SAN DIEGO — Earlier than the beginning of the weekend collection towards the Padres, Corey Seager referred to as it one other matchup towards a division opponent. Dave Roberts tried to pump the brakes on any discuss of a rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres, saying there’s extra to a rivalry than simply geography.
The depth at Petco Park on Friday advised a unique story. Earlier than the primary pitch was thrown, the limited-capacity sellout crowd of 15,250 had already began a pair of loud “Beat LA” chants. Good defensive performs and key strikeouts have been obtained with bigger feelings than most video games performed on April 16.
San Diego made a flurry of strikes this previous offseason, with its sights set on attempting to dethrone Los Angeles atop the Nationwide League West standings. The Dodgers reminded the Padres that it received’t be simple, taking the collection opener, 11-6, in an exhilarating 12-inning sport, extending their profitable streak to seven.
“It was like a playoff sport,” Roberts mentioned. “The depth was there. I can search for and down my lineup card and all people contributed. It’s type of like a playoff sport. I’m simply spent emotionally. Pleased with all people.”
With each groups buying and selling jabs all through the evening, it was Seager and the Dodgers that delivered the knockout punch within the 12th. Seager jumped on the primary pitch he noticed from left-hander Tim Hill, crushing a two-run homer to present Los Angeles an Eight-6 lead.
The Dodgers continued so as to add on, as Zach McKinstry and Luke Raley chipped in with RBI singles. Then, David Worth (sure, David Worth) plated a run with a sacrifice fly to left subject off Jake Cronenworth (who moved from second base to the mound for San Diego) to make it 11-6.
“There’s lots of depth on this sport,” mentioned Raley, who hit his first profession homer within the fifth. “And that was my first actual style of that, and it’s thrilling. You’ve got a rush the entire time, and it’s one thing I sit up for being part of extra.”
Although it was the Dodgers’ bats that delivered the large blows, relievers Dennis Santana and Worth have been the the explanation why Los Angeles had a chance to win it within the 12th. Santana acquired out of a bases-loaded jam within the 10th by putting out Fernando Tatis Jr. Worth, who recorded his first profession save on Thursday, acquired the win after tossing two scoreless innings.
“You hear a couple of participant and teammate and performer, however if you see it like this, it’s simply subsequent degree,” Roberts mentioned of Worth. “To complete the evening off with that, he will get the save [Thursday], will get the win [Friday], it’s fairly spectacular.”
The sport had every part followers hoped for, and extra. There have been 5 lead adjustments and three ties. It additionally included some fireworks within the 10th inning after Santana hit Jorge Mateo, inflicting the benches and bullpens to clear in a hurry. Precisely what the rivalry was lacking.
“All rivalries in baseball are actually good, however when you get that first benches-clearing [moment], that’s when it type of goes to that subsequent degree,” mentioned Worth, who was as soon as a part of the Purple Sox-Yankees rivalry throughout his time with Boston. “I’m positive we’ll be able to play [Saturday] and so will they. I feel now we have [Clayton Kershaw] going, so we’ll be prepared.”
Whereas the Dodgers mentioned all the proper issues externally to be able to downplay the magnitude of the collection, it’s no coincidence that they’d Walker Buehler on the mound on Friday and can flip to Kershaw on Saturday and Trevor Bauer on Sunday. It’s additionally not by chance that Roberts was aggressive in utilizing Blake Treinen, Victor González, Corey Knebel, Kenley Jansen, Santana and Worth out of the bullpen.
On the opposite aspect, the Padres have Yu Darvish scheduled for Saturday and Blake Snell taking the bump on Sunday. Each groups are attempting to ship an early message to one another, and the primary act this season was a basic.
If there was any doubt about these two groups being rivals, Friday evening’s sport put an finish to that. The Dodgers-Padres rivalry has the star energy, a division title doubtlessly on the road and clearly no love misplaced between the groups after their heated NL Division Sequence final season. The baseball world will get to take pleasure in at the least 18 extra battles between two of essentially the most proficient groups within the Majors.
The primary spherical went to the Dodgers.
“Tonight, yeah,” Roberts mentioned. “It felt like a rivalry.”