Vargas, Dodgers Beat Padres 5–2 for 108th Win

Manager Dave Roberts, Mookie Betts #50, and Bob Geren #88 congratulate Freddie Freeman #5 after he scored on an RBI single hit by Miguel Vargas (71) of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park in San Diego, on Sept. 29, 2022. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO—Miguel Vargas hit a tie-breaking, two-run single with the bases loaded in the sixth inning and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat San Diego 5–2 on Thursday night to slow the Padres’ playoff push.

The Dodgers added to their franchise single-season record with their 108th win.

They’ve already clinched the NL’s No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs and reduced their magic number to one for home-field advantage through the World Series.

Los Angeles beat San Diego in consecutive games to take the season series 14–5 and claim its ninth straight series against the Padres dating to 2021.

Miguel Vargas (71) of the Los Angeles Dodgers connects for a two RBI single during the sixth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park in San Diego, on Sept. 29, 2022. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

San Diego’s magic number to wrap up a postseason berth was reduced to three when the Milwaukee Brewers lost 4–2 to Miami. San Diego is 2 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia for the NL’s second wild-card spot.

Both teams went with an opener. The Padres pushed back Yu Darvish to Friday to give him an extra day of rest with an eye toward their first playoff appearance in a full season since 2006.

Los Angeles lefty Andrew Heaney (4–3) relieved opener Brusdar Graterol and pitched four innings for the win. David Price worked the ninth for his second save.

The Dodgers trailed 2–1 going into the sixth before scoring three runs on four hits and a walk off Pierce Johnson (1–2), plus a double steal.

Mookie Betts hit a leadoff double, Trea Turner beat out an infield single and Freddie Freeman singled home Betts to tie it. Will Smith struck out and Turner and Freeman pulled off a double steal.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, left, celebrates with first base coach Clayton McCullough after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the San Diego Padres, in San Diego, on Sept. 29, 2022. (Gregory Bull/Getty Images)

Max Muncy walked to load the bases and Vargas singled to center with two outs to bring in Turner and Freeman.

Smith homered off Adrian Morejon in the eighth, his 24th.

Graterol allowed singles to Jurickson Profar and Juan Soto to start the first and they both scored on Brandon Drury’s two-out single to center.

The Dodgers got one of those runs back in the second on Vargas’ sacrifice fly off Sean Manaea, who took over for opener Steven Wilson starting the second.

Up Next

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (10–3, 2.42 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a six-game home series against the Colorado Rockies, who will go with RHP Chad Kuhl (6–10, 5.45).

Padres: Darvish (16–7, 3.05) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game home series against the Chicago White Sox, who will counter with RHP Davis Martin (2–5, 3.86).

By Bernie Wilson