Dodgers ride out the rain to beat Padres

LOS ANGELES (News4usonline) – It took a blown four-run lead the previous night and a two-hour and fifteen-minute rain delay, but the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup finally woke up. By beating the Padres on Saturday night, Los Angeles picked up their most encouraging win of the season.

This team will struggle to compete for a World Series if it fails to get production from its seven, eight, and nine hitters. They had done close to nothing so far this season before playing a big role in the 5-2 win.

“If we can just get some production out of those guys, which they are going to do at some point,” said manager Dave Roberts. “It is going to be those same three guys tomorrow, and they have their work cut out for them with Darvish, but I just want to see good at-bats.”

James Outman, Kiké Hernández, and Gavin Lux all had at least one hit and scored a run. The trio reached base five times in total, allowing Mookie Betts to do his damage at the top of the order.

“I thought Kiké took really good at-bats. I thought the Gavin walk in that inning was huge, and I think that James has been swinging the bat well,” said Roberts.

Los Angeles would be down 0-2 in the series if not for their contributions. The two through six hitters in the Dodgers’ lineup have been a strength this year, but they combined to go 1-15 on the night.

Mookie Betts stayed hot with three more hits. He leads the league in home runs and OPS, and the bottom of the order needs to capitalize on his success by consistently getting on base in front of him.

Gavin Lux is fully capable of scoring seventy to eighty runs this year. He has six already despite his .174 batting average. When he reaches base safely, the Dodgers have converted it into a run 50 percent of the time.

Exiting spring training, his defense was the main concern, but Lux has yet to commit an error through 17 games. He has the tools to be above-average at the plate in this league and proved it in 2022 by slashing .276/.346/.399.

Getting on base by any means necessary should be his goal for the rest of the season. If Lux can continue to get on, the top of the order will knock him in.

Another positive takeaway was Gavin Stone’s outing. After giving up five runs in three innings during his last start in Chicago, the Dodgers’ fifth starter took a perfect game into the sixth inning.

“I feel like there is a big difference from last year to this year in how I feel on the mound,” said Stone.

He eventually gave up a pair of runs, but it ended up being the best start of his young career.

Lead photo caption: For the Dodgers to advance to the next round, slugger Mookie Betts and his teammates will have to have a great offensive display against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Photo by Melinda Meijer/News4usonline 


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