The Dodgers briefly built momentum after sweeping the Padres and opened a two-game NL West lead with the Rockies next on the schedule. They split a four-game set in Denver, surrendering a game to the Padres while San Diego won three of four from the Giants. The Padres beat the Dodgers 2-1 at Petco Park to draw even in the division. Rookie Alex Freeland hit his first career home run in the third, but Yu Darvish finished six dominant innings, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. Blake Snell started strong, then in the fourth Fernando Tatis Jr. walked and Manny Machado drove him in.
Before Friday, beating the Padres (73-56) was the one thing this year's underwhelming Dodgers team had consistently done well. They had taken eight of the previous 10 matchups. Their sweep at Dodger Stadium last week felt like a statement, poised to break the team out of an extended summer funk. But after a disappointing week against the Rockies, the Dodgers (73-56) once again fell flat in front of a sold-out Petco Park crowd.
Then, in Friday's series opener at Petco Park, the Padres punched back in a rivalry the Dodgers had owned for most of this season, using a 2-1 win to draw even atop the National League West. Rookie infielder Alex Freeland hit his first career home run in the third inning, opening the scoring on a hanging sweeper from Yu Darvish. But after that, the veteran Japanese right-hander went on the attack, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced in a dominant six-inning start.
Coming off a sweep of the San Diego Padres at home last weekend, the Dodgers appeared to be in strong position for the stretch run. They'd built a two-game lead in the National League West. They had the last-place Colorado Rockies up next on the schedule. And even with a trip to San Diego looming after that, they were primed to potentially take a stranglehold in the standings.
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