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The Dodgers came through in the ninth inning against Padres closer Mason Miller, scoring to pull out a victory over San Diego, per Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register. That’s a statement win against one of the most dominant relievers in baseball — and exactly the kind of late-game punch this team needs heading deeper into the season.

Miller came into 2026 as one of the premier closers in the National League after his breakout with Oakland and subsequent trade to San Diego. The hard-throwing right-hander has been nearly unhittable for stretches, sitting triple digits with his fastball and pairing it with a devastating slider. Getting to him in a save situation is no small feat. Padres manager expected him to lock it down, and the Dodgers had other plans. When you can beat a team’s best reliever in a high-leverage spot, that’s not luck — that’s a lineup doing its job.

These Dodgers-Padres games always carry a little extra weight, and this one is no different. San Diego has built a roster designed to compete with us in the NL West, and every head-to-head win matters in what’s shaping up to be another tight divisional race. Winning games like this — grinding out runs against elite arms late — is what separates good teams from the ones still playing in October.

I also think there’s a confidence element here that shouldn’t be overlooked. This team has dealt with a lot on the pitching side already this year — Blake Snell‘s elbow surgery, Tyler Glasnow getting shut down from throwing, the constant rotation shuffling. Through all of that, the offense has been the stabilizer. Scoring off a closer of Miller’s caliber in the ninth inning reinforces that this lineup can carry the team when it needs to, even on nights where nothing comes easy through the first eight innings.

The rivalry with San Diego has only intensified over the past few seasons. These aren’t throwaway May games — they’re the kind of results both front offices and clubhouses remember when September rolls around and the margin between first and second place might be a game or two. Taking one from their closer’s hand? That’s a good night at the office. On to the next one.

Source(s): Bill Plunkett (Orange County Register) | First reported: May 20, 2026 8:15 AM UTC-07:00

God Bless and Go Dodgers