The excitement and vigor at Chavez Ravine was not the same as it was a year ago when the Southern California division rivals met in the National League Division Series. This year, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are like two ships passing in the night. The Dodgers hold a double-digit lead in the NL West division, and it's not a matter of if, but when they clinch their 10th division title in 11 years. Meanwhile the Padres, last postseason's Cinderella, is just days away from being eliminated from playoff contention altogether.
Despite their difference in the standings, that didn't stop the intensity on the field.
Juan Soto and Luis Campusano both homered as the Padres shutout the Dodgers 6-1 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Blake Snell allowed one hit over six shutout innings, as the current NL Cy Young Award favorite dominated the Dodgers in route to his 14th victory of the season. Snell had eight strikeouts and just one walk, lowering his league-best ERA to 2.43 on the season.
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Dodgers' rookie starter Ryan Pepiot entered the game on a hot streak, undefeated in his last five starts, allowing just two runs total over that span. However, Pepiot had yet to face an offense as stacked as San Diego's.
Soto hit a 95MPH fastball over the fence for a solo shot in the first inning, and Campusano followed three innings later with a three-run bomb into the Dodgers bullpen that put the Padres up 4-0. Pepiot made it through six innings, allowing four runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
The four-runs of support would be all that Snell would need as he cruised the rest of the game.
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Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly was activated off the injured list before the game, and struggled in his first action back on the mound. Kelly, acquired at the trade deadline by the Dodgers from the Chicago White Sox, surrendered two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in one inning of relief.
Kolten Wong guaranteed the Dodgers would not be shutout when he hit a solo shot to the short porch in right field to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Padres took two of three from the Dodgers, but Los Angeles still won the season-series nine games to four.
After tying a franchise record for wins in August with 24, the Dodgers have struggled to start September going 5-7 over their last 12 games.
UP NEXT:
Dodgers: Los Angeles will have an off day before traveling to Seattle on Friday for a three-game weekend series against the Mariners.
Padres: San Diego will also have an off day on Thursday before traveling to Oakland for a three-game series with the lowly Athletics.
