SAN DIEGO (AP) - Padres rookie Austin Allen was familiar enough with Los Angeles rookie Dustin May from facing him in the minor leagues that he was able to start the go-ahead rally that kept Eric Lauer perfect against the Dodgers.
Greg Garcia scored the tying run on a throwing error by center fielder A.J. Pollock and Manny Machado drove in the go-ahead run during a three-run rally in the sixth inning that carried San Diego a 4-3 victory against the Dodgers on Monday night.
May (1-3) took a 3-1 lead into the sixth before the Padres rallied to hand the NL West leaders their third loss in four games.
Allen led off with a pinch-hit double and took third on Garcia’s single. Rookie Josh Naylor singled to center to bring in Allen. Pollock’s throw back in bounced between third baseman Justin Turner’s legs and into the Dodgers’ dugout, allowing Garcia to score and Naylor to take third.
“I went up there with a little bit of confidence just from facing Dustin through the low levels of the minors and even in Double-A a little bit,” Allen said. “I haven’t faced him this year, but I’ve got a pretty good feel in like where his release point is and all that stuff. That was definitely one of those at-bats you go into and you’re looking forward to it.”
Machado, who helped the Dodgers reach the World Series last year before signing a $300 million deal with San Diego, grounded to second to bring in Naylor and chase May. Adam Kolarek came on and got the final two outs.
May allowed four runs, two earned, and four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
“The curveball to Austin was up, but other than that I felt like I made quality pitches down the zone and they just hit it where we weren’t,” he said “It wasn’t hard contact but I mean they were just putting it where we weren’t and in the spots they needed to.”
Lauer (7-8) benefited from the rally, making the lefty 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA against the Dodgers in seven career starts. He allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked four.
“The bats did a huge job in the sixth inning there to get into the position to win,” Lauer said. “That sixth inning was one of those innings where it was kind of just energy all over the place. You could feel it in the dugout. You could feel that we were kind of on the rise there.”
Lauer said the Dodgers “line up against me well and I like to pitch the way that they don’t like to hit, so obviously they’re making adjustments and they’re getting to a few more balls, but as long as I can continue to adjust and make myself a little better, I think it’ll keep going the way it is.”
All-Star closer Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 38th save in 41 chances.
The Dodgers were unhappy with umpire Rob Drake’s strike zone all night. After taking a called third strike to end the game, Turner started arguing with Drake.
“There was a lot of very questionable calls throughout the game,” Turner said. “He called strike three and I asked him, ’You called that a strike?’ and he told me it was right down the middle, which was pretty upsetting. If he thinks that’s down the middle, no wonder he was missing a lot of pitches throughout the night.
“And then he walks into me and told me not to bump him, which also upsets me,” Turner said. “I’m not trying to bump him or touch him in any way, but when you walk into me and then cry foul like I hit you or something is brutal.”
Manager Dave Roberts stepped in between Turner and Drake.
“I just thought it was inconsistent tonight, both sides, both teams,” Roberts said. “Game ends and it was a good pitch, borderline pitch, but I think there was just frustration building up.”
Lauer allowed Turner’s homer with two outs in the third and Kiké Hernández’s laser shot into the second deck in left field with one out in the fifth. It was Turner’s 23rd and Hernández’s 17th.
Turner added an RBI double in the fifth.
May retired his first nine batters before Garcia walked leading off the fourth. He advanced on Naylor’s groundout and scored on Eric Hosmer’s two-out single.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (10-3, 3.16 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night. Buehler and three relievers combined to no-hit the Padres on May 4, 2018, during a series in Monterrey, Mexico.
Padres: RHP Cal Quantrill (6-4, 3.32 ERA) is scheduled to make his 19th appearance and 14th start. He’s 4-2 with a 1.79 ERA since the All-Star break.
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