Manny Machado hit a three-run home run and JP Sears went five scoreless innings as the visiting San Diego Padres ended a season-long eight game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Fernando Tatis Jr. had an RBI single in a four-run seventh inning as the Padres avoided a four-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers. The losing streak was San Diego’s longest since a 10-game skid in 2013.
The Padres won after infield coach Ryan Goins and manager Craig Stammen were ejected three pitches into the game following a check swing by Tatis that was called a strike.
Dodgers right-hander Kyle Hurt was tagged for four runs in his lone inning of work after starter Emmet Sheehan (4-6) gave up one run over 4 1/3 innings.
The Los Angeles offense, which had two come-from-behind wins in the series, had RBI singles from Alex Freeland and Shohei Ohtani among just four hits. The loss was just the third in 13 games by the Dodgers, who lead the National League West by 14 games over the Padres.
Los Angeles catcher Eliezer Alfonzo made his major league debut amid reports Sunday that his sister and stepmother were found dead after they had been listed as missing following last month’s earthquake in Venezuela. Alfonzo played seven innings on defense and went 0-for-2 at the plate.
The Padres opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Jackson Merrill singled to right field against Sheehan to score Machado.
Sears (2-1) held the Dodgers without a hit through the first four innings and finally allowed a two-out single to Miguel Rojas in the fifth.
San Diego made it 2-0 in the seventh on an infield single by Tatis, and two batters later Machado hit his three-run home run to center against Hurt.
Freeland and Ohtani each delivered RBI singles in the seventh. Ohtani returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game with biceps soreness.
Mason Miller pitched the ninth for San Diego to collect his 22nd save after not recording one since June 22.
