On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers continued their NLDS battle with the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. After a strong offensive play in Game 1, Dave Roberts started Jack Flaherty from the mound.
Flaherty has been great for the Dodgers but the Padres took an early lead in the top of the first inning as Fernando Tatis Jr. cranked on to deep left field. The Padres sent Yu Darvish to the mound as their starter. Darvish started well by striking out Shohei Ohtani in the bottom of the first inning.
Mookie Betts smashed one to left field, but Jurickson Profar made an incredible play by stealing Betts's home run. In no time, the Padres took a 3-0 lead, but Teoscar Hernadez was sent home with a sac fly from Gavin Lux.
Darvish surrendered only one run in five innings while the Padres' offense opened up and scored another run to take a 4-1 lead. Things got tense between the two rivals as Jack Flaherty and Manny Machado exchanged words after a strikeout.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Dodgers' Player Stats
San Diego Padres' Player Stats
Fernando Tatis Jr., David Peralta, Jackson Merrill, Xander Bogaerts, Kyle Higashioka, and Max Muncy hit home runs tonight
Fernando Tatis Jr. never hesitated to smash one off against Flaherty as he got the Padres on the board first with a towering home run. David Peralta followed Tatis with a two-run shot that went deep to center.
Things went out of hand for Ohtani and his team as Jackson Merrill smashed a two-run homer against Ryan Brasier in the top of the eighth inning to give his team a 6-1 lead. It was Merrill's first postseason home run.
Veteran slugger Xander Bogaerts smashed another home run in the top of the eighth against Michael Grove. The Padres had back-to-back home runs as Kyle Higashioka went deep with a solo shot to give them an 8-1 lead. Tatis went deep to center with another two-run blast, giving them a 10-1 lead. The Padres are now a huge threat to their NL West rival and their World Series dream.
Max Muncy was the only player to give the Dodgers a home run while they secured two runs.
Pitching has been a major issue for Boys in Blue as they struggled to make ends meet in Game 2. Additionally, they will lose their home-field advantage as they take on the Padres for Game 3 at Petco Park. There will be a Game 4 as the Padres recorded an easy win with a 10-2 final score.