Only Sonny Gray had held the Los Angeles Dodgers to one hit across at least six innings all season, per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. That is, until Padres’ pitchers Yu Darvish and Nestor Cortes did it on back-to-back nights.

MLB fans will be treated to another intense action from the NL West field, as the Dodgers arrive at Petco Park to play a three-game series against the San Diego Padres. Both teams are coming off mixed results in their last four-game series.

The game proved to be vengeance for the Padres hurler. He had been battered by the Dodgers in a previous outing, allowing a grand slam to Freddie Freeman during the 2024 World Series. At that time, Cortes was pitching for the New York Yankees.

Nestor Cortes took a perfect game into the sixth inning and combined with three relievers on a two-hitter as the San Diego Padres reclaimed the NL West lead with a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Nestor Cortes had one of the lowest moments of his baseball life last October when he gave up the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history to Freddie Freeman.

The San Diego Padres announced Saturday evening they placed outfielder Jackson Merrill on the injured list, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassevell. Merrill is on the 10-day IL and will be eligible to return on August 30 against the Minnesota Twins.

The San Diego Padres have placed outfielder Jackson Merrill on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain. The team announced a corresponding move will be made Sunday. This story will be