Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Following two painful, frustrating losses that not only started the series against the Cardinals but the month of September as well, the Dodgers started today’s game with more of the same. Tarik Skubal struggled with singles throughout his outing, though he did give up just two runs. The problem? The Dodgers couldn’t score on anything but a wild pitch/passed ball, certainly not due to hitting with RISP. Things looked bleak, but the suddenly hot Teoscar Hernandez came to the rescue, breaking an 0-for-25 drought with RISP on a walk-off double for a 3-2 win to salvage something from the series.
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Hilariously, the lefty that was getting knocked around early was Tarik Skubal, and he ended up giving up a career-high 10 hits (all singles).
Back-to-back singles started the game, and a one-out Joshua Baez poke the other way for a single led to the game’s first run. That was all thanks to a lined double play, but not an ideal start. 1-0 Cardinals.
Early work. pic.twitter.com/Vm2ezaaRPX
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 4, 2026
Skubal then had to work around a one-out and two-out single in the 2nd, and was in trouble again after a lead-off and two-out single in the 3rd. Ramon Urias then came up with another single to drive in a run before he was able to get the final out of the frame. 2-0 Cardinals.
Ramón RBI. pic.twitter.com/rJW7EJSDGH
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 4, 2026
He did come back with a clean 4th and faced the minimum in the 5th after picking off a one-out single. Skubal got into more trouble in the 6th, as a lead-off single and one-out walk put a pair on, though he did get a final out before Dave Roberts came to get him.
Clearly not his best day, to the point where you wonder if he was tipping his changeup: 5.2 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 102 Pitches.
That two remained up there thanks to Edgardo Henriquez, who entered and threw a wild pitch to put both in scoring position but uncorked a 104 MPH fastball for the K to get the final out of the 6th.
Edgardo with 104 again for the K. pic.twitter.com/ITFemXBLLN
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 4, 2026
I don’t know why, but that was it for him.
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As all that was going on, Quinn Mathews was also busy staying alive despite constant traffic.
The Dodgers started with a lead-off single and one-out walk in the 1st, a two-out walk in the 2nd, a lead-off single, one-out single, and two-out walk that loaded things in the 3rd, but … nothing.
After a clean 4th felt worrisome for the bats, the 5th began with a Tommy Edman double and a Mookie Betts walk. A grounder resulted in a force out at second and Tommy reaching third, which was important as a Mathews wild pitch followed to score a run. The Moriyama Special is their best offensive weapon and made it 2-1 Cardinals.
Moriyama Special being their best offensive weapon. pic.twitter.com/Nj1y5lOnsB
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 4, 2026
Unfortunately, a couple of outs followed that, and another potential big inning was limited.
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Meanwhile, continuing for the Dodgers pen was Evan Phillips in the 7th, who gave up a two-out double and hit a batter but got a scoreless inning. Alex Vesia got the 8th, surrendering just a two-out infield single that was erased on a caught stealing. Vesia also got the first out in the 9th before Brock Stewart entered and got the final two outs.
Unfortunately, all they did was keep the deficit the same, as the Cardinals pen started in the 6th with Cade Winquest and he cruised through a clean frame. Ryne Stanek did the same in the 7th. The Dodgers did get a big chance in the 8th against George Soriano, who issued a lead-off walk and then a pair more walks with two outs, loading the bases. However, another chance, another wasted chance as Dalton Rushing struck out and there was nothing doing.
Riley O’Brien entered for the save and he didn’t look sharp either. After a lineout started things, an Edman single (his fourth hit) was followed by him stealing second and Mookie Betts walking to put a pair in scoring position. Teoscar Hernandez then came up huge on a 3-2 pitch, smashing it in the left-center gap for a double to score both Edman and Mookie for a walk-off win.
Teoscar Hernandez stays hot as he breaks the RISP streak with a walk-off double in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/ozcN9lHxn3
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 4, 2026
Unreal, lol.
Here’s Edman’s four-hit night.
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Kyle Tucker … I dunno what to say.
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| NL Seeding | Record | GB |
| Brewers | 87-54 | – |
| Braves | 83-57 | 3.5 |
| Dodgers | 83-57 | 3.5 |
The Dodgers will now welcome in the Nationals for a three-game set starting at the same time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Blake Snell on the mound against Jackson Kent.
