the green there for my second shot,' Lee said. 'But it was a great line and good hit with the 3-wood and I made the green. It was almost 24 feet, like right-to left-eagle putt. I didn't expect to make it.' The 32-year-old player capped the bogey-free round with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17. She won the last of her two LPGA Tour titles in 2017. 'I missed only two fairways,' Lee said. 'I think that's a lot of help to hit the greens a lot, too.' Kim chipped in for eagle on 10 and for birdie on 11 in her morning round. 'That was a good start to the back nine,' Kim said. 'Just kind of saved pars early and then loosened up as we went on. That was quite nice.' She won the 2023 LOTTE Championship for her lone tour title. The 22-year-old Iwai made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch from the eighth to the 14th, then rebounded from a bogey on 17 with a birdie on 18. Her twin sister, Chisato won in Mexico in May for her first LPGA Tour title. Chisato Iwai opened with a 73. Minjee Lee was at 67 with Caley McGinty, Ruixin Liu, Andrea Lee, Gabriela Ruffels and Jiwon Jeon. Andrea Lee was the only U.S. player in the top 11. Thompson shot a 68. Vu had a 77. ___ AP golf:
