Roger Arrieta
LOS ANGELES—The story line for the 2-game series opener against the Asterisks on Saturday reads; ok, really good, good, good, good, good, good, still ok, AWFUL. The Dodgers watched their all-time saves leader fall apart in the ninth inning and give up five runs which led to a gut-wrenching 7-5 loss.
The end of the game spoiled a quality outing from Dodgers’ starting pitcher Julio Urías who only allowed one run and three hits in 6.0 innings of work. Los Angeles led 5-1 heading into the eighth but the Astros were able to get one back in the top of the inning and then surprised everyone by scoring five runs in the ninth to win the opener.
The loss is the first for the Dodgers in three games against the Astros this season. LA is now 32-14 for the year while the Asterisks continue their mediocre season and finally reach .500 at 23-23.
GAME RECAP: Urías was able to shake off another slow start as he allowed his only run in the first on a pair of weakly hit base knocks. After the first, he settled down and retired nine of the next 12 batters. Urías didn’t allow a runner past first until the sixth and only gave up a lone single in his final inning.
The Dodgers took control of the game in the second on a pair of homers from the No. 7 and No.8 hitters in the order. Chris Taylor went “oppo” when he launched a 2-run long ball to right field off of Asterisks’ starter Framber Valdez. Will Smith scored ahead of Taylor after he came through with a 1-out single to left field. Kiké Hernández followed Taylor’s dinger with a yard shot of his own on the very next pitch. Hernández also went opposite field as he cleared the wall with his fifth homer of the year.
Los Angeles expanded its lead to four runs with single scores in the third and fifth frames. A.J. Pollock was responsible for the RBI in the third when he lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Corey Seager after Seager had tripled off the wall in center field. Seager then came through with the RBI in the fifth. He pushed a 2-out, 1-1 sinker into left field that scored Mookie Betts. Betts started the 2-out rally when he earned a 5-pitch walk and then went to second on a wild pitch.
Things continued to progress with the Dodgers holding the 4-run lead and Urías shutting down the non-cheating offense. Urías left after the sixth and then Pedro Baez, who hadn’t pitched since Aug. 19, pitched a scoreless seventh. Blake Treinen took the baton and gave up a single run on two hits in the eighth.
The game fell off the cliff when Kenley Jansen entered with a 3-run lead. He gave up four straight hits to start the nightmare, didn’t record an out in his appearance and allowed the Astros to score five runs. Adam Kolarek was forced to come on and rescue Jansen. He got all three outs in the frame on three straight batters.
LA had a couple of chances to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Cody Bellinger led off the frame with a single but Taylor grounded into a double play. Joc Pederson then doubled to the left-center gap but Gavin Lux ended the game when he struck out swinging.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
HE SAID IT: “Just a nightmare. Just making pitches and then can’t put them away. Today was just a nightmare.”—Kenley Jansen on the ninth inning.
OBSCURE STATS OF THE NIGHT: The Dodgers are now 25-3 when they lead after eight innings and 28-7 when they score at least four runs in a game.
HIT STUFF: The Dodgers were outhit 11-10 in the opener. LA had 8-4 edge entering the eighth but then the wheels fell off the victory cart. It is only the third loss all season when Los Angeles puts up at least 10 hits in a game.
SST: Seager, Smith and Taylor were the only Dodgers with more than one hit in the game. Seager upped his hit streak and is now hitting a team-best .314 for the year. Smith has been red hot lately and has a 4-game hit streak. He went 2-for-4 and is now hitting a season-high .292. Taylor was also 2-for-4 and has a .266 average.
SMITHTEMBER: Smith has really stepped up in the batter’s box in the month of September. He has raised his average 84 points over the last two weeks (.208 to .292). Smith has a .458 (11-for-24) this month, which is the best in baseball among players with at least 20 at-bats in September.
ON DECK: The Dodgers will look to even the series and take 3-of-4 from the Asterisks when they play the nationally-televised finale on Sunday at 5:07 p.m. It will be a “bullpen” game for LA as they will use all relievers throughout the game. The Asterisks will trot out former Dodger Zack Greinke. Greinke is 3-1 on the year with a 3.31 ERA. The game will feature an interesting match-up for Greinke. He has only faced Betts twice in his career and both times Betts took him deep.
