More Extra-inning woes for Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Yes, the Dodgers played extra innings on Friday, and yes, they lost again, but that really isn’t the big story. The big story is how absolutely abysmal they have been hitting with runners in scoring position lately. This game shouldn’t have ever gone into extras. But your Los Angeles Dodgers were 2-for-12 with RISP, and left eleven men on base. And, what should have been a feel-good story about a strong start from David Price, instead turns into wailing and gnashing of teeth for this 4-3 loss to the Angels in ten innings.

Price on the money in his start

For the first six innings of the game, it was two starters pitching impressive games. David Price pitched for the Dodgers, and with a rested bullpen it could have been a bullpen game, but not the way Price was dealing on Friday. Flooding the zone with first pitch strikes, the former Cy Young winner induced a lot of contact early in counts, most of it for harmless outs. He did, however, get nicked for a couple of runs on two solo shots, one from Jose Iglesias in the fifth, and another from Jack Mayfield in the sixth. Other than that, Price was fantastic: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 K.

Dodgers set the table in the first, but have to settle for one

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval wasn’t nearly as effective or efficient as Price, which led to more Dodger baserunner, and sadly more frustration with runners in scoring position. The pattern started early; after a Mookie Betts single and a Justin Turner double in the first, the Dodgers had runners on second and third with nobody out. And, though they scored one on a slow grounder from Tio Albert, they didn’t get anything else.

Betts drives in a run, but exits early

The Dodgers got one more run in the fourth inning on a couple of two-out hits. First, AJ Pollock drew a one-out walk. Then, after an Austin Barnes flyout, pitcher David Price smoked a single to right (yes, you read that correctly). Finally, Mookie Betts hit his second seeing-eye single of the game, and Pollock scampered home to score the Dodgers second run. One thing that we’re going to need to watch going forward is the fact that Betts came up a little gimpy rounding second in the first inning, and was pulled from the game after his third at-bat. Hopefully, a little rest and he’ll be good to go on Saturday.

Dodgers pen delivers 3.2 shutout innings

When the game was turned over to the bullpen, it was more of the same. The Dodgers threatened a couple of times, but did not score. The LA bullpen, however, was perfect through regulation, giving up no hits, no runs and only two walks. And away we went into extra innings.

Halos score two in tenth

It was Garrett Cleavinger who was given the thankless task of pitching the tenth with the bogus ghost runner starting on second (God, how I hate that rule!). And of course, on the second pitch of the inning, Jose Iglesias doubled home the Angels’ third run of the game. After an intentional walk to Shohei Ohtani and a ground out that move the runners over, Cleavinger was lifted for Brusdar Graterol. Jack Mayfield was the next batter, and he hit what normally would have been a routine pop fly over second. Instead, with the infield pulled in, Max Muncy was unable to come up with the ball, though he got good leather on it.

Now it was 4-2 Angels, but the Halos still had runners at the corners. They tried a delayed double steal on the next plate appearance, but the Dodgers played it perfectly and Albert Pujols gunned down Ohtani at the plate. David Fletcher grounded weakly back to Graterol to end the inning, but the damage had already been done.

Dodgers fall just short in their half

Trailing 4-2, the Dodgers had their work cut out for them in the bottom of the tenth. Justin Turner started the inning at second and was quickly moved to third on a Max Muncy single. Then, after an Albert Pujols strikeout, Corey Seager came up to bat. He gave one a ride, but got under it a little and the ball died on the right centerfield warning track Still, Turner was able to score from third, so the sac fly made it 4-3. Chris Taylor then hit a single over the head of second baseman David Fletcher and suddenly the table was set once again.

AJ Pollock came up as the Dodgers’ last hope for the night. And he gave it his all, battling in a seven-pitch at-bat against Angels’ closer Raisel Iglesias. In the end though, Pollo hit a ground ball to third baseman Jack Mayfield, and he just beat the sliding Muncy to the bag. Game over. Another extra-inning disappointment.

No change to standings

And this one was especially disappointing because earlier in the evening, the Giants had lost, so a prime opportunity to gain a game in the standings was squandered. These two teams go back at it on Saturday night, and the Dodgers will try to find a few more clutch hits in their gym bags. Julio Urias takes to the mound for the Dodgers, going for his fourteenth win of the year.