Dodgers Blasted by Padres in Lopsided 11-1 Loss as Kiké Hernández Pitches Three Innings and Offense Goes Silent

The Los Angeles Dodgers walked into Petco Park on Tuesday night with high expectations and a chance to build momentum. Instead, they left with one of their most lopsided defeats of the season — an 11-1 thumping at the hands of the San Diego Padres that exposed cracks on both sides of the ball. From ineffective pitching to an anemic offense, it was a night to forget for Dave Roberts’ club, one that saw a position player throw more innings than multiple members of the bullpen.

San Diego got rolling early and never looked back. The Padres’ offense broke the game open in the third inning and didn’t ease up, hammering out 15 hits, working long counts, and punishing every mistake that came across the plate. For the Dodgers, this one was over early — but they still had to play all nine innings, and that meant getting creative with their arms. That led to Kiké Hernández, known far more for his utility glove and clubhouse energy than any pitching prowess, toeing the rubber for three full innings in a mop-up effort.

The final line said it all. Eleven runs allowed. Fifteen hits surrendered. One run scored. Four Dodgers pitchers used — if you count Hernández — and not a single one able to keep the game within reach. Even the lone Dodgers highlight, an RBI single by Michael Conforto in the eighth inning, felt more like a formality than any real sign of life. It broke up the shutout, but the Padres still led by double digits when it landed.

Offensively, the Dodgers managed just five hits, all singles. They struck out nine times and drew only two walks. They had runners in scoring position just twice, and each time the Padres’ arms worked around the trouble. Padres starter Dylan Cease was in full control, throwing six scoreless innings and scattering three hits while fanning seven. The Dodgers couldn’t figure out his fastball-slider combination, and they didn’t do much better against the bullpen arms that followed. San Diego relievers Tom Cosgrove and Yuki Matsui each tossed clean frames before the ninth, where the only blemish came with the outcome already decided.

Los Angeles’ starter, meanwhile, didn’t make it past the third inning. Rookie Landon Knack, making just his fifth big-league start, had a night to forget. The right-hander allowed six runs on eight hits over 2.2 innings, laboring through 68 pitches before Roberts went to the pen. It was a rough outing for Knack, who’d been solid in his previous two appearances but found nothing working against a locked-in Padres lineup. San Diego’s Fernando Tatís Jr. and Manny Machado each had multi-hit nights, and Luis Campusano provided the early knockout blow with a bases-clearing double in the third.

Caleb Ferguson, summoned to try to stop the bleeding, didn’t fare much better. He was tagged for two more runs in the fourth, as the Padres continued to pile on. By the time the fifth inning rolled around, Roberts and the Dodgers’ coaching staff made a decision: save the bullpen arms for tomorrow and ride it out with Hernández.

The longtime utility man delivered about as well as you could expect under the circumstances. Hernández threw 47 pitches across three innings, giving up three runs but sparing the higher-leverage arms from overuse in a game that was clearly out of reach. He even managed to notch a strikeout, getting Jackson Merrill to swing through an 80-mph floater in the sixth. It wasn’t pretty, but it was efficient — and sometimes, that’s all you can ask from a guy who isn’t a pitcher by trade.

After the game, Roberts acknowledged the need for innings and praised Hernández for stepping up.

“Kiké saved us tonight,” Roberts said. “That wasn’t easy, and it’s not something we ever want to ask from him, but he took the ball, gave us length, and let us live to fight another day. That’s what pros do.”

Still, there’s no denying the larger concerns this loss might bring to the surface. The Dodgers have dealt with a litany of injuries in their starting rotation, and with Clayton Kershaw still on the mend, Walker Buehler working his way back into form, and now Knack struggling, the depth is being tested. The decision to go with Knack was always going to come with some uncertainty, but the short outing forced the kind of bullpen usage that can have ripple effects for days.

That’s what makes Wednesday’s series finale so important. The Dodgers will send left-hander Justin Wrobleski to the mound, another young arm trying to make a name for himself amid the chaos. The hope is that he can eat innings, compete, and give the offense a chance to respond. The Padres, meanwhile, will look to ride the wave of momentum and go for the series win on home turf.

The Dodgers’ lineup will also need to show signs of life. Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani each went hitless Tuesday, combining to go 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. Freddie Freeman reached base once on a walk, but never advanced past first. Conforto’s RBI was the lone bright spot, and even that came against a reliever in a blowout situation. With so much top-tier talent in their batting order, the Dodgers expect more than five singles and one run, no matter who’s on the mound.

Veteran catcher Will Smith, speaking postgame, didn’t sugarcoat the team’s performance.

“We just didn’t show up tonight,” Smith said. “That’s the truth of it. They came out swinging, we didn’t match their energy, and we paid for it. These games happen — but the good teams don’t let them snowball.”

Los Angeles now sits just ahead of the Padres in the National League West standings, and series like this could go a long way in shaping the division race down the line. The Dodgers entered this week looking to create separation and reassert dominance. Instead, they’ve opened the door for San Diego to climb closer — and maybe even send a message of their own.

With another game to go in the series, there’s a chance to flip the narrative. Wrobleski will have the opportunity to make a strong impression, while the offense will be tasked with waking up and reminding everyone why this is still one of the most feared lineups in baseball. For all the blowout nature of Tuesday’s game, it still counts as just one loss in the standings — and how the Dodgers respond could say more than the result itself.

There’s also the question of pitching roles going forward. If Knack’s struggles continue, the Dodgers may need to reevaluate their rotation mix. Gavin Stone has been stretched out in Triple-A and could be an option, as could long reliever Ryan Yarbrough. But with so much of the season ahead, decisions on young arms carry long-term weight. Hernández stepping in for three innings might have been a necessity tonight, but it also underscores how thin things are getting.

For now, all the Dodgers can do is turn the page, get some rest, and hope Wednesday brings better fortune. Blowout losses happen, even to great teams. What separates those great teams is how they bounce back — how they respond to being embarrassed on the field and challenged in the standings.

The Dodgers, a franchise with championship aspirations and a roster built to contend, have made a habit of answering adversity with resolve. That’s what they’ll need now. Not panic, not wholesale changes — just execution, consistency, and a short memory.

If there’s one thing Tuesday’s rout reminded everyone, it’s that baseball is humbling. One night you’re cruising, the next you’re looking for outs from your backup shortstop. But with a deep lineup and a resilient clubhouse, the Dodgers still have everything in front of them. One loss — even a bad one — doesn’t define a season.

Wednesday, with Wrobleski on the bump and a new game on the calendar, gives them their next chance to prove it.