Dodgers 6, Mariners 3: Jason Heyward comes through with a clutch 3-run pinch-hit homer

Chad Moriyama 08/20/2024 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

Another Mariners game, another tight contest. The Dodgers got behind early as Walker Buehler‘s struggles continued, but the lineup knocked Bryce Miller out early and homered twice off him to get themselves back into it. After tying it up late, it was a Jason Heyward pinch-hit three-run homer off Mariners closer Andres Munoz that won it for the Dodgers, 6-3.

That’s now three wins in a row and back-to-back series.

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Walker Buehler continued to look the same as his 2024 self, getting two quick outs on three pitches and then laboring in the 1st. He gave up a double and then issued a pair of walks while nibbling to load the bases, then gave up a Jorge Polanco single to put the Mariners up 2-0 before he was mercifully able to end the inning.

After escaping the 2nd thanks to a double play despite allowing a pair of singles, the 3rd saw further trouble. A single, wild pitch, and walk put a pair on, then it was Polanco again coming up with a double to push the lead to 3-0, though Buehler did manage to limit the damage to that.

After Buehler worked around a double in the 4th, he was already up to 82 pitches and didn’t look sharp at all, so he exited: 4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 82 Pitches.

On the other side, the lineup was surprisingly making Bryce Miller work despite not a ton of scoring threats early. He worked around a two-out Freddie Freeman double in the 2nd and a one-out Shohei Ohtani triple in the 3rd, but it was Gavin Lux‘s 10th homer of the year and Max Muncy‘s 11th of the year that did the damage and cut the deficit to 3-2 after four.

Lux’s homer had some confusion because the ball found its way back to the field…

…while there was no such problem with Muncy’s.

Importantly, the Dodgers knocked Miller out due to making him throw 92 pitches.

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In a battle of the pens, Alex Vesia started things in the 5th, getting a 1-2-3 frame thanks to some defensive magic at short from Tommy Edman.

Ryan Brasier followed by continuing to look sharp in his return, getting a 12-pitch clean frame in the 6th. He continued in the 7th, notching a strikeout before an error knocked him out in favor of Anthony Banda, who tidied things up with a couple of outs.

That bought the offense enough time to comeback, as after doing nothing in the 5th and 6th, Edman led the 7th off with a double. A pair of outs later, he hadn’t moved, but Mookie Betts came through against their ace closer Munoz with a double down the line in left to tie things at 3-3.

After Freddie was intentionally walked, Teoscar Hernandez singled to right, but Mitch Haniger uncorked a great throw to get Mookie at home and keep the game tied.

In the 8th it was Joe Kelly, who issued a walk but saw that erased on a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play to end his scoreless frame.

That simplified things after a controversial non-strike three and a barely safe on review pickoff play. Ball don’t lie.

Munoz was still in for the Mariners in the 8th, and the Dodgers made him work. Will Smith got hit with one out, Muncy drew a walk, and then Heyward came through with the aforementioned three-run shot to put the Dodgers up 6-3.

To close things out, it was Daniel Hudson looking to get back on track and he did so despite giving up a double after a controversial out call at the plate after the runner tried to score from second on a wild pitch for whatever reason.

Anyway, thanks for that, and the win.

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NL WESTRECORD
Dodgers75-52
Padres72-55 (3 GB)
Diamondbacks71-56 (4 GB)

*Currently playing.

The series finale will be on MLB Network tomorrow at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET, and it’ll feature Jack Flaherty looking to avoid homers against another great starter in Logan Gilbert.

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