Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After a 45-minute rain delay, the Dodgers and Mets played a game that was close and serious almost all the way through. Fortunately, at least for the Dodgers, things took a turn for the comical at the end and the Dodgers ended up running away with a 5-1 victory after a pair of Mets miscues.
That’s now six wins in a row and three series victories in a row.
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The Dodgers may regret passing on Kodai Senga in free agency right now, and he largely showed why today as he navigated through the lineup even when not at his best.
After giving up a single in both the 1st and 2nd innings, he got burned in the 3rd with a rare Mookie Betts oppo homer for his 27th of the year and a 1-0 lead.
Mookie went out oppo, the quest for 40 is definitely on. pic.twitter.com/9SPJKkapf1
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
Mookie Betts' solo home run in the third inning was his 27th of the season, and first hit to right field
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) July 16, 2023
Of his other 26 HR, half were hit to left, 10 to LCF, and 3 to CFhttps://t.co/5oaOxSl84x
But he settled down right after that, getting clean frames in the 4th and 5th.
Senga then loaded the bases in the 6th with just one out, giving up a single to Mookie, hitting Will Smith, and issuing a walk to Max Muncy, but he bore down from there and notched a strikeout of J.D. Martinez and induced a David Peralta comebacker to end his outing.
Opposite of Senga was Tony Gonsolin, who largely cruised through the game, needing just 54 pitches to get through five.
Other than a Brandon Nimmo homer in the 4th that tied the game at 1-1, Gonsolin gave up just a single that was erased by a double play in the 2nd and a walk in the 4th.
Raise the apple 🍎 Brandon Nimmo goes yard 💪
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 16, 2023
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Fj9E8sGANG
That said, he was giving up a ton of contact and his stuff is diminished at this point, so Dave Roberts opted to take him out: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 54 Pitches.
For the pen it was Alex Vesia continuing his comeback tour in relief of Gonsolin in the 6th, notching a 1-2-3 frame with a pair of strikeouts.
Hope Vesia can build on the 3.1 scoreless innings with 6 K and 0 BB since returning.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
In the 7th, Brusdar Graterol started struggling with his control, issuing a walk to start and getting behind the next batter. However, he focused to induce a fly out to right and then had an impressive double play for an easy frame.
This honestly might be one of the best feeds to second from a pitcher I've ever seen, lol. pic.twitter.com/YRmeagzDOl
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
Against the Mets pen, the Dodgers tried to rally in the 7th behind an error. A two-out, two-base error on a Miguel Rojas pop down the line in right put a runner in scoring position, and after an intentional walk to Mookie, Freddie Freeman was unable to come through as he fouled out.
The offense finally came alive in the 8th against Adam Ottavino. With one out, Muncy snuck a single through the infield and that was followed by a shock successful run-and-hit for a J.D. single.
J.D Martinez and Max Muncy hit and run, because sure. pic.twitter.com/9IHJPwGCem
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
With the runners now cornered, Peralta looked like he grounded into an inning-ender, but a high throw from Pete Alonso allowed him to beat it out and make it 2-1. The Dodgers reloaded the bases with two down, but Rojas couldn’t take advantage.
Something we will likely never see again lead to David Peralta getting an RBI. pic.twitter.com/PKtdfFMsjm
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
Now protecting a one-run lead, the Dodgers turned to Caleb Ferguson in the 8th. A 10-pitch walk started things and then a long single cornered the runners, and only Chris Taylor cutting the ball off prevented a tie game right then and there.
For whatever reason, that seemed to be the catalyst for Caleb, who then went nuts and got a first pitch infield fly and two strikeouts on seven pitches to keep the lead intact.
After issuing a walk and giving up a long single (with a run-saving play from Chris Taylor), Caleb Ferguson suddenly finds it and gets three outs on eight straight strikes to keep the lead. pic.twitter.com/DjV8764Vxf
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
Thankfully, the Dodgers offense didn’t just take the lead and sit on it. In the 9th, Grant Hartwig got the first out, but Mookie came in with his fourth hit (and fifth time on base) of the game. After a strikeout, Will came up with a double to put the Mets in trouble, but Muncy popped up to third … or at least it seemed. Hilariously, Brett Baty had a comical adventure at third and the ball not only fell in but bounced off his face for a run.
Brett Baty makes blooper reels forever on a Max Muncy infield pop. Insurance. pic.twitter.com/Nqcw0S2bbS
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
In person disaster reporting. https://t.co/xuipiWEGAm
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
To add insult to injury, J.D. then singled to score another (despite making the second out at second), and then Peralta then singled as well to make it 5-1.
David Peralta makes it 5-1. Da Metz. pic.twitter.com/6yJ5nMSniZ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023
To close the game was Evan Phillips in the 9th, and despite having a comfortable lead now, he got a nice and easy 1-2-3 frame. The only bad thing was it took 19 pitches.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 53-38 |
| Diamondbacks | 52-41 (2 GB) |
| Giants | 51-41 (2.5 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The series will conclude hilariously early tomorrow at 7:40 AM HT/10:40 AM PT/1:40 PM ET with Bobby Miller facing off against Max Scherzer.
