Cubs 11, Dodgers 10: Big comeback by the bats wasted when Tanner Scott blows it with one out to go

Chad Moriyama 04/22/2025 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

If the Rangers series was highlighted by pitching performances, the Cubs mini-series started with fireworks. The Dodgers found themselves behind early after eight first-inning runs were exchanged, and they initially buried themselves further as the game went on. However, it was the lineup that finally came through against the Cubs pen, putting up a late five-spot to rally for the lead. Unfortunately, the Dodger pen also unraveled late, giving up four unanswered runs to lose 11-10.

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Shota Imanaga has been excellent again for the Cubs to begin the year, but with the wind blowing out, the Dodgers landed a big blow early. Shohei Ohtani led off by reaching on an error (that could’ve been ruled a hit), Teoscar Hernandez blooped a single in with one out, and with two down who else but Tommy Edman smashed a three-run homer to dead center. His NL-leading eighth dong led to a 3-0 early lead.

That joy was very short-lived.

Dustin May has also been excellent for the Dodgers so far this year, but not today. I don’t care enough to give a Cubs play-by-play, but they totaled a triple, three doubles, two singles, and a stolen base for a five-run inning that made it 5-3 Cubs.

While May did struggle in the inning, he was also victimized by a couple of bloops that cost him the last two runs.

The Dodgers did get a run back in the 2nd behind Andy Pages bombing his third homer of the year to deep left, making it 5-4 Cubs. However, that also made the double play that erased a lead-off walk hurt that much more.

On his side of the 2nd, May looked like he might struggle to make it through the inning when he started by allowing a walk and a single (who later stole second), his seventh hit surrendered on the game to match his total from all of 2025 combined prior to this. However, he rebounded by getting a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to escape without damage.

May followed by working around a single in the 3rd and a walk in the 4th, but couldn’t keep dodging bullets in the 5th. A lead-off walk was followed by a stolen base, and then a “single” fell in when Teoscar Hernandez clanged one while sliding in right to corner the runners. It was a good thing Will Smith threw out that runner at second because May threw a horrible sinker to Pete Crow-Armstrong next for a two-run shot to make it 7-4 Cubs.

On one hand, a career high in runs allowed for May. On the other hand, he got through five innings, which is like four more than it looked like he was gonna get.

5 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 95 Pitches

Unfortunately, the Dodgers offense wasn’t doing much to help him as all this was going on. Imanaga got a clean 3rd, then stranded a lead-off single and walk in the 4th, and did the same to a two-out double in the 5th.

In the 6th, the Dodgers did get a run back behind Will Smith‘s third homer of the year to make it 7-5 Cubs. Max Muncy also tried his best to get another via his first homer, but another fell short for him right up against the wall in right.

That was it for Imanaga, as the pen got the final out in the 6th for them.

The Dodgers pen also started in the 6th, as Anthony Banda gave up a lead-off single, and then with one down gave up another single to left. Pages made a mess of it with an error, allowing both baserunners to advance. However, that was a part of his grand plan, as a flyball to left was followed by a double-clutched cannon throw to the plate that led to an inning-ending double play that kept it 7-5 Cubs.

The Dodgers used that momentum to mount a comeback in the 7th. Pages himself started the inning with a single, Shohei Ohtani followed with a walk, and Mookie Betts also walked to load the bases in a flash. Teoscar then grounded into a potential triple play (maybe not, but at least one out), but Brandon Workman kicked it for a run and everybody was safe.

Freddie Freeman followed by hitting the next pitch for a double to left to give the Dodgers an 8-7 lead.

A Tommy Edman sacrifice fly plated another run, and Will Smith tried to do the Will Smith sac fly special but hit it too far for a double to make it 10-7 before the 7th ended.

Phew.

Now with a three-run lead, it was Luis Garcia for the Dodgers in the 7th, who worked around a double and a “wild pitch” that actually hit the bat. Alex Vesia was next in the 8th, starting with an out but giving up an infield single on a comebacker he should’ve let go, which was immediately followed by Kyle Tucker bombing a homer to right to make it 10-9. He was able to rebound with a strikeout, but that was it for him.

With Carson Kelly pinch-hitting, Kirby Yates then relieved him, and he pitched him carefully for a walk. Pinch-runner Jon Berti stole second, but Yates responded with a huge strikeout to keep the lead.

The Dodgers couldn’t add on in the 8th or 9th, so it was Tanner Scott for the save. He got a groundout, then gave up a deep flyball for an out, and then an even deeper flyball for a game-tying homer to Miguel Amaya. 10-10.

Concerning stuff.

Bonus baseball.

In their half, the Dodgers were only able to advance the runner to third due to some horrible at-bats, and Noah Davis‘ stint as a Dodger lasted one pitch that was banged into right for a walk-off loss.

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NL WestRecordGB
Padres17-7–
Dodgers16-81
Giants15-8*1.5
Diamondbacks13-9*3

The mini-series ends tomorrow at 1:00 PM HT/4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET on MLB Network. The Dodgers are still gonna run a pen game instead of being normal and calling up a starter, while the Cubs will begin with Matthew Boyd.

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