Jeff Birney
Solid Pitching Keeps San Diego at Bay
A solid outing from Kenta Maeda and good innings from the bullpen and closer Kenley Jansen shut the door on the Padres Wednesday night. A three-run third put the Dodgers on top with hits from Matt Kemp and Logan Forsythe, while some abysmal Padre defense certainly helped grease the skids to the Dodger’s win.
Kenta Maeda’s night included 9 Ks, masterfully dropping numerous Padres with his changeup/splitter that found a trapdoor over the plate throughout his 5 2/3 innings.
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”I’ve been able to use it effectively and I’m getting a lot of punchouts with it,” said Maeda when discussing the pitch.
Newly acquired reliever Dylan Floro threw a gem of an eighth, generating speculation that he could be the answer in replacing Brandon Morrow.
The Padres refused to go quietly though, as Christian Villanueva went yard in the seventh off Daniel Hudson to bring San Diego within one. Pinch hitting Chase Utley proved he’s still got it though as he answered back in the eighth with a two-out double and came around to score on a Chris Taylor single.
The Dodgers won, 4-2.
Last game of the series with the Padres is tonight. The Dodgers head home Friday for the 2nd installment of the Freeway Series. Walker Buehler is set to start against the Angels, whose pitcher is TBD as of press time.
Tonight’s game in San Diego starts at 7:10 pm. PST.
