SAN DIEGO -- Round 1 is in the books, and the heavyweight Padres and Dodgers didn't disappoint.
"I think it was no secret that the whole baseball world was locked into this series," San Diego slugger Eric Hosmer said. "Everybody enjoyed the matchup."
Hosmer drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping the Padres beat Los Angeles 5-2 Sunday to avoid a sweep in the first series of the year between the NL West rivals. The Dodgers won the opener Friday in 12 innings and took Saturday's matchup 2-0 thanks to a game-ending, diving grab by center fielder Mookie Betts.
"It is a good preview for many more games to come. Both teams are playing with a ton of energy" Padres Manager Jayce Tingler said. "We were hoping to win the series, ultimately."
In Sunday's finale, Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer handed off a 2-1 lead to Los Angeles' bullpen after six innings in a tight duel with another Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell.
Hosmer doubled in the tying run in the seventh off Brusdar Graterol, then delivered the decisive blow in the eighth. San Diego scored three unearned runs in the inning stemming from shortstop Corey Seager's throwing error. Hosmer's sharp single made it 3-2, and Tommy Pham followed with a two-run double into the left-field corner.
San Diego had lost seven in a row in the rivalry, including a three-game sweep in last year's NL Division Series. The Padres and Dodgers will meet 16 more times this season, starting with a set next weekend in Los Angeles.
"We have always felt that we have been in all of these games and we are right there so it was nice today to get over that hump and be on the right side of this one," Hosmer said.
In four previous career starts versus the Padres, Bauer was 0-4 with a 5.06 ERA. Bauer, the 2020 NL Cy Young winner with Cincinnati, was effective his entire outing, pounding his chest twice after striking out Fernando Tatis Jr. on a 3-2 fastball to end the sixth and finish his day. Bauer gave up one earned run and three hits while striking out seven.
Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young winner with Tampa Bay, faced the Dodgers for the first time since he was fatefully taken out of Game 6 of the World Series last year after dominating LA for over five innings. He lasted five innings and was lifted for a pinch-hitter after 95 pitches, giving up two earned runs and two hits while striking out seven on 98 pitches.
"I'm happy to get this start out of the way so I don't have to watch Game 6 37,000 times a day -- I am kind of over that," Snell said. "I'm happy that the boys were able to come back and get a win."
Keone Kela (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Padres and Mark Melancon notched his sixth save. Reliever Scott Alexander (0-1) took the loss for the Dodgers.
Graterol, activated on Sunday from the 10-day injured list, faced the Padres in the seventh and gave up a single, double and walk in five batters in two-thirds of an inning. Hosmer's opposite-field double off the left-field foul line scored Manny Machado.
In the second inning, Will Smith singled and Chris Taylor smashed an estimated 443-foot, two-run home run to left-center on a 95 mph fastball from Snell to give the Dodgers a 2-0 edge.
"The home run to Taylor was a good pitch, he just ambushed the fastball," Snell said. "I just need to get my pitches in the zone a lot better."
The Padres trailed only 2-1 after Jake Cronenworth hit a curveball from Bauer for a home run in the fourth.
Graterol pitched for the first time since his celebration on the mound in last year's NL division series after teammate Cody Bellinger's sensational catch robbing Tatis of a home run in Game 2. Graterol's antics angered the Padres and led to a heated confrontation between the teams.
PHILLIES 2, CARDINALS 0 Aaron Nola struck out 10 and threw a two-hitter for his first nine-inning shutout in the majors, leading Philadelphia past St. Louis. Bryce Harper homered and had three hits for the Phillies.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, NATIONALS 2 Madison Bumgarner had his best outing of the season, allowing a run over five innings as Arizona beat Washington. Bumgarner (1-2) gave up just two hits and dropped his ERA from 11.20 to 8.68 through four starts. He struck out five and walked one, helping Arizona split the four-game series.
GIANTS 1, MARLINS 0 Alex Wood pitched five innings in his season debut and four relievers completed a three-hitter as San Francisco scored an unearned run to beat Miami and avert a series sweep. Wood (1-0), returning from a back problem that sidelined him midway through spring training, allowed three hits and walked none.
METS 2, ROCKIES 1 Marcus Stroman (3-0) pitched eight innings of one-run ball and made a dazzling defensive play, catcher James McCann (Arkansas Razorbacks) threw out Trevor Story attempting to steal second for the final out and New York beat Colorado.
PIRATES 6, BREWERS 5, (10) Colin Moran hit an early three-run home run, then had an RBI double in the 10th inning that sent Pittsburgh past Milwaukee.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 4, YANKEES 2 Last-place New York lost its fifth consecutive game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole (2-1) in the seventh inning that lifted Tampa Bay to a three-game sweep. Four pitchers combined on the Rays' second three-hitter of a series in which New York managed 11 hits in all.
WHITE SOX 3-5, RED SOX 2-1 Yermin Mercedes opened a three-run fourth inning with a long home run, and Chicago swept a doubleheader against Boston. Nick Madrigal had two hits and drove in two runs for Chicago. In the opener, Tim Anderson homered on the game's first pitch and Dallas Keuchel (Razorbacks) pitched five solid innings for Chicago.
ROYALS 2, BLUE JAYS 0 Salvador Perez tapped his bat twice on the plate to make sure it wasn't cracked, then sent the next pitch he saw from reliever T.J. Zeuch into the left-field fountains, breaking open a scoreless game and sending Kansas City past Toronto.
RANGERS 1, ORIOLES 0, (10) Nate Lowe singled with two outs and the bases loaded in the 10th inning, giving Texas the win over Baltimore after a pitcher's duel between a pair of opening day starters. The hit ended a five-game home losing streak for the Rangers.
ATHLETICS 3, TIGERS 2 Matt Olson scored from second base on a fielding error by Detroit third baseman Jeimer Candelario with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying Oakland past Detroit for its eighth consecutive win. Sean Murphy hit a tying home run in the eighth as the A's swept the four-game series. Lou Trivino (1-0) retired three batters for the win.
MARINERS 7, ASTROS 2 Ty France hit a two-run home run and six Seattle pitchers combined on a one-hitter against Houston. France followed Mitch Haniger's two-run triple with a blast to left field in the decisive four-run fifth inning to give the Mariners the series.
INTERLEAGUE
INDIANS 6, REDS 3 Shane Bieber kept up his record strikeout run, fanning 13 and pitching Cleveland past Cincinnati. Bieber (2-1) become the first pitcher in big league history to begin a season with four consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts. The AL Cy Young Award winner has 48 strikeouts this year.