Padres jump ahead early, pull away late against Dodgers

Ty France belted a three-run homer Friday night and Walker Buehler pitched 5 1/3 solid innings as the San Diego Padres stopped the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1.

Buehler (5-3) beat his former team for the first time in his second start against them. He allowed three hits and a run, walking three and striking out five in a 74-pitch outing before letting the bullpen pick up the last 11 outs.

Yuki Matsui escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Jason Adam worked a 1-2-3 seventh and Adrian Morejon got out of eighth-inning trouble before Wandy Peralta logged the last three outs.

Roki Sasaki (3-5) lasted only four-plus innings, allowing three hits and three runs while walking five and striking out two. Two of those walks led to the only runs San Diego needed in the second.

Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets led off with free passes. Sasaki got Xander Bogaerts to line out to center and then got ahead 0-2 on France before hanging a splitter. France launched it an estimated 372 feet into the left field seats for his 10th homer.

The Padres missed on chances to add on to their lead, failing to score after loading the bases in the fourth and fifth innings. But they blew it open with four runs in the eighth, taking advantage of two of nine walks issued by Los Angeles pitching.

Sung-Mun Song poked a two-run single through a drawn-in infield, followed by an RBI double by Rodolfo Duran and an RBI single by Fernando Tatis Jr.

Los Angeles' only run came when Mookie Betts led off the second with his 10th homer, a line drive that traveled an estimated 360 feet into the first row of seats in left. The Dodgers created opportunities against the Padres bullpen late but couldn't cash in.

The visitors filled the bases with one out in the sixth but Matsui induced a popup and flyout to quash the rally. Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman stroked one-out singles in the eighth but Morejon induced a 4-3 double play ball from Betts to end the inning.

--Field Level Media