The Los Angeles Dodgers staged a remarkable comeback on Thursday night, scoring 12 unanswered runs to defeat the San Diego Padres 12-7 at Dodger Stadium. The victory, which took place on "One Piece" night and drew a season-high crowd of 54,081, saw the Dodgers overcome an early six-run deficit.
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki endured a disastrous outing, allowing six runs within the first three innings. His struggles began with a leadoff double and a wild pitch on the first two plays of the game. He then gave up a two-run homer to Manny Machado in the first inning. The second inning saw Jackson Merrill hit a leadoff homer and Jake Cronenworth hit a three-run blast, contributing to Sasaki's six earned runs on seven hits and two walks over three innings. His season ERA rose to 5.40, with a 10.06 mark over his last four starts.
Despite Sasaki's implosion, the Dodgers' offense began chipping away at the deficit. Dalton Rushing hit a two-run homer in the second inning, and Max Muncy and Kyle Tucker added RBI hits in the third. The Padres' bullpen, typically a strength, could not contain the Dodgers' offense. Los Angeles took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game on Andy Pages' two-run double and going ahead on Mookie Betts' RBI double. Betts was back in the lineup after a one-day absence due to wrist soreness.
The Dodgers extended their lead in the fifth with two more runs, aided by consecutive doubles from Rushing and Tommy Edman, a stolen base, and a wild pitch. The team finished with a season-high 17 hits, with Rushing and Tucker each recording four hits. Betts and Muncy had two hits apiece.
This comeback win further solidified the Dodgers' position atop the National League West standings, where they now lead the Padres by 13 games. The Padres have lost six consecutive games, allowing 65 runs during this streak, their longest since franchise history. This recent stretch of pitching struggles follows a 15-run outburst by the Dodgers at Petco Park the previous Saturday.
Dalton Rushing has been a key contributor to the Dodgers' recent success. After a difficult slump, Rushing had a four-hit, four-RBI performance on Thursday. His home run in the second inning sparked the comeback, and he added a single, a double, and a sacrifice fly. In his last five games, Rushing is 8-for-18.
Meanwhile, Sasaki's struggles continue. After showing signs of improvement a month ago with better command and fastball velocity, the 24-year-old right-hander has seen his fastball velocity decline again, averaging under 98 mph. His command has also regressed. With injured rotation members Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow nearing a return, Sasaki faces increasing pressure to regain his form.
The Dodgers are set to continue their series against the Padres on Friday, with Shohei Ohtani (8-2, 1.58 ERA) scheduled to pitch against Padres ace Michael King (5-7, 3.55 ERA).