Pirela's homer in 8th leads Padres to 4-3 win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The win total may not be where the San Diego Padres would like, though they have shown some power this season.
Baseball's top team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, got a firsthand look at that Friday, when the Padres hit three solo home runs in a 4-3 victory.
Manuel Margot homered twice and Jose Pirela hit a tiebreaking drive in the eighth to push San Diego's record to 51-64.
"We're probably too dependent on the home run over the course of the season," said Padres manager Andy Green. "We get a large percentage of our runs from the home run. I like to manufacture."
The Padres are 15th out of baseball's 30 teams with 144 home runs.
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Margot's two homers gave the rookie outfielder 12 on the season. Pirela, now hitting third in San Diego's lineup, has eight.
Los Angeles reliever Ross Stripling (1-4) gave up Margot's second home run to tie the game in the seventh and then Pirela's drive in the next inning.
Cody Bellinger had three hits and two RBIs for the Dodgers, who lost for only the fifth time in 31 games.
"The story is we had opportunities and had Clayton Richard on the ropes and had some good at-bats, and hit some balls hard but just couldn't really get that big inning," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Richard started for the Padres and went six innings, surrendering three runs on eight hits and four walks. He struck out five.
Jose Torres (6-3), called up Friday for the fifth time this season, went 1 2/3 innings to earn the win. Brad Hand threw the last 1 1/3 innings for his ninth save.
HAND DAZZLES
Hand had a 24-inning scoreless streak snapped Thursday when he gave up three runs on two homers to Cincinnati. On Friday, he retired Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Bellinger in order in the ninth.
"I just think he's incredibly special," Green said. "That's as tough a four guys you'll have to navigate through at any point in the season. I won't say he did it with ease, but he did it with a lot of poise and confidence. He's tremendous in any situation."
HILL SCARE
Rich Hill started and went six innings for the Dodgers, leaving with a 3-2 lead and one very sore neck.
Attempting to bunt in the bottom of the fourth, he took a fastball from Richard at the base of the throat. He fell to the ground in pain but remained in the game and pitched two more innings. After the game went to a hospital for precautionary X-rays. The Dodgers said he checked out fine.
"I thought it was bad," Bellinger said. "I saw him grab his throat so I didn't know what to expect but I'm glad he is all right."
MARGOT RISING
Green thought earlier in the season the rookie outfielder might have 20-home run power.
"I didn't expect him to start pushing towards that his rookie season," Green said.
He has eight home runs in his last 14 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: RHP Kirby Yates has left the team for at least three days to attend to a family medical situation. He is on medical leave. The Padres called up right-hander Valdez from Triple-A El Paso to take Yates' roster spot.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (lower back strain) threw a strong bullpen session. Roberts said he would throw another in a few days before making a rehab appearance. ... 1B Adrian Gonzalez and OF Andre Ethier, both dealing with herniated disks, are scheduled to make rehab starts Saturday for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. Gonzalez has already made five rehab starts and could return soon, although Ethier is not expected back until rosters expand Sept. 1.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (11-8, 4.15 ERA) hopes to continue his turnaround Saturday. In his last 11 starts he is 7-3 with a 2.75 ERA. Lifetime against the Dodgers he is 10-8 with a 4.20 ERA in 23 games.
Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-6, 3.53) is coming off the best two starts of the season. He did not allow a run in seven-inning starts against San Francisco and New York, allowing the Mets only one hit. He is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in six career starts against the Padres.
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