SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nestor Cortes had one of the lowest moments of his baseball life last October when he gave up the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history to Freddie Freeman.
In a new uniform and a new pennant race Saturday night, Cortes faced his Dodgers demons head-on — and he came out smiling.
The veteran left-hander produced six brilliant innings of one-hit ball while his San Diego Padres surged past Los Angeles into sole possession of first place in the NL West with a 5-1 victory.
Cortes took a perfect game into the sixth inning, flummoxing the Dodgers' high-priced lineup and combining with three relievers on a two-hitter. But he didn't see this stellar performance as redemption for his role in Freeman's now-iconic slam at Chavez Ravine and the Dodgers' ensuing five-game