Dodgers find little relief in loss to Padres

SAN DIEGO — The Dodgers rallied to tie in the ninth, but Yangervis Solarte made it all for naught with a walk-off home run to give the Padres a 6-5 win in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Petco Park.

Pedro Baez faced two batters in the ninth inning. After allowing a loud out tracked down by Yasiel Puig in right center field, Solarte found a way to hit a ball Puig could not get to.

It was the third home run Baez has allowed since Aug. 1, after allowing four total home runs in the first four months of the season.

“His last outing was a good one. This wasn’t as sharp. But for what he’s done for us, my confidence doesn’t waiver,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve just got to work through some things.”

Down two runs in the ninth inning and facing closer Brad Hand, Rob Segedin doubled and Justin Turner hit a pinch-hit home run to tie things up. It was the Dodgers’ fifth pinch-hit home run in 2017, and the second for Turner.

Turner now has 18 home runs on the season, giving the club six different players with at least 18 home runs. The Dodgers have never had more than five players hit 20 home runs in a season.

The Dodgers got three consecutive hits to open the first inning against Clayton Richard, meaning Saturday’s Clayton allowed more hits to the first three batters of the game than Friday’s Clayton did in six innings. And the Dodgers matched their Friday offensive output within four batters on Saturday.

The Dodgers were only able to cash in one run in the first, on a ground out by Cody Bellinger, who later homered to tie Mike Piazza’s franchise rookie record.

Richard lasted six, pitching a quality start with three runs allowed and four strikeouts.

Brock Stewart had his most effective start of the season, though he lasted just four innings. He allowed only a run on two hits and struck out five, but also walked four -- one intentional.

“We would have liked for him to go deeper. For me, it was getting behind hitters. It was the four walks in four innings, and not being able to put them away,” Roberts said. “There were some 0-2 pitches he couldn’t finish with the slider and changeup.”

Wilmer Font made his Dodgers debut with a scoreless fifth inning, but allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in the six, allowing the Padres to tie the score. It was the first major league appearance for Font since July 14, 2013 with the Rangers.

In all, Dodgers pitchers issued eight walks in the game, one shy of their season high set May 24 against the Cardinals.

One of those walks was in the seventh inning to Jose Pirela, who was cashed in on a triple by Wil Myers on a ball that ricocheted over a leaping O`Koyea Dickson, who then fell down in left field.

That was part of a two-run seventh inning against Josh Ravin that gave the Padres their first lead of the series.

Intent

Dickson started in left field in his major league debut, and was 0-for-4 at the plate. He was intentionally walked by Richard in the sixth inning, putting Dickson in select company. He is just the fourth Dodger dating back to at least 1913 to be intentionally walked in his major league debut, joining Chico Fernandez (1956), Dick Nen (1963), and Bellinger (Apr. 25).

Short hop

Logan Forsythe started at second base, but moved to shortstop in the eighth inning, his first time at the position all season. It was his 20th career game atthe position, but his first game there since Sept. 24, 2014 with the Rays.

Up next

The day is only half over, with Game 2 of the doubleheader scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT Saturday night. Yu Darvish starts for the Dodgers, facing right-hander Jordan Lyles for San Diego.

Saturday Game 1 particulars

Home run: Cody Bellinger (35), Justin Turner (18); Yangervis Solarte (15)

WP - Brad Hand (3-4): 1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout

LP - Pedro Baez (3-3): ⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 run