Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers were looking for a series win against the Padres this afternoon, and for most of the game it seemed like they were heading for a series split. However, they rallied three times in the game, and the last of which resulted in a double for a walk-off delivered from Max Muncy in a 11-10 victory.
Rewinding a bit though, Kenta Maeda continued to struggle, turning in his third start in a row below five innings. This time he lasted just 2.2 frames, giving up five runs in his disastrous third inning before being removed. He struck out four but surrendered five hits and a walk, including a grand slam to Eric Hosmer. Sure, the pen move is coming but it would be nice if he could get it together a bit before then.
Adam Kolarek then made his Dodgers debut and was used as anticipated, which was as a LOOGY. He faced one lefty, got him to ground out softly on three pitches and exited the frame having done his job nicely.
Yimi Garcia took over in the 4th and he did his thing, striking out a batter but also allowing a booming homer to mark another run for the Padres. One has to believe his days are numbered once pen reinforcements start to return.
Fortunately, the Dodgers offense produced today. Muncy hit his 27th homer in the 2nd, then Matt Beaty walked and Russell Martin hit a two-run shot for his 4th homer of the year.
They came up with a rally in the 4th as well. Muncy doubled, Pollock was hit by a pitch, Beaty doubled to score a run, and then Kristopher Negron singled to plate two more and tie the game at 6-6.
Then in the 6th the Dodgers ended up taking the lead behind Pollock’s 8th dong of the year, a solo shot to make it 7-6.
After Julio Urias got a scoreless 5th and 6th, he ran into trouble of his own creation in the 7th. He started the inning with an error, then gave up a walk and a single to tie the game at 7-7. A sacrifice fly followed to make it 8-7 in favor of the Padres and Urias’ afternoon was done. He went 2.1 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk, also striking out three. It happens, I guess. Joe Kelly relieved him and managed to make sure further trouble didn’t come, getting his two batters and continuing his run of success.
The same couldn’t be said for JT Chargois in the 8th, as he gave up two singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly for two insurance runs that made it 10-7 and seemed pivotal.
Why? Cause the Dodgers immediately rallied in the 8th. Corey Seager walked, Muncy reached on an infield single, and Pollock doubled in a run to make it 10-8.
A Beaty ground out plated another to make it 10-9, and the Dodgers tried to repeat the feat on a Justin Turner grounder, but with the infield in, the run was cut down at the plate.
Pedro Baez got the 9th, getting a 1-2-3 frame with two strikeouts. That proved important to setup the bottom of the inning.
Joc Pederson led the inning off with a double, though momentum seemed to be killed a bit when Hosmer made an outstanding play on an Alex Verdugo hard-hit grounder to get Joc at third. Seager then seemed to ground into a potential game-ending double play, but it resulted in an error and two runners on instead. That setup Muncy, who was already having a monster day, and he continued by ripping a double down the line in right to plate two for a 11-10 walk-off victory.
Unhitch the trailer.
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The Dodgers are 74-40 on the year now.
They will now welcome in the Cardinals for a series starting at the normal time of 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Tony Gonsolin will get his second career start against Michael Wacha.
