In a tightly contested matchup, the San Diego Padres suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending the game in dramatic fashion. Robert Suarez entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, tied at 3-3, but promptly faced a setback as Will Smith delivered a pinch-hit home run that clinched the win for Los Angeles.
Earlier in the game, the Padres had shown promise. In the top of the ninth, Xander Bogaerts hit a pivotal double into left-center field that allowed Manny Machado to score, tying the game just one out away from a potential victory. However, the Padres couldn’t capitalize on the moment. A series of unfortunate events followed, with Jose Iglesias grounding into a force out that ended their half of the inning without a go-ahead run.
Stephen Kolek pitched effectively for San Diego, holding the Dodgers scoreless for the first four innings. However, he faltered in the fifth, allowing three runs as the Dodgers capitalized on key hits to take control of the game. Despite the challenging inning, Kolek managed to settle down, finishing with 6 1/3 innings, yielding three runs on six hits, one walk, and striking out three batters.
Wandy Peralta, who replaced Kolek, helped limit further damage by striking out the dangerous Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded, preserving the score at 3-1.
The Padres will look to bounce back in the series finale against the Dodgers on Thursday at 7:10 p.m., where they hope to regain their momentum and secure a much-needed victory. In light of the intense competition they displayed, fans may remain optimistic about the team’s ability to overcome this setback and demonstrate resilience in their upcoming games.