The Dodgers take Game 1 of their first seven contests in 11 games between the San Diego Padres, squeaking their way to take Monday’s thriller 8-7.

Shohei Ohtani once again kicked things off with a leadoff double off of Nick Pivetta, his second leadoff double in as many games. Freddie Freeman cashed in Ohtani with his league leading 21st double of the season to give Dustin May a lead to work with. Teoscar Hernández reached on an errant throw from Manny Machado to put runners at the corners, allowing Will Smith to add to the Dodger lead with a sacrifice fly.

Right as the Dodgers got things going in the top of the first, the Padres stormed right back as Fernando Tatís Jr. and Luis Arraez attacked Dustin May with a pair of singles to begin the bottom half. Machado got his revenge for his error with an opposite field double that hugged the first base line, putting San Diego on the board. Jackson Merrill lifted a sacrifice fly to even the score.

The Dodgers couldn’t reply back against Pivetta in the top of the second inning, while San Diego took advantage of a throwing error from Will Smith trying to catch Tatís stealing for second base, allowing Jake Cronenworth to score from third and giving the Padres the lead.

The Dodgers added to the drama immediately in the top of the third inning, as Mookie Betts and Freeman both roped singles on the first pitch they saw, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Hernández tied the game with a sacrifice fly of his own before Will Smith launched a two-run home run on the first pitch he saw from Pivetta to give the Dodgers’ their second two-run lead of the game.

The Padres jabbed their way back against May as Machado gave the Padres their third consecutive leadoff baserunner, followed by walks to Merrill and Xander Bogaerts. May managed to pop out Cronenworth before Tyler Wade, who had just 40 career extra-base hits entering Monday, skied a ball that crept past a sliding Hernández that cleared the bases and put the Padres right back in front.

Throughout his first three innings of work, he averaged 22 pitches per inning, yet somehow needed just six pitches to notch a perfect fourth inning. It was another rough outing overall for him, as he recorded just a single strikeout through five innings of work while allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks.

The Dodgers ensured that May was off the hook with Hyeseong Kim lining a double down the right field line to tie the game at 6 against reliever Yuki Matsui. Kim has only had three plate appearances against left-handed pitching, and all three have resulted in hits.

The Dodgers bullpen came into to tame the Padres offense after allowing two runs on Sunday’s series finale against the Cardinals, as Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia, and Kirby Yates combined to toss four shutout innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four.

The Dodgers were the first team to take advantage of the ghost runner, and Andy Pages sliced a go-ahead double in the top of the 10th inning to bring him home. Tommy Edman dribbled a ball up the middle that took a wild ricochet off the second base bag that landed in shallow right field, allowing Pages to score and give the Dodgers another two-run lead.

Merrill brought home the free runner off the former Padre Tanner Scott to cut the lead to one run with one out, but Scott recovered to retire the next two men to seal his first team against the team he deserted in free agency.

Game particulars

Home runs— Will Smith (6)

WP— Kirby Yates (4-2): 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

LP— Wandy Peralta (3-1): 1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 0 walks, 0 strikeouts

SV— Tanner Scott (12): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 run (no earned), 0 walks, 1 strikeout

Up next

The Dodgers will look to take the first series of the season against the Padres on Tuesday (6:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). The Dodgers will go with a bullpen game while Dylan Cease starts for San Diego.