San Diego, CA

Tom Krasovic: Freddie Freeman shows he can still swing it in Dodgers’ blowout win over Padres

Published

6 months ago

August 24, 2025

Tom Krasovic: Freddie Freeman shows he can still swing it in Dodgers’ blowout win over Padres

Let’s begin here: Freddie Freeman is a baseball god, OK?

Cut the Padres some slack for their 8-2 loss Sunday to the Dodgers that nixed a three-game sweep and tied up the National League West’s top spot — which actually isn’t knotted because Los Angeles holds a tiebreaker.

The Padres were in trouble once Freeman found his “A” game, which for hitters of his era, belongs on the tip-top shelf.

Homering twice and also drawing a big-time walk that led to a run, Freeman made sure the Padres would not hold his team to one run for the third game in a row, despite more good work from ace Nick Pivetta.

What lifts Freeman above other very good hitters?

His concise swing path — inside out — recalls Tony Gwynn, yet the lefty has home run power to all fields. Although this baseball era is too fast for many old hitters due the abundance of velocity and spin, Freeman is still raking as he nears his 36th birthday.

Baseball men marvel that the gangly Freeman, who’s 6-foot-4, somehow maintains a precise stroke.

“I wouldn’t teach anyone to do it like he does it,” a pitching coach told me two years ago. “He’s a freak.”

Age may have eroded some of his visual skills. His strikeout rate this year, though pretty good, is his highest in eight years.

But age can’t harm his ability to read pitchers.

The walk Freeman drew off Pivetta in the first inning owed to Freeman laying off tough pitches.

The six-pitch walk loaded the bases with none out, sending L.A. to a 1-0 lead.

The Padres had gone ahead 2-1 when Freeman batted in the sixth with one out. And by then Pivetta had clicked into ace mode, having retired nine in a row.

Freeman carved Pivetta’s first pitch, a curveball, down the left-field line, meaning he stayed back on Pivetta’s slowest pitch (77 mph).

Would the flick-shot land one of his famous inside-out doubles?

It tailed foul, a foot wide of the chalk.

Pivetta came back with a much speedier pitch. A fastball, it was 17 mph quicker.

Neither tardy nor hasty, Freeman met the misplaced 94-mph fastball flush with perfect launch.

As the ball soared beyond the right-center field wall, if Padres pitcher Nestor Cortes flashed back and grimaced in the dugout, it would have made sense.

Cortes threw an inside fastball in Game 1 of the World Series last October that Freeman hit into the right-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium for the first walk-off grand slam in the event’s history. It began a run in which Freeman homered in four consecutive games, extending his World Series home run streak to six games.

The baseball god version of Freeman still exists. And if any doubts lingered in Sunday’s game, Freeman chased them by homering again off reliever Wandy Peralta. A lefty reliever, Peralta allows a long ball once every 70 at-bats. The sequence: slider for a strike, sinker for a foul ball, changeup for a home run.

Seamhead stuff

Padres relievers held L.A. to one run in six innings over the series’ first two games.

But Pivetta’s replacement, Jeremiah Estrada, gave up a three-run home run to rookie catcher Dalton Rushing after allowing two Dodgers to reach base.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said if lefty Adrian Morejon had been brought in to face Rushing, he would’ve sent up right-handed Will Smith, L.A.s’ main catcher.

Smith is a much better hitter than Rushing.

The Dodgers had batted .368 with four home runs off Estrada. But the righty never faced Rushing, whose .505 OPS in 115 plate appearances was poor.

With Shohei Ohtani on deck, the Padres sought an inning-ending double play.

Estrada tried for it by throwing five sliders or split-fastballs rather than his No. 1 pitch, a fastball that pushes 100 mph.

Rushing didn’t hit the desired grounder, then let pass Estrada’s first fastball, loading the count. Opting for another a slider, Estrada dangled it. Rushing pulled it for his third home run.

“Baseball ain’t easy,” Estrada said.

Padres fandom has its rough moments, too.

Roberts said a Padres fan wearing a Fernando Tatis Jr. jersey seated near L.A’s on-deck circle gave Ohtani a lot of guff, reminding the slugger of his struggles against the Padres in the series.

Ohtani answered with a home run in the top of the ninth. Then he went to the fan and slapped him on the hand.

With 31 games to go, the Padres will try to win their first National West title since Bruce Bochy’s final San Diego team edged L.A. in 2006. It’s hard to argue with the math of Padres hitter Gavin Sheets, who quipped that a 31-0 finish should get it done. “The atmosphere was great,” Sheets said of the three-game series. “It was good baseball to see.”

Originally Published: August 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM PDT

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San Diego, CA

Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records

Published

10 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records

San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.

The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.

Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.

El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.

Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.

Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.

Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.

Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.

Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.

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San Diego, CA

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

Published

22 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.

“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.

So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.

With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.

The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.

Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”

One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.

“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”

Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.

Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.

“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.

As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.

Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”

Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.

The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.

“She’s a great player,” said Brown.

“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”

Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.

“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”

Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.

Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.

About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”

Francis Parker High's Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune) — Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.

Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.

“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.

Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.

“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”

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