CLAYTON KERSHAW (Flickr/Malingerer).

Teoscar Hernandez’ line drive home run in the eighth inning on Friday night in Chavez Ravine might not enough have been the mightiest blow of the season, but it was the hit that proved to provide the winning run in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres and moved the Blue Crew into a tie with them for first place in the National League West.

Along with Clayton Kershaw’s pitching performance, the Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak and won the first game of the crucial series. Kershaw (7-2) worked six innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. He struck out three batters and walked just one, lowering his ERA to 3.01.

The Dodgers managed only four hits in the game and scored their other runs with a ground ball by Shohei Ohtani and a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts.

The rivals will meet again on Saturday for a;10 p.m game.

The Los Angeles Angels came down from the cloud of sweeping the Dodgers in three games by losing 10-3 to the AL West’s worst team, the Athletics.

The Halos got only five hits in the game, with Zach Neto hitting a two-run home run for his 20th round-tripper of 2025.

The A’s and Angels clash again for a 6:05 p.m. game in West Sacramento.