The Dodgers and Padres just finished a four-game series in Los Angeles, and let’s just say things got intense. Not only were there home runs, great plays, and exciting moments, but the series also came with tension, ejections, and plenty of batters hit-by-pitches that had both teams fired up. Here’s a breakdown of what went down in each game in this heated NL West rivalry.
Game 1: Dodgers and Padres Open Series with Fire
Game 1 ended with a Dodgers win and a score of 6-3. Ohtani made his long-awaited return to pitching in his Dodgers uniform. Andy Pages became the center of the action. When he was hit by a pitch from Dylan Cease. That moment heightened the tension between the two teams and set the tone for the rest of the series. You could feel that things were going to get heated, and they did.
Game 2: Hits, Homers, and Heated Benches
The Dodgers kept their energy up and won again, this time 8-6, ensuring at least a split in the four-game series at Dodger Stadium. Things definitely took a turn in this game. Will Smith crushed a tie-breaking home run that gave the team a boost. Then things got crazy. In the third inning, Lou Trivino hit Fernando Tatis Jr., and right after, Padres pitcher Randy Vasquez hit Shohei Ohtani. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts argued with the ump and got ejected from the game. In the seventh inning, Dodgers reliever Matt Sauer hit José Iglesias, and you could only imagine how much the tension was rising. Andy Pages had an amazing performance and went 4-for-4 at the plate.
Game 3: Walk-Off Win Keeps the Streak Alive
The Dodgers came through again with a 4-3 win, and it came down to the final inning. Will Smith saved the game for the second time in this series, hitting a walk-off solo homer that sent the crowd into excitement. But the fire didn’t stop there. Andy Pages was hit by another pitch, this time by Stephen Kolek. That made it three Dodgers players hit in three games, and fans were starting to wonder if it was all on purpose.
Game 4: Benches Clear as Padres Finally Strike Back
The Padres finally got a win in the last game of the series, beating the Dodgers 5-3. But even though they won, this game had by far the most chaos. A pitch hit Tatis Jr., and that instantly triggered both benches to clear. Players stormed out of the dugouts, and the umpires ejected both managers—Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt. Things got worse when Robert Suarez hit Ohtani later in the game. The MLB thankfully didn’t let that slide. Suarez was suspended for three games and fined for intentionally hitting Ohtani.
Even though the Dodgers won the series 3-1, it felt more like a battle than a regular series of games. The continuous rivalry between the Dodgers and the Padres intensified during these games. With all the hit-by-pitches, ejections, and arguments, it’s safe to say the Dodgers-Padres rivalry is still alive and well. Fans will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next time these two teams play against each other.
The post Pitch, Hit, Repeat: Dodgers Dominate a Chaotic Series appeared first on Los Angeles Sports Nation.