Will Smith's Heroics Lead Dodgers to Victory over Padres in Heated Clash
In a thrilling encounter, Will Smith delivered a clutch two-run homer after a grueling 12-pitch at-bat in the sixth inning, propelling the Los Angeles Dodgers to a fiery 8-6 triumph over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
The intensity of the game was undeniable as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected in the third inning. The drama unfolded when Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani were both struck by pitches. To add fuel to the fire, Padres’ player Jose Iglesias was hit in the seventh.
Andy Pages shone brightly, going a perfect 4-for-4. His impressive performance included a pair of two-out homers and an additional RBI during a stellar five-run sixth inning, where the Dodgers turned the game around to secure an 8-3 lead.
Tatis found himself on the receiving end of a pitch from Dodgers reliever Lou Trivino in the third inning, and Randy Vásquez similarly struck Ohtani. The incident triggered warnings to both benches, and a fired-up Roberts contested the calls, leading to his ejection by third base umpire Tripp Gibson.
Jeremiah Estrada (2-4) ended up with the loss. The drama didn’t end there; in the seventh, Dodgers reliever Matt Sauer (2-1) hit Iglesias on the left hand with a pitch.
Tanner Scott came in to seal the victory, securing his 14th save in the ninth inning.
The Padres narrowed the gap to 8-6 courtesy of a two-run homer by pinch-hitter Trenton Brooks off Sauer and a bases-loaded balk by Michael Kopech in the seventh.
San Diego threatened again in the eighth as they loaded the bases against Anthony Banda, but Banda managed to induce a crucial foul pop from Luis Arráez to conclude the inning.
Highlighting the game, Ohtani struck out four times, just a night after making his pitching debut for the Dodgers, following his lengthy recovery from elbow surgery.
Looking ahead, Padres RHP Stephen Kolek (3-2, 3.50 ERA) is set to take the mound on Wednesday, while Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan anticipates making his first major league start since 2023 as he returns from last year’s Tommy John surgery.