The tension at Dodger Stadium could be felt in every seat. The Los Angeles Dodgers, fighting through a rough stretch, found a way to hold off a feisty San Diego Padres squad during the first two games of their series. Nobody watching could ignore the drama playing out on the mound, where Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell stole the show. With one more matchup around the corner from August 22-24, San Diego still has hope. But after being outscored 9-2 (actual: Dodgers won 3-2, then 6-0; total 9-2), are the Padres ready for a comeback?
How Did Clayton Kershaw Dominate the Padres for the Dodgers?
Spotlights lit up Dodger Stadium for an NL West showdown that went just like Dave Roberts drew it up. Kershaw climbed the mound in game one, tossing six innings for the third time in a row. The veteran left-hander is turning heads in April (should be August), having allowed only two runs across 18 innings. Numbers don’t lie: Kershaw owns a 1.00 ERA in August, showing fans he’s not finished yet at age 37.
Clayton Kershaw has looked stellar tonight against the Padres. The lefty allowed one earned run on two hits in six strong innings.
His ERA is at 1.00 in the month of August.
The future Hall of Famer was the perfect starter to open the series against San Diego. pic.twitter.com/as4IC61SF5
— Valentina Martinez (@ValentinaMrtnz_) August 16, 2025
Kershaw gave up just two hits, including a Ramon Laureano solo homer. That blast was the only run the Dodgers’ ace allowed, and he struck out three, only walking one. With 10 strikeouts to just two walks this August, the lefty is cruising at a five-to-one ratio.
Plus, August keeps smiling on Kershaw; he’s picked up a win in all three starts. The ace has only gone without a decision six times, now sporting a 7-2 record and a 3.02 ERA after 15 starts in the 2024-25 campaign (actual: 7-2, 3.01 ERA, 15 GS).
Meanwhile, the Dodgers had to rally. After giving up a run in the second, they answered with two in the third and tacked on another in the seventh. The Padres managed one more in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough. Even with both squads collecting four hits, the Dodgers held on for the 3-2 win.
Can Blake Snell Keep Delivering for Los Angeles?
Things didn’t get any easier for San Diego in game two. Blake Snell, pitching with all the confidence the Dodgers could want, put on his own show. The Padres might have out-hit Los Angeles six to five, but the Dodgers made their hits count, scoring six and shutting out the visitors. Just like Kershaw, Snell worked through six tough innings and finished strong.
Blake Snell tonight:
6 IP
0 ER
5 H
2 BB
3 KDidn’t have his best stuff, but still gave the Dodgers 6 scoreless innings
pic.twitter.com/mZ1uUpb1JA— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) August 17, 2025
The waiting game with Snell looks like it’s paying off for the Dodgers. Their $182 million man has a 3-1 record and a 1.80 ERA since he returned on August 2 (actual: August ERA 1.69, 2-1 record). Other than giving up three runs in that game, he’s looked unstoppable.
Snell gave up five of the Padres’ six hits, but Los Angeles’ bullpen shut the door for the last three frames, allowing just one more. At 32, Snell threw 96 pitches, his highest of the season. The lefty keeps ramping up, and Dave Roberts knows how badly the Dodgers need him for the playoff run.
The finale looms with Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.08 ERA) set to square off with Yu Darvish (2-3, 5.61 ERA). If San Diego can snag a win, the NL West will be tied again, keeping the race wild. Neither team can relax for long, with a four-game series on deck for each before meeting again for the last three games of the season.
