Rays 9, Dodgers 8: Win streak snapped as pen coughs up 4 runs in final 3 frames

Chad Moriyama 08/24/2024 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

The Dodgers and Rays treated fans to a great game tonight, as the Rays jumped out to an early lead and the Dodgers stormed right back to take a lead into the late innings. However, it was the Rays who chipped away at the Dodgers pen late, including the big blow in extras against Joe Kelly in a 9-8 loss.

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Once again, the Dodgers starter put them in a hole early, as Clayton Kershaw came out sorta throwing batting practice. After getting one out, a double was followed by a Junior Caminero single for a run, and a Christopher Morel double immediately followed for another.

A walk and wild pitch followed to move a pair into scoring position and old friend Jonny DeLuca made them pay with a single to make it 4-0 early.

On the other side was Taj Bradley, who looked impressive early. He faced the minimum in the 1st after a double play, then got a pair of clean frames in the 2nd and 3rd.

Thankfully, the offense started to get rolling in the 4th. Shohei Ohtani started things by drawing a catcher’s interference, and Mookie Betts doubled him in for the Dodgers’ first run.

Later, Teoscar Hernandez stepped up and smashed his 27th dong of the year, a two-run shot to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Kershaw had settled down in the meantime, because of course he did, all he does is battle even if he doesn’t have it. He allowed a single in each of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, but that was it.

The 5th proved to be another battle, as a single, double, and intentional walk loaded the bases with only one out. Kershaw managed to limit the damage to a Brandon Lowe sacrifice fly, as the last out came via yet another Will Smith caught stealing.

Not great, but he kept them in it: 5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 88 Pitches.

That ended up proving important, as the Dodgers came back again in the 6th. A Max Muncy pop-up dropped for a double and a Miguel Rojas single made it a one-run game.

After the magic of last night, Ohtani did it again with his 41st homer, somehow hooking an outside splitter that was down with one hand to put the Dodgers up 6-5. Genuinely unreal.

That handed off a lead to the suddenly hot Dodgers pen, and Ryan Brasier has been red-hot himself coming back from the IL. He got three outs on five pitches for an easy 6th.

Things were not that easy for Blake Treinen, who gave up a lead-off double, but was then bailed out when Rojas made a stellar play at short to cut down the lead runner. That saved a run, and despite a walk later in the inning, things remained 6-5 after the 7th.

After the Dodgers offense took an inning off in the 6th, it was back in the 7th behind none other than Rojas’ fourth homer of the year, a solo shot to extend the lead to 7-5.

That was also a pivotal play, as Michael Kopech had his first struggle as a Dodger in the 8th. His night started with a single, double, and walk to load the bases, but he then caught a major break on a Yandy Diaz sacrifice fly to Teoscar, because for whatever reason Alex Jackson tried to tag for second from first and was thrown out for a double play. A (comical) pop-up followed as Rojas took over Gavin Lux‘s territory for the last out.

The Dodgers couldn’t get any insurance in the 8th, which they ended up needing because Evan Phillips gave up his first run of the month in the 9th when Caminero got called back on a walk thanks to a horrible strike call by Bill Miller only to instead drill a homer to make it 7-7. Phillips then struck out the next three, but obviously the damage was done.

After the Dodgers went down with just a walk in the 9th, it was time for extras.

BONUS BASEBALL

Welp, it was Kelly in the 10th for the Dodgers, and he gave up a two-run homer to Jose Caballero to make it 9-7 Rays. He also gave up a double and a Muncy pick at third was the only thing that saved him from worse.

For the Dodgers, Ohtani just missed a homer and Mookie only managed a sac fly to make it 9-8 in the 10th before the game ended.

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NL WESTRECORD
Dodgers77-53
Diamondbacks74-56 (3 GB)
Padres73-58 (4.5 GB)

The series concludes tomorrow in an early game at 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET with Gavin Stone coming up against Shane Baz.

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