Padres edge Dodgers 3-2 to open key NL West series

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Jurickson Profar singled and scored the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, and the San Diego Padres opened the second series of the season in Southern California’s lively baseball rivalry with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. Trent Grisham homered and had two hits for the Padres, who snapped a three-game skid as they opened a four-game series at chilly Chavez Ravine with the Dodgers’ first home loss of the season. Los Angeles took two of three in San Diego last weekend, but the Padres answered with timely hits, strong pitching and a fantastic inning-ending double play in the eighth, capping yet another well-played matchup between two stacked rosters. AJ Pollock and Sheldon Neuse hit back-to-back homers leading off the seventh for the major league-leading Dodgers, who have lost three of four after a 13-2 start to the season. With several key hitters injured, Los Angeles has scored just 10 runs in its last five games. Profar and Victor Caratini singled off Blake Treinen (1-1) leading off the eighth, and Profar put San Diego back ahead on Fernando Tatis Jr.’˜s double-play groundout. Profar then barely failed to make a diving catch on Will Smith’s tailing fly down the left field line after a long run, putting two Dodgers in scoring position with nobody out in the eighth. After Max Muncy grounded out and Pollock was intentionally walked to load the bases, Neuse smoked a 105-mph grounder to second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who barely knocked down the ball. San Diego then turned a double play in which both Dodgers were out by minuscule margins, setting off a raucous celebration in the Padres’ dugout. Nabil Crismatt (1-1) finished the seventh for San Diego. Mark Melancon pitched a dominant ninth for his seventh save. GIANTS 3, MARLINS 0 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Curt Casali caught his fifth consecutive shutout, guiding Aaron Sanchez and four relievers in San Francisco’s 3-0 win over Miami. Casali – a backup to veteran catcher Buster Posey, who got a night off – is the fifth catcher since at least 1900 to backstop a shutout in five straight starts. He joins Francisco Cervelli (2015), Chris Hoiles (1995), Alan Ashby (1986) and Ed Phelps (six straight in 1903), per Elias Sports. Casali is the first to do it with five different starting pitchers. The Giants capitalized in the first with two outs against lefty Daniel Castano (0-1), when Darin Ruf hit an RBI double and Casali followed with a two-run single. Sanchez (1-1) gave up two hits, struck out two and didn’t walk a batter over five impressive innings for his first victory with the Giants. DIAMONDBACKS 14, REDS 11, 10 innings CINCINNATI (AP) – David Peralta hit a three-run triple in a six-run 10th to finish with five hits and a career-best seven RBIs, and Arizona overcame six Cincinnati home runs. Carson Kelly followed Peralta with a two-run homer as the Diamondbacks opened a 14-8 lead. Arizona hung on in the bottom half to complete a three-game sweep that extended its winning streak to four. The Reds lost their fourth straight, finishing a 2-4 homestand. Cincinnati’s Jesse Winker had his third career two-homer game, Nick Castellanos hit his sixth home run of the season as he returned from a two-game suspension and Eugenio Suárez, Joey Votto and Jonathan India also went deep. All of the Reds’ home run came from among the top four spots in the batting order. Peralta tied his career high with his third five-hit game. He hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, had three singles and finished a double short of the cycle. Caleb Smith (1-1) was the winner. Lucas Sims (0-1) took the loss. CUBS 4, METS 3, 10 innings