Padres rally for 10-7 win over Dodgers
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jedd Gyorko and Yangervis Solarte powered a late rally against a red-hot opponent.
Gyorko hit a two-run homer and Solarte had four hits to lead the San Diego Padres to a 10-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
With San Diego trailing 7-6 entering the eighth inning, Jim Johnson (2-6) walked leadoff hitter Justin Upton before Gyorko followed with his 11th homer.
"I was trying to get something up and out over the plate," Gyorko said. "I fought off a couple of tough pitches. I thought I put a good swing on the first pitch of the at-bat and that kind of locked me in. I got a similar pitch and just didn't miss it."
The win snapped a two-game skid for the Padres, and stopped the Dodgers' three-game winning streak.
"I get to watch it every day, but I think you're seeing Gyorko coming into his own as a player," Padres manager Pat Murphy said. "We are really seeing what this kid can do now. He has gained some confidence and it's a fun thing to see."
Kevin Quackenbush (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory. Joaquin Benoit retired the side in the ninth for his second save of the season.
San Diego got off to an early lead by scoring two runs in each of the first two innings against Dodgers starter Mat Latos, who allowed four runs in four innings and has not won a game since being acquired by Los Angeles on July 30.
Odrisamer Despaigne and Marc Rzepczynski allowed five runs in the sixth as the Dodgers built a 7-4 lead.
Justin Upton scored in the sixth after being called safe at second by umpire Chris Conroy, who ruled that second baseman Chase Utley did not tag the bag with his foot on an attempted double play. The replay review upheld the call and Upton came home to score on a double by Derek Norris.
"He told me he didn't believe in the neighborhood play so I guess he changed the rules tonight and it is something for the league to think about, really," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "I didn't realize he could actually change the rules during the game. Jim Joyce believed in it the other day against the Cubs and tonight they didn't believe in the neighborhood play so I guess they changed the rules."
Solarte hit a solo home run into the third deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field to pull San Diego to 7-6. Solarte had two doubles and a single.
"He has been great for us this year," Murphy said. "This kid has been as consistent as anyone on the team.
Matt Kemp drove in two runs against his former team. Kemp has reached base in a career-high 23 consecutive games.
"Just frustrated right now," Mattingly said. "That means I really don't feel like talking about anything right now. It was a frustrating game honestly."
Corey Seager had two hits, drove in two runs, and scored twice in his major league debut for the Dodgers, who promoted Seager from Triple-A before the game.
"It was really fun," Seager said. "It wold have been nice to win but I still had fun in my first day.
Joc Pederson lined a comebacker in the fifth that hit Padres starter Colin Rea in the left shoulder, but Rea stayed in the game. Chase Utley followed with a run-scoring double, but Rea got Adrian Gonzalez to ground out and end the inning.
"I thought for sure he got hit in the glove," Murphy said. "We would've left him in. He was pitching well enough. I thought that was his best outing of the year."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: RHP Josh Johnson (elbow) is scheduled to pitch one inning for Single-A Lake Elsinore on Friday and another inning on Monday. IF/OF Wil Myers (wrist) will play another game on Friday in his rehab assignment with Lake Elsinore.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Mike Bolsinger (5-3, 2.83) will make a spot start in the second game of the series in San Diego. It will be Bolsinger's 17th start of the season, and allow the rest of the rotation to get an extra day's rest.
Padres: James Shields (10-6) takes the mound for San Diego, trying to stop the Padres' three-game skid. Shields tied his season-high by going seven innings in his last outing and allowed one run.