Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers basically played flat and sloppy all series long against the Padres, doing their worst today in a game they probably deserved to lose due to not making routine plays. Instead, they come out with a potentially important series win after a furious rally while down to their last out, resulting in a 5-2 victory.
Oops.
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While it seems like Julio Urias got off to a slow start in today’s game, it was actually the Dodgers defense that was asleep at the wheel. The game started with a Fernando Tatis Jr. flyball “double” that James Outman misread, Manny Machado followed with a lined double to right-center (that could’ve been caught by Miguel Vargas if he wasn’t holding the runner at second), and Xander Bogaerts “doubled” to right when Mookie Betts dropped his fly ball.
The damage could’ve been worse, but Julio managed to basically get five outs in the inning and it was just 2-0 after 1.
Julio faced the minimum in the 2nd and 3rd, seeing a single erased by a double play. However, the 4th was another mess thanks to a “single” that Vargas basically whiffed on, and a lazy throwing error by Julio himself on a comebacker. Still, he got out of that trouble, then worked around a single in the 5th. The 6th was his last frame, as while he got two outs he also surrendered a walk and a bloop single, which spelled the end of his night.
While he didn’t miss a ton of bats, his fastball was up two ticks and he could’ve easily thrown up a zero today if the defense helped him: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 86 Pitches.
In relief, Yency Almonte came on and did his job with a whiff, and followed with a clean 7th as well. Victor Gonzalez got the 8th and allowed an infield single but nothing else as they kept the Dodgers in the game.
That would pay off later.
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On the other side was Joe Musgrove, who had a pair of clean innings to start, but walked two in the 3rd and another in the 4th. However, it took until the 5th for the first hit against him, a Chris Taylor blooper over first.
But there wasn’t any damage against Musgrove, and if it wasn’t for Juan Soto there might never have been. A Freddie Freeman flyball clanged off Soto’s glove for a “double” and Will Smith followed by lining a ball to left for a double of his own to cut the lead to 2-1.
That was the end of Musgrove’s night, as the Padres pen entered and got two outs before a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases, but David Peralta‘s struggles continued and he popped out harmlessly.
After a clean 7th, the Dodgers got a double and a walk to start the 8th in what seemed like a potential rally. However, a brutal strikeout from Michael Busch, a lazy Outman flyout, and a Vargas lineout to short killed that off.
Josh Hader entered for the 9th and got two quick outs, but then fell behind Mookie in a 3-1 count. Well, a Dodgers hitter finally sat on something and he jumped all over a ball inside for a shocking game-tying homer that made it 2-2.
Back to the Dodgers pen, Caleb Ferguson was next out and cruised through a 1-2-3 frame on just 10 pitches, including a pair of strikeouts.
That, of course, meant it was time for extras.
With Freddie as the Manfred runner on second, he only advanced to third by the time there were two down, but Michael Busch down to his last strike stroked a single to left for a 3-2 lead.
After a balk, the table was set for James Outman to yank a two-run shot to right for further insurance and a 5-2 lead.
Looking to protect the now three-run lead, Evan Phillips got the 9th and was stellar, not even allowing the Manfred runner to score.
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The Dodgers started this series 1-for-22 with RISP, but they ended the series with two hits in their last two at bats to win the game.
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| NL West | Record |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 21-14 |
| Diamondbacks | 19-15 (1.5 GB) |
| Padres | 18-17 (3 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The Dodgers will now travel to Milwaukee for a three-game set against the Brewers (19-15). Tony Gonsolin (3.38 ERA/5.86 FIP/4.32 xERA) will face Freddy Peralta (3.63/3.62/3.68) at 1:40 PM HT/4:40 PM PT/7:40 PM ET.
