Buehler (15 Ks) goes distance as Dodgers stop Padres
Walker Buehler struck out 15 and delivered his second career complete game, while Justin Turner hit a home run, as the Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 4-1 victory over the visiting San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
Buehler (10-2) reached double digits in victories for the first time in his young career. It was also the fourth time he reached double digits in strikeouts this season, all since June 3. He has five career starts of at least 11 strikeouts.
Padres starter Cal Quantrill (4-3) gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings with three strikeouts. He took the loss for the first time since May 19 in his third career start. It was the third time in his 10 career starts he gave up at least four earned runs.
Turner got the Dodgers' offense started in the fourth inning, taking a Quantrill pitch over the left-center field wall for a solo home run, his 17th of the season. Quantrill did not allow a home run in either of his previous two starts after giving up a home run in five consecutive turns in the rotation.
The Dodgers took control of the game with three runs in the fifth inning. Matt Beaty delivered an RBI on a fielder's choice after Padres second baseman Greg Garcia bobbled his hard-hit ball and was unable to turn a double play. Max Muncy added an RBI single in the inning and Turner drove in his second run of the game on a bloop down the right field line.
Buehler's 15 strikeouts were his most since he struck out 16 on June 21 against the Colorado Rockies. That effort was his only other complete game.
The Padres' Manuel Margot prevented the shutout with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning, his seventh of the season. It was also the first pinch-hit homer of his career.
It was just the second time the Dodgers defeated the Padres in the last six times the teams have met. The Padres closed out the first half with a three-game winning streak at Dodger Stadium. The Padres are just 6-14 in the second half and have yet to win consecutive games since that run against the Dodgers.
--Field Level Media
