Jun 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Tyler Wade (14), left, Jackson Merrill (3), center, and Brandon Lockridge (28) celebrate after the Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-1 at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – A night after a tense 10-inning thriller, the San Diego Padres blew the doors off the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 11–1 rout Tuesday at Petco Park—punctuated by dominant pitching, a relentless offense, and a Dodgers roster stretched far too thin.
Padres starter Dylan Cease (2–5) delivered his best performance of the season, striking out 11 over seven scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and five walks. He snapped an 11-start winless streak in the process and kept the Dodgers’ high-powered lineup in check, even escaping a bases-loaded jam in the third inning.
Cease’s brilliance was backed by a Padres offense that pounced on every weakness in an injury-ravaged Dodgers pitching staff. The scoring began in the third inning after a two-out walk to Fernando Tatis Jr. Luis Arraez doubled him home, followed by RBI hits from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill to give San Diego a 3–0 lead.
Arraez finished with three hits and scored four times. Machado was the centerpiece of the Padres’ offensive outburst, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, including a two-run single in the seventh that capped San Diego’s scoring at 11–0. Merrill added a run-scoring triple in the third, and Xander Bogaerts chipped in with a two-run single in the sixth. Martín Maldonado hit the Padres’ only home run, a solo shot to left that kicked off the sixth inning.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, were left scrambling with few healthy arms to turn to. With 14 pitchers on the injured list, they turned to Matt Sauer (1–1), recalled from the minors to provide bulk innings. Sauer was shelled over 5 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs on 13 hits and throwing a staggering 111 pitches before being lifted.
In a moment that symbolized the state of the Dodgers’ roster, utilityman Kiké Hernández took the mound to finish the game—his pitches barely topping 57 mph. He managed to hold the line for 2 1/3 innings, giving up one earned run on three hits.
The lone bright spot for the Dodgers came in the eighth, when Michael Conforto drove in their only run with an RBI single.
Tuesday’s blowout was a striking contrast to Monday’s nail-biter, which the Dodgers won 8–7 in extras. The Padres will try to clinch the series Wednesday afternoon before heading to Los Angeles for a four-game set next week. For San Diego, this win wasn’t just about the scoreboard—it was a much-needed reminder of what they’re capable of when firing on all cylinders.
