Kim Hye-seong (26) of the LA Dodgers started in two consecutive games and recorded a hit. He seized the opportunity to solidify his position as a regular player. He also experienced his first bench clearing since entering Major League Baseball.

On the 20th (Korea time), Kim Hye-seong started as the No. 9 batter and center fielder in the home game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, recording 1 hit and 1 run batted in from 4 at-bats.

The previous day (19th), Kim Hye-seong appeared as the No. 8 batter and center fielder against San Diego, recording 1 hit and 1 run from 2 at-bats with a double. With outfielder Michael Conforto, who has been struggling with a batting average of .168, excluded for the second consecutive game, Kim Hye-seong continued to get his starting opportunities. After recording hits in two consecutive games, Kim Hye-seong's season batting average dropped from .386 to .378 (28 hits from 74 at-bats). OPS also decreased from .984 to .959.

Facing San Diego's right-handed starting pitcher Ryan Berger, Kim Hye-seong struck out swinging in his first at-bat with one out and one runner on first in the bottom of the third inning. With a ball count of 1-2, he swung and missed at a changeup clocked at 85.7 mph (137.9 km/h) that dropped low outside the zone.

However, in his second at-bat with two outs and one runner on first in the bottom of the fifth inning, Kim Hye-seong responded with a hit against Berger. After the first pitch, a low sweeper went into the zone, and after fouling off the second pitch, a four-seam fastball, Kim Hye-seong extended his bat against the third pitch, a low slider, but just managed to hold back. After being called no swing, he pulled a similar slider at 87.1 mph (140.2 km/h) on the fourth pitch, resulting in a hit to right field. He technically made contact with a low pitch that was outside the zone despite the unfavorable count.

Due to Kim Hye-seong's hit, the Dodgers continued the chance with two outs and runners on first and third, prompting San Diego to change pitchers. They took out starter Berger, who had pitched without giving up a run on 71 pitches. Kim Hye-seong's hit led to Berger being removed from the game. San Diego brought in left-handed Adrian Morejon to face left-handed Shohei Ohtani, and they escaped the threat without allowing a run with a ground ball to the pitcher.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kim Hye-seong came up with a chance with two outs and runners on first and second. The first pitch from San Diego's right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada went wild, turning the chance into two outs with runners on second and third. After a full count battle, Kim Hye-seong hit a high four-seam fastball clocked at 97.6 mph (157.1 km/h) on the sixth pitch, but it resulted in a ground ball to the shortstop.

In his last at-bat of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when trailing 1-5, Kim Hye-seong had a chance with one out and runners on second and third. Facing San Diego's right-handed closer Robert Suarez, he fouled off several pitches in a row, bringing the count to 2-2. On the seventh pitch, he took a four-seam fastball that crossed inside for a ball. As the umpire's hand did not go up, Kim Hye-seong continued the full count battle and hit a low four-seam fastball clocked at 99 mph (159.3 km/h) on the eighth pitch. Although it resulted in a ground ball to the shortstop, he brought the runner from third home, recording his 12th run batted in of the season.

On that day, the Dodgers lost 2-5, ending their five-game winning streak. The first-place Dodgers in the National League (NL) West finished with 46 wins and 30 losses (winning percentage .605). The third-place San Diego, who snapped a three-game losing streak, narrowed the gap with the Dodgers to five games with a record of 40 wins and 34 losses (winning percentage .541).

Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 6⅓ innings, allowing 7 hits (1 home run), no walks, striking out 5, and giving up 3 runs, achieving a quality start but faced with no run support, suffered his 6th loss of the season (6 wins). His earned run average rose slightly from 2.64 to 2.76.

In the top of the second inning, Yamamoto surrendered a lead-off solo home run to Xander Bogaerts. In the top of the fifth inning, he allowed consecutive hits to Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth, then gave up an additional run on a sacrifice fly to José Iglesias. In the top of the seventh inning, he gave up consecutive doubles to Bogaerts and Cronenworth, resulting in one run before being taken out of the game. He threw a total of 100 pitches, reaching a maximum speed of 96.9 mph (155.9 km/h) with an average of 95.1 mph (153.0 km/h) on 44 four-seam fastballs, along with 18 splitters, 15 cutters, 10 curves, 7 sinkers, and 6 sliders.

The Dodgers' batting lineup was also quiet with 4 hits. The No. 1 designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani, recorded 1 hit and 1 walk from 4 at-bats, but the 2nd to 4th batters, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman, all struggled with 0 hits from 3 at-bats and were replaced by pinch hitters in the bottom of the eighth inning. San Diego's Bogaerts had a strong performance with 4 hits, including his 4th home run of the season.

Meanwhile, a bench clearing incident occurred between both teams in the top of the ninth inning. With San Diego leading 5-0, Dodgers pitcher Jack Little's third pitch, a four-seam fastball clocked at 93 mph (149.7 km/h), struck San Diego's Fernando Tatis Jr. in the right arm. This prompted San Diego manager Mike Shildt to storm out of the dugout, while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts responded, resulting in players from both teams coming onto the field. It was rare for the managers to lead the bench clearing and both were ejected. In the bottom of the ninth inning, while Ohtani was hit by a pitch, he gestured towards the dugout that he was fine, preventing another bench clearing. The pitcher who threw the hit-by-pitch, Suarez, was ejected.

The incident began on the first day of the four-game series on the 17th, when Dodgers' Andy Pahos was hit by a pitch from Dylan Cease and glared at him. On the 18th, in the third inning, Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch, and during the same inning, Ohtani also faced a hit-by-pitch. After exchanging retaliatory hit-by-pitches, tensions finally exploded on the last day of the four-game series. Throughout this series, both teams exchanged a total of 8 hit-by-pitches, with Ohtani, Pahos, and Tatis Jr. each being hit twice.

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