After a tight game last night until the Dodgers blew it open late, the Giants went back-and-forth with them early today as Tarik Skubal struggled to put guys away and turned in probably his worst start with the team. Fortunately, Mookie Betts remained scalding hot with a four-hit night to lead back-to-back crooked numbers in the middle innings that helped the Dodgers pull ahead for good in a 10-4 victory.
That’s three in a row and five of their last six.
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The Dodgers started fast against Giants starter Yunior Marte, as a lead-off double from Mookie Betts was eventually cashed in on a two-out double from Max Muncy to make it 1-0 Dodgers.
Muncy doubles to bring home Mookie's double. Forget situational hitting, just hit a piss missile. pic.twitter.com/uFLrWa6Aim
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
The lineup added on in the 2nd, as a one-out walk from Josue De Paula was followed by a two-out single from Alex Freeland and then another single from Mookie to make it 2-0 Dodgers.
When things are going right everything is as Mookie gets an RBI single, scoring JDP. https://t.co/oYD3TuOC7T pic.twitter.com/VSvnmDMba2
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
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Meanwhile, Tarik Skubal was coming off some of his best starts of the season, but he didn’t have it today.
After giving up just a two-out walk in the 1st, he managed to barely strand a lead-off double in the 2nd, giving up just a two-out walk after that. They finally got to him in the 3rd, as a one-out single was followed by a no-doubter from Victor Bericoto to tie things up at 2-2.
4⃣2⃣5⃣ from Victor Bericoto to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/Leg7UtVFja
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) September 20, 2026
A single followed that as well, but Skubal then got the final two outs of the 3rd.
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Will Smith came right back for the Dodgers in the bottom half of the 3rd against Marte with his ninth homer of the year to give the Dodgers the lead back at 3-2.
Dills dongs for the second night in a row and shows all the emotion of hitting one in live BP. pic.twitter.com/aEC8tgJcbS
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
But then Skubal started the 4th by surrendering back-to-back singles, which led to a 3-3 tie game after back-to-back sac bunts by the Giants.
The Dodgers came right back in the other half of the 4th again, this time after a two-out Freeland walk was followed by a Mookie double to score him and make it 4-3 Dodgers.
Mookie's third hit and second double gives the Dodgers the lead again. pic.twitter.com/kI9VoR28qt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
Unfortunately, Skubal again gave it right back, as back-to-back doubles from Bericoto and Jung-Hoo Lee tied things at 4-4.
Another answer from JHL‼️ pic.twitter.com/V74QmuUEkZ
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) September 20, 2026
Skubal was fortunate from there to not give up anything further, as he did get the final three outs to get through five.
It was … less than ideal for him today: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 86 Pitches.
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Well, Marte was still in for the bottom of the 5th, and after a lead-off single he induced a double play and was on the verge of getting through five. However, Teoscar Hernandez singled and Kyle Tucker walked, and that was the end of the road for Marte.
Tony Vitello choose to bring in the reliever who gave up four homers to the Dodgers yesterday in Philip Abner, and he struggled again tonight. His first pitch was wild to advance the two runners, De Paula then walked again to load the bases, and Tommy Edman made him pay with a single to left that scored a pair and made it 6-4.
Edman singles as the Dodgers reclaim the lead and maybe can hit with the bases loaded a little now? As a treat? pic.twitter.com/KNR5qOvGQj
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
Miguel Rojas then hit for Freeland and came through as well with a single to score JDP but saw Edman get hosed at home. 7-4 Dodgers.
Rojas follows with a single to score JDP, though Edman gets absolutely hosed. What a throw. https://t.co/jECAP6PQx2 pic.twitter.com/3WYabSsbfn
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
In the 7th, Joel Kuhnel entered and immediately gave up Mookie fourth hit and third double of the night, and Betts scored on a one-out Will Smith single to make it 8-4.
Dills singles home Betts' 4th hit and 3rd double to increase the lead. pic.twitter.com/WPBdagLVUV
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
After Max Muncy reached on an error to put a pair on, with two down Kyle Tucker then got an infield “single” that was more like an error and the bases were juiced. De Paula then stepped up and singled to center to drive in Muncy and Smith to make it 10-4 Dodgers.
JDP's liner falls in with the bases loaded and makes it double digits for the Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/UDQ3p2BDR3
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
Duncan Davitt then entered and managed to get the final out of the 6th, and he also worked around a one-out walk in the 7th to give the Giants staff their first scoreless inning. He also got a scoreless 8th, stranding a lead-off double.
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Meanwhile, the Dodgers pen was putting in a quality shift after Skubal exited.
Evan Phillips began in the 6th with a 1-2-3 frame that included a pair of strikeouts.
Evan Phillips shows how it's supposed to look. pic.twitter.com/TbL5Xmguff
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
Alex Vesia also got a pair of strikeouts in a perfect 7th, and it was Edwin Diaz in the 8th. He started with a concerning walk, followed by a stolen base, but then got a strikeout, foul out, and strikeout to emphatically end the chance.
Diaz turns it up to 99 in a three-fastball strikeout to end the 8th. pic.twitter.com/VMHtalW0o8
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
Closing up shop was Seth Halvorsen in the 9th, who had one of the more amusing hit batters you’ll see, but otherwise got a pair of strikeouts himself to put up a zero.
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In the Josue De Paula update corner, we have a pair more full at-bats that were walks, and of course he had the bases-loaded single for two RBI.
Josue De Paula draws his 1000th full-count walk. pic.twitter.com/9KMhI82coV
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
10 walks in your first week in the majors is funny as hell. https://t.co/Nw4dlwFlzj pic.twitter.com/xbzIskW55C
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2026
He scored twice, struck out, and a tapped a ball in front of the plate for a groundout.
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| NL Seeding | Record | GB |
| Brewers | 97-58 | – |
| Dodgers | 95-60 | 2.0 |
| Braves | 91-64 | 6.0 |
The series concludes tomorrow as the Dodgers go for a Sunday sweep at the early time of 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET with a pen game up against a pen game, I think.
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