Dodgers' NLDS Game 2 loss, drama dangerously shifts momentum in Padres' favor

After an electrifying Game 1 victory in the NLDS, the Los Angeles Dodgers got embarrassed in Game 2, falling 10-2 to the San Diego Padres. And in the process, the fans at Dodger Stadium may have given the Friars a generous momentum swing.

This contest was characterized by the drama that ensued in the seventh inning, which forced a stoppage of play. Fans in the left field seats started throwing objects, including a couple of baseballs, at outfielder Jurickson Profar, who robbed Mookie Betts of a home run in the first inning and jawed with some of the folks in the stands.

Profar complained to the umpires, who wrangled security to ease the tensions. But then fans in the right field seats starting hurling objects at Fernando Tatis Jr., who was taunting the crowd as they continued to yell expletives and boos in his direction.

The game stopped for about 15 minutes in what was an embarrassing aggressive expression of fandom on national television. That already put the Dodgers in a precarious spot, despite viewers feeling as if the delay could be a colossal disadvantage for Yu Darvish, who was cruising through six innings.

The right-hander got out of the seventh inning rather easily, though, and Padres manager Mike Shildt was preparing to align his bullpen to protect a three-run lead over the final two innings. But then ... he didn't really have to.

Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts belted back-to-back homers in the top of the eighth to make it a 7-1 game. That certainly changed who would be assigned to get the next six outs.

Then, in the top of the ninth, the Padres added three more in the ninth with another Tatis homer as well as a Kyle Higashioka homer. It was 10-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Fans started filing out of Dodger Stadium during the top of the eighth and it was a sparse crowd once the ninth arrived.

Shildt got some work in for Tanner Scott during the eighth, as the left-hander hadn't pitched since Oct. 2 (and there's an off day on Oct. 7). Then Alek Jacob handled mop-up duty in the ninth. In all, the Padres saved their bullpen bullets for their next two home games while the Dodgers absolutely burned through theirs in the first two contests.

The manner in which the Padres responded in the first inning on Sunday night after the tough loss the night before and then persevered with authority after the security delay really doesn't bode well for the Dodgers with the series going back to San Diego for two games.

Back in 2022, the Padres' home crowd played a massive role in the team's NLDS victory over LA. The Pads lost Game 1 in LA, then took Game 2 before sweeping their home slate to advance to the NLCS. And this time, they're better positioned to make that happen, from a personnel and mental edge standpoint after what happened Sunday.

The Dodgers are far from down and out, but fans very much feel as if responding in Game 3 is what hinges on the series tilting back in LA's favor. After all, for as fun as Game 1 was, the Dodgers never really felt in control and needed a tightrope act in the eighth and ninth innings from Blake Treinen to escape.

It's all hands on deck now. And it'll be Michael King vs Walker Buehler in a pivotal Tuesday night matchup that change everything.