The Dodgers secured their victory over the Padres 7-5

The Dodgers earned their first postseason win since Oct. 11, 2022, in Game 1 of the Division Series against San Diego 7-5.

The NL West rivals meet in the playoffs for the third time in five years. On their way to winning the World Series in a pandemic-shortened season, the Dodgers beat the Padres in a 2020 NLDS. The Padres turned the tables in 2022, beating the Dodgers in another Division Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were put in an early 3-0 hole after Manny Machado hit a two-run homer off starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was making his first playoff start. But Shohei Othani quickly answered back with his two-out homer that tied it in the second inning. With the fans chanting “MVP! MVP!” His shot traveled 372 feet to right field.

Xander Bogaerts gave the Padres a 5-3 lead with a two-run double in the third. Tommy Edman scored on a wild pitch by reliever Adrian Morejon in the fourth inning. Afterward, Ohtani and Mookie Betts scored on Teoscar Hernández's single off Jeremiah Estrada to put the Dodgers ahead 6-5. Los Angeles made it 7-5 when Edman grounded into a double play that brought in Will Smith in the fifth.

With two outs in the ninth, the Padres had the potential tying runs on base. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled off Blake Treinen, and Jurickson Profar walked to bring up Machado, who struck out swinging. Treinen earned the save. In the 8th, the Padres also had a chance to tie the game, but they failed to capitalize on it.