LDN - Sports

Padres rookie Renfroe drives in all 7 in victory

[September 28, 2016] SAN DIEGO -- Padres rookie slugger Hunter Renfroe was a fresh face to many of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

But not to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

"I've known of Hunter (from) being in San Diego," said Roberts, a former Padres coach. "He's got big power."

Renfroe had two home runs and seven RBIs to lift San Diego past Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1.

"One of the big things is you can't think of it as more than what it is," Renfroe said. "It's a game. You've been playing since you were 4 years old or what have you. It's just on a bigger stage and more fans and everything is kind of magnified."

Renfroe, among the wave of prospects called up last week from Triple-A El Paso, had an eighth-inning grand slam and a three-runner homer in the first to upend the newly minted National League West champ.

Renfroe, a first-round pick in 2013, has three homers in six games. He hit his first grand slam off Louis Coleman, the Dodgers' sixth pitcher.

"To see what he just did tonight is just extremely impressive," Wil Myers said. "I've been nothing but impressed."

The Dodgers fell two games behind the Washington Nationals in the race for home-field advantage in their upcoming National League Division Series.

Paul Clemens (4-5) earned the victory while Kenta Maeda (16-10), who is scheduled to start Game 3 of the NLDS, took the loss.

The Dodgers had the tying runs aboard with two outs in the seventh, but Corey Seager grounded out.

In the sixth, Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out but Yasmani Grandal and Josh Reddick hit harmless flies.

The Padres didn't make much noise after Renfroe's first-inning shot. San Diego had just three batters reach base, and only one got into scoring position.

Then came Renfroe's second long fly, which went 419 feet over the fence in dead center.

Yangervis Solarte got on three times, with two hits and a walk.

Maeda was gone after four innings. His next-to-last regular-season start served more as a tune-up for the postseason than Roberts being concerned about Maeda going deep in the game. Maeda, who struck out five, surrendered three runs on three hits.

"After the first inning, Kenta was good," Roberts said. "He left a breaking ball up to Renfroe; but, other than that, he was getting strikeouts and soft contact. I told him it was a positive outing."

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Fox reporter Julie Alexadria (left) interviews San Diego Padres right fielder Hunter Renfroe (center) as catcher Austin Hedges (right background) tries to sneak up to douse them with Powerade after a 7-1 win overt he Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Clemens got through five innings, allowing one run on three hits.

The Dodgers pulled to within 3-1 in the third, thanks to Chase Utley's 13th home run of the season. It was Utley's second hit of the game and first homer since Aug. 31 at Colorado.

Utley and Josh Reddick, with a second-inning single, were the only batters to reach base during Clemens stint.

Renfroe, who was recently named the Pacific Coast League MVP, launched a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the first. Maeda elevated an 83 mph slider and Renfroe's blast chased in Jon Jay and Solarte, both aboard on singles.

"It wasn't so much miscommunication as it was I was facing new hitters and I wasn't familiar with them," Maeda said about Renfroe's homer.

"I'm very comfortable," Renfroe said. "I think I've done a pretty good job."

NOTES: Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda was moved up to go Tuesday so he can get two starts before the playoffs. ... Manager Dave Roberts said the playoff rotation will be LHP Clayton Kershaw, LHP Rich Hill and Maeda. ... RF Yasiel Puig will be on the postseason roster. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder) is having additional tests to determine whether he needs surgery. He hasn't pitched since Opening Day. ... RHP Jarred Cosart (elbow) is awaiting his test results.

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