The Dodgers typically don't perform very well on nationally-televised games, and this afternoon's matchup with the Giants seemed to be more of the same. In a seesaw affair, the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead, then went down 5-2, before clawing back to tie the game at 6-6 and go to extra innings.
In extras, the Dodgers went up 7-6 in the tenth, only to see that lead evaporate and the Giants have bases loaded with one out on the bottom of the tenth. However, Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson settled down and struck out Patrick Bailey and then induced a pop foulout on Matt Chapman (who started the game 3-for-3, so this was no small feat), to end the threat.
To be clear, with one out in the bottom of the tenth, the Giants had a 82.9% chance to win the game. And they couldn't seal the deal.
In the top of the 11th, facing a second inning from Giants reliever Sean Hjelle (whom Giants manager Bob Melvin had to leave in the game, against his judgment, given the Giants' injury-plagued rotation and bullpen), the Dodgers opened up a seven-run can of whupass that buried the Giants:
Seven runs from the Dodgers in the top of the eleventh inning put this game away. The Dodgers earn a split from the first two of this series--meaningful, since the red-hot Padres trounced the Red Sox on Friday and Saturday, and are now five games over .500 (and 7.5 games behind the Dodgers).
Also meaningful:
- Will Smith (3-for-6, 3 RBI) looks like he might have emerged from his recent slump;
- the Dodgers' bottom of the order largely contributed to the victory today (which is aberrant, given they are in the bottom third batting in the majors this year), save the black hole batting ninth that is Cavan Biggio (0-for-2 with lame fielding) plus Kiké Hernandez (0-for-4 with a fielding error)--please get well soon Max Muncy!;
- and Shohei Ohtani hit his NL-leading 26th home run in the third inning.
The Dodgers go for the series victory tomorrow. LFG!
0 comments:
Post a Comment