Smith comes up clutch again in Dodger victory

LOS ANGELES — Will Smith is certainly developing a flair for the dramatic. Once again, for about the hundred and twenty-seventh time this summer, the Dodger catcher came up to the plate late in the game in a position to make a difference. And that is just what he did on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. His two-run single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth put the Dodgers in the lead, and they never looked back, going on to put away the Colorado Rockies by a score of 5-2.

Knebel first out of the chute for Dodgers

Hey, how about another modified bullpen game? Originally scheduled to be a straight David Price start, Dave Roberts switched it up earlier in the afternoon when he saw the righty-heavy top of the Rockies’ Saturday night batting order. So, instead, Corey Knebel got the call to pitch the first inning. And he did so effectively. In fact, Knebel went through the first five hitters with no problem, aided by a 1-6-3 double play. Good start for Dave Robert’s strategy.

Price gets the bulk assignment

David Price came in with two down in the top of the second inning, hoping to take the Dodgers deep into the game. His first couple of innings were a little light on control, as Price allowed the lead-off man to reach base in each of the next two innings, and in each case it resulted in a Rockies’ run. In the third, on a Connor Joe sac fly, and in the fourth, on a run-scoring ground out. Price seemed to settle down after that, and went through the next several hitters without incident. Still, Dave Roberts had a pretty early hook for Price in this one, pulling him with one out in the top of the sixth. It was perhaps a sign of how much he couldn’t afford to let things ride on a pitcher who didn’t have his best stuff. Price’s final line for the night: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 K.

Dodgers get a lot of early baserunners, but only one run

Twice in the first three innings, the Dodgers loaded up the bases, mostly on walks from starter Jon Gray. However, the Dodgers failed to get any base hits in those situations, and had to settle for just one run on a Justin Turner double play ball in the third. Still, there were a lot more ducks out on the pond that could have given the Dodgers an early cushion. Not a great start for an offense that is currently struggling to get key hits.

Taylor blast ties the score

The Dodgers managed to tie things up, though, in the bottom of the fourth. An inning earlier, Jon Gray had to be removed from the game after what looked like some kind of injury to his pitching arm, which meant that the Dodgers got into the somewhat sketchy Colorado bullpen a lot earlier than expected. So, in the fourth inning, it was reliever Tyler Kinley who faced the Dodgers’ hitters. With one out in the inning, Chris Taylor walloped a Kinley four-seamer down the left field line. It looked at first like it would go foul, but by the time it reached the fence it had sliced back into fair territory and landed among the paying customers for a solo home run.

Bullpens keep things tight

For the next three innings, it was nothing but zeroes on the scoreboard for both sides. In relief of David Price, Phil Bickford, Justin Bruihl, and Blake Treinen were perfect through the sixth, seventh, and eighth. On the Rockies’ side of the ledger, it was Yency Almonte and Joulys Chacin who got the job done. The game went into the bottom of the eighth still tied at 2-2.

Muncy gets things started in the eighth

Max Muncy, who’s been struggling, mightily of late, led off the eighth with a wounded duck that he hit out to left field. The ball fell in front of Connor Joe, and the Dodgers had a runner on with nobody out. After Muncy’s single, Mookie Betts and Justin Turner both walked off of Daniel Bard, who has been recently demoted from a closer’s role.

Will Smith!

Bard couldn’t have been happy to see the next hitter step to the plate: the Dodgers’ own “Mr. August”, Will Smith. It seems like time and time again over this last little stretch of games, it’s always been Smith at the plate with a chance to make an impact late in the game. And, wouldn’t you know it, he came through once again. After a very good at bat against Bard, Smith finally got a pitch that he was able to handle, a piece of center-cut cheese. He ripped it sharply to left, scoring both Muncy and Betts to put the Dodgers up 4-2.

Pollo with the insurance

After a pitching change, AJ Pollock came of the bench to pinch hit, and went oppo for another run scoring single. Though Will Smith was thrown out at third to end the inning, Justin Turner crossed the plate before the out was recorded, thus scoring the Dodgers’ fifth run of the game.

Lights out from Kenley

Kenley Jansen came in for the ninth, and he was on top of his game. The big man recorded three quick outs on the heart of the Rockies’ batting order, making the 3, 4, and 5 hitters look completely overmatched. When CJ Cron flew out to shallow center to end the game, Jansen accepted the well-deserved pats on the back from his teammates, recording his seventh save this month. After a rough July, Kenley looks like his old self again heading into September.

Series wraps up with Sunday matinee

It will be another mystery starter for the Dodgers on Sunday as the series against the Rockies wraps up at 1:10 pm. And then, after that game, the Dodgers will head into a week that could very well decide their playoff seeding in October. First, three games with the East Division leaders, the Atlanta Braves. Then after an off-day on Thursday, it’s the final three games against the Giants up at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Fasten those seat belts!