Dodgers 5, D-backs 4: A similar chain of events, but thankfully a different result for once

Another Dodgers game, another late lead when the starter exited, and another blown save. Things looked bleak yet again for the beleaguered Dodgers pen. However, with the game tied in extras, the pen came through for once to work out of a jam, and Justin Wrobleski ended up slamming the door after Tommy Edman‘s game-winning hit in a 5-4 victory over the Diamondbacks.

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Blake Snell has been excellent of late, but it didn’t seem like he had his best stuff or command tonight, and those are the starts where the greats separate themselves by limiting damage.

That’s exactly what Snell was able to do today, though they did scratch across a run early. A lead-off double was advanced to third on a groundout, then a walk cornered the runners, and a sac fly accounted for a run — the only one Snell would allow.

A steal of second and third followed, but a strikeout got Snell out of the 1st.

He then gave up an infield single with two down in the 2nd, worked around a lead-off infield single in the 3rd, and then did the same for a lead-off single in the 4th. Snell then got his first clean inning in the 5th, before facing the minimum in the 6th thanks to yet another lead-off infield single being erased by a double play.

Stuff wasn’t dominant as it usually is, but four of the hits were of the infield variety: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 95 Pitches.

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As mentioned, while the offense wasn’t explosive, they did do enough to give the team the lead heading into the late innings. Things started in the 1st with a Shohei Ohtani lead-off triple that was gone in any other park, and Mookie Betts followed with a sac fly for their first run.

After getting just a single in the 2nd, they left runners on second and third with two outs in the 3rd, then did it the easy way in the 4th behind a Tommy Edman single and Andy Pages 26th homer to make it 3-1.

The bats then went scoreless over the next three innings before adding some insurance in the 8th behind a lead-off single from Mookie and a two-out double from Teoscar Hernandez.

4-1.

They didn’t do anything in the 9th to close the book on them in regulation.

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Of course, the Dodgers pen is the big story here, and so was the return of Roki Sasaki to the majors in his new role as a reliever.

Well, he looked about as good as you could hope, striking out a pair and getting the side in order on just 13 pitches. Even the spray pattern on the misses looked better, as they were around the zone.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Alex Vesia, who began the 8th. A diving catch by Pages started the inning, then a single and a walk followed to put the tying run at the plate. Corbin Carroll then followed with a double to plate a run and make it 4-2 with the tying run now in scoring position. That was it for him.

Edgardo Henriquez then entered and gave up a dribbler in front of the plate to start, which scored a run and resulted in a “single” when Ben Rortvedt appeared to rush the play and dropped the ball. 4-3. Henriquez then appeared to get a strikeout on a pitch to the next hitter, but Rortvedt dropped the ball trying to frame it and the umpire didn’t give him the call. That resulted in a sac fly to tie the game at 4-4 and continue the frustration.

He allowed another single after that to put the winning run in scoring position, but Henriquez got out of it.

Speaking of new roles, it was then Clayton Kershaw in relief in the 9th, and like Roki he looked comfortable in getting a clean frame of his own to send things to extras.

BONUS BASEBALL

The top of the Dodgers order disappointed, as Shohei struck out, Mookie then singled and pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim got thrown out at home for the second out, then Freddie Freeman grounded out to make things look bleak.

It was Jack Dreyer in the 10th for the Dodgers, and the D-backs bunted Geraldo Perdomo for whatever reason to advance the runner to third. The Dodgers then intentionally walked a pair, and Dreyer got an infield pop for the second out.

For whatever reason, Dave Roberts went for Blake Treinen, and he finally responded with a pop out to escape the huge jam.

In the 11th, the first two batters for the Dodgers were only able to advance the Manfred Runner to third, but Edman was able to come up with his third hit for a 5-4 lead!

To close the game it was Wrobleski in the 11th, and he responded with a strikeout to start on a fortunate foul tip.

A groundout followed and then he notched a strikeout to save the game.

Exhale.

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NL WestRecordGB
Dodgers89-69
Padres87-722.5

Goodbye to the second seed as the Phillies clinched that.

Early game tomorrow in the finale as they look to seal the NL West with a win at 9:40 AM HT/12:40 PM PT/3:40 PM ET on MLB Network and SNLA. It’ll be Yoshinobu Yamamoto facing off against Zac Gallen.

About Chad Moriyama

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"A highly rational Internet troll." - Los Angeles Times