Padres continue bad stretch with sixth consecutive loss to Dodgers

LOS ANGELES – Just when things look like they couldn’t possibly get any worse for the San Diego Padres after leaving Chicago with their worst loss in franchise history, they’ve managed to prolong this grueling stretch of bad baseball.

Not only did they extend their losing streak to six games after their 12-7 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, but it was the way it happened that makes it feel like a new low for the season, giving up 12 unanswered runs.

The Padres thought they had a glimmer of hope to get back on track facing right-hander Roki Sasaki, who not only was the only starting pitcher charged with a loss during their series last weekend at Petco Park but he is currently the Dodgers weakest arm in their rotation.  

But all it did was even the playing field with San Diego having issues with their own lack of quality starting arms, and it continued to be the biggest issue with this ball club with struggling right-hander Randy Vásquez on the mound. 

At first, things started to look hopeful for a team that has now given 65 runs over the last six games. Before the bottom of the second inning, the Padres were ahead 6-0 and had right-hander Roki Sasaki at a 60 pitch count.   

Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled on the game’s first pitch and advanced to third on second pitch on a wild pitch. A batter later, Manny Machado labeled a four-seam fastball inside the zone for a two-run homer.

That was pretty 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/jc87bAfYZq

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2026

Next inning Jackson Merrill reached out on a slider off the plate for a lead-off home run. Xander Bogaerts doubled five pitches later and later Tatis drew a four pitch walk to have two men aboard for Jake Cronenworth. In his third start since returning from the IL, Cronenworth connected on Sasaki’s splitter for his first home run since April 8 against the Pirates, increasing the lead to 6-0. The Padres did leave two runners on base before Ty France popped out to end the inning. 

You have entered the Crone Zone. pic.twitter.com/hBSdLwp92W

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 3, 2026

Vásquez, after pitching a scoreless first, gave up a couple of runs in the second. Kyle Tucker started the bottom half of the frame with a single and a batter later Dalton Rushing Rushing cashed in with a home run to lower the deficit to 6-2. 

Los Angeles continued their offensive attack on the 27-year-old on the mound in the third with three consecutive hits by Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Tucker to make it 6-4.   

He would not see another inning after that, going only three innings on 50 pitches, giving up four earned runs, seven hits and recorded no strikeouts. Left-hander Wandy Peralta stepped in but he didn’t come away unscathed.

He gave up back-to-back singles to Rushing and Tommy Edman to lead off the fourth followed by a game-tying double down the third baseline to Andy Pages. A batter later Betts doubled to center and Muncy singled to give Los Angeles their first lead, overcoming a six run deficit. 

Yuki Matsui started the next inning and similar to the other pair of pitchers before him, they allowed the opposing bats to roll. Rushing and Edman hit consecutive doubles to begin the inning. Edman would come to score on a wild pitch from Matsui during his at-bat with Pages.  

Right-hander Germán Márquez pitched during the sixth inning in his first game back since returning from 15-IL. He gave up the 11th run after a sac-fly by Rushing to score Tucker, who finished tying a career high in hits (4). Márquez would pitch the last three innings, giving up a pair of runs, hits and walked three with a strikeout. 

In addition to how bad this game was for Padres, Rushing was a triple away from hitting the cycle and finished setting a new high hits and RBIs. The Dodgers tied their season high in hits as a team with 17 for the sixth time this season.   

Game two of the four game series will take place at 7:10 p.m. with right-handers Michael King (5-7, 3.55 ERA) and Shohei Ohtani (8-2, 1.58 ERA) on the mound.

 THIS STORY WILL BE UPDATED