Mookie Betts’ two-run single keyed a three-run fifth inning Sunday as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers edged the San Diego Padres 4-2 in the rubber game of the teams’ weekend series.
Emmet Sheehan (4-5) pitched five solid innings to earn the win, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five. Four relievers finished up, with Edgardo Henriquez pitching the ninth to earn his first save.
Michael King (5-7) absorbed the loss, giving up four runs on three hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings while whiffing five. It was the first loss for King in four career decisions against Los Angeles.
King pitched himself into difficulty he couldn’t escape in the fifth. After walking Alex Freeland to open the inning, he retired Chuckie Robinson on a popped-up bunt. But Shohei Ohtani walked and Andy Pages was plunked by a 1-2 pitch to fill the bases.
Freddie Freeman worked a full count, fouled off a couple of pitches and took a breaking ball just off the plate for the inning’s third walk that scored Freeland. Betts then lined his hit into left-center for a 4-1 advantage.
San Diego got a run back in the sixth when Jackson Merrill singled, stole second and rode home on a two-out RBI single by Xander Bogaerts. But the Padres weren’t able to get any closer.
They built a promising rally in the eighth when Manny Machado doubled and pinch hitter Ty France was hit by a pitch. But Xander Bogaerts struck out and Miguel Andujar grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the third when Freeland singled, advanced to second on Robinson’s sacrifice bunt and raced home when Ohtani dumped an RBI single to left.
Machado evened the score in the fourth when he pounced on a hanging off-speed pitch by Sheehan and lofted his 15th homer of the year to left.
Betts was the only Los Angeles batter with two hits, while Machado and Bogaerts each collected two for San Diego.
