Padres Reclaim NL West Lead as Nestor Cortes Shines in 5-1 Win Over Dodgers – Game Recap & Highlights (August 23, 2025)

Saturday, August 23rd, 2025

Padres Regain NL West Lead With 5-1 Victory Over Dodgers

The San Diego Padres reclaimed the NL West lead with an impressive 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Nestor Cortes took a perfect game into the sixth inning and, together with three relievers, combined on a two-hitter to propel San Diego to their fifth consecutive win.

Cortes Dominates Dodgers Lineup

Nestor Cortes delivered a stellar performance, retiring the first 16 Dodgers batters he faced and keeping Los Angeles hitless until Miguel Rojas singled in the sixth. In just his fourth start for San Diego since joining at the trade deadline, Cortes matched Yu Darvish’s Friday outing with six innings of one-hit ball.

While Cortes had previously given up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in last year’s World Series for the Yankees, this time he shut down the Dodgers, showcasing tremendous poise after a mound meeting in the sixth by inducing two crucial flyouts to snuff out a potential Los Angeles rally.

Padres Offense Capitalizes at Key Moments

The Padres’ offense clicked when it mattered most. Ramón Laureano, another trade deadline addition, broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with a clutch two-run single. Jake Cronenworth added a sacrifice fly before Xander Bogaerts clinched the win with a two-run double in the eighth, giving San Diego a comfortable lead.

Dodgers Struggle as Division Race Tightens

Alex Freeland provided the lone highlight for the Dodgers by hitting his second career home run, becoming the only Dodger to go deep in back-to-back games. Los Angeles has now dropped four of its last six contests and finds itself in second place in the NL West for only the second day since late April.

Tyler Glasnow’s Winless Streak Continues

Tyler Glasnow, pitching on his birthday, started strong but gave up two runs and three hits over four innings with four walks. His winless streak now stretches to 12 games, despite showing flashes of his talent for the Dodgers.

Bullpen Secures the Win

After Cortes set the tone, the Padres’ bullpen held firm. Jeremiah Estrada gave up the solo homer to Freeland, but Xander Bogaerts quickly re-established the lead with his two-run double. Adrian Morejon retired four Dodgers for his third save, sealing the victory and preserving San Diego’s lead in the division.

Key Moment

Following Rojas’ single that broke up the perfect game, Cortes calmly induced flyouts from Buddy Kennedy and Shohei Ohtani, escaping the inning unscathed and maintaining the Padres’ momentum.

Key Stat

Tyler Glasnow is winless in 12 starts since March, despite generally solid outings, highlighting the Dodgers' current struggles to support their starters with timely offense.

Up Next

The regular-season rivalry series concludes with a highly anticipated ace showdown. The Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10-8, 2.90 ERA) to face the Padres' Nick Pivetta (13-4, 2.81 ERA) in a matchup crucial for the playoff race.

In summary

The San Diego Padres moved ahead in the NL West with a decisive 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, highlighted by Nestor Cortes’ near-perfect outing and timely hits from Ramón Laureano and Xander Bogaerts. With the division on the line, the Padres have momentum as the season’s final stretch intensifies. Stay tuned for the series finale featuring top aces on the mound in a pivotal showdown between these longtime rivals.

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• Los Angeles Dodgers News & Updates
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