Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Adrian Gonzalez was the hero in San Diego on Sunday, as his 2-run single in the 12th inning ended up being the difference in the game as the Dodgers won 4-2. Gonzalez finished the day 2-for-5 and drove in three of the Dodgers’ four runs.
Mike Bolsinger, fresh off his engagement yesterday, was strong for 14 outs, but he couldn’t make it through a laborious fifth inning. With two outs, he allowed a hit to James Shields (who pitched well), followed by a single by Will Venable. Still with two outs, he walked Yangervis Solarte ahead of Justin Upton. Upton made the Dodgers pay with a 2-run single. It was a frustrating inning for Bolsinger, who was cruising up to that point (4 IP, 0 R, 7 K). J.P. Howell got out of the jam and lowered his ERA to 0.50, if you can believe it.
Juan Nicasio pitched the ninth inning and gave up a weak single, issued a walk and had two outs facing Upton. On a 3-0 pitch, Upton swung and looked like he had just won the game. But then this happened.
Nicasio approves.
Nicasio likes it pic.twitter.com/oBgwjNfv7c
— Tyler Hawk (@tylerahawk) June 14, 2015
Upton does not.
Justin Upton in disbelief. pic.twitter.com/v7V9yUmGVc
— Dustin Nosler (@DustinNosler) June 14, 2015
The Dodgers got on the board in the sixth inning with Andre Ethier‘s ninth home run of the season (he hit four last year). He hit for the two toughest legs of the cycle, as he chipped in his fourth triple of the season. He has 19 extra base hits in 198 plate appearances. For context, he had 27 in 380 plate appearances last season. Gonzalez tied the game in the eighth inning with an RBI double that scored Yasiel Puig. Side note: Puig is fast and his hamstring is just fine. Unless he isn’t, as he was double-switched out of the game in the bottom of the 10th inning.
One of the oddest plays came in the 10th, as Josh Ravin allowed a leadoff single to Matt Kemp. That wasn’t the weird part. The weird part is Yonder Alonso hit a ground ball to Gonzalez and it looked like the Dodgers had turned a double play. But San Diego challenged the ruling — specifically the neighborhood play at the second base bag by Enrique Hernandez. “But Dustin, I thought the neighborhood play wasn’t reviewable.” Well, Dodgers Digest reader, you’re correct, except when it was in this game, for whatever reason. It, thankfully, didn’t matter as Ravin struck out Derek Norris on a 97 MPH fastball and Cory Spangenberg on a 99 MPH fastball with Kemp on second base.
The Dodgers drew seven walks on the day, which added to the National League-leading total of 227. And Alberto Callaspo hit two doubles today, so I’d hug your loved ones extra tight tonight because the End Days are nigh. Kenley Jansen allowed an infield single to Kemp, but also recorded two strikeouts in the 12th inning to pick up his ninth save in 10 chances.
It was a pretty uneventful game on the whole for the first 8 2/3 innings. It was only the last 3 1/3 innings that were exciting. The Dodgers improve to 37-26 on the season. They travel to Texas to play the Rangers. Carlos Frias (4-3, 3.86 ERA) takes on Yovani Gallardo (5-6, 3.45 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Pacific time.
