Dodger bats exploded tonight, as the snapped a three-game losing streak in as slugfest that saw 28 hits and seven home runs. Catcher Yasmani Grandal was particularly dangerous, going 5 for 5 with three home runs and six RBIs.
“I wasn’t looking for home runs or big hits, I was just trying to do my job, whether it was to move the runners or whatever,” he said, after the game, trying his best to explain that his career-making night was just “another day at work.”
A number of Dodger bats woke up tonight, including Justin Turner’s, as he went two for three with a double, and a solo home run in the first inning, which lasted nearly an hour as both teams slugged it out and traded hits and runs. The Dodger scored another four runs in the third inning, giving them an 8-3 lead.
San Diego’s Melvin Upton Jr, had a memorable night as well, blasting away at everything he saw. Upton hit two homers—a two-run shot in the second and a solo blast in the fourth.
Both teams slugged it out, early on as both Scott Kazmir and Andrew Cashner were hit hard early. Kazmir said he was “surprised” at Upton’s tenacity, adding, “He was looking right at me, like he was really focused.” Kazmir threw 85 pitches with 48 strikes for three innnings before leaving without a decision.
Meanwhile, new Dodger acquisition Andrew Toles, doubled in the second inning for his first major league hit in his first major league game.
Kenley Jansen closed the door for the Dodgers in the ninth.
Both teams will meet again tomorrow for their third game of the series of four, before the All-Star break.
Here’s how we blogged it.
The San Diego Nachos beat up on Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Dodgers last night, 6-0, in a win that almost seemed effortless. The Dodgers will be looking to avenge the loss tonight in the second game of a four-game series, the last before the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
While the Dodgers have lost 3 out of 4 games at Dodger Stadium to the Nachos, they have defeated them 11 out of the past 16 games between the two.
Scott Kazmir will face Andrew Cashner on their respective mounds.
(Today’s game began with a moment of silence for the fallen officers in Dallas.)
FIRST INNING
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Melvin Upton Jr. (no relation) hits the first pitch for a single.
Wil Myers gets to 0-2 as Upton gets caught stealing. No charges were brought. (Play is under review. Upton is safe.) It’s his 20th stolen base.
Matt Kemp flies out.
Myers is at 2-2. He singles up the middle, scoring Upton.
Yangveris Solarte (No relation. Seriously.) gets to 3-1. He fouls one off just below the press box. He draws a walk with his legs.
Catcher Derek Norris is at 1-1 with one out. He gets to 3-1, then walks to load the bases.
Alexei Ramirez is at 1-2, then singles as Norris and Utley collide on the basepath. Norris is out, and a run scores.
Alexei Ramirez is at 1-2, then singles as Norris and Utley collide on the basepath. Norris is out. Norris is called for runner interference.
Alex Dickerson flies out.
San Diego, 1, Dodgers coming up.
Top
Corey Seager grounds out to first.
Justin Turner hits a 3-1 pitch in to the parking lot.
Adrian Gonzales singles to center.
Yasiel Puig doubles to deep center field, and Gonzales races home.
Yasmani Grandal homers on a 2-2 pitch, into the right field bleachers, scoring Puig. Its Grandal’s tenth home run.
Kendrick flies out. Cashner has had better innings.
Dodgers 4, San Diego 1
Bottom
New Dodger Andrew Toles get his first Major League hit on the first pitch he sees, doubling to center field.
Kazmir sacrifices Toles to third.
Utley is way out.
Seager gets himself walked.
Turner flies out to end the inning.
Dodgers 4, San Diego 3.
FOURTH INNING
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Derek Norris is at 2-1, and then he is at 3-1. And then he is at 3-2, And then he is walking back to the dugout, not in a good way.
Alexei Ramirez singles to center.
Alex Dickerson is at 0-2, and then gets himself his own little single. Runners on first and second.
Adam Rosales thinks he gets a walk, and does. Right to the dugout.
Cashner is at 2-2 with an additional two outs thrown in. And then he is so out.
Dodgers 4, San Diego 3
Bottom
Gonzales draws a walk tambien.
Yasiel Puig is all even at 1-1, then gets a little chin music for 2-1, before bouncing a chopper to short center.
Grandal brings a third of the team home with a 3-run shot to the center field bleachers. Its his fifth multi-homer game.
Kendrick, not to be outdone, homers himself. It’s the second time the Dodgers have gone back to back with homers this season.
Andrew Toles flies out.
Scott Van Slyke follows suit.
Chase Utley gets walked. There is a serious chat show on the mound. Paul Clemens is brought in to pitch.
The inning ends quietly as Seager is retired.
Dodgers 8, San Diego 3
FIFTH INNING
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Melvin Upton Jr. goes and hits another home run. Just like that.
Myers singles. And then gets caught stealing second. Again, no official charges were brought against him. (The play is under review. The play stands.)
Matt Kemp flies out.
Solarte is out.
Bottom
Justin Turner is at 1-1. Then hurries into second for a double.
Adrian Gonzales watches as a wild toss to second gets away, and Turner scampers to second.
Puig flies out to left, scoring Turner.
San Diego turns a nice double play.
Dodgers 9, San Diego 4
FIFTH INNING
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Louis Coleman is pitching for Los Doyers.
Christian Bethancourt singles to short center.
Ramirez singles to left. It’s that way.
JP Howell in to pitch for the Dodgers.
Dickerson singles to load the bases.
Adam Rosales
TOP
TOP
Louis Coleman is pitching for Los Doyers.
Christian Bethancourt singles to short center.
Ramirez singles to left. It’s that way.
JP Howell in to pitch for the Dodgers.
Dickerson singles to load the bases.
Adam Rosales flies out to right, scoring Ramirez.
Brett Wallace gets to first and a run scores on some fielding confusion between Howell and Gonzales.
Upton, hitting everything he sees, drops a single in to center. There is a chat show on the mound.
Pedro Baez is pitching for the Doyers.
Wil Myer hits into a lovely double play, hitting it right at Baez, who fires to home, and then Grandal throws to Gonzales for a 1-2-3 double play.
Bottom
Toles flies out to the deep left corner.
Trayce Thompson gets to 2-2….then strikes totally out.
I go get a hot dog, because the two guys standing behind me wont shut the F up.
SIXTH INNING
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Im back, they are still yakking RIGHT NEXT TO ME, and San Diego has a runner on second.
Bethancourt is at 2-2, with 1 down. Then strikes out.
Ramirez lucks out with a single to first, as Baez bobbles the ball.
A guy in a Nacho uniform flies out.
Dodgers 9, San Diego 6.
Bottom
Seager is thrown out at first.
Turner gets a pitch right next to his nose, as he walks.
Gonzales doubles, but Turner gets tagged out at first.
Dodgers 9, Padres 6.
SEVENTH INNING
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Rosales flies out.
Travis Jankowski strikes out.
