Sauer was so bad, the Dodgers threw in the towel in the sixth inning, sending Kiké Hernandez to the mound to show off his pitching helmet, the fat lady singing even before “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Sinking as slow as 46 mph, Hernandez covered the final 2 1/3 innings, a career high, but is still looking for his first career strikeout.

Cease had his own personal redemption to seek against the Dodgers. Sent out to start that Game 4 on three days’ rest, the right-hander didn’t make it through two innings.

With the stakes considerably lower, Cease held the Dodgers scoreless for seven innings Tuesday, allowing just three hits and striking out 11 (though he did walk five).

The Dodgers avoided the shutout with three hits and a walk in the eighth inning against Padres reliever David Morgan. Michael Conforto’s RBI single drove in their only run of the night.