The Padres had a golden opportunity to gain ground on every team ahead of them in the wild card race Friday, but squandered it late, as they fell to the Dodgers 10-5.
They held a 3-2 lead entering the eighth inning at Petco Park, but a wild Robert Suarez issued three walks, including one to Chris Taylor, to force in the go-ahead run.
The Dodgers scored five runs, all with two outs, and padded the lead with three more runs in the ninth, all off reliever Scott Barlow, making his debut at Petco Park after the Padres acquired him earlier this week.
The bullpen spoiled seven solid innings from Yu Darvish, who went seven, giving up five hits and striking out four, with Luis Campusano and Trent Grisham providing RBI singles in the fourth and sixth to give him a lead (the other Padre run scored on a two-out passed ball in the fourth).
It also kept the Friars from gaining ground on Miami, Arizona, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Chicago, which all lost Friday as the teams battle it out for the National League’s three wild card spots.
Miami, Arizona and San Francisco – the Giants were idle Friday – are in the lead, with the Padres and the rest giving chase.
With a win, the Padres would have reached .500, while securing an opening win in a key series, manager Bob Melvin said.
“It’s another one of those games that we’ve been through this year that’s been really frustrating,” he said.
Blake Snell will take the mound Saturday, while the Dodger starter remains TBD.
