Quick Hitters
Turner hits 2 home runs, leads Dodgers over Padres
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers have continued to win with such historic regularity, it’s almost as if they spin a dial to determine which player will be the star of the day.
Sunday the dial landed on Justin Turner, who hit two homers and drove in four runs to lead the Dodgers over the San Diego Padres 6-4.
“There was a little kind of lull a couple weeks ago when he wasn’t getting hits, which I think is the only dry spell he’s had this entire season,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “His at-bat quality has been consistent, and always is. He’s the glue to our ballclub.”
Turner is hitting .346 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Yasmani Grandal also homered as the Dodgers won for the 28th time in 33 games, improving the best record in the majors to 83-34. They now lead the NL West by 18 games — it’s the largest lead in franchise history.
The Dodgers took the set from San Diego with the win. They are now 16-0-3 in their last 19 series, and haven’t lost one since June 5-7 to Washington.
“There isn’t any sense of urgency or panic in the club,” Turner said. “From top to bottom, everyone has their own idea of what they need to do and their gameplan they’ve put together for themselves.
“You go 18, 21 (at-bats) through our lineup, it’s pretty tough to do,” he said.
Cory Spangenberg hit two home runs for the Padres.
Turner had a three-run homer and Grandal had a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Luis Perdomo (6-7).
“Outside that one inning, Luis did a solid job today,” said Padres manager Andy Green, given a three-year contract extension earlier in the day.
“This is a tough lineup to navigate. It happened quick,” he said.
Kenta Maeda (11-4) went 5 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs and four hits and striking out eight. Kenley Jansen retired the Padres in order in the ninth to earn his 32nd save.
Spangenberg’s first home run was a solo shot that opened the scoring in the first. Turner’s throwing error from third base set up Wil Myers’ sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Perdomo didn’t allow a baserunner until hitting Chris Taylor with a pitch to open the fourth. Corey Seager followed with a single and Turner homered. Cody Bellinger followed with a double and Grandal hit his 15th home run.
Spangenberg’s 10th homer, a two-run drive, made it 5-4 in the sixth.