Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Sometimes, you win a game. But sometimes the other guy loses one. On Saturday night, it was much more the latter in the Dodgers’ game against the Rockies. After the Rox got a solid start from Kyle Freeland, the bullpen literally threw it away, squandering a 4-1 lead with walk upon walk upon walk. The Dodgers tied up the game without the benefit of a hit in the 7th, and then got RBIs from Joey Gallo and Cody Bellinger in the 8th to provide the margin of victory. It wasn’t a pretty win on the field, but 6-4 in the scorebook looks pretty good from here.
Freeman closes in on batting title, drives in one in the 3rd
Freddie Freeman came into Saturday’s game with a narrow lead in the NL batting race. And with second place hitter Jeff McNeil of the Mets already having a two-hit night, Freddie had to get busy or get caught. After a first inning flyout, Freeman came up in the third with a plate appearance more to his liking — one with runners in scoring position. And as he has done so many times in this impressive season, Freeman came through.
After Mookie Betts got on base with a double, Freeman got his chance. On the first pitch he saw from Freeland, he ripped a bouncing single up the middle. By the time Jonathon Daza collected the ball, Betts had easily scored to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead.
Long balls hurt Grove’s night
Michael Grove had a good start, but his evening’s work was tarnished by a very rough inning in the top of the fourth. Ryan McMahon led off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. Then, back-to-back singles put a couple of ducks on the pond for Randall Grichuk. Grichuk, who sat out Friday’s game because of illness, came into this at-bat ready to hit. On a 2-2 pitch, Grove threw a slider on the outside of the plate, and Grichuk was all over it. He blasted the ball over Cody Bellinger’s head and into homer land. With one swing of the bat, the complexion of the game completely changed.
Trailing 4-1, Grove made it through one more inning, but after a comebacker banged off his leg and bounced to Freddie Freeman for an out, Grove’s night, and most likely his season, was over. He wasn’t spectacular, but he did yeoman’s work after the trade deadline when Mitch White was shipped to Toronto. His final stats for 2022: 7 appearances (6 starts), 1-0, 29 IP, 24 K, 4.60 ERA.
Dodgers walk their way to a tie
It was starting to look like it might not be the Dodgers’ night. The game went into the 7th inning with the team still trailing 4-1. But then, lawdy, we found out why the Rockies are a last place team. With reliever Dinelson Lamet the second pitcher out of the pen in relief of Freeland, the Dodgers got back into the game, with a whole lot of help. First, Lamet walked three guys to load up the bases. That was it for Lamet. But Bud Black‘s next choice to pitch, righty Chad Smith, fared no better. He walked both pinch hitter Joey Gallo and catcher Austin Barnes to gift the Dodgers two runs.
Then Cody Bellinger hit a fly ball to medium-deep centerfield for a sacrifice to score Trayce Thompson from third. So, without the benefit of a hit, the Dodgers had scored three runs to tie the game. The Dodgers loaded the bases again when Max Muncy walked (the sixth in the inning), but neither Gavin Lux nor Mookie Betts could bring anybody home. So the game went into the final two innings deadlocked at four runs apiece.
Trea and Freddie start game-winning rally
After the Walk-apalooza in the 7th, the Dodgers went back to more normal ways of scoring runs in the 8th. First, mad props to Evan Phillips, who was Evan Phillips again in the top of the frame. Then in the bottom of the inning, it was Trea Turner leading off for the home team. After just missing a home run in his previous at-bat, Turner ripped a single into left to get things started in the 9th. Freddie Freeman came up, and, natch, came through again. He pulled a single into the right field corner that allowed Trea to take third base. After Trayce Thompson got yet another walk (the Dodgers’ tenth on the night), Joey Gallo came up with the bases loaded.
Pitcher Gavin Hollowell was struggling to find the plate and fell behind Gallo 3-0. Gallo was taking all the way on a strike down the middle and then fouled one off to fill up the count. Then, goodness gracious, Joey Gallo put the ball in play. And, good things happen when you put the ball in play. His fly ball to centerfield was plenty deep to score the speedy Turner from third, and the Dodgers were on top 5-4. Cody Bellinger tacked on an insurance run with his third hit of the night, and RBI single to right, and the Dodgers went into the 9th inning improbably in the lead.
Graterol finishes off the win
Since Dave Roberts announced that Craig Kimbrel was no longer the closer, the bullpen has been fantastic. The whole team got shellacked on the 24 against the Cards, but it’s been nothing but zeroes otherwise. And Saturday was no different. This time it was Brusdar Graterol who did the honors, pitching a 1-2-3 9th inning to finish off this unlikely comeback.
Game 3 is a Sunday matinee
Though nobody is going anywhere, the Dodgers and Rockies play what would have been the final game of the season on Sunday afternoon. With four games to play, the Dodgers continue to tune up for the postseason. It will mark the beginning of the final run through the rotation on Sunday. Tyler Anderson gets the ball on Sunday. Tony Gonsolin‘s back on Monday, and then Julio and Kersh wrap up the season on Tuesday and Wednesday. And then we get to sit around and see who’s headed into town for the NLDS. Game time on Sunday is 1:10 PDT. Home stretch. Here. We. Go.
Cans of Corn…
- Dodgers now the 3rd NL team to hit the 110-win plateau. They have an outside chance to match the Yankees’ 114 in 1998.
- Saturday night’s game featured a pre-game ceremony honoring broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrin. Among the speakers were Fernando Valenzuela, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and actor Edward James Olmos.
- Remember when Dinelson Lamet was a such a scary pitcher for the Padres in 2020? He’s never been the same since that injury.
- Craig Kimbrel struggled with command again, walking two. Got bailed out by a double play.
- Not all sunshine in this one: Dodgers continue to struggle late in the season with RISP. 2-for-11 in this one, leaving 14 runners on base. Could have been a blowout.
- Random thought: of all the people in the world, why is Ozzy Osbourne the guy to urge me to cheer at Dodger Stadium?
- Freddie is now hitting .329. He’s six points ahead of Jeff McNeil. Good chance he’ll be the second straight Dodger to winning the batting crown.
