Dodgers’ bullpen is taxed but it delivers in 3-2 win over Padres

Dodgers 3, San Diego Padres 2

KEY MOMENT: With Zack Greinke pitching only five innings and Brian Wilson about to be placed on the disabled list, Paco Rodriguez, Chris Withrow and J.P. Howell each pitched a scoreless inning to get the ball to closer Kenley Jansen with the Dodgers’ 3-2 lead intact. Withrow, working on his 25th birthday, failed to properly catch a throw by Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but otherwise had a perfect seventh inning. Jansen had a particularly scary ninth inning, loading the bases before striking out pinch-hitter Nick Hundley to end the game.

AT THE PLATE: Yasiel Puig’s first home run of the season was a monster, a two-run first-inning blast to left field that traveled an estimated 410 feet. The pitch by Ian Kennedy that Puig hit for the home run was a fastball up and in, which, according to scouts, was exactly the kind of pitch that troubled him last season. Meanwhile, Hanley Ramirez was hitless in four at-bats and is one for 15 (.067) through the Dodgers’ first four games.

ON THE MOUND: Greinke retired the first 10 batters he faced. But with the Dodgers ahead, 3-0, he served up a solo home run to Seth Smith in the fourth inning. Then, he really started to labor. With men on the corners in the fifth, Greinke threw a wild pitch on ball four to Yasmani Grandal. Jedd Gyorko scored, drawing the Padres to within 3-2. Greinke prevented any further damage in the inning, but his pitch count was up to 94 by the end of it, eliminating any possibility he could pitch another inning.