Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Buehler pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win that kept the Dodgers two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West race. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner, left, hits an RBI double during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Padres at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Buehler pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win that kept the Dodgers two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West race. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, right, is congratulated by Will Smith after scoring on a double by Trea Turner during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Padres at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is congratulated after scoring a run against the Padres on a double by Trea Turner during the first inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner is caught in a rundown between second base and third but Padres third baseman Manny Machado missed the tag for the out during the first inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner, left, avoids a tag by Padres third baseman Manny Machado after being caught between second and third during the first inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. Turner was safe at third on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner, left, is tagged out by Padres third baseman Manny Machado, center, after being caught between third and home on a fielders’ choice hit by Max Muncy as catcher Victor Caratini watches during the first inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Buehler pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win that kept the Dodgers two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West race. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish throws to the plate during the third inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner bats against Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish during the third inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish talks with catcher Victor Caratini after loading the bases against the Dodgers during the third inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish tosses a ball in the air during the third inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Dodgers’ AJ Pollock leaves the batter’s box on his RBI hit during the third inning of Tuesday’s game against the Padres at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres third baseman Manny Machado gets ready to throw out the Dodgers’ Will Smith at first during the third inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Padres third baseman Manny Machado throws to first base to get Will Smith of the Dodgers on a ground out in the third inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager fields a ball hit by the Padres’ Eric Hosmer before attempting to throw him out during the fifth inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. Hosmer was safe at first on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager attempts to throw out the Padres’ Eric Hosmer during the fifth inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. Hosmer was safe at first on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Buehler pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win that kept the Dodgers two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West race. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish throws to the plate during the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Padres’ Eric Hosmer, right, slides in for a double as Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner, center, attempts to tag him while second base umpire Jeremy Riggs watches during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Eric Hosmer, right, slides in for a double as Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner, center, attempts to tag him while second base umpire Jeremy Riggs watches during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Eric Hosmer, right, slides in for a double as Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner, center, attempts to tag him during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Eric Hosmer, right, reacts after he dove in for a double and Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner missed the tag on him during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Jake Marisnick is hit by a pitch during the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Jake Marisnick, left, falls as he is hit by a pitch while Dodgers catcher Will Smith reaches for the ball during the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen throws to the plate during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Padres at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen gestures after the Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres, 2-1, on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. flips his bat after striking out against Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen during the ninth inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Padres’ Jake Cronenworth, left, hits a solo home run during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth, right, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith watches during the ninth inning of a game against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Padres’ Jake Cronenworth celebrates his solo home run as he returns to the dugout during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Padres’ Manny Machado walks to the dugout after grounding out against Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen during the ninth inning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen celebrates with catcher Will Smith after earning a save against the Padres on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Max Muncy #13, Justin Turner #10, Mookie Betts #50, Trea Turner #6 and Corey Seager #5 celebrate after their 2-1 victory over San Diego Padres on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Dodgers president and co-owner Stan Kasten, left, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, center, talk with broadcaster Jaime Jarrín before Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Jarrin, the longtime Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers, on Tuesday announced he will retire after the 2022 season, ending his 64-year run with the team. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Dodgers president and co-owner Stan Kasten, left, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, right, pose with broadcaster Jaime Jarrín before Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Jarrin, the longtime Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers, on Tuesday announced he will retire after the 2022 season, ending his 64-year run with the team. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — When the 2021 season was a new thing a short six months ago, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres appeared to be two teams heading in the same direction.
The teams will play each other twice more this year, but nothing will change the facts laid bare on a cool Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium: only one team is playing out the frayed end of a once-thick string.
The Dodgers beat the Padres, 2-1, before an announced crowd of 52,128 at Dodger Stadium – their seventh consecutive win against San Diego. Walker Buehler delivered seven shutout innings, and did not allow a hit until Eric Hosmer led off the fifth with an infield single. Trea Turner went 3 for 5, raising his MLB-leading batting average to .325.
Doubles by Mookie Betts and Turner in the first inning allowed the Dodgers to score against former teammate Yu Darvish (8-11). Turner also led off the third inning with a single, then scored when AJ Pollock split the outfield gap with a two-strike single of his own.
The win did not help the Dodgers in the standings, as the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks to preserve their two-game lead in the National League West. Their magic number to clinch the division is four.
The Giants (103-54) and Dodgers (101-56) each have five games remaining in the regular season.
“You can’t help the best record in the National League is in your division,” Buehler said. “We’re right there. Win a few games, see what happens, and if not we’ll be ready to roll.”
Two runs were enough for Buehler this time. The right-hander walked two batters and struck out five. He ran into trouble only once, in the sixth inning, when a single and a walk put runners on first and second with one out. Buehler came back to induce a double-play groundout from MVP candidate Fernando Tatís Jr., ending the threat.
“To win a ballgame is always good, but to have Walker throw the baseball like he did tonight makes it that much more exciting going forward,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Buehler halted a streak of five starts in which his ERA climbed from an MLB-low 2.02 on Aug. 25 to 2.49 on Sept. 22. His 3⅔-inning start that day in Denver was his shortest of the season.
What changed in the last week?
“For me, it’s trying to be myself and do what I do well,” Buehler said. “For me, that’s the four-seam fastball. Got back to that a little bit tonight. Sometimes you can get in a weird place where you’re trying to do too much, do too many things at once, instead of trying to be really good at one thing. It felt good to throw a lot of heaters, get into some good counts, get guys out on the pitches that I wanted to.”
Buehler became the fourth pitcher this season to reach the 200-inning threshold, something no Dodger starter has done in the regular season since Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in 2015.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth inning before handing the ball to Blake Treinen in the ninth. A towering home run by Jake Cronenworth into the right field pavilion gave San Diego its only run; a walk to Hosmer put the tying run on base.
Ha-Seong Kim pinch ran for Hosmer and stole second base, but Treinen came back to strike out Tommy Pham to end the game. He has converted seven saves this season.
The Padres committed two defensive errors en route to their fourth consecutive loss. At 78-79, they are below .500 for the first time all season.
They also committed a mental error in the first inning, allowing Turner to get into and out of a rundown between second and third base. Turner was credited with a stolen base, his 32nd of the season.
“I try to forget about those,” he said, smiling. “I try to be safe and make good decisions. That’s going to happen when you’re stealing bases. You’re expected to steal and be safe.”
Turner, who became a Dodger in a July trade with the Washington Nationals, has a chance to become the team’s first batting champion since Tommy Davis in 1963. His closest pursuer is former teammate Juan Soto, who had a .318 average through Tuesday.
Turner said Soto texted him Tuesday.
Soto, Turner said, “told me he was coming for me.”
