Mookie Betts blasted a grand slam to finish an eight-run fourth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 13-7 on Monday, their sixth win in seven games.
With one out in the fourth, Betts blasted a 3-0 pitch from Seth Lugo into the left-center seats for his 31st homer of the season, giving the Dodgers an 8-5 lead. Betts finished his trot by pumping his fist many times as if he were pulling a railway whistle, a celebration known as the “freight train” that David Peralta started, as his teammates replicated the gesture in the dugout.
Betts gave third base coach Dino Ebel a high five before being welcomed at the plate by runners Kiké Hernández, James Outman, and Miguel Rojas. Betts then patted the backside of Freddie Freeman, the inning’s 10th batter.
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“We just don’t give up,” Betts explained. “No matter what, I have to play all nine innings.” We’ve been around for a while, and the young men are getting into it. We enjoy playing the game.”
Betts claimed he wasn’t sure if he’d swing on 3-0, “and then I just decided to swing, and fortunately I did.”
He stated that he does not usually like swinging 3-0. “I still think of myself as a leadoff hitter who needs to get on base, so maybe that’s what’s ingrained in me.” But in that situation, especially with the momentum of trying to score as many points as possible, it was a fantastic time to swing.”
It was Betts’ sixth career grand slam and the Dodgers’ 11th of the season, tying their single-season mark.
Outman had four hits for the Dodgers, who won three of four games in the series to move to 8-2 against San Diego this season. Last October, the Padres defeated the 111-win Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
The Padres’ Luis Campusano had two home runs among his four hits.
San Diego scored five runs in the third inning off Tony Gonsolin (7-4), but the lead was gone nine batters later. Freeman started out with a single, Will Smith flew out, Max Muncy walked, Peralta hit an RBI double, and Jason Heyward drove in two more runs.
Hernández walked, Outman singled, and Rojas blooped a single to center to tie the game at 5-4. Betts then connected, much to the pleasure of the 44,455-person sellout crowd of Dodgers fans.
“I don’t know if the plan was to take it all back that inning,” Outman remarked after falling behind 5-0. “We were just trying to get a couple runs across, and it ended up being a big inning.” With a hit, Freddie set the tone for the rest of the inning, and Mookie came up big, allowing us to put together a big inning. We never panic, and we play every pitch.”
Lugo (4-6) was chased after allowing a career-high eight earned runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.
“I made a few mistakes out there, left a few balls over the plate in some bad counts,” Lugo admitted.
The Dodgers added five more runs in the sixth, including a solo homer by Hernández and a two-run double by Muncy.
In six innings, Gonsolin allowed six runs on nine hits.
Campusano’s two-run homer, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s two-run single, and Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly put the Padres up 5-0 in the third.
HIGH PRAISE
When asked to put Freeman’s career trajectory into context, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who grew up in northern San Diego County, stated, carefully choosing his words, “In the batter’s box, he is the modern-day Tony Gwynn.” That’s what I’ll say. I was there for Tony’s 2,000th hit against the Rockies, and I knew Tony as a buddy, so I think Tony would consider that a complement.” Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP with Atlanta, was hitting.339 entering Monday’s game, second in the NL to Atlanta’s Ronald Acua Jr., with 23 homers and 80 RBIs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: According to Roberts, it “seems likely” that LHP Clayton Kershaw, who has been out with left shoulder soreness, will start Thursday night at Dodger Stadium against the last-place Colorado Rockies. “It’s only Monday. There’s still time. “There’s no reason to commit completely right now,” Roberts explained.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Julio Uras (8-6, 4.69 ERA) will face RHP Brandon Pfaadt (0-5, 7.11) in the first game of a two-game series at Arizona on Tuesday night.
Padres: RHP Nick Martinez (5-4, 3.68 ERA) is set to start Tuesday night in the first game of a two-game series at Seattle, who will use RHP Logan Gilbert (9-5, 3.86 ERA).