After essentially forfeiting the final game of the series against the A’s, the Dodgers returned home with a rested pen. Unfortunately, Roki Sasaki continued to struggle and put that rested pen to the test. Fortunately, the bats made it not matter much at all as they stormed back with a string of 12 unanswered runs to start the four-game series against the Padres with an 12-7 victory.
======
A month ago, it looked like Roki Sasaki had turned the corner. Even two starts ago, the results were going backward but the execution looked fine. Yet after back-to-back starts against the Padres, he’s looked as broken as he was in April.
Roki’s first two pitches were a double and a wild pitch, then Manny Machado put the Padres on top with a homer to make it 2-0 just like that.
That was pretty ?? pic.twitter.com/jc87bAfYZq
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2026
Jackson Merrill then led off the 2nd inning with a homer and a double followed that, but Roki got a pair of outs to put him on the verge of escape. However, he then issued a four-pitch walk, allowed a stolen base, and Jake Cronenworth hit a three-run homer to right to make it 6-0 Padres.
All about that action. pic.twitter.com/qInQ4hbD1X
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2026
You have entered the Crone Zone. pic.twitter.com/hBSdLwp92W
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2026
A walk and a double followed that, and Roki was barely able to get through the 2nd. While he got a scoreless 3rd, he gave up a two-out double and continued to look suspect.
Just not good enough, and he needs to get it together cause there’s no help coming from AAA anymore: 3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 88 Pitches.
Thing is … uh, the lineup made it not matter.
——
The bats managed to make things interesting against Randy Vasquez at least. After stranding a lead-off and one-out single in the 1st, Kyle Tucker led the 2nd off with a single and Dalton Rushing smoked a one-out homer for his 10th of the year to make it 6-2 Padres.
America’s favorite backup catcher goes yard off Vasquez again to get the Dodgers on the board. pic.twitter.com/fzkFOOJaIs
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
They rallied again in the 3rd, as a one-out single from Mookie Betts was followed by a double from Max Muncy that scored him, and then Tucker singled him home to make it 6-4 Padres.
Muncy doubles in a Betts single and the Dodgers are hanging around. pic.twitter.com/4KCWt44oEd
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
Tucker floats a single and the Dodgers are within two. pic.twitter.com/1xeyKvOzK3
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
The Padres turned to Wandy Peralta in the 4th and he didn’t do any better, starting by giving up back-to-back singles to Dalton Rushing and Tommy Edman, and then Andy Pages smoked a one-out double to plate them both and tie the game at 6-6.
After singles from Rushing and Edman, Pages rips a double to plate two and all of a sudden it’s tied. pic.twitter.com/V05HUV2AU3
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
With two down, Mookie Betts doubled to score Pages, and Max Muncy followed with a single to score Mookie and it was 8-6 Dodgers just like that.
Mookie doubles, the Dodgers lead, and his OPS is over .750 already, lmfao. pic.twitter.com/j9C6btIUws
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
Muncy pokes a single and now they lead by two. Baseball. pic.twitter.com/3JhtLXlv8R
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
Peralta barely got out of the 4th, so the Padres went to Yuki Matsui in the 5th, and he also struggled. Rushing started that inning with a double and Tommy also doubled to score Rushing. He then stole third without a throw and scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-6 Dodgers.
Rushing and Edman with back-to-back doubles to start the 5th for another run. pic.twitter.com/XELHbqxDcH
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
Edman stole third and scored on a wild pitch. Clinic. Healthy Tommy is killing it. pic.twitter.com/Ua0pag6cgL
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
With Matsui barely getting through the 5th himself, it was former starter German Marquez in the 6th. Tucker greeted him with a lead-off double, got moved to third on a flyout, and Rushing drove him in with a sac fly to push the lead to 11-6.
Dodgers play small-ball for #11, as Tucker doubles, gets moved over, and Mr. Congeniality drives him in with a sac fly to continue his perfect day. pic.twitter.com/FzqYWbaHAf
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
After a clean 7th, Marquez walked Tucker with one down in the 8th, which made it nine in a row for him.
A Teoscar Hernandez walk followed and Dalton continued his night with his fourth hit for a single to make it 12-6.
Dalton with his fourth hit of the night, but no cycle. Booo. 12-6. pic.twitter.com/tyUv5CqpkE
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
——
Oh right, there was the Padres … sorta.
Taking over for Roki in the 4th was Will Klein, who cruised through an 11-pitch inning, and then he gave up just a single in a scoreless 5th.
Brock Stewart followed him in the 6th, giving up a one-out single but facing the minimum thanks to a double play. Alex Vesia then entered for the 7th, issuing a two-out walk but nothing else.
The 8th belonged to Edgardo Henriquez, who continued to look absolutely nasty, topping out at 103 MPH and dropping nasty breaking stuff while filling the zone in a clean frame.
Edgardo Henriquez with a 103 MPH sinker then 89 MPH slider out of the same tunnel that breaks out of the zone. About all you can do. pic.twitter.com/UI6jk0Fyyd
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
Paul Gervase started shakily with a walk, but rebounded with a strikeout and then got help from Pages in center on a ridiculous catch to save my recap.
Andy puts it on the line for my recap, taking away a double at the wall! pic.twitter.com/GEFqsZEonu
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 3, 2026
He then issued another walk to put a pair on and Dave Roberts went to Tanner Scott for some reason. I guess he was already warm just in case, so he put him in? Anyway, he made me rewrite parts of my recap by giving up a single to Miguel Andujar that made it 12-7, but then ended the game.
======
57-31 on the year, as the Dodgers remain hot of late (again).
The series continues tomorrow at the same time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with the marquee matchup of Shohei Ohtani against Michael King.
