Jake Cronenworth's 4 RBI lead Padres over Dodgers in Seoul Series finale
Cronenworth recorded his first four-hit game since July 2021
Jake Cronenworth had a day to remember, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a debut to forget as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-11 in the second and final game of the Seoul Series on Thursday.
Cronenworth redeemed himself from Game 1 by going 4-for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored. His glove malfunction Wednesday opened the door for the Dodgers to take the lead for good in the series opener.
In Game 2, the Padres got on the board first thanks to Cronenworth's two-run triple in the top of the first. They added three more runs in the inning to jump to a 5-0 lead before the Dodgers even came to bat.
That was the end of the outing for Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year, $325 million deal in December to join the Dodgers. He was pulled after the first inning, lasting only 43 pitches — 23 for strikes — and allowing five runs on four hits.
The Padres built a 9-2 lead with four more runs in the third inning, but then the Dodgers began to chip away. Los Angeles answered in the bottom of the third with four runs of its own off four singles and Mookie Betts' two-run double.
Cronenworth, who had not recorded a four-hit game since July 16, 2021, continued his busy night with an RBI single in the fifth to give the Padres a 10-6 lead. The Dodgers answered again in the bottom of the fifth, when Betts blasted the first home run of the 2024 season.
Betts' home run earned the Dodgers' shortstop a new car, thanks to MLB's sponsorship deal with Hyundai. He finished the game 4-for-5 with six RBI and a triple short of the cycle.
The Padres' offense continued to answer and cushioned their lead in the top of the ninth, when Manny Machado hit a 395-foot homer to make it 15-11.
Eleven runs were it for the Dodgers, as Padres reliever Robert Suárez held them to only their third scoreless inning of the game to hang on for the victory.
Both teams now head home to finish their spring training schedules ahead of Opening Day on March 28. In the opener, the Dodgers will host the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, while the Padres will welcome the San Francisco Giants to Petco Park.
