Recap: Alex Freeland Hits 1st Home Run But Padres Shut Down Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers offense was unable to find much success against the San Diego Padres as they lost 2-1 to begin the three-game series.

The Dodgers got on the board first, which came in the third inning. Alex Freeland blasted a solo home run, the first of his career.

Freeland’s homer came against Yu Darvish, who held the Dodgers’ offense at bay for most of the night.

Darvi sh pitched six innings with just the one run allowed, and that was also the only hit he allowed. He struck out five and walked one.

Freeland’s homer was also the Dodgers’ only hit of the game until the ninth inning.

The Padres answered back in the fourth inning, starting with a walk from Fernando Tatis Jr. After a sacrifice bunt, Manny Machado tied the game with an RBI single.

Ryan O’Hearn followed with a single, and the Padres took a 2-1 lead when Xander Bogaerts hit a sacrifice fly.

That was Blake Snell’s only poor inning in the game as he matched Darvish for much of the outing.

Snell turned in seven innings with just the two runs allowed on six hits. The left-hander struck out five and walked two.

Although Snell kept the Dodgers in the game, the offense was unable to help him. F ollowing Darvish, Jason Adam and Mason Miller reached worked a scoreless frame to get the Padres to the ninth inning with the lead.

Robert Suarez, who cost the Padres at Dodger Stadium when he allowed a solo homer to Mookie Betts, didn’t suffer the same fate this time as he kept the Dodgers off the board.

Betts did single against Suarez, as did Freddie Freeman to put runners at the corners, but Teoscar Hernández struck out swinging.

Padres move closer to Dodgers in NL West

With the loss, the Dodgers and Padres now own the same record and sit atop the National League West together.

However, because the Dodgers own the tiebreaker over the Padres, their division lead technically remains at one game.