Padres win 3-2 in 10 to end 10-game losing streak against Dodgers

Nola’s sack fly tagged rookie CJ Abrams, who started as an auto-runner at second base and advanced on Trent Grisham’s sacrificial bunt. Justin Bruihl (0-1) took the loss.

The Padres blew a 2-0 lead in the eighth, but managed to salvage a terrific six innings thanks to Yu Darvish and Jake Cronenworth’s first homer.

San Diego had been outscored 57-23 in their losing streak against the Dodgers, which dated back to Aug. 24. Losing three straight series to Los Angeles late last season contributed to the Padres’ stunning slump, leaving them with a losing record for the 10th time in as many full seasons since 2011.

“Last year was last year and this year is this year, so we’re 1-1 against them. Not bad,” Cronenworth said.

Even though Nola was 0 of 4 going into the 10th, manager Bob Melvin said he felt good having Nola in that situation against a southpaw.

“Sometimes when you don’t have hits and this situation comes to you late, maybe your previous hits affect you a bit, but it doesn’t,” Melvin said. “He had a really good plan up there. I approached him very calmly up there and put him in play in the outfield.

Nola said he just did the little things right.

“Get a ball high in the air. We practice all the time. We took some time to do situational strikes and that was all we practiced – get the guy in and now get into the area to get some fresh air.”

Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, who misplayed Trea Turner’s fly ball in an even two-run double in the eighth, kicked out auto-runner Chris Taylor trying to take third on a flyout opening the 10th. Robert Suarez (1-1) then knocked out Mookie Betts.

Nola, the catcher, said Profar’s pitching was “amazing. Just all about it. You could see Taylor wanting to go, he’s a good base runner too. Pro just got behind the ball and had makes a great throw. He also made the fundamentals.”

Profar knocked out Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds at home in a 6-0 win on Wednesday.

The Dodgers had been stopped for five straight innings by Darvish and reliever Steven Wilson before tying the game in the tense eighth inning.

With the Padres leading 2-0, new closer Taylor Rogers came on for a five-out save with runners at first and third. He knocked out Freddie Freeman before former Padres farmhand Turner threw a fly ball left that Profar misplayed in a double against the wall to tie the game.

San Diego reliever Luis Garcia opened the inning by allowing singles to Taylor and Gavin Lux before pulling Betts out.

Darvish pitched brilliantly for six innings, limiting the Dodgers to one hit and striking out his last 13 batters.

The 35-year-old right-hander has been exceptional for a second straight start. He struck out seven and walked three. Darvish beat 13 consecutive Dodgers from the Finals of the second, when he came off a goal-loaded jam, until the sixth inning.

“Oh my God, he was phenomenal, the way he threw his breaking ball, the way he got better as the game went on,” Nola said. “It was really good, especially how his fastball started to get located too, as he went forward.”

Darvish charged the bases in the second on back-to-back walks to Taylor and Lux ​​before pulling Betts out. On Friday night, Betts homered twice to come out of a season-opening slump and lead the Dodgers to a 6-1 win.

Cronenworth came into the game down 0 for 23 before batting a fielding single in the first and then a two-out home run in the third against Tyler Anderson. It was his first of the season. Wil Myers hit a sacrifice fly in second.

Anderson, starting in place of the injured Andrew Heaney, allowed two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts and three walks.

NEXT

The series ends Sunday when LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.00 ERA) faces the Padres for the 44th time in his decorated career. He’s 22-9 with a 2.09 ERA against San Diego, including 1-2 in three starts last year. The Padres counter LHP Sean Manaea (2-1, 1.42).

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