The Padres' late rally falls short in an 8-6 loss to the Dodgers on July 17. Tempers flared with Tatis Jr. and Ohtani hit, but Andy Pages' homers sealed it.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game that had everything you expect from a Padres-Dodgers showdown: high stakes, flared tempers, and a nail-biting finish. Unfortunately for the Friar Faithful, it ended in familiar heartbreak. Despite a furious late-game comeback, the Padres fell 8-6 on a tense Thursday night, leaving the bases loaded in a pivotal eighth inning and dropping a crucial series opener.
The Padres loaded the bases in the seventh and eighth innings, but a game-tying rally remained just out of reach.
The intensity was palpable from the early innings. The third inning saw both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani plunked by pitches, leading to a heated exchange and the ejection of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Jose Iglesias was also hit in the seventh, keeping both benches on edge. It was a clear reminder that there's no love lost between these NL West rivals, with every pitch carrying extra weight.
The game unraveled for San Diego in the bottom of the sixth. Holding onto a 3-3 tie after a solid five innings from starter Randy Vásquez, the bullpen couldn't hold the line. Reliever Jeremiah Estrada endured a brutal outing, allowing five runs without recording an out. The backbreaker was a 12-pitch battle that ended with Will Smith launching a two-run homer to give the Dodgers the lead for good. L.A.'s Andy Pages tormented Padres pitching all night, going 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs.
Just when it looked like a blowout, the Padres' offense roared back to life. Pinch-hitter Trenton Brooks blasted a two-run homer in the seventh to inject some hope. A bases-loaded balk by Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech later in the inning made it 8-6, bringing the tying run to the plate. The Friars loaded the bases again in the eighth with a chance to tie or take the lead, but the rally died when Luis Arráez popped out, squandering the golden opportunity. It was a valiant effort that ultimately highlighted the team's ongoing struggle to get the big hit in the biggest moments.
While the drama unfolded on the field, the front office remained quiet on Thursday. No new transactions were announced, leaving fans to wonder about the next move. The team recently optioned catcher Luis Campusano to Triple-A El Paso on July 15, a move that still awaits a corresponding call-up. With the team now 39-33 and fighting for every win, the lack of immediate roster reinforcements is a notable storyline.
This one stings. Losing to the Dodgers is always tough, but losing a game that was within reach hurts even more. The fight shown in the late innings is encouraging, but the bullpen collapse and the failure to convert with the bases loaded are glaring issues that need to be addressed. The Padres have to shake this one off quickly and find a way to even the series. The talent is there, but execution in high-leverage situations will determine whether this team is a contender or just a pretender.
