Gonsolin continues ascent, shuts down SD

Trent Grisham and the upstart Padres might have delivered a wakeup call on Tuesday night to the Dodgers, who rebounded Wednesday with a 3-1 win at Petco Park that restored their National League West lead to 2 1/2 games.

“I really liked the focus, the intensity tonight,” said manager Dave Roberts. “On the heels of what happened last night, for us to rebound and play good, sound baseball was not a surprise, but good to see.”

• Box score

What happened was Grisham’s tying homer off Clayton Kershaw and celebration afterward. It irked the Dodgers and Roberts said so, but they didn’t do anything about it. San Diego then blew the game open with a five-run seventh inning.

Wednesday night was different. Rookie starter Tony Gonsolin handcuffed the Padres’ potent offense with his best game, one run allowed over a career-high seven innings. Justin Turner returned from the injured list to boost a slumping offense with three hits, an RBI and a run scored. Kenley Jansen, in his first save opportunity since Saturday’s five-run disaster against Houston, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth by striking out Wil Myers and Jake Cronenworth.

First, Gonsolin. He only struck out two without a walk, but remained unflappable in as close to stretch-run pressure on the road as this season offers. He allowed four hits, none to Fernando Tatis Jr. or Manny Machado, and the only run he allowed scored on a drag bunt.

“We want to get on a roll and a rhythm going into the playoffs,” said Gonsolin.

Gonsolin’s consistency might put him in the pole position to be the third starter in the best-of-three first round of the postseason. Julio Urías and Dustin May also are competing to follow Kershaw and Walker Buehler.

“Every outing is an opportunity to show and try to convince the staff and front office on making the postseason roster,” Gonsolin said.

"You never know until you know and you see it,” said Roberts. “Given the circumstances right now, there was a lot at stake. I think [Gonsolin] realized that and he picked us up. To lose a game like we lost and for him to be a stopper, it was great to see.”

• Caleb Ferguson to return to L.A. for elbow MRI

Turner talked about kicking up the energy level, both as a response to the Padres from the night before, and from the absence of fans in the stands at a ballpark where Dodgers fans always turn out loud and in large numbers.

“It’s something we’ve talked about all season, especially playing in the NL West,” he said. “At home, our fans create a lot of energy for us. We come down to San Diego, a lot of fans travel here and create energy, Arizona is the same way. We don’t have that this year, so finding ways to get that energy from within is big and we had really good energy from the first pitch tonight.”

And then there’s Jansen. He’s the most decorated closer in Dodgers history and a decade-long workhorse, but he had a bad game Saturday after a substandard season in 2019. The fact he was the league’s best reliever last month didn’t matter when the Padres loaded the bases in the ninth.

“It wasn’t easy,” said Jansen. “They’re locked in and I try to be locked in, too. They’re hungry, they want to win a division from us. I tried to bounce back and get back on track. None of that stuff in the past defines our season. I don’t care about stats or any of that, the only goal is to win a championship.”

With one out, Manny Machado hit a line single, Mitch Moreland’s routine fly fell at the feet of center fielder AJ Pollock -- who’d initially broke back -- and an Austin Nola walk set the scene for Jansen to reach back and slam the door.

“He wants to be the Kenley Jansen that we all know and love,” said Turner. “We just had a conversation in the clubhouse, understanding that it’s not going to go perfect every time, but every time you get on the mound, have that conviction and be that closer that we know you are and good things will happen and he did a good job of that tonight.”

Roberts said Jansen has been particularly affected by 2020’s oddities, from battling a bad case of COVID-19 to missing the emotion and adrenaline he draws from fans home and away.

“It’s good to see him find it somehow and help us win a baseball game,” Roberts said. “He picked us up, he really did. I know what he can do. I’ve seen it. I trust him with the baseball.”