SAN DIEGO -- Another night, another low-scoring game between the Dodgers and Padres at Petco Park. On Saturday, San Diego prevailed with a second-straight walk-off win in extra innings, this time with Alexi Amarista singling home Will Venable in the 10th inning for a 2-1 win.
Venable opened the frame with a single off Jamey Wright, then stole second as Rymer Liriano struck out. Amarista then singled up the middle, easily beating a strong throw home by center fielder Yasiel Puig.
The Padres have three straight walk-off wins for the first time since doing so in four straight games on April 13-16, 1986.
For the Dodgers it meant a series loss in San Diego for the first time since 2010, and a division lead that is down to 2½ games over the Giants in the National League West.
The Dodgers and Padres have split eight games at Petco Park this season, with a total of 39 runs scored by both teams - 21 by Los Angeles, 18 by San Diego. That is 4.33 runs per game, total. With five one-run games, three won by the Padres.
The Dodgers are 4-0 in one-run games against the Padres at home this season, in case you were wondering.
Entering Saturday, the Padres' ERA+ of 109 ranked third in the National League, with the Dodgers in fourth with a 107 ERA+.
"It seems like every time we play San Diego, we're not swinging as good. It goes back to giving the other guys credit," manager Don Mattingly said. "They did a nice job with us, they always have. We have to make adjustments back, that's the main thing."
Adrian Gonzalez made adjustments after a few near misses with fly balls in this series at his old stomping grounds, but in the sixth inning on Saturday he didn't miss with a solo shot to right field, tying the score at 1-1 and adding to his Petco Park record with his 61st home run here.
The second-place person on that list - Venable - has 38.
That run tied the game because Zack Greinke held the Padres to one run in eight innings, striking out eight while allowing six runners to reach base. He offered a theory as to why the Dodgers and Padres seem to always play such low-scoring close games against each other.
"It's pretty obvious to me. Their pitching is really good. Our pitching is really good. It's a pitcher's park, so scoring is going to be down," Greinke said. "Today the defense was amazing, the pitching was good. Yesterday, the same thing.
Saturday's game was full of nice defensive plays, from third baseman Yangervis Solarte charging hard to retire Dee Gordon on a leadoff bunt attempt in the first inning, to Justin Turner catching a ball while falling into the stands in foul territory in the fourth, to catcher Yasmani Grandal in his 18th career game at first base ranging back to make a nice over-the-sholulder grab in the seventh.
There was also the pickoff throw from catcher Drew Butera to nail pinch-runner Cameron Maybin at second base in the eighth inning, on a ball Hanley Ramirez somehow caught on a bounce seemingly through the runner.
San Diego threatened in the ninth inning when the first two runners reached against J.P. Howell, but a line drive up the middle found Howell's glove, making for an easy rally-squashing double play with a flip to second base.
There were misreads involving Puig, who snapped his 0-for-22 skid with an eighth inning single. The first was by Puig himself, in the sixth inning when he crushed a ball to dead center and flipped the bat thinking it was a home run - confession: so did I - only to see Abraham Almonte catch it on the warning track.
"There were a couple balls today that may have been homers in some parks," Greinke added.
Then in the 10th inning Puig checked his swing on an inside pitch. Padres manager Bud Black thought Puig struck out, but first base umpire Clint Fagan said Puig didn't swing, and Black was ejected for his continued oratory efforts.
Puig would strikeout eventually in that at-bat, anyway. Against a Tim Stauffer, who earned the victory with a scoreless frame. Stauffer is the first relief pitcher to get a win over the Dodgers on back-to-back days since Salomon Torres, then of the Pirates, on April 11-12, 2006.
Up next
The two teams finish off their weekend series on Sunday afternoon, with Hyun-jin Ryu rejoining the team for this start, looking to salvage the finale. Eric Stults gets the ball for the Padres.
Saturday particulars
Home run: Adrian Gonzalez (19)
WP - Tim Stauffer (6-2): 1 IP, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts
LP - Jamey Wright (4-4): ⅓ IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 strikeout