Dodgers 12, Cardinals 6: Bats finally explode for 17 hits behind dual double dongs from Muncy & Teoscar

After yesterday’s frustrating affair, the Dodgers thankfully finally took that out on the opposition, destroying Cardinals pitching for 17 hits and 12 runs. They started well and piled on late for a rare comfortable laugher of a win, and Emmet Sheehan also looked solid in a 12-6 victory to even the series.

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The slumping Dodgers offense got a jolt of life in the 1st, as Shohei Ohtani led off with a double, Mookie Betts advanced him to third, and Freddie Freeman hit a sac fly for the game’s first run.

Max Muncy then followed by smoking his 14th dinger of the year to make it 2-0.

Zest is back.

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Meanwhile, Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan began well with a pair of strikeouts in the 1st, but did cough up the lead in the 2nd. A hot shot to Muncy at third was ruled an error to start, and after he got the next two outs, Nolan Gorman demolished a homer to tie the game up at 2-2.

Sheehan didn’t give up anything else in his outing, as he scattered a walk and three singles over his final three innings: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 76 Pitches.

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Fortunately, the offense did eventually get going again. A Mookie lead-off double in the 3rd broke his hitless streak, and then Max Muncy destroyed his 15th homer to restore the two-run lead at 4-2.

Teoscar Hernandez followed that with his 17th homer for back-to-back shots to make it 5-2.

The scoring quieted down after that as they put up zeroes from the 4th to the 6th, though they did have chances to add on throughout the game and went 1-for-9 with RISP to that point, the one being Muncy’s homer.

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That put pressure on the pen to not allow runs, and taking over for Sheehan was Jack Dreyer in the 6th. He got two outs, but gave up a single, and so Ben Casparius entered for the final out. He continued in the 7th, but surrendered back-to-back singles to start before getting the next two batters. Ben couldn’t keep them off the scoreboard as an Ivan Herrera single cut the lead to 5-3.

Dave Roberts then turned to Alex Vesia, who got the final out of the frame on one pitch.

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Thankfully, Vesia wouldn’t be needed after that. After the aforementioned stranded runners, they exploded in the 7th. A Shohei walk and steal was followed by a Mookie walk, then a one-out Muncy single made it 6-3.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for a comfortable lead as Teoscar bombed his second homer of the game (18th), a three-run shot to make it 9-3.

After a two-out Andy Pages double, Alex Freeland came up with a single to make it double digits at 10-3.

They added on even more in the 8th, as Ohtani reached on an infield single, Betts got his third hit of the day to corner things, and Freddie hit a sac fly. After Muncy singled again, Michael Conforto joined the party with a two-out single to make it 12-3.

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Finishing the game out was Alexis Diaz, who immediately gave up a homer, but finished the 8th. He tried to get the 9th as well, but started with a walk, out, and hit a batter. That brought in Anthony Banda, who walked the bases loaded, uncorked a wild pitch, and gave up a sac fly to make it 12-6 before getting the final out.

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Mookie looked like he was making actual strides today, and he also talked about appreciating the fan support.

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NL WestRecordGB
Dodgers66-48
Padres62-51*3.5

The series finale will unfortunately be earlier in the day at 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET on MLB Network. Should be interesting to see if Shohei really is fine, as he’ll take the mound with Justin Wrobleski behind, against Matthew Liberatore.

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