This is what the Dodgers expected after the trade deadline.
Yasmani Grandal and Josh Reddick both hit home runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres, 5-1, at Chavez Ravine on Saturday night.
Grandal hit a three-run homer that capped off a four-run fourth inning and Reddick hit a rocket to right field in the sixth inning, his first homer as a Dodger.
"It took long enough," joked Reddick of his home run after the game. "To finally get it out of the way is huge and finally be able to contribute to this team. It's something I've been wanting to do for a month now."
Reddick's Oakland A's teammate Rich Hill did the rest as the left-hander had a no-hitter with two outs in the sixth inning before Alexei Ramirez broke it up with a single to center.
"You have to tip your hat. Alexei put a nice swing on the ball," Hill said of the only hit he allowed. "That's baseball. You don't go out there looking to throw a no-hitter, but as the game goes on each pitch has it's own moment."
Hill (2-0) was the King of the Mound for the second consecutive start as he allowed just one hit in six shutout innings with eight strikeouts. Hill has thrown 12 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in his first two starts with the Dodgers.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
"Everything felt great and worked out the way you want it to," Hill said of his start. "Overall it was a really great team win."
Overall, Hill is unbeaten in his last 10 starts dating back to May 7. He is riding an eight-game win streak as he is 8-0 with a 1.61 ERA and 60 strikeouts over that span.
"He strikes people out," Reddick joked of his A's and now Dodger teammate. "He's dirty. These guys here are seeing it for the second time, but I'm used to it. On defense, when he's pitching there's no action for sure."
After three scoreless frames to start the game, the Dodgers broke it open in the fourth. Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Adrian Gonzalez hit three straight singles to score the first run of the game, and Grandal cleared the bases one pitch later with a bomb to dead-center.
"We haven't had a three-run homer in a while," Roberts said of the four-run inning. "For Yaz to get that homer, that was a nice one."
Two innings later, Reddick hit his first home run since he was acquired at the trade deadline with a solo shot to right field to give the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.
"It was awesome. Everyone was jumping around and hugging and punching me," Reddick said of the reaction to his home run. "It was a good feeling to see this team still believing in me."
Reddick had his best game as a Dodger finishing 3-for-4 with a home run and has now hit safely in his last four games.
"To hit the homer and a couple other hits it was good for his confidence," Roberts said of Reddick. "We're optimistic that he's getting out of it."
All five runs were scored off San Diego starter Luis Perdomo (7-8) who allowed five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
Los Angeles remained two games ahead of the San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West after both teams won on Saturday.
Players of the Game:
Rich Hill: Six shutout innings with one hit allowed.
Yasmani Grandal: Three-run home run.
Josh Reddick: First home run as a Dodger.
Three Takeaways:
1. Home is Where the Heart Is: At 43-27 the Los Angeles Dodgers have the second best home record in the National League this season, behind only the Chicago Cubs (50-2).
That’s a wrap! The #Dodgers bounce back vs. SD with a 5-1 victory tonight at home. #WeLoveLA pic.twitter.com/2e8zWfLggI — SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 4, 2016
2. King of the Hill: Rich Hill joined Bob Miller (1963) and Kenta maeda (2016) as the third pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history to have back-to-back starts of 6+ innings without allowing a run in their first two games as a Dodger.
Rich Hill as a Dodger: 12 IP, 0 runs, 11 whiffs, 2 walks, 6 hits against. — Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 4, 2016
3. Ace in the Hole: Clayton Kershaw threw three-innings of one-hit ball in his first rehab start at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday night. After the game, when asked if he would make another rehab start, Kershaw said: "No. I intend to pitch in four days."
"Will you make another rehab start?"
"No, I think I'm pitching in four days". pic.twitter.com/LUkvNWDgdc — RC Quakes Baseball (@RCQuakes) September 4, 2016
Up Next:
Padres (56-79): San Diego will start left-hander Christian Friedrich in the rubber match on Sunday.
Dodgers (74-61): Jose de Leon makes his Major League debut when he heads to the mound in the finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:10PM PST.
