Yoshinobu Yamamoto is starting to look like a cheat code. The Japanese right-hander carved up San Diego over seven dominant innings on Saturday night, racking up 10 strikeouts and guiding the Los Angeles Dodgers to a comfortable 3-0 victory. The loss extends the Padres’ miserable skid to eight games.
It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing early on. Yamamoto escaped a self-inflicted jam in the opening frame with runners cornered, but he quickly dialed in. He surrendered just three hits on the night, matching his season-high in strikeouts and securing his second win against San Diego in just over a week. He has their number. It is that simple.
Freddie Freeman drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who are absolutely rolling right now with 10 wins in their last 12 outings. Five of those victories have come at the expense of the Padres. Los Angeles now boasts a commanding 7-2 record against their division rivals this season.
San Diego opted for a bullpen game, starting Wandy Peralta for a single scoreless frame before handing the ball to Griffin Canning. Canning did his job, giving up just one run over four innings while striking out four, but the Padres’ offense was completely dead in the water. This eight-game slide is the franchise’s worst losing streak since they dropped 10 straight back in 2013. They are finding new ways to lose. On Thursday, they blew a six-run lead, and on Friday, they coughed up a three-run cushion.
Fresh off his first career All-Star selection, rookie Andy Pages got the scoring started in the third. He lined a single into left field to bring Dalton Rushing home.
Freeman added some insurance in the sixth. He launched a solo shot off lefty Kyle Hart, marking his 15th home run of the campaign and extending his on-base streak to 19 games. Will Klein handled the ninth to lock down his second save of the year.
San Diego’s newly minted All-Star closer, Mason Miller, made his first appearance in five days during the eighth inning. He looked rusty, surrendered an RBI single to Freeman, and further cemented the Padres’ current status as the division’s punching bag.
