Los Angeles Dodgers Game Recaps: Everybody Homers in Dodger’s 11-8 Win Over Padres

Ok maybe not everybody. Actually Four of the Dodgers homered though and the club scored eleven runs on thirteen hits to defeat San Diego 11-8 on Saturday night. There were seven home runs combined in the game, which was the most in a game between these two clubs since the four consecutive home run game in September of 2006. This was a rare slugfest at Petco Park, which is notoriously known as a pitcher’s Park.

It was a dreary night at San Diego, the Dodgers flexed their depth muscles as Andre Ethier played in right field in place of the injured Yasiel Puig. We still don’t know what his status is, and a disabled list trip still is in question for the Cuban outfielder.

Dodgers 11 13 0

Padres    8   8 0

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But they forgot about Dre, because Andre Ethier took us in the way back machine as he led the offense with a three hit game. Ethier had a single, double, and a home run driving in three runs and scoring twice. Ethier is now hitting .353, and has hit two home runs this season. It’s probably for the best that the Dodgers don’t trade him. Ethier can still hit.

The pitching match-up was anything but in this high scoring affair. Brandon McCarthy gave up six earned runs on six hits in five innings, including three home runs, two of them to Justin Upton. McCarthy then had to leave the game in the top of the sixth with an elbow injury, after he allowed the second home run to Upton. He motioned for Stan Conte and the medical team after grabbing his arm, and was replaced by Sergio Santos. Not long afterwards we received the word that McCarthy has a tight right elbow.

McCarthy still got the win though, thanks to the Dodger bats. Despite allowing three more home runs, he has won three games this year. His mound opponent Ian Kennedy wasn’t any beter. Kennedy lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits. The Dodgers really knocked him around.

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The Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the first, and three more in the second. The Dodgers added four more runs in the fifth, and then the Padres scored four in the bottom of the sixth to get back into the game. The Dodgers added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Matt Kemp even got ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the sixth frame with home plate umpire Marty Foster. That of course made me smile.

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This was a crazy game, and at one point the Dodgers were up 10-3. The Dodger bats were relentless. They never let up, even when the game seemed to be in the bag. Adrian Gonzalez went 2 for 5 with a two-run home run. Howie Kendrick, and Uribe also homered. Of the four Dodger home runs, three of the four were two-run shots. Gonzo’s was a three-run shot into the jury box in right field.

Kennedy was just returning from a hamstring injury of his own and looked rusty. The Dodgers jumped all over him in the top of the first. Jimmy Rollins singled, Then Ethier slugs a two-run home run to left center, to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Then Gonzo doubles, and after Kendrick whiffed, Grandal’s line drive single to left advanced Gonzo to third. Crawford’s line drive double to right scores Gonzo, but Grandal is tagged out at the plate on a throw from Matt Kemp. Grandal’s slide was just a fingertip away from being safe. The Dodgers challenged the play, but the original call was upheld. Grandal is out.

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The Padres erased the Dodgers lead immediately in the bottom of the first. Will Myers homered to center to lead-off the game for San Diego. That made it a 3-1 game. One out later Kemp singled, stole second and came around to score on a massive home run from Upton. That ties the game at 3-3.

The Dodger offense continued the onslaught in the top of the second. Joc Pederson is hit by a pitch, and goes to second on McCarthy’s sacrifice. After a two-out walk to Ethier, Gonzo homers into the jury box and the Dodgers take a 6-3 lead on the three run shot.

We move to the fifth and the Dodgers explode for four more runs. Here’s how it happened. Ethier doubled, and was erased on Gozno’s fielder’s choice. Then Kendrick homers over the center field wall to make it an 8-3 Dodger lead. That would knock Kennedy out of the game. Then after Grandal walked, Uribe homers into the right field corner and the Dodgers are up 10-3.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The lead seemed insurmountable, but McCarthy melted down in the sixth inning again before injuring his elbow. McCarthy has only made it past the sixth inning in one of his starts this year. So in the bottom of the sixth, Solarte and Kemp single, and Upton hits his second home run of the game to cut the lead to 10-6. We see McCarthy grab his arm and motion for Stan Conte/medical staff. The Dodgers pulled him quickly and brought in Sergio Santos. Meanwhile the Padres look for more runs.

Yonder Alonso promptly triples off of Pederson’s glove. He would score on a RBI grounder from catcher Derek Norris. That made the score 10-7 Dodgers. Santos settled down to retire Amarista on a called strike three, and then get pinch-hitter Cory Spangenberg on a grounder to second.

That’s when it seemed like the Padres had gained some momentum. The Dodgers scored Once more in the eighth and it stopped that party. In the eighth left hander Dale Thayer walks Pederson, and then gives up a ground ball single to Scott Van Slyke. After Rollins lines out, Ethier singles up the middle to score Joc and the Dodgers go up 11-7.

That insurance would prove important. Juan Nicasio would come in to keep the Padres from scoring in the bottom of the eighth. The Dodgers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth off of two walks and a single, but can’t score.

Pederson can’t make the catch-Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

In the bottom of the ninth, Chris Hatcher would finish it off. He walks Amarista, but then whiffs Gyorko. Then two wild pitches would allow San Diego to plate another run. With Amarista at third, Myers whiffs for the second out. With Solarte at the plate, the second wild pitch allows Amarista to score, and that makes it an 11-8 game. Finally Hatcher strikes out Solarte to end the game. Dodgers win 11-8!

The Dodgers have now hit 25 home runs to lead the National League. The Dodgers were 4 for 12 with runners in scoring position tonight, and San Diego was 2 for 8. Upton drove in five of the eight runs for San Diego.

With the Series safely in the bag the Dodgers go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon. The Dodgers will call up right hander Scott Baker to counter Brandon Morrow in the series finale at 1:10 PM. We still have no word on whether Puig is going on the DL, and now McCarthy is hurt too. Hopefully we’ll learn more about their status on Sunday, or when the Dodgers return home. Despite the injuries, the Dodgers are still winning, and in first place with an 11-6 record. Join us tomorrow as the Dodgers try to gain a split of the road trip.