Pederson homers twice to lead Dodgers over Padres, 7-6

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Joc Pederson’s second home run of the game sailed an estimated 435 feet through two palm trees just beyond the center field fence at Petco Park, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the San Diego Padres 7-6 Wednesday night to take two of three in an early series between NL West rivals.

Pederson drove in five runs on the two homers for the seven-time defending division champion Dodgers, who won seven of nine on a three-city trip.

Kenley Jansen made it interesting in the ninth by allowing one run before the game ended on a double play. With runners on the corners, Manny Machado lined out to left fielder Chris Taylor, who threw out Trent Grisham trying to score the tying run. The Padres challenged but the play stood after review. Jansen earned his fourth save in as many chances.

Pederson hit a two-run homer off Garrett Richards (0-1) with one out in the second inning and then welcomed rookie Luis Patiño to the big leagues with his monster three-run shot with one out in the sixth for a 7-2 lead. Pederson has three homers. His first was a leadoff shot in a 5-4 loss in the series opener Monday night.

The hard-throwing Patiño, San Diego’s No. 2 prospect, made his big league debut in the sixth. He retired NL MVP Cody Bellinger on a fly to center before getting into trouble. Corey Seager and Chris Taylor singled before Pederson connected on a 97 mph fastball on a 1-2 count.

The Padres have lost four of five. They feel they’re built to compete in the pandemic-shortened season, even if they have to settle for a wild-card berth. They haven’t been to the playoffs since winning consecutive NL West titles in 2005-06, and haven’t had a winning season since 2010.

Pederson’s homer off Richards in the second landed in the Padres’ bullpen beyond the center field wall and bounced into the Dodgers’...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Pederson-homers-twice-to-lead-Dodgers-over-15462828.php