Joc Pederson Lifts The Dodgers Over The Padres With HR In The 8th

With the Dodgers coming off their second three-game series sweep this year from the Giants, they need every victory they can get moving forward because San Francisco is creeping in on their division lead.

The Dodgers looked to snap their offensive drought against the Padres, who are struggling as well, losing five of their last seven games.

Now, I don’t know what’s happening with the Dodgers bats, but they haven’t been able to get them to use, as the Dodgers have not even scored a run in the last 36 innings.

Their defense has been solid, and their pitching has been good, but they just haven’t been able to move the runners, or bring in the men in scoring position.

So, to get the Dodgers back on track, Don Mattingly turned to his most dependable pitcher this year, Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.52 ERA).

On the visitor’s side, the Padres turned to Andrew Cashner (1-7, 3.24 ERA), who has been tormented by the Dodgers, giving up four HR (two from Gonzalez), fourteen hits, and a 5.25 ERA.

The Dodgers started getting things going in the bottom of the second, with a leadoff walk to Adrian Gonzalez, which was followed with a pop-fly single right in-between three Padres in left field.

With everything looking good for the Dodgers to get their first man across home plate, with man on first, and second base with no outs. Justin Turner treated the Dodgers fans, to a 5-4-3 double play, leaving Gonzalez on third base with two outs.

The next batter was Andre Ethier, who smothered a ball deep to right field with the look of the ball going over the fence for the first runs of the game, but it wasn’t.

The ball ended up in Matt Kemp’s glove on the warning track.

From then on, the game stayed scoreless due to excellent pitching and defense from both sides, until things started to heat in the bottom of the fifth.

Justin Turner returned his disappointment to the Dodgers fans earlier, by hitting a leadoff single to center field, as he was able to advance to second base thanks to an error from center fielder Will Venable, who kicked the ball in front of him.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

The Dodgers on the next at bat ended the drought, with a double from Either, which was enough to let Turner to be the first Dodger to pass home plate in a while.

Cashner then retired his next three batters to end the inning, giving the Padres a reasonable shot to let his offense, and bullpen get the win.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Padres got things cooking with a double from Yangervis Solarte down the right field line.

Solarte then moved to third base as Cory Spangenberg grounded to second baseman, Howie Kendrick, giving the Padres a chance to tie the game up with Solarte only being ninety feet away from home plate and Matt Kemp up to bat.

May 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris (left) scores a run past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis in the 7th inning during the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Thankfully, Kemp hit a small chopper to Greinke, who had to make an exceptional play to throw out Kemp at first, to get them out of the inning, and still ahead one run.

The Padres, in the following inning, finally tied the game, as Derek Norris got things going with a ground rule double with only one out.

Will Venable then singled to center field bringing in Norris from second, who barely reached home plate safely as Joc Pederson threw a laser to home plate — — but Ellis tagged Norris to late.

The play did go under review, but was upheld.

With the game tied one to one heading into the bottom of eighth, it didn’t last long.

Bottom Line: The Dodgers Are Winning Ugly, But It Still Counts

As Joc Pederson hammered a low pitch from Joaquin Benoit to deep right field to give the Dodgers the lead.

This also happened to be the last run the Dodgers needed to surpass the Padres for the win.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers turned to their closer, Kenley Jansen to close the game, which he did, retiring the Padres last three batters.

WP: Chris Hatcher (1-3)

LP: Joaquin Benoit (4-2)

SV: Kenley Jansen (2)

Next: The Dodgers Don't Want To Let Their Division Lead Slip Away This Early