SAN DIEGO — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn’t so much celebrating his team’s 17-inning win at Petco Park on Sunday as breathing a sigh of relief.
A third consecutive walk-off loss to the Padres could have made for a long bus trip back to Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Going into Sunday, the Dodgers had lost four games in a row and six of their last seven to slip from a tie for first in the National League West to third place and 4 1/2 games behind the streaking San Francisco Giants.
And once the Dodgers were retired in the top of the ninth still tied with the Padres, they were facing the possibility seeing the home team celebrate a game-ending run for the third day in a row.
“We needed a win without a doubt,” said Roberts, whose team plays host to the Cincinnati Reds for three games at Dodger Stadium to start this week before hitting the road for a tough road trip to the New York Mets (three games) and Chicago Cubs (four).
“I asked (22) players to give a little bit more today, and they all did. This win was really special. It really is. This is something that can propel us, move us forward.”
The only Dodgers who didn’t see action Sunday were starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir and Alex Wood. Ross Stripling, who started Thursday against the Angels in Anaheim, pitched three scoreless innings Sunday to record the win.