One swing from Mookie Betts last week prevented the Los Angeles Dodgers from losing a regular-season series to the San Diego Padres for the first time since June 2021, and his home run on Mother’s Day lifted them to a sweep at Dodger Stadium with a 4-0 win.
The home run was Betts’ ninth of the season, six in the past 15 games, and third against the Padres. He entered play batting .286/.367/.643 with a .419 wOBA and 168 wRC+ during 11 games in the month of May after getting off to a slow start.
“Pretty bad,” Betts recently said to describe his performance this season. “But it is what it is, It’s not from lack of preparation or anything. I continue to work hard and do everything I can to be successful. I just have to keep playing.”
Betts’ home run was all the Dodgers managed off Ryan Weathers, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday. The decision provided their starters with an extra day of rest and there also was the potential benefit of exploiting some of the Dodgers’ struggles against left-handed pitching.
Weathers nearly got through six innings but was removed with two outs and two runners on. Miguel Vargas greeted Padres relief pitcher Brent Honeywell with a two-run double, and all four runs were charged to Weathers.
Tony Gonsolin upheld the early run support provided from Betts by getting through five scoreless innings on a season-high 85 pitches.
Gonsolin stranded a Fernando Tatís Jr. leadoff ground-rule double in the first inning, and a leadoff double and two-out walk in the third.
Yency Almonte, Victor González, Brusdar Graterol and Justin Bruihl combined to throw four scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
The Dodgers improved to 7-4 on Mother’s Day since 2012. They didn’t play on the holiday in 2020, and lost in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
L.A. additionally is on a nine-game winning streak at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers reign over Padres
The Dodgers have won 11 consecutive series against the Padres in the regular season, and swept them at Dodger Stadium for the first time since August 5-7, 2022. Over the last three seasons the Dodgers are 31-13 against the Padres.
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