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Starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padresv throws to the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers high fives third base coach Dino Ebel after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers high fives third base coach Dino Ebel after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Gavin Lux #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after teammate Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Los Angeles Dodgers fans react for autographs prior to a MLB baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Third base coach Matt Wiiliams of the San Diego Padres prior to a MLB baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres flys out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Stating pitcher Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres prepares for his at bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres pops up in foul ground against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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San Diego Padres bullpen looks on against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres prior to a MLB baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres prior to a MLB baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Josh Bell of the San Diego Padres after striking pout swinging against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles against the San Diego Padres in the third inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Relief pitcher Chris Martin #58 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers singles against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads off first base against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Right fielder Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres makes a catch on a fly ball by Trea Turner (not pictured) of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads off third base against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads off third base against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads off third base against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is hit by a pitch from starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leads off third base against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger #52 of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run off starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (not pictured) of the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of a MLB baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LOS ANGELES ― Mike Clevinger had only hit three batters with a pitch this season prior to Saturday night’s game between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Will Smith was batting in the fifth inning when Clevinger, the Padres’ hirsute right-hander, unleashed a wild changeup. Smith turned at the last second, the ball hit the back of his shoulder blade, and the catcher took his free base.
Max Muncy was up next. Clevinger’s 1-and-2 fastball brushed him back, too. Calmly, Muncy stepped back in the box and exacted the best kind of revenge on the head-hunting baseball. When Clevinger pumped a changeup down the middle of the plate, Muncy hit it into the Padres’ bullpen, a three-run home run.
Muncy’s 11th home run of the season put the Dodgers ahead for good en route to an eventual 8-3 victory over the Padres, their MLB-leading seventh straight victory. The difference between first and second place in the National League West is 14 ½ games.
The teams will play each other in a nationally televised game Sunday night. The competitive juices between the Southern California rivals should create excellent theater. When 52,124 vocal cords join in booing Manny Machado and Juan Soto at Dodger Stadium, you can throw the records out the window.
And yet, the Dodgers are turning the season series with San Diego into a lopsided affair. They are 7-2 against the Padres this season, having outscored them 51-18 in the nine games.
“I don’t think we ever question the talent,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That’s a good ball club over there. It’s just being focused on how we play the game. We’ve just got to focus on playing good baseball, focus on ourselves, and if we play bad baseball it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side. And for quite some time we’ve been playing good baseball.”
Roberts called the Dodgers’ 10-hit attack Saturday a “clinic.” They struck out only four times. Smith also hit a home run against Clevinger (3-4), his 16th of the season. Mookie Betts went 3 for 5, stole a base, and scored three runs. Gavin Lux went 2 for 4 with a triple.
Dodgers starter Andrew Heaney limited the damage against him to one inning, the fourth. It started with a softly hit infield single by Juan Soto. It ended with the Padres hitting balls 104, 100, 108 and 98 mph, sandwiched around a fielding error by Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux.
The three runs were unearned by virtue of the error, but it turned the Dodgers’ 2-0 lead into a 3-2 deficit.
“I’ve got to do a better job of closing out that fourth inning and not letting it boil up like it did, especially in a 2-0 game,” Heaney said. “In the middle of the game, that’s something where I need to do a better job of minimizing damage.”
By not allowing an earned run in 4 ⅔ innings, Heaney lowered his earned-run average for the season to 0.64. According to Stats Perform, that’s the lowest ERA in at least 25 innings by any pitcher over his first six starts since Fernando Valenzuela (0.33) in 1981.
Heaney struck out Josh Bell on a 95.4-mph fastball in the first inning. It was the hardest he’s thrown a baseball in 2022, a season twice interrupted by long trips to the injured list to rest his left shoulder.
“Velo’s cool and pitch count’s a little better but there’s still a lot more I can do to be better, be more efficient, be a little bit cleaner,” Heaney said.
Heaney was on the hook for a loss until the fifth inning, when Betts singled and Smith’s shoulder absorbed the changeup from Clevinger, setting up the big home run by Muncy. Thanks to a recent hot streak, Muncy’s batting average is up to .170, the highest it’s been since July 5.
“I just feel like if I keep focusing on the right things, eventually things are going to turn around,” Muncy said. “Maybe that’s starting. Maybe it’s not. I don’t know. All I can do is focus on doing what I can to help the team win and preparing the right way.”
He corrected an obvious, season-long flaw with one swing Saturday. Too often this year, Muncy has swung underneath a pitch he might have hit for power in the past. He’s hit no fewer than 35 home runs in a full season since 2018; this year he is on pace for 17.
Muncy said the middle-middle changeup from Clevinger was the first “really good” pitch he saw from the right-hander all night. Hitting it for a home run that gave the Dodgers a lead brought a sense of relief.
“It was nice to not miss it for once,” Muncy said.
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