Jun 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Martin Maldonado (15) shakes hands with relief pitcher Yuki Matsui (1) reacts after striking out Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) for the final out of the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Los Angeles, California – The San Diego Padres may have salvaged the final game of a four-game set against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5–3 victory Thursday night, but the fireworks on the field had as much to do with emotions as they did with offense.
In a series defined by escalating tensions, repeated hit batters, and frayed tempers, the powder keg finally exploded in the ninth inning. After Fernando Tatis Jr. was plunked by Dodgers reliever Jack Little—marking the second time Tatis had been hit in the series—Padres manager Mike Shildt stormed out of the dugout, shouting toward the Dodgers. He crossed home plate and directed his anger squarely at the Dodgers’ dugout.
Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts met Shildt near home plate, and the two briefly bumped before benches cleared. While no punches were thrown, the field flooded with players, coaches, and umpires in a chaotic scene that took several minutes to de-escalate. Both managers were ejected.
And the drama didn’t end there. In the bottom of the ninth, Padres reliever Robert Suarez hit Shohei Ohtani—who had also been hit twice in the series—and was promptly ejected. It was the seventh hit batter between the teams during the series and the second for both Tatis and Ohtani.
Despite the tension, the Padres got what they came for: a much-needed win to snap the Dodgers’ five-game win streak and avoid a sweep.
Xander Bogaerts was the difference-maker, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, and three runs scored. His solo homer in the second inning—a 401-foot shot to center—gave the Padres a rare lead in a series where they had trailed almost constantly. It was his first four-hit game of the season and first home run since May 14.
Jose Iglesias added a sac fly in the fifth, scoring Bogaerts to make it 2–0. In the seventh, Bogaerts doubled and came home on a Jake Cronenworth RBI double. San Diego tacked on two more runs in the eighth on a Gavin Sheets single and a bases-loaded walk.
Rookie Ryan Bergert delivered again on the mound, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings in his fourth major league start. He allowed just three hits before Adrian Morejon (4–3) came in to clean up a jam, retiring Ohtani on a groundout.
The Dodgers made it interesting in the ninth with three runs and had the tying run on second, but Padres closer Yuki Matsui struck out rookie Dalton Rushing to end the game and earn his first MLB save.
The Padres now return home for a three-game weekend series against the Kansas City Royals. But after a week filled with bruises—both physical and emotional—it’s clear this latest Padres-Dodgers clash added another combustible chapter to one of baseball’s most heated rivalries.
