Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers have “struggled” to a 3-3 record in their last six games, which caused them to lose a grand total of zero games off their NL West lead.
Amazingly, they yet again they did it at home, coming back by walking their way to a 5-4 win late in the 9th. It’s their fourth game in a row at home with a walk-off.
After Ross Stripling got the first two batters in the 1st, he then gave up a single and double to put the Dodgers behind 1-0 early. In the 2nd, the assault continued, as he started by surrendering a walk and giving up a homer to Nick Ahmed to make it 3-0.
The offense replied in the 2nd behind … well, Stripling. With two outs, Edwin Rios worked an impressive 10-pitch walk and Austin Barnes roped a double, which set the stage for Stripling squeaking one up the middle for a single to cut the lead to 3-1.
In the 4th the bats evened the game behind a Max Muncy walk and then Enrique Hernandez ambushing a first pitch for his 14th dong of the year to tie the game at 3-3.
Unfortunately, the D-backs got the lead back in the 5th at 4-3. Back-to-back singles started the frame, and then back-to-back ground outs scored a run, though it was an errant Muncy turn that prevented an inning-ending double play.
That was it for Stripling, who didn’t have his best of starts but at least kept his team in the game. He gave up the four runs over 4.2 innings on seven hits and two walks, though he did strikeout seven as well.
Joe Kelly was tasked with keeping the game close, and though he hit the first batter he faced, he immediately rebounded with a dominant strikeout punctuated with a 100 mph fastball.
Kelly also issued a walk in the 6th but got another strikeout and another scoreless inning, continuing his recent run of quality aside from continuing command issues. Pedro Baez took over in the 7th and allowed a seeing-eye single but erased it with a double play and then got a ground out to face the minimum in a scoreless frame.
The offense then had a prime chance to get back into the game when Chris Taylor pinch-hit and smoked a one-out triple to left-center field. However, Kyle Garlick struck out and Verdugo bounced back to the mound to end the threat.
Dylan Floro got a scoreless 8th himself with a strikeout, issuing just an intentional walk, and it was something he needed to get back on track.
The bats again failed to take advantage of a late chance, as Cody Bellinger doubled against a four-man outfield, but Muncy and Enrique both struck out to end the chance.
Yimi Garcia cruised through a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th on just nine pitches to setup one last chance for the bats.
The Dodger Stadium magic was alive and well, as they mounted an incredible two-out rally. Well, Greg Holland did at least, walking Chris Taylor, Russell Martin, Alex Verdugo, and Matt Beaty in order to tie the game at 4-4. They then brought in a lefty to get Cody Bellinger, and he got ahead 1-2, but then threw three straight balls to walk it off for the Dodgers.
Diamondbacks broadcast didn’t sound like they were having fun, though.
Good lord.
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lol
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The Dodgers improve to 58-29 with the win. They are 13 games ahead of the Rockies in the NL West.
The series will conclude tomorrow at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST with Walker Buehler (RHP/3.43 ERA/2.89 FIP/2.61 DRA) facing off against Merrill Kelly (RHP/4.00 ERA/4.35 FIP/5.29 DRA).
