Recap: Chris Taylor lifts Dodgers past the Padres, 2-1

Dodgers third baseman Chris Taylor, left, celebrates with right fielder Mookie Betts after a 2-1 win at San Diego on Saturday night.

(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO — At every mention of their rivalry with the Padres this past week, or every reference to revenge after last year’s playoff elimination, the Dodgers preached nothing but poise and control.

Emotions have been downplayed.

Ramifications minimized.

The importance of a single early-season series kept in perspective.

“If you want to let the outside noise control you, then sure,” outfielder Mookie Betts said when asked if the intensity was different for this trip, the Dodgers’ first to San Diego since being eliminated by the Padres in the National League Division Series last year.

“But,” Betts added, “it’s still the same game we always play.”

That attitude was apparent Saturday night, as the Dodgers coolly navigated their way to a 2-1 win over the Padres that quieted a sold-out crowd at Petco Park and evened a three-game series against their Southern California foes.

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Ninth inning

Dodgers: Steven Wilson now pitching for the Padres. Max Muncy was hit by a pitch. Miguel Vargas fouled to first. James Outman walked. Jason Heyward, batting for Trayce Thompson, struck out swinging. Miguel Rojas fouled to first.

Padres: Evan Phillips is in to try and close out the win. Matt Carpenter struck out looking. Jake Cronenworth walked. Ha-Seong Kim struck out swinging. Trent Grisham struck out swinging.

Final score: Dodgers 2, Padres 1

Eighth inning

Dodgers: Brent Honeywell now pitching. Trayce Thompson struck out swinging. Miguel Rojas singled. Mookie Betts lined to first. Freddie Freeman singled to right, Rojas to second. Will Smith walked. Chris Taylor lined to center.

Padres: Brusdar Graterol now pitching for the Dodgers. Brett Sullivan singled to left and took second on Thompson’s error. Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled to left, scoring Sullivan. Manny Machado grounded to third, Tatis to third. With the infield in, Juan Soto grounded to second. Xander Bogaerts grounded to the pitcher.

Score after eight: Dodgers 2, Padres 1

Seventh inning

Dodgers: Tim Hill now pitching. Max Muncy popped to second. Miguel Vargas grounded to short. James Outman grounded to short.

Padres: Caleb Ferguson now pitching. Matt Carpenter grounded to short. Jake Cronenworth walked. Ha-Seong Him struck out swinging. Trent Grisham flied to left.

Score after seven: Dodgers 2, Padres 0

Sixth inning

Dodgers: Mookie Betts flied to center. Freddie Freeman struck out looking. Will Smith walked. Smith stole second. Chris Taylor flied to right.

Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to right. Manny Machado struck out swinging. Juan Soto grounded to short, forcing Tatis. Xander Bogaerts grounded to short.

Score after six inning: Dodgers 2, Padres 0

Fifth inning

Dodgers: James Outman popped to third. Trayce Thompson flied to center. Miguel Rojas struck out swinging.

Padres: Jake Cronenworth walked. Ha-Seong Kim flied to right. Trent Grisham flied to left. Brett Sullivan struck out swinging.

Score after five: Dodgers 2, Padres 0

Fourth inning

Dodgers: Mookie Betts struck out swinging. Freddie Freeman flied to center. Will Smith walked. Chris Taylor homered to left. Max Muncy walked. Miguel Vargas lined to right.

Padres: Juan Soto grounded to first. Xander Bogaerts grounded to short. Matt Carpenter struck out looking.

Score after four: Dodgers 2, Padres 0

Third inning

Dodgers: James Outman struck out swinging. Trayce Thompson grounded to third. Miguel Rojas flied to left.

Padres: Trent Grisham struck out swinging. Brett Sullivan flied to right. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to center. Manny Machado grounded to second.

Score after three: Dodgers 0, Padres 0

Second inning

Dodgers: Chris Taylor flied to left. Max Muncy struck out looking. Miguel Vargas struck out looking.

Padres: Xander Bogaerts singled. Matt Carpenter grounded to first, forcing Bogaerts. Jake Cronenworth flied to left. Ha-Seong Kim struck out looking. The twilight is making it really hard to see the ball.

Score after two: Dodgers 0, Padres 0

First inning

Dodgers: Mookie Betts flied to right. Freddie Freeman flied to left. Will Smith flied to center.

Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr. popped to second. Manny Machado flied to left. Juan Soto struck out looking.

Score after one: Dodgers 0, Padres 0

Clayton Kershaw did see the meme that flashed on the Petco Park scoreboard at the end of Friday’s game, in which tears were superimosed on a picture of his face after the Padres 5-2 win in the first game of this weekend’s series.

Unlike enraged factions of the fan base on social media, however, the Dodgers left-handed ace and future Hall of Famer had little reaction.

“Someone showed it to me this morning,” he said. “If you don’t like it, pitch better. That’s probably the main rule.”

Kershaw said he wasn’t surprised by the scoreboard meme, and didn’t want to “take the bait” when asked about it Saturday afternoon.

“If you don’t like it, pitch better,” he reiterated. “I don’t think they do it if we win.”

The starting lineups for today’s Dodgers-Padres game:

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SAN DIEGO — The stakes were different. But the scene felt the same.

Just like last October, when their record-breaking season ended after just four playoff games, the Dodgers struggled in all areas on Friday night at Petco Park.

They couldn’t hit with runners in scoring position.

They got a choppy outing from their starting pitcher.

And in their first meeting since last year’s National League Division Series, they were foiled by the San Diego Padres once again, losing 5-2 in the opening game of a highly-anticipated weekend series before a raucous crowd of 45,116.

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Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.