Justin Turner hit a pair of home runs, including a seventh-inning grand slam, and Max Muncy broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers routed San Diego 11-2 to wrap up an eighth straight series win against the Padres.
The loss reduced the Padres’ edge over the Milwaukee Brewers to two games in the race for the third National League wild-card berth.
Turner and Chris Taylor each hit a solo homer in the fifth to erase a 2-0 Padres lead.
Muncy’s single marked the second straight game that the Dodgers snapped a tie with a bases-loaded hit in the middle innings. Los Angeles then exploded for six runs in the seventh to give them 10 runs over a three-inning span.
Jake Cronenworth’s 16th homer of the season gave the Padres a 1-0 lead in the second. They made it 2-0 off left-handed Dodgers starter Andrew Heaney (3-2) when Jose Azocar opened the third with a double, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a fielding error by first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Through four scoreless innings, San Diego starter Joe Musgrove allowed two singles and had faced only one Dodger over the limit. But things began to unravel in the fifth when Turner homered to left with one out and Taylor homered to center with two outs.
Then things came apart in the sixth. Mookie Betts opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Musgrove intentionally walked Freeman and hit Smith with a pitch to load the bases. Muncy followed with his single to right.
Musgrove (9-7) gave up four runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Heaney, who was still the pitcher of record when the Dodgers took the lead in the top of the sixth, gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in five innings.
In the Dodgers’ seventh, Cody Bellinger singled with one out, moved to third on Betts’ second straight double and scored on Trea Turner’s bloop single to center. Tim Hill came on to retire Freeman on a grounder before intentionally walking Smith to load the bases.
Hill walked Muncy to bring in a run, which brought on Padres reliever Craig Stammen, making his first appearance since July 4 due to shoulder inflammation. Justin Turner drove Stammen’s first pitch into the left field seats for an inning-capping grand slam, his 13th homer of the year.
Trea Turner hit his 20th homer of the year leading off the ninth against position player Wil Myers.
–Field Level Media
