Dodgers secure season opener 5-2 win against Padres in Seoul

In the season opener in Seoul, South Korea, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres, spurred by a decisive four-run eighth inning highlighted by Teoscar Hernandez’s sprint home on an error.

The pivotal moment came when Gavin Lux’s ground ball bounced through first baseman Jake Cronenworth’s glove, a mishap that allowed Hernandez to race home from second base, swinging the lead in favor of Los Angeles. Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani sealed the win with run-scoring singles, rounding off their impressive two-hit performances in the eighth inning.

Xander Bogaerts contributed with an RBI single among his two hits for the Padres, who struggled against the Dodgers’ pitching staff, managing just four singles.

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San Diego had held a narrow 2-1 lead until the eighth inning, but Wandy Peralta’s leadoff walk to Max Muncy and subsequent bases-loading walks by Jhony Brito set the stage for Hernandez’s pivotal run. The Dodgers’ late surge secured a victory, with Daniel Hudson earning the win after a solid relief performance, while Evan Phillips closed the game with a save.

The Padres initially took the lead in the third inning on Bogaerts’ single, but the Dodgers quickly responded in the fourth, capitalizing on errors and walks to level the score. Despite a valiant effort, Padres pitcher Tyler Glasnow couldn’t stave off the Dodgers, conceding two runs on two hits over five innings.