Streaking Dodgers shut out Padres 4-0 for 3-game sweep, 5th win in a row
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts slammed a two-run homer, blew a kiss to his mother in the stands, and helped the Los Angeles Dodgers complete a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres.
Even on Mother’s Day, the All-Star slugger won’t be changing diapers when he gets home.
“No, I don’t do that. That’s rough,” said Betts, who gets up in the night to hold his nearly month-old son, Kaj. “I got a great wife. She allows me to get away with it.”
The Dodgers got away with a 4-0 win Sunday, their fifth in a row and 13 in 15 games overall.
“We have a really good team and we’re showing it,” said Betts, who has five homers in 12 games so far this month.
Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin (1-1) and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout on the right-hander’s 29th birthday. He allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one in lowering his ERA to 1.42 in the Dodgers’ third shutout of the season.
“My fastball command was one of the best it’s been since I debuted in 2019,” Gonsolin said. “I feel great health-wise and am building more confidence every day.”
Miguel Rojas doubled leading off the third and one batter later, Betts sent a 415-foot shot to the left-field pavilion, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
“He’s certainly getting big hits,” LA manager Dave Roberts said of Betts. “He’s probably not as consistent as he wants to be, but I see a concerted effort in the batter’s box. There’s an extra level of focus.”
The Dodgers extended their lead to 4-0 with two outs in the sixth. Brent Honeywell replaced Ryan Weathers (1-2) and was hit with a pitch-clock violation for taking too long to warm up. Ahead 1-0 in the count, Miguel Vargas doubled into the left-field corner, scoring Freddie Freeman, who singled, and Max Muncy, who walked.
The Dodgers lead the National League with 88 runs scored with two outs.
Yency Almonte, Victor González, Brusdar Graterol and Justin Bruihl combined to give up one hit over the final four innings. They struck out four and walked two.
Weathers was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to make his fourth start this season and fourth career start against the Dodgers. He gave up four runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out three and walked four.
The Padres’ offensive slump continued. They got a ground-rule double by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first and doubles by Trent Grisham in the third and Xander Bogaerts in the ninth.
“We came out and we fought as hard as we could the last three games,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It doesn’t look good when you don’t get any hits.”
San Diego scored just four runs in the series. The Padres have lost five in a row and seven of eight.
“These guys have performed well before and they’re going to again,” Melvin said. “We have to remain in that mindset and get back home and regroup.”
KERSHAW’S MOTHER DIES
The mother of Clayton Kershaw died Saturday, according to the pitcher’s wife, Ellen. She mentioned the death of Marianne Tombaugh during the dedication of a refurbished youth baseball field in Inglewood. Kershaw’s parents divorced when he was 10 and he was raised by his mother in suburban Dallas. His father died in 2013. Kershaw played catch with two of his children on the field before the game. He is still set to start Tuesday against Minnesota.
HONORING MOMS
The Dodgers had some of the players’ wives toss out first pitches, including Kershaw’s. Some of the women juggled babies as they stood in front of the mound to throw to their husbands. Besides Betts having his second child, Evan Phillips, Muncy and Graterol recently became fathers around the same time.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Michael Wacha (3-1, 4.82 ERA) starts Monday against Kansas City in the opener of a three-game set.
Dodgers: RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-3, 6.12) will wear protective adhesive on his right index finger Monday against Minnesota. He got cut in a start at Milwaukee last week.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
