Padres unbowed by sweep in LA: 'Strengthens our resolve'

LOS ANGELES -- The Padres entered their weekend series at Dodger Stadium in unfamiliar territory at this juncture of a season -- in first place. They had overturned a nine-game deficit and rode a five-game winning streak into Los Angeles. They were rolling. The Dodgers were reeling.

Three days later, that script had flipped.

With their 5-4 loss on Sunday afternoon in L.A., the Padres were swept by the rival Dodgers, falling two games back in the National League West race. The series was by no means an end to San Diego’s dreams of winning the division. But it’s a major blow.

And a missed opportunity.

The Padres had won 14 of 17 games. After several key additions at the Trade Deadline, they appeared ascendant in the NL West. It marked the first time in nearly 15 years they were in first place so late in a season.

All of which made the next three days sting. It wasn’t just that the Padres dropped three straight. More disappointing was the fact they didn’t look much like the team that had entered the weekend so red-hot.

“Obviously, we didn’t play our best,” said Fernando Tatis Jr. “Regroup and get it going the next series. … No special details. We just could’ve played better.”

On Sunday, the Padres showed some of the resolve that has defined them for much of the season, rallying from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the game in the eighth inning. But Mookie Betts’ go-ahead homer off Robert Suarez in the bottom of the frame proved decisive.

The two teams will play three games again next weekend at Petco Park -- the last time they’ll meet this regular season. Which means it’s the last opportunity the Padres will have to gain ground directly.

“We’re still aiming to win the division, and we’re going to face them next week,” Tatis said. “So, a lot of baseball left. With this team, we can do anything.”

But after this weekend, it’s an uphill battle. The Dodgers secured the head-to-head tiebreaker with their victory on Saturday -- one of the Padres’ ugliest losses of the season. Dylan Cease walked six batters. San Diego baserunners were caught stealing three times in the first two innings. Jackson Merrill dropped a fly ball that allowed two runners to score, his first error of the season.

A day later, Merrill exited the series finale after his second strikeout. Manager Mike Shildt later revealed that Merrill has been dealing with a balky left ankle that he sustained while taking an awkward step out of the batter’s box on Friday night.

“It’s … frustrating,” Merrill said. “Hopefully it’s day to day. Hopefully, I play tomorrow, if I wake up and it feels brand new. But I can’t really say anything right now.”

Merrill made it clear to the Padres’ coaching staff that he wanted to play through it. But when the staff noticed Merrill’s swing being affected, Shildt made the decision to lift Merrill.

“Not really anything to do with it hurting,” Merrill said. “It's going to hurt. I rolled the hell out of it. It sucks. But it just got continuously more painful in the game, and my swings weren’t really the same. … So they made the call, and I trust them.”

It was that kind of weekend for the Padres. Painful -- but, they hope, not debilitating.

The NL West remains within reach. But any push for the division will require more stability from the rotation. On Sunday, Yu Darvish allowed four runs in the first inning -- a three-run homer to Freddie Freeman and a solo drive by Andy Pages. That came after Cease’s implosion on Saturday. Which came after Michael King landed on the injured list on Friday.

The Padres battled back after Darvish’s rough first inning. Ramón Laureano, who moved to center field in Merrill’s absence, continued his torrid start to his tenure in San Diego, going 2-for-3 with a home run. Luis Arraez had three hits. Jose Iglesias’ RBI groundout tied the game in the eighth

That tie lasted all of three pitches in the bottom of the inning. A few moments later, the Padres were on the wrong end of a disheartening sweep.

“The body of work says whatever the record’s been consistently,” Shildt said. “… If you think we’re going to look at three games and get overly concerned about it? Are we disappointed? Absolutely. I won’t minimize that. But it just only strengthens our resolve. The confidence in our team, amongst this team within ourselves, is very strong.”