Dodgers vs Padres live score updates: Shohei Ohtani blasts home ...

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Dodgers vs Padres live score updates Shohei Ohtani blasts home

The hottest baseball rivalry on the West Coast will take center stage in the MLB playoffs again.

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Can Dodgers overcome injuries and make a deep playoff run?

USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale does not feel confident that the Dodgers can overcome their long list of injuries and will have a hard time getting out of the Divison Series.

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LOS ANGELES — The hottest baseball rivalry on the West Coast picks up in the playoffs once again.

The National League West winner Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. It’ll be the third time the divisional rivals will meet in the postseason in the past five seasons.

Fresh off their wild-card sweep of the Atlanta Braves, the Padres will send Dylan Cease to the mound while the No. 1 seed in the NL will have Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the bump.

The Padres had the edge in the season series, winning it 8-5. But the last time these two faced off, it ended with the Dodgers celebrating another division title.

The Dodgers will try to get rid of some postseason demons they've dealt with. They’ve lost six straight playoff games, which started when the Padres knocked them out of the divisional round in 2022.

Follow along for updates from Saturday's game:

Dodgers add another run

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers took advantage of a Manny Machado error to extend their lead to 7-5.

In the bottom of the fifth, Will Smith hit a ground ball to Machado, but the two-time Gold Glove winner overthrew first baseman Donovan Solano, which allowed Smith to advance to second. After a Gavin Lux hit moved Smith to third with no outs, Tommy Edman grounded into a double play that brought Smith to home and add to the Dodgers' lead.

Dodgers storm back to take first lead

Back-and-forth we go in Los Angeles. A three-run inning has given the Dodgers the lead through four.

After getting Dylan Cease out of the game, a Shohei Ohtani single loaded the bases for Los Angeles. With Mookie Betts up to bat, a pitch from Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon got past catcher Kyle Higashioka and Tommy Edman came home to add a run. The Padres opted to intentionally walk Mookie Betts to load the bases again before Freddie Freeman hit a ball to first baseman Donovan Solano, who went home Miguel Rojas out on the force play.

But San Diego brought in right-hander Jeremiah Estrada to face Teoscar Hernandez, and the Dodgers left fielder made the Padres pay. He hit a single that got just under the glove of center fielder Jackson Merrill to bring in two more runs and take the lead 6-5.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto done after three innings

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobo Yamamoto’s first playoff game is done after three innings as the Padres were able to do some damage against the rookie.

Yamamoto finished giving up five runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout on Saturday night.

Padres retake lead in third inning

San Diego is back in front once again.

With two outs and two on in the top of the third, Xander Bogaerts hit a double to left field to bring in Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, making it 5-3 after Shohei Ohtani tied it up with a homer in the previous frame.

Left fielder Teoscar Hernandez tried to cut the ball off but it went past him as he slid, allowing Merrill to easily score from first and make it a two-run ballgame.

Shohei Ohtani ties it with massive home run

LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the playoffs, Shohei Ohtani.

The presumed NL MVP hit a no doubt three-run blast to the right field pavilion and sent Dodger Stadium into a frenzy to tie it at 3-3 in the bottom of the second.

Ohtani knew it right away.

Shohei Ohtani flies out in first playoff at-bat

Shohei Ohtani finally made his playoff debut and it ended with an out.

On the sixth pitch of his at-bat, he flew out to left field to get the Dodgers’ half of the inning started, already in a 3-0 hole.

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobo Yamamoto and catcher Will Smith aren’t connecting well, and it’s led to the Padres scoring in the top of the first.

After Luis Arraez hit an opposite-field single, he advanced to second on a passed ball and then to third on a wild pitch with Fernando Tatis Jr. at the plate. Tatis drew a walk, and Jurickson Profar hit a ground out to second to bring in Arrez for the first run of the night.

The following at-bat, Manny Machado hit a no-doubter to left field as San Diego jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead.

Yamamoto ended up throwing 28 pitches in the first.

What time is Dodgers vs Padres?

First pitch in Game 1 is scheduled for 8:38 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.

Luis Arraez (L) DH
Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
Jurickson Profar (S) LF
Manny Machado (R) 3B
Jackson Merrill (L) CF
Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
Donovan Solano (R) 1B
Kyle Higashioka (R) C

LOS ANGELES — As the Los Angeles Dodgers head into the 2024 postseason in need of pitching depth, they won't have their future Hall of Fame left-hander.

Manager Dave Roberts announced ahead of Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series that Clayton Kershaw will not pitch again this season.

“Clayton has done everything he can to keep this thing moving forward and giving himself a chance to participate in the postseason,” Roberts said. "But where he's at right now, physically, the foot, the toe, just is not cooperating. It's actually getting worse. Yeah, this is it for Clayton for 2024."