SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Walker Buehler pitched five-plus sharp innings and Ty France launched a three-run homer as the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1 on Friday night at PETCO Park before a crowd of 43,153.

The Padres improved to 43-37 while the Dodgers fell to 52-30. Buehler, who came into the game with a 4-3 record, allowed three hits and one earned run over 5 1/3 innings, striking out five. He lowered his ERA with his third consecutive quality start. His previous outings included wins over Texas and Baltimore, each spanning at least five innings with one earned run allowed.

Roki Sasaki took the loss for Los Angeles, dropping to 3-5. The right-hander worked four innings, surrendering three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks. He was pulled after 80 pitches.

The game began with the Dodgers grabbing a quick lead. In the top of the first inning, Shohei Ohtani singled to right field off Buehler. Andy Pages grounded into a forceout, and Freddie Freeman struck out swinging as Pages was caught stealing second for an inning-ending double play.

San Diego answered in the bottom of the second. Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets drew walks from Sasaki. Xander Bogaerts lined out to center, but France followed by crushing a 2-1 pitch over the left-field wall for his 10th home run of the season, scoring Machado and Sheets to put the Padres ahead 3-1.

Los Angeles had scored its lone run in the top of the second. Mookie Betts led off with a home run to left field, his 10th of the year, tying the game briefly at 1-0 before the Padres took the lead.

Both bullpens kept the game in check over the middle innings. The Dodgers threatened in the sixth when Andy Pages walked and Freddie Freeman doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. Buehler was replaced by Yuki Matsui, who intentionally walked Betts to load the bases. Max Muncy popped out on the infield fly rule and Kyle Tucker flied out to center to end the inning.

The Padres added four runs in the eighth inning to break the game open. Gavin Sheets singled off Dodgers reliever Edgardo Henriquez. Xander Bogaerts walked, and Ty France walked to load the bases. Pinch-runner Jase Bowen moved to third. Sung-Mun Song then singled to center field, scoring Bowen and Bogaerts. France was thrown out at third on the play, but Song advanced to second. Rodolfo Durán followed with a double to left that scored Song, making it 6-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to center to drive in Durán for the final margin of 7-1.

The Dodgers managed only seven hits in the game, matching the Padres’ total. Betts went 1 for 3 with the home run and an intentional walk. Ohtani singled, Freeman doubled and singled, Tommy Edman and Andy Pages each had a hit, and Alex Call singled in the ninth. Los Angeles left seven runners on base and grounded into three double plays.

San Diego used five pitchers in relief of Buehler. Jason Adam worked a scoreless seventh, striking out one. Wandy Peralta allowed a hit in the eighth but no runs. Yuki Matsui threw 0 2/3 innings, giving up one hit. Adrian Morejon pitched to one batter in the eighth. For the Dodgers, Jack Dreyer tossed a scoreless fifth, Brock Stewart worked a clean sixth, and Edgardo Henriquez allowed three runs in the eighth on three hits and two walks. Henriquez was charged with three earned runs in one inning.

The Padres entered the game having won six of their last 10, including a three-game sweep of Atlanta earlier in the week. The Dodgers had won four in a row before Friday, taking two of three from Baltimore and sweeping a two-game set against Minnesota. The two teams had split a three-game series in Los Angeles in mid-May, with the Dodgers taking two of three.

The series continues Saturday with the Dodgers sending a yet-to-be-announced starter against the Padres. The teams will play again Sunday before the Dodgers travel to for a three-game set and the Padres head to Chicago to face the Cubs. After that, the rivals will meet again for a three-game series in Los Angeles starting July 2.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles 7, San Diego 5. Interstat’s ELO system had given the Dodgers a 58.80 percent probability to win. Los Angeles had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5.