Sunday, August 24, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

The Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged the finale in their last series against the San Diego Padres in the 2025 season. They are tied atop in the National League Western Division, but the Dodgers have won the seasonal series against the Padres.

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Petco Park, the Dodgers smashed the San Diego Padres 8-to-2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was brilliant for six innings, allowing only a two-run homer. Freddie Freeman hit two home runs. Dalton Rushing had the most important home run, a three-run shot, of the season. Shohei Ohtani had a solo shot.

In the first, the Dodgers took advantage of the Padres’ best starter, Nick Pivetta. To begin the game, Shohei Ohtani walked. Mookie Betts singled. Freddie Freeman walked to load the bases. Teoscar Hernández had a sacrifice fly. They couldn’t capitalize on this scoring opportunity.

Yamamoto gave the Dodgers what they needed. In six innings, he allowed four hits and issued two walks while striking out six. His splitter baffled the Padres completely.

In the sixth, Freeman hit a solo home run to tie the score. After the first two games of this series where the Dodgers mustered one hit in each game, no Dodger fan had much hope while Pivetta kept the Dodgers to one hit through 5.1 innings. Again, Freeman gave the Dodgers and their fans hope. During his Dodger career, Freeman usually delivered when the Dodgers needed it the most.

To open the seventh, Andy Pages singled, and Michael Conforto walked. After Miguel Rojas flied out, rookie Dalton Rushing socked a three-run shot. Rushing has had a problem adjusting to be a part-time player. Before being promoted to Los Angeles, Rushing never struggled offensively. The Dodgers want Rushing to concentrate on his defense and pitch calling. Rushing has frustrated with his inability to produce offensively.

After Ohtani struck out in the seventh, Betts singled and scored on Freeman’s second home run of the game.

In the eighth, Ohtani slugged his 45^th home run of the season.

Jack Dreyer, Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates were brilliant in the relief. Scott looked like himself when he signed with the Dodgers.