Pederson, Bellinger lead Dodgers to 6-3 win over Padres

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Joc Pederson and Cody Bellinger hit two-run homers, Clayton Kershaw threw seven solid innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game series.

Pederson and Bellinger homered in the third inning against starter Chris Paddack (3-2) and helped the Dodgers get their third win in four meetings against their NL West rivals. Bellinger, who also drove in three runs, leads the majors with a .409 batting average and got his 19th multihit game this season.

Kershaw (3-0) allowed three runs and five hits. The left-hander struck out five as he recorded his third victory in his last four starts. Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his 13th save.

Manny Machado had three hits — including a 441-foot, two-run shot in the fourth — in his first game back at Dodger Stadium since signing with San Diego during the offseason. Machado was acquired by the Dodgers from Baltimore on July 19 last season and was one of the key players in them getting to the World Series for the second straight year.

Franmil Reyes homered and had two hits for San Diego, which has dropped three of its last four. Paddack surrendered six runs, three earned, on five hits with three strikeouts.

The Padres scored two batters into the game when Reyes hit a solo shot off Kershaw to center, his second home run in seven at-bats against Kershaw.

Austin Barnes got on base to lead off the Los Angeles third when Machado’s throw took Eric Hosmer off the bag. Two batters later, Pederson drove Paddack’s fastball over the wall in center for LA’s first hit and a 2-1 lead. The Dodgers added to their lead later in the inning when Bellinger hit a two-run homer for his 15th of the season.

Machado’s shot drew the Padres within 4-3 before the Dodgers added a run each in the fourth and fifth innings. Corey Seager led off the fourth with a double and came home on Alex Verdugo‘s single. Max Muncy made it a three-run lead an inning later when he scored on Bellinger’s ground out.

MILESTONE BLAST

Pederson’s home run was the 100th of his career. He is the 28th player in Dodgers’ history to accomplish that feat. Half of Pederson’s 26 hits this season are homers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Trey Wingenter (shoulder strain) threw a side session Tuesday and could come off the inactive list the next day or two. Wingenter was eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday.

Dodgers: LHP Caleb Ferguson (oblique) is expected to be activated off the IL on Friday after he made a couple of rehab appearances last week.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Conclude a nine-game homestand and send RHP Kenta Maeda (4-2, 4.03) to the mound. Maeda pitched six scoreless innings against the Nationals last Friday but allowed four runs on three hits in six innings against the Padres on May 5.

Padres: LHP Matt Strahm (1-2, 3.00) is fourth in the National League in road ERA (2.05). He has 32 strikeouts against three walks in his last six outings dating back to April 7.

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