Mookie Betts’ grand slam leads Dodgers’ pounding of the Padres

SAN DIEGO — Slam Diego, indeed.

Mookie Betts’ sixth career grand slam only produced half of the Dodgers’ runs in an eight-run fourth inning as they put an exclamation mark on their four-game series against the team that was supposed to threaten their reign in the National League West this season. They pounded the San Diego Padres, 13-7, Monday afternoon.

It was a group effort. Everyone in the Dodgers’ starting lineup had at least one hit and scored a run. James Outman had four hits and scored twice. Kiké Hernandez hit his first home run since rejoining the Dodgers, his first since June 9 overall.

The pitching has been one area of the Padres that has not been underwhelming this year. But the Dodgers scored 34 runs while winning three of the four games at Petco Park this series.

They have beaten the Padres eight out of 10 times this season and left town with the high-spending but under-achieving residents under .500 (as they have been since the first half of May) and 11 games out in the NL West (a half-game short of matching their season-high deficit).

At least a sellout crowd of 44,455 on Monday got free straw hats to show for it. Tony Gonsolin walked away with his own gift – a win.

Like the fans, the right-hander got it just for showing up. The Padres strafed Gonsolin for six runs on nine hits in a six-inning outing that would have been much shorter if not for the Dodgers’ ample offense.

The Padres put seven balls in play during a five-run third inning. Five of them left the bat at 100 mph or higher, a sixth at 97 mph. Luis Campusano had a two-run home run – the first of two homers in the game for the Padres catcher – and Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in two with a double.

All was forgiven during the top of the fourth. The Dodgers sent 11 batters to the plate, collecting six hits and two walks. David Peralta had an RBI double, Jason Heyward a two-run double and Miguel Rojas a bloop single to drive in another run.

That set up Betts with the bases loaded and he unloaded when given the green light on a 3-and-0 pitch, driving it 396 feet into the left field seats.

It was the Dodgers’ 11th grand slam this season, the most in the majors and tied for the franchise record with the 2021 team. Only 18 teams in MLB history have hit 11 grand slams or more in a season, topped by the 2000 Oakland A’s and the 2006 Cleveland team with 14.

The Dodgers added five more runs in the sixth inning. Hernandez led off with his home run. Max Muncy drove in two with a double and Will Smith one with a single.

More to come on this story.