Xander Bogaerts snaps out of funk, helps Padres avoid sweep

LOS ANGELES - The San Diego Padres avoided a four game sweep on Thursday, following their 5-3 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. 

This game was full of mixed emotions for the Padres as they held onto their lead for the first time in the series. However, this game will be remembered for what happened away from the field during the ninth involving a couple of familiar players getting hit by a pitch, immediately leading to a big skirmish behind home plate between both head skips Mike Shildt and Dave Roberts. 

During Fernando Tatis Jr.'s at-bat in the top of the ninth, he got plunked on the wrist, which caused both team’s benches to clear. Shildt was visibly upset after witnessing his superstar player receive a second unwanted “gift" over a three game span. At one point, both managers were inches away from each other and Roberts briefly pushed the Padres' manager before they were separated. 

Half a frame later, Shohei Ohtani got hit by pitch in the ninth inning and while walking to first base with emotions around the stadium already in a frenzy, he waved off the Dodgers’ dugout to notify them that he was okay.

"It's a good rivalry, it's a good hard fought baseball rivalry," Shildt said. "I don't want it to get to a point where it got accelerated to tonight. But how we got to the ninth not in isolation. We got to the ninth

over a combination of things."  

Shildt said in his post-game press conference that Tatis Jr.’s initially x-rays came back negative but they still don’t know the severity of the injury. Shildt also says that he and his team are getting tired seeing his best player getting hit by this ball club. 

“He’s been hit five times by this group and quite a lot of dodgeball,” Shildt said. “He’s been hit three times the last seven games. You can put it anyway you want but he hadn’t been hit more than four times by any other team, period, in his career.”  

The Padres manager was also asked if he thought if the hit on Tatis Jr. was intentional and he couldn't undoubtedly agree if it was or wasn't but his message was clear that "enough is enough". 

"Teams that I managed don't get into altercation like this because teams I managed don't throw at people," Shildt said. "But also teams I managed don't take anything. And after awhile, I'm not going to take it. And I'm not going to take it on behalf of Tati. I'm not going to take it on behalf of our team. Intentional or unintentional... That's how this game's played." 

This is the seventh time a batter has been hit by a pitch in this series, in which five of the seven plunkers involved Andy Pages, Ohtani and Tatis Jr.

“Intentional, unintentional, the fact of the matter is (I) took exception with it. Shildt said. “I’m responsible for my actions and I recognize that on the a few times that I’m going to instill myself in the game.” 

Building from his game tying hit last night, Xander Bogaerts crushed a hanging splitter over the plate to center field for his fourth home run during the second inning to give the Padres the game’s first lead for a fourth consecutive night.  

The Dodgers had a chance with runners on the corners with two outs during the third inning. Tommy Edman and Shohei Ohtani both singled and Mookie Betts grounded out softly to Manny Machado, who quickly fielded the roller and sent a missile over to Arraez at first base to deny the tying run from scoring.

During the fifth inning, the Padres found a way to get their first two run lead in the series. Bogaerts laid out his second hit and Jake Cronenworth singled, setting up a sac-fly for Jose Iglesias. 

Bogaerts found his third hit in the seventh inning, leading off with a double to center field, sending the ball 105 mph off the bat. The next batter, Jake Cronenworth, hit a ground-rule double to hand the Padres a three run lead.

Even acquiring another run of cushion, the Padres fumbled away another opportunity to help put the game out of reach, leaving two runners in scoring position and having a runner on second base with no outs.

Luis Arraez tripled on a ground ball to right field for his first hit, extending his hitting streak to six games. Gavin Sheets also would extend his hitting streak to 10 games following his RBI single. 

The Padres loaded the bases with Bogaerts, Cronenworth and Tyler Wade, running for Sheets, but they grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the frame.

The Dodgers drove in two runs during the bottom of the ninth after Sean Reynolds walked the two opening batters. The next batter lined out, moving Teoscar Hernández to third to set up an RBI single by Edman. Kim grounded out to score Max Muncy from third base. 

After closing pitcher Robert Suárez was ejected for hitting Ohtani with two outs, Yuki Matsui would enter as San Diego’s third pitcher of the inning and seventh on the night. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases but avoided a catastrophic meltdown by striking out Dalton Rushing, to avoid the Dodgers’ 28th comeback win. 

Finishing tonight 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, the Padres now own a 19-6 record when recording at least three RISP.  

A total flip of a switch type of performance, Bogaerts finished 4-for-4 with a homer, a double and a pair of singles. He also came around the bases three times and batted in a run. 

Starting pitcher Ryan Bergert looked very solid in his fifth major league start. He looked very comfortable and calm on the mound, his location and speed on his pitches were precise and consistent, giving him almost the chance to throw five scoreless innings with three hits allowed along with three strikeouts. 

Pitching the remaining 4 ⅓ innings, the Padres bullpen pieced together another solid outing, providing some extra security for the shaky, and at times, inconsistent at-bats. 

Reliever Jeremiah Estrada got himself out of some trouble during the seventh to keep the Dodgers off the scoreboard. Replacing reliever Adrian Morejon, he gave up a lead off single to Hernández, grounded out the next two batters and walked Edman. After runners moved to scoring position on a wild pitch, Hye-seong Kim grounded for the final out.

Concluding a seven game NL West road trip, the Padres (40-34) return back to Petco Park to open a three game weekend series against the Royals (37-38), which will be the only team in the American League during their 26 games in 27 days stretch this month.  

Right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta (7-2, 3.40 ERA) will make his 15th start of the season for the Friars. Pivetta earned a win in his last appearance against the Diamondbacks, throwing 94 pitches through seven innings and giving up a pair of earned runs and hits with nine strikeouts. 

On the opposing mound, the Royals will start right handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen (4-7, 4.91 ERA), who also will be making his 15th start on the bump. Lorenzen was charged for the loss in his last appearance against the Athletics, in which he gave up three earned runs on four hits and three walks.