The Padres came storming into town with the NL West lead while the Dodger vibes in 2025 reached a new low a couple days ago when the Angels completed their sweep. The team needed to get right in a hurry, and it was none other than Clayton Kershaw who turned back the clock to play stopper when the team need him most. The Dodgers got him an early lead and then the pen clung on for year life at the end for a 3-2 win to put the Dodgers back in first.
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Let’s start with Clayton Kershaw, who turned back the clock when the Dodgers needed him to play stopper like it was over a decade ago. After he struck out a pair in a clean 1st, he got two outs in the 2nd before giving up a Ramon Laureano homer off the fair pole in left to put the Padres up 1-0.
Ramón is really that guy. pic.twitter.com/UBgK9YCV24
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 16, 2025
Following the homer, he walked the next batter, then proceeded to set down 10 in a row heading into the 6th. In that inning, he gave up a single to start that broke the streak, but got a lineout and a double play to face the minimum there as well.
They needed him and he delivered: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 76 Pitches.
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Things started ominously for the offense, as they went down in order over the first two frames.
But the 3rd was a big chance for the offense, as a rally started behind singles from Michael Conforto and Alex Freeland. Looking to stay out of the double play, Miguel Rojas squared to bunt but looked like he popped it up to third. Fortunately, Manny Machado’s diving attempt deflected it for a single and the bases were juiced.
Always bunt? pic.twitter.com/qD9NjlHz4p
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 16, 2025
With that chance, the bats still couldn’t blow the game open, but they did take the lead on a groundout RBI from Shohei Ohtani and a sac fly from Mookie Betts to make it 2-1.
Shohei for the tie, Mookie for the lead! pic.twitter.com/5fxajAauAR
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 16, 2025
Over the next three innings, they managed just a pair of walks, but Teoscar Hernandez gave them some insurance in the 7th by hammering a solo shot (19th) to make it 3-1.
Flex on ’em, Teoscar! pic.twitter.com/8VOnZqlfSb
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 16, 2025
After a pair of walks to Andy Pages and Alex Call followed, a strikeout made it two down, but a double steal put both in scoring position. Miguel Rojas worked a seven-pitch at-bat and hit the ball hard, but that was the end of the rally.
It was also the end of the offense’s scoring.
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For the much-maligned Dodgers pen, it was Ben Casparius to start in the 7th, giving up a two-out double but managing to keep the Padres off the board.
Things didn’t go nearly as smoothly for Alex Vesia early, as he hit back-to-back batters to start the 8th, then got an out on a sac bunt that advanced them both. After a questionable check-swing call during the at-bat, he issued a walk on a full count to load the bases. Luis Arraez followed with a sac fly down the line in left to make it 3-2, and that was the end of the line for Vesia.
Blake Treinen entered and threw one pitch, getting a pop-up from Manny Machado to avoid disaster.
That set things up for the 9th and the latest guy to get a run at leverage in Alexis Diaz. He started well with a strikeout before a nine-pitch at-bat resulted in a single, but he rebounded with another strikeout to put them on the verge. With two lefties coming up, Dave Roberts turned to Jack Dreyer for the final out, and he got a harmless flyout to center to end the game.
Fucking hell.
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The two teams will resume their rivalry an hour earlier for a weekend game at 3:10 PM HT/6:10 PM PT/9:10 PM ET. It’ll be Blake Snell taking the mound looking to build off his last start, and he’ll be facing a Dylan Cease coming off a pair of great starts himself.
