Dodgers Use Late Game Heroics in Win Over the Marlins
The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their six-game homestand, welcoming the Miami Marlins Monday night. After being shut out this past Friday night in their series-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Dodgers dominated in the next two games in that series, outscoring the Pirates 17-6. The Marlins were coming off a series loss to the Seattle Mariners. Dustin May took the ball for the Dodgers, looking to bounce back after the worst statistical start of his career.
After a clean top of the first from May, the Dodgers jumped quickly on Edward Cabrera. Shohei Ohtani led off with a base hit and quickly stole second. Looking to get on the board quickly, Freddie Freeman laced an RBI single to put the team up 1-0 in a flash. That was all the offense produced. Nonetheless, it was an early lead for May.
With May pitching three clean innings, it was time for the offense to produce and add insurance runs. The bottom of the third looked to be a huge inning for the Dodgers, with two walks and a single loading up the bases. In stepped Mookie Betts, who had been struggling mightily prior to the plate appearance, having just one hit in his last 13 appearances. Betts erased those struggles with an RBI knock as each runner moved up a base, pushing the Dodgers out to a 2-0 lead. Primed with the opportunity to blow open the game with nobody out, the Dodgers failed to scratch another run across to close out the inning.
The bottom of the lineup continued its success, with Miguel Rojas getting his second hit of the night on an RBI double. The Marlins made solid contact throughout the early innings, but May induced double plays in consecutive innings to halt any momentum. The Dodgers added two more runs in the fifth inning off a Teoscar Hernandez home run, which, in fact, was his 201st home run of his career. It seemed as though the Dodgers were cruising to another decisive victory until the tide shifted in the blink of an eye.
The Marlins entered the top of the sixth inning down four, with the first two reaching base. That would be it for May, as Anthony Banda came in for relief. What happened later in the inning took this game on a rollercoaster ride, with Miami loading the bases and bringing in pinch hitter Dane Myers, who connected on a pinch-hit grand slam to tie the ball game up. With May responsible for the first two runners of the inning, his final stat line consisted of 5.1 innings pitched, five hits allowed, three runs allowed, three walks issued, and three strikeouts. It was a strong start for May with a sour ending.
Both bullpens shut it down over the next few innings. The game ultimately headed into extra innings, and the Marlins took full advantage of the opportunity, taking the lead in the tenth inning. It wasn’t until the Dodgers got their chance in extras as Tommy Edman, who didn’t even start the game, came up with the late game heroics, knocking two runners home to walk it off, grabbing the series-opening win and the Dodgers’ third walk-off win of the season. For Los Angeles, it is yet to be determined who will take the mound in tomorrow’s game, but for Miami, Sandy Alcantara will get the starting nod.
