Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer in the first and Freddie Freeman capped a four-run second with a three-run blast as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 8–2 on Sunday, August 6.
Lance Lynn improved to 2–0 as a Dodger, holding the Padres to a solo home run by Gary Sanchez over six innings.
Rich Hill, who was making his debut in San Diego after the Padres acquired him from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline along with first baseman/designated hitter Ji Man Choi, gave up six runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in three innings in his shortest outing of 2023. The 43-year-old left-hander fell to 7–11.
Hill was in immediate trouble, although he almost got out of both the first and the second innings.
After retiring Mookie Betts on a fly to center to open the game, Hill hit Freeman with a pitch before striking out J.D. Martinez and jumping ahead of Rosario with two quick strikes. But the Dodgers second baseman went the other way on an 0–2 fastball, just reaching the seats in right for his fifth homer.
Enrique Hernandez opened the Dodgers’ second and moved to third on a one-out single by Miguel Rojas. Austin Barnes then attempted to squeeze Hernandez, but Choi fielded the bunt and tossed to Sanchez for the apparent out. But the Dodgers appealed and Hernandez was ruled safe because Sanchez blocked the plate before he had the ball – making it 3–0.
After Betts forced Barnes at second, Freeman capped a 10-pitch duel with Hill, driving a full-count curve 371 feet to right for his 23rd homer of the season – also scoring Rojas and Betts.
Lynn gave up the one run – Sanchez’s 433-foot drive for his 15th homer of the season – on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Lynn is 2–0 in two starts since the Dodgers acquired him from the White Sox, giving up four runs on nine hits and three walks with 13 strikeouts in 13 innings.
The Padres cut the deficit to 6–2 when Jake Cronenworth hit his ninth homer of the season off Ryan Brasier in the seventh. But Mookie Betts hit his 30th homer of the season at the end of right-hander Pedro Avila’s 4 2/3 Padres relief stint in the eighth. Hernandez doubled home the Dodgers’ final run.
