During a tense Game 2 of the NL Divisional Series the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2, tying the series at one game apiece. The victory was marred by an incident in the seventh inning, when fans threw objects toward Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, causing a 12-minute delay. Despite the disruption, the Padres offense, led by Yu Darvish's outstanding performance on the mound and Fernando Tatis Jr.'s two home runs, proved overwhelming for the Dodgers.
Darvish Increases Excitement
Yu Darvish was impressive, limiting the Dodgers to just one run and three hits in seven innings. Tatis Jr. connected for two home runs, helping the Padres match the Padres' record of six home runs in the postseason.
David Peralta and Jackson Merrill also contributed two-run home runs, while Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka added solo home runs. Merrill, at just 21 years old, became the youngest Padres player to connect on a home run in the postseason.
In the seventh inning, fans threw two baseballs toward Profar, leading to a lengthy delay while security attempted to locate those responsible. Debris was also thrown onto the field, creating more chaos near the Padres bullpen.
Padres players, along with security and umpires, gathered in left field as the situation unfolded. Crew chief Dan Bellino later explained that additional security was requested to prevent further incidents.
The Dodgers have not confirmed whether arrests were made. During the delay, Padres star Manny Machado cheered his teammates in the dugout, preparing them to resume play.
The Dodgers' offensive struggles continued, with Mookie Betts going hitless in his sixth consecutive playoff game. Meanwhile, first baseman Freddie Freeman left the game after five innings due to discomfort in his sprained right ankle, an injury he has been suffering from since late September.
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Tatis Connects For The Advantage
The Padres jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, with Tatis Jr. connecting on a first-inning home run off Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty. David Peralta followed with a two-run home run in the second inning. Darvish, who struck out three and issued two walks, kept the Dodgers' bats quiet, even holding off Japanese compatriot Shohei Ohtani, who finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
In a notable moment early in the game, Mookie Betts appeared to have connected on a home run, but Profar made a spectacular catch near the outfield wall, robbing Betts of the home run and stunning the crowd. Despite the jeers from the fans, Profar stayed focused, even interacting with the crowd in a playful manner.
The Dodgers got a late home run from Max Muncy in the ninth inning, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Padres' early lead. Flaherty allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to reach the sixth inning in the postseason since 2021.
The series now shifts to San Diego for Game 3, where the Dodgers will start Walker Buehler, while the Padres will rely on Michael King. King was dominant in the NL Wild Card Series against Atlanta, striking out 12 in seven scoreless innings. He has had mixed results against the Dodgers this season, holding them scoreless in two starts while struggling in two others.
