Dodgers hand Mason Miller his first loss with Padres with winning run in the ninth

SAN DIEGO –– Mason Miller’s command was just a little too wild Tuesday night.Both to the plate, and to first base.With the Dodgers and Padres tied in the ninth inning at Petco Park, San Diego’s superstar closer made a mess for himself to blow his first game of the season. First, he missed with a full-count slider to Max Muncy, having a called third strike flipped to a walk via Muncy’s ABS challenge.Then, with Alex Call in the game to pinch-run for Muncy at first base, Miller caught Call breaking from the bag –– only to misfire on his pick-off attempt.Instead of quelling the Dodgers’ threat, Miller’s errant throw was too hard and too wide.It deflected off the outstretched glove of first baseman Ty France.

It trickled all the way up the right field line as Call turned on the jets and raced safely to third. In the Dodgers’ eventual 5-4 win, Andy Pages would bring Call home with a sacrifice fly at the end of an epic nine-pitch battle.It wasn’t the prettiest turn of events.But the Dodgers certainly didn’t mind.Instead, this important early-season rivalry series is now tied at one game apiece.

For the first time this year, Miller failed to preserve a Padres lead or tied score.The ninth-inning score marked only the third run he has allowed all season.For a Dodgers team that has struggled to capitalize on situational opportunities, it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.Even after Miller’s miscue, the victory still required some heroics from Pages, who fell into an 0-2 hole against Miller before fighting off a pair of 100 mph fastballs and two more sliders on the edge of the strike zone.Finally, on pitch No.

9, he shot a line drive to right field that was just deep enough for Call to beat a relay play to the plate; his toe tapping the dish a split-second before the tag arrived.What it meansThe Dodgers are back in first place for now, regaining the NL West lead they surrendered after getting shut out on Monday night.They have also set...