May throws six shutout innings and Taylor homers to even series

The Dodgers tied up the series 1-1 against the Padres with a 2-1 win Saturday night in San Diego.

Bench coach Danny Lehmann collected a tough fought win as acting manager of the Dodgers on Saturday night. Dave Roberts was gone from the team, attending his son’s graduation.

Dustin May and Blake Snell locked horns in a pitching duel in the first three innings. Other than a Xander Bogaerts single, the starting pitching was dominant for both sides. May was magnificent over six shutout innings.

Walk. Homer. Walk.

Snell sent down the first 11 batters in order to start the game before he issued a two-out walk to Will Smith in the top of the fourth.

The Dodgers struck first on a two-out two-run home run by Chris Taylor. It was Taylor’s sixth homer of the year and third career home run off Snell.

May struck out Manny Machado with his curveball for a big out in the sixth after Fernando Tatis Jr. leadoff the inning with a single.

The Padres’ and Dodgers’ bullpen took over in the seventh for Snell and May who both went six solid frames. Snell’s only mistake was the walk to Smith and homer to CT3 in the fourth frame.

Bullpen improvements

Caleb Ferguson got the ball for the Dodgers in the bottom of the seventh and pitched a scoreless inning to preserve the two-run lead for L.A.

The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth and failed to cash in any insurance runs. They also stranded two runners in the top of the ninth.

One pitch into the bottom of the eighth inning, Brusdar Graterol gave up a leadoff double to Brett Sullivan. Tatis Jr. doubled down the left field line to give the Padres their first run of the night. Graterol induced three straight groundouts from Machado, Soto and Bogaerts to strand Tatis perched on third base representing the tying run.

Evan Phillips struck out an angry Matt Carpenter for the first out of the bottom of the ninth. Jake Cronenworth drew a one-out walk for his third free pass of the game. Phillips reared back and struck out Ha-Seong Kim for the second out.

Although the home plate umpire didn’t give Phillips two straight strike calls, he was able to retire the dangerous Trent Grisham with a swinging strikeout on his four-seamer to end the game and tie the series at one game apiece.

Saturday’s particulars

Home runs: Chris Taylor (6)

WP — Dustin May (4-1): 6 IP, 3 hits, no runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, 99 pitches (60 pitches)

LP — Blake Snell (1-5): 6 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, 97 pitches (51 strikes)

SV — Evan Phillips (4) 1 IP, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Up next

Julio Urías faces Joe Musgrove in the series finale on Sunday Night Baseball (4:10 p.m.,ESPN) from Petco Park.