Padres Snap Eight‑Game Skid With Win Over Dodgers

Padres End Long Losing Streak

Manny Machado launched a three‑run homer to center field, powering San Diego to a 5‑2 victory. Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. added RBI singles that widened the lead, and the Padres finally snapped an eight‑game losing streak. It was their longest skid since 2013, and the win kept their slim playoff hopes alive. The victory also marked just their second win in the last 13 games at Dodger Stadium.

JP Sears earned the win with two runs allowed and five scoreless innings. He limited Los Angeles to a single hit—Miguel Rojas’s two‑out single in the fifth—and struck out five batters in his third start of the season. Padres manager Craig Stammen and infield coach Ryan Goins were ejected only three pitches after the game began, following a heated exchange with umpire Nick Mahrley. The ejections added an emotional layer to an already dramatic contest.

Tragic Debut For Dodgers Catcher

Dodgers catcher Eliézer Alfonzo made his major‑league debut in extraordinary circumstances, playing the first six innings after learning his sister and stepmother had died in Venezuela’s recent earthquakes. Shohei Ohtani, celebrating his 32nd birthday, delivered an RBI single that gave Los Angeles its first run, keeping the Dodgers just a game ahead of the division lead. Despite the rally, the Dodgers fell for only the second time in nine games.

Emmet Sheehan took the loss, allowing one run in the fifth inning before being pulled. Alex Freeland and Ohtani each plated a run with singles in the seventh, narrowing the deficit but not enough to overcome the Padres’ early surge. Mason Miller recorded his 22nd save of the season, his first since June 22, sealing the win.

Key Statistical Highlights

• Manny Machado: 3‑run homer (18th of the season), .189 batting average.
• JP Sears: 2‑1 record, 5 IP, 0 ER, 5 K.
• Shohei Ohtani: RBI single on his 32nd birthday, 1‑for‑? (preserved stats not detailed).
• Mason Miller: 22nd save, first since June 22.

Looking Ahead

San Diego will host the Colorado Rockies next, with Eric Lauer (4‑5, 4.84 ERA) aiming to extend his unbeaten streak since joining the Dodgers’ rotation in May. Meanwhile, the Padres open a home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Walker Buehler (5‑4, 4.61 ERA) slated to take the mound at Petco Park.

The weekend series sets up a clash of two recent winners and losers, as both clubs look to adjust their momentum heading into the mid‑season stretch.