Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers jumped out to an early lead but saw a big 5th inning by the Astros seemingly crumble their win streak. However, they mounted a late comeback of five unanswered runs to win 8-7 and run their streak to four wins in a row.
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Astros starter Ronel Blanco got off to perhaps the most exciting start possible, as Mookie Betts led the game off with a shot to left, and Corey Julks robbed him at/over the wall for the first out. Freddie Freeman then followed by ripping a ball down the line, which was saved from a double by a nice play as well.
COREY JULKS ROBS MOOKIE BETTS ?
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 24, 2023
WHAT A CATCH ? pic.twitter.com/qjQ3Rk5Z0J
That’s two outs and when the Dodgers went to work. Will Smith deposited his 11th homer for a 1-0 lead, then J.D. Martinez walked, and Jason Heyward followed him by yanking his 8th homer to right for a sudden 3-0 lead.
Will and Jason homer? Houston, we have liftoff! pic.twitter.com/gvGFoZQO7Q
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 24, 2023
The problem? The problem was those were the only two hits the Dodgers got off Blanco the whole game. He followed that second homer by setting down 12 Dodgers in a row before issuing a walk, and then finished by setting down four more to get through six quality innings.
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Early on that seemed like it might be enough for Bobby Miller. After cruising through the 1st, he gave up a pair of singles in the 2nd, but also got a double play to keep things scoreless. The Astros got on the board in the 3rd behind a Jake Meyers double and Jose Altuve single to make it 3-1. Altuve then stole second, and Miller also issued a walk in the inning, but he managed to avoid the big blow.
He also dodged trouble in the 4th after a lead-off double thanks to back-to-back strikeouts and then Will bailing himself out with a nice recovery.
Will Smith ends the inning with a great recovery. pic.twitter.com/eD9nPSfdZ9
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
All that navigating around disaster collapsed in the 5th. A single started things, then a walk to the #9 hitter was followed by a bunt for a single after Miller didn’t get off the mound fast enough to load the bases. Alex Bregman made Miller pay immediately by hitting a grand slam to turn things around to 5-3 for the Astros.
ALEX BREGMAN GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM ?
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 25, 2023
?: FOX pic.twitter.com/XYj4soBBCn
The onslaught didn’t stop there, as a walk was followed by a double and then a Yainer Diaz single to make it 6-3 and saw Miller’s night come to an end.
4 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 80 Pitches.
The yakker. pic.twitter.com/aVwyNlR7nD
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Yency Almonte came in to stop the bleeding, which he did after a strikeout, a walk to re-load the bases, and then a double play to end the 5th.
Ryan Brasier then got the 6th and he was victimized by some surprisingly poor defense from Freddie. After an out, an infield pop was dropped after Freddie got a bad jump and/or lost it in the sun for a “single”. A double followed, an intentional walk loaded the bases, and sacrifice fly made it 7-3 before he got out of it.
Didn't post it at the time cause I was honestly getting a bit salty, but this was a huge catch by James Outman. pic.twitter.com/ahbPvLOflC
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Things looked pretty bleak at that point, but against the Astros pen, the Dodgers mounted a comeback. In the 7th, Heyward got on thanks to a hit by pitch, and David Peralta smashed a two-run homer that got them within striking distance at 7-5.
In the "We're So Back" part of the cycle. pic.twitter.com/DpwvkC5Nzk
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Then in the 8th they rallied thanks to three walks in a row to Freeman, Smith, and Martinez to load the bases, and after a Heyward sac fly cut the lead to 7-6, a James Outman double tied things up, even though it seemed like he gave them the lead.
James Outman gives the Dodgers a lead … wait, it's a ground-rule double stuck in the fence. Tie game.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Wasn't going to get that slider by him behind in the count a second time. pic.twitter.com/lKHSuAhud0
After a strikeout put Ryne Stanek on the verge of escaping, he balked the eventual winning run in to make it 8-7. While both he and Dusty Baker got ejected and were mad about it, I honestly don’t think it was that controversial.
Ryne Stanek gets called for a balk for the go-ahead run. Buckled his knee before he stepped off. pic.twitter.com/zOCWzms9xc
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
He clearly twitched/jerked his back leg, which has always been an enforcement of the balk rule, whether you like it or not.
More Roberts on the balk call: "…His cleat got stuck, but it was a balk, by the letter of the law."
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 25, 2023
Said Ryne Stanek's right knee moved.
Miguel Rojas said he saw Stanek start his motion and then move to step off, so he pointed it out.
As all that drama was going on Phil Bickford got clean 7th and 8th innings, which setup Evan Phillips for the save in the 9th, and he did just that. After a single, he immediately turned a double play and then got a fly out to lock down the win.
Phew.
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Welcome to the team.
David Peralta trolling Emmet Sheehan as he's interviewed. pic.twitter.com/hTpiUiR0jm
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 24, 2023
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 46-32 |
| Giants | 44-33 (1.5 GB) |
| Dodgers | 43-33 (2 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The Dodgers will be going for the sweep tomorrow at 1:00 PM HT/4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET, and it’ll be Tony Gonsolin against rookie Hunter Brown.
