Verdugo’s bases-loaded walk lifts Dodgers over Padres

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Alex Verdugo drew a bases-loaded walk from Kirby Yates to bring in the go-ahead run with two outs in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame two home runs by former teammate Manny Machado to beat the San Diego Padres 7-6 Saturday night.

Max Muncy hit a three-run homer in the five-run sixth for the Dodgers, who won for the seventh time in nine games.

Yates (0-2), the Padres’ closer who has 14 saves, lost for the second straight night after once again coming into a tie game. He allowed a leadoff single to Justin Turner and struck out Corey Seager and pinch-hitter Joc Pederson before walking Muncy and hitting Russell Martin with a pitch to load the bases. Yates then walked Verdugo, who had three hits.

Ross Stripling (2-2) pitched a perfect eighth for the win and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

Machado homered twice and drove in three runs. He homered in consecutive at-bats against left-hander Rich Hill and for the third time in two games. He hit a solo shot off the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner with two outs in the first inning and then drove another shot into the Padres’ bullpen beyond the fence in left-center with two outs in the third.

It was Machado’s 21st career multi-homer game.

This is the first series between the teams since Machado left the Dodgers as a free agent after their World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox and signed a $300 million, 10-year contract on Feb. 21. Machado hit a monster two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw in Friday night’s 4-3 Dodgers win.

Machado came up with runners on first and second and no outs in the fifth before grounding into a double play.

Muncy greeted reliever Brad Wieck with a no-doubt shot to right field with no outs in the sixth, his sixth, to put the Dodgers up 4-3. Wieck came on after left-hander Joey Lucchesi allowed Seager’s leadoff single and walked former Padres farmhand David Freese. The Dodgers added on with Matt Beaty’s first career RBI, on a pinch single, and on Turner’s RBI grounder.

The Padres tied it against two relievers in the bottom of the sixth. Rookie Ty France hit an RBI double off Joe Kelly, who was pulled after loading the bases. Yimi Garcia came on and hit Ian Kinsler with a pitch, struck out Franmil Reyes and then walked Machado to bring in the tying run.

Hill allowed three runs and seven hits in four-plus innings, struck out here three and walked one.

Lucchesi allowed three runs and five hits in five-plus innings, with two strikeouts and two walks.

COOL BREES

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, wife Brittany and three of their four children were on the field to watch batting practice. They wore brown No. 9 Padres jerseys that said on the back: Dad, Mom, Brees I, Brees II & Brees III. They have an offseason home in San Diego, where Brees played with the Chargers from 2001-2005. Brees chatted up Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and bullpen coach Mark Prior, who went to high school in San Diego before pitching at USC.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: 1B Cody Bellinger wasn’t in the starting lineup but was available to pinch-hit after his right shoulder popped out after he made a diving attempt at a grounder Friday night. The shoulder popped back in and Bellinger stayed in the game. “Playable today, still sore,” manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday night’s game. “I think that under the circumstances of where we’re at in the season, just want to make sure that we make sure he’s really on solid ground. … He was a little disappointed he wasn’t in there tonight but I think the best thing is to give him an extra day.”

Padres: Rookie SS Fernando Tatis Jr. played catch before the game, his first baseball activity since spraining his left hamstring last Sunday at Washington and going on the 10-day IL. “He’s feeling good,” manager Andy Green said. “All things considered, he’s in a really good spot right now. We’re hoping it’s a shorter timeframe to his return than a longer one. He feels good right now.”

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Kenta Maeda (3-2, 4.41) is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday. He is 5-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 13 career games against San Diego, including 11 starts.

Padres: Rookie LHP Nick Margevicius (2-3, 3.23) is scheduled to make his seventh big league start.