Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres Box Score on Aug 26, 2021

Max Scherzer pitched into the eighth inning and Austin Barnes hit a home run as the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep over the host San Diego Padres on Thursday with a 4-0 victory.

With his team needing length from him following Wednesday's 16-inning victory, the right-handed Scherzer gave the Dodgers 7 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.

Scherzer (12-4) improved to 4-0 with the Dodgers, who have won all five games he has started since arriving in a trade from the Washington Nationals.

Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger also drove in runs for the Dodgers, who have won 12 of their last 13 games and 16 of their last 18 to sit 2 1/2 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

The Padres' offense was shut down again after mustering only four hits in 16 innings Wednesday while going 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position and being held hitless for nine consecutive innings at one point. San Diego had just five runs and 10 hits in 34 innings of the series.

Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (7-8) gave up four runs in six innings in his return from the injured list because of lower back tightness. San Diego lost for the eighth time in its last nine games and has gone 2-12 since Aug. 11.

Barnes received the start at catcher for the Dodgers after Will Smith went the distance in Wednesday's marathon, and took advantage of his opportunity with a two-run home run in the third inning. It was his fifth home run of the season and first since July 24.

Trea Turner and Seager added back-to-back doubles in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead and Bellinger had a sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 4-0 advantage.

Padres center fielder Trent Grisham robbed AJ Pollock of a home run in the ninth with a leaping catch as the ball appeared headed over the fence.

One start after needing 103 pitches to complete five innings, Scherzer threw 104 on Thursday. He pitched into the eighth for the first time since June 4 and now has a 1.55 ERA in 29 innings with the Dodgers.

--Field Level Media