By Juan Toribio | 28 minutes ago
This browser does not support the video element.
SAN DIEGO — Things were starting to look a lot like last October for the Dodgers.
The defense let down a pitching staff that threw a lot of zeros against one of the best lineups in baseball. The Dodgers’ offense left runners on base at an alarming pace. The Padres, on the other hand, played like the more confident team.
But that all changed with a swoop from a superstar.
With Los Angeles to the last out, Mookie Betts rose to the occasion, hitting a game-defining homer from Padres All-Star closer Josh Hader. On the 10th, rookies Michael Busch and James Outman delivered to help the Dodgers secure the first series between the two division rivals with a 5-2 win Sunday at Petco Park.
“He’s the best player on the field,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Betts. “He always has to believe in it and the great thing about this game is that the players win the game. Today, [Betts] had an opportunity and he clung for us.
This browser does not support the video element.
After a hot start to May, Betts had a tough weekend at the plate. But his ability to change a game with one batter’s swing makes him one of the best players in baseball. And when his team needed him most, Betts was able to turn a 3-1 fastball from Hader and send him to the seats.
This browser does not support the video element.
It served as a gut punch to the sold-out Petco Park crowd and set the stage for the Dodgers’ youngsters to get to work on the 10th. Then Busch, who hadn’t made a bat since Tuesday, delivered a two-time RBI green-light to Brent Honeywell. Outman followed up with a homer to extend the lead to three runs.
This browser does not support the video element.
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Busch said of getting a clutch hit in the majors. “It’s very nice to help this team win, especially in a place like this. It’s a tough place to win and get two out of three points here, I think that’s pretty big for the team.”
Though it was offense that came through late, that rally was made possible by the Dodgers’ outstanding pitching performances from Julio Urías and the Dodgers’ bullpen. In the first inning, Urías was unhelped by his defense as Betts and Outman both misplayed in the outfield. But that didn’t stop the Mexican left-hander from getting into the game and keeping the Dodgers within striking distance.
Urías worked his way through some traffic, ultimately allowing only two first-inning runs and hitting three over 5 2/3 frames.
“You know me, I know you. It’s a game won by the side that has the best game plan,” Urías said in Spanish. “This rivalry between us was important. They have a great team, we have a great team.”
This browser does not support the video element.
Heading into the weekend series, the Dodgers maintained their stance that this was just another matchup against a division opponent. They didn’t aim to avenge last October’s postseason loss or prove anything after the Padres’ busy offseason.
The Dodgers said a lot of that after Sunday’s win. But one thing they learned over the weekend was that things were getting heated in this newfound rivalry in Southern California. The Petco Park scoreboard operator poked fun at Clayton Kershaw when he cried after Friday’s game, and a fan held up a sign during Saturday’s game aimed at Betts, the right fielder promptly during a post-game interview brought up.
“100 percent,” Betts said when asked if this series has had more flashy off-the-field moments than it has in the past. “These are just tactics to get under our skin and make us act out of character. … We are the ones who determine the games.”
This browser does not support the video element.
Instead, these “antics,” as Betts called them, may have helped the Dodgers match the intensity with which the Padres have played against Los Angeles since last year’s NLDS. When Kershaw was asked about the meme, the future Hall of Famer took the high road and argued that those things wouldn’t happen if the Dodgers won.
They won’t say it publicly, but some of their actions suggest a trip back to Petco Park, where their season ended six months ago, might just be what they needed.
As Urías put it: “He who laughs last laughs best.”