Recap: Andre Ethier And Dodgers Rain Home Runs On Padres In Win
After outhitting the San Diego Padres in a pitchers’ duel to win the series opener Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers teed off on Ian Kennedy, who was activated from the disabled list Saturday to make his second start of the season.
In a refreshing change for Jimmy Rollins, he led off the game with a single to right field that Matt Kemp misplayed a bit and allowed to drop in front of him. It was followed by Andre Ethier quickly taking advantage of the opportunity to start in place of Yasiel Puig by hitting a two-run home run over the right field fence.
Kennedy’s troubles continued as Adrian Gonzalez doubled down the right field line and came around to score on Yasmani Grandal’s RBI base hit. Carl Crawford followed Gonzalez’s lead with an RBI double of his own into right field that scored a run but also resulted in Grandal being thrown out at the plate.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly unsuccessfully challenged the call and the Dodgers settled for a 3-0 lead before Brandon McCarthy stepped on the mound. McCarthy’s tendency to give up home runs surfaced in the bottom of the first as Wil Myers got the Padres on the board with a solo shot to center field.
Later in the inning, Justin Upton hit a two-run home to tie the game and erase the Dodgers’ early lead. The first inning mercifully came to an end on a Derrick Norris grounder to second. After seeing a steady dose of curveballs and fastballs, Gonzalez took Kennedy deep on a slider for a three-run home run to break the tie.
McCarthy’s second inning of work went much better than his first. After issuing a talk to Wil Middlebrooks, he got Alexi Amarista to hit back to the mound. Middlebrooks advanced to second but was stranded there. McCarthy also picked up his second and third strikeouts of the evening with Kennedy and Myers going down.
Things settled down for Kennedy as well with the Dodgers going down in order in the third. Crawford and Grandal both grounded to first for two quick outs. Juan Uribe made solid contact and nearly had a single to center only to be robbed on a diving stop by Yangervis Solarte.
McCarthy only needed six pitches to get through the bottom of the third as rain began to fall at Petco Park. Solarte hit one right to Gonzalez who made the easy out himself. Matt Kemp hit the first pitch into left where Crawford came on to make a sliding catch and Upton flied out to right to end the inning.
The Dodgers again began an inning with Pederson and McCarthy grounding towards the first baseman Yonder Alonso. The fourth ended quietly for them as Rollins went down swinging. The Padres also went down in order and quickly. McCarthy threw nine pitches this time around and got Alonso, Norris, and Middlebrooks all to fly out, keeping the Dodgers ahead, 6-3.
CONTINUE READING: Brandon McCarthy Injured, Dodgers Add To Lead And Hang On
