Streaking Dodgers shut out Padres 4-0 for 3-game sweep, fifth win in a row

LOS ANGELES – Tony Gonsolin and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout, Mookie Betts homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 4-0 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep and their fifth straight victory.

Gonsolin (1-1) allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one in lowering his ERA to 1.42 in the Dodgers’ third shutout of the season.

Miguel Rojas doubled leading off the third and one batter later, Betts sent a 415-foot shot to the left-field pavilion, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

The Dodgers extended their lead to 4-0 with two outs in the sixth. Brent Honeywell replaced Ryan Weathers (1-2) and was hit with a pitch-clock violation for taking too long to warm up. Ahead 1-0 in the count, Miguel Vargas doubled into the left-field corner, scoring Freddie Freeman, who singled, and Max Muncy, who walked.

The Dodgers lead the National League with 88 runs scored with two outs.

Yency Almonte, Victor González, Brusdar Graterol and Justin Bruihl combined to give up one hit over the final four innings. They struck out four and walked two.

Weathers was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to make his fourth start this season and fourth career start against the Dodgers. He gave up four runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out three and walked four.

The Padres’ offensive slump continued. They got a ground-rule double by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first and doubles by Trent Grisham in the third and Xander Bogaerts in the ninth.

San Diego scored just four runs in the series. The Padres have lost five in a row and seven of eight.

KERSHAW’S MOTHER DIES

The mother of Clayton Kershaw died Saturday, according to the pitcher’s wife, Ellen. She mentioned the death of Marianne Tombaugh during the dedication of a refurbished youth baseball field in Inglewood. Kershaw’s parents divorced when he was 10 and he was raised by his mother in suburban Dallas. His father died in 2013. Kershaw played catch with two of his children on the field before the game. He is still set to start Tuesday against Minnesota.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Michael Wacha (3-1, 4.82 ERA) starts Monday against Kansas City in the opener of a three-game set.

Dodgers: RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-3, 6.12) will wear protective adhesive on his right index finger Monday against Minnesota. He got cut in a start at Milwaukee last week.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”