Pomeranz makes All-Star case in Padres' 6-0 win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With the All-Star Game coming up next week, Drew Pomeranz made a strong case to pitch in his home ballpark.
He tossed two-hit ball over seven innings, Melvin Upton Jr. homered leading off the game and the San Diego Padres beat the Dodgers 6-0 on Thursday night in a rough comeback for Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Pomeranz (8-7) struck out six and walked two in his third straight start of seven innings with one run or less. The left-hander has 26 strikeouts in his last 27 innings. He helped himself offensively, singling in a run with two outs in the second for a 2-0 lead.
"I don't know what else I'm supposed to do for that," Pomeranz said of a possible All-Star berth in San Diego. "I try not to focus on it. My goal is to go out there and do what I did every single time. Seven innings, three starts in a row, that's an improvement for me, and that's what I want to do, be out there in the game longer."
The National League is in need of a replacement for injured Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and Pomeranz deserves the nod, Padres manager Andy Green said.
"He's been outstanding. Sometimes the opportunity doesn't present itself. We're hopeful that it does the next couple of days," Green said. "Anybody who is tuned into this game, if they're looking for somebody to replace Kershaw, I think he is clearly the candidate."
Ryu (0-1) got a rude welcome back to the major leagues, giving up six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. The South Korean left-hander was reinstated earlier Thursday from the 60-day disabled list to make his first major league start since Sept. 12, 2014. He had shoulder surgery in May 2015, causing him to miss all last season.
"Overall, I felt really great," Ryu said through a translator. "My shoulder felt really great. I didn't see any issues."
Ryu's struggles extended an unwelcome streak for Dodgers starters, with none of them going seven innings since May 14 except for the now-injured Kershaw.
However, just having Ryu back in the rotation was a welcome sight for the Dodgers. Brandon McCarthy recently returned to the rotation and Brett Anderson is soon to follow.
"He looked very comparable to where he was," Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said. "We'll see the Hyun-Jin of 2013-14 really soon. He's going to be a huge weapon for us in the second half."
Dodgers rookie All-Star Corey Seager went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, ending his 19-game hitting streak, which was the longest in the National League this season.
San Diego won for the fifth time in seven games, rapping out 10 hits.
Alexei Ramirez's RBI double extended the Padres' lead to 3-0 in the fourth. They tacked on three runs with two outs in the fifth on Yangervis Solarte's RBI double and Alex Dickerson's first career triple to deep right. Yasiel Puig misplayed the ball, which went over his head, and then he missed the cutoff man, making it 6-0 and chasing Ryu.
GREAT CATCH
Dodgers center fielder Trayce Thompson made two nifty catches to rob former Dodger Matt Kemp. He snagged Kemp's liner before crashing into the wall in the seventh and then grabbed another long shot from Kemp in the ninth. One batter earlier, Puig made a highlight catch on Wil Myers in deep right. In the first, Puig made a running grab of Solarte over the low wall in right field to end the inning.
HIT IT HERE
Seager has a tall task in the first round of the Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities next week. The rookie takes on Baltimore's Mark Trumbo, the top seed and current major league leader with 26 homers. Seager ranks second among major league rookies with 17 homers. He's flying his family from North Carolina to San Diego to watch.
"He's going to be nervous and there are some guys who get shut out," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "There's a lot of pressure. You're kind of like a man on an island out there."
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Myers is making the Home Run Derby a family affair. He picked his 19-year-old brother Beau to pitch to him during the contest. Beau just completed his freshman year as a third baseman at Appalachian State.
"He sent me a couple videos of him throwing BP in the cage, so hopefully he's ready," Wil Myers said. "Win or lose it doesn't really matter. It's a cool thing for me and him to go out there and do, and it's something that we'll remember for a long time."
DODGERS MOVES
Los Angeles recalled RHP Carlos Frias from Triple-A Oklahoma City for his second stint on the active roster this season. He was recalled June 19-21 but didn't appear in a game. The reliever pitched last Sunday for OKC against Nashville, allowing one run and one hit in 1 2/3 innings for his third win of the season. ... They designated OF Will Venable for assignment and will send LHP Luis Avilan to OKC.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder inflammation) had a rehab bullpen session pushed back after twisting an ankle while in his room exercising Wednesday. An X-ray was negative. He is resting the ankle and expected to throw in the next few days. ... 2B Cory Spangenberg (hamstring) and 2B Jemile Weeks (hamstring) are progressing in their rehab in Arizona and expected to begin playing minor league rehab games by the middle of next week.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (3-6, 4.42 ERA) makes his second start since being reinstated from the DL.
Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (7-3, 4.37) is 1-0 with a 4.37 ERA in four career starts against the Padres while limiting them to a .217 average.
