Steve Webb
ARLINGTON, TX — It was a tie ballgame at that point. 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Then, rookie centerfielder Jonny DeLuca made back-to-back amazing plays that completely deflated the Texas Rangers, and completely pumped up the visiting Dodgers. From that point on, it was pretty much all Dodgers, as Los Angeles outscored the home team 7-1 in the final four frames to coast to a convincing 11-5 victory over the division-leading Rangers on Friday night.
Up to that point, it had been a tight, back-and-forth affair. Tony Gonsolin surrendered a two-run homer to Nathaniel Lowe in the bottom of the first and the Ranger were out to a quick lead. However, a nice rally in the third put the Dodgers on top 3-2, with Freddie Freeman and J.D. Martinez delivering key hits in the inning. However, Gonsolin was a bit wild in this one and loaded up the bases in the fourth with a couple of walks sandwiched around and Adolis Garcia double. Back-to-back sacrifice flies gave the Rangers a 4-3 advantage before Gonsolin was able to wriggle off the hook. Then, in the top of the fifth, Freddie Freeman blasted a solo shot to centerfield and the score was tied again, setting the stage for DeLuca’s heroics.
After Gonsolin got a strikeout for his first out of the fifth, it was time for the Jonny DeLuca show. In the first play, centerfielder Leody Tavares hit a ball that looked like a double off the bat, a screamer headed for the gap in left center. But DeLuca in center committed to the catch at the crack of the bat and dived to his right laying out for the ball and making a spectacular catch. Then, three pitches later, Marcus Semien made a bid for a home run to center, but this too was snatched out of the air, by DeLuca, high over the fence, bringing the ball back from its destination to the Dodger bullpen. They were as good as you’re likely to ever see on back-to-back plays in the outfield.
“The first one, I was very surprised I caught [it],” Deluca said after the game. “I just ran as hard as I could, and then [gave it] a courtesy dive and it ended up going in my glove. I feel like the second one, I almost made it a little harder than it needed to be. … But it was fun. The play was pretty good.”
Corey Seager hit a home run in the next inning to give the Rangers a temporary lead, but it was all Dodgers after that. A couple of cheap runs came in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk and an RBI ground. Then in the eighth, the Dodgers plated three more runs on a Will Smith double and an RBI single from J.D. Martinez. Finally, two more bits of insurance were added in the 9th when Max Muncy and Mookie Betts both doubled, Muncy to start the rally, and Betts to drive in a pair to give the Dodgers their final margin of victory.
Justin Bruihl pitched the bottom of the ninth to finish off the Rangers and that was that. Now assured of a winning road trip, the Dodgers go for a third straight series win on the road with another game with the Rangers on Saturday evening in Texas. Bobby Miller will see how his stuff plays against this potent Texas lineup. He toes the rubber against the Rangers’ Dane Dunning, who’s been Texas’s best starter this year. He enters the game with an 8-2 record and a nifty 2.82 ERA. Should be a good test for the Dodgers’ hitters. Game time is 1:05 PDT here on the West Coast. Let’s go!
