Ninth inning nightmare sinks Dodgers for second straight night

LOS ANGELES — Yes, he went around. We all know Darren Ruf went around. And when Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts came out of the dugout cursing a blue streak and throwing his hat, he spoke for all of us. But truth be told, it should have never gotten to this point. It should never have gotten to the point where a crappy call on a check swing would cost the Dodgers a chance at a victory. Instead of being just one game out, your Los Angeles Dodgers now trail the Giants by three full games, and just made life very difficult for themselves in the next two months. They lost to the Giants 5-3 and I would like nothing better than to just drown my sorrows in alcohol right now. Instead, I will tell you how this ugly mess transpired.

Dodgers and Giants trade runs in the first

For eight solid innings, looked like a repeat of Wednesday night’s ball game. The Dodgers got a great start from a top-end starter and scored just enough runs to win the ball game. They got one run in the first inning on a Justin Turner single that scored Chris Taylor to tie up the ball game after the Giants scored a run in the top of the first.

Smith is locked in

Then, in the fourth Will Smith hit a two-run bomb to put the Dodgers in the lead. It was Smith’s third home run and 13th RBI in the last seven games. And for a good long while, it looked like Smith’s blast was going to be the difference in the game.

Walker Buehler is on another level right now

With Walker Buehler on the mound and the Dodgers up 3-1, the Giants’ O was held in check all evening. And Walker had another knockout performance: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 9 K. And after Blake Treinen cleaned up a Darren Ruf single in the eighth, it looked like the Dodgers would come away with a series split.

Roberts calls on Jansen again

But it was not to be. Roberts thinking was that getting Kenley Jansen right back on the horse after Wednesday’s meltdown would be good for his confidence going forward. Not a bad thought. But, if you give the other team five outs, it’s hard for anybody to pick up a save.

The ninth started well enough. Jansen got a three-pitch strikeout against Mike Yastrzemski for the first out. But things started to go haywire after that. Wilmer Flores, the nemesis from Wednesday played only a bit part in the finale when he doinked a single off the end of the bat into center field. But, Jansen got a strikeout of Alex Dickerson for the second out of the inning and the Dodgers were within one out of the victory.

Solano double sets the table for SF

However, Donovan Solano hit a two-out double that moved Flores to third and suddenly the tying run was in scoring position. Okay, Kenley. Deep breath. A couple of shots to get that third out. First, he walked light-hitting rookie Jason Vosler. Not great, but not tragic, as it did set up a force out at second. But bases loaded with Kenley Jansen on the mound is a situation fraught with peril, especially given Jansen’s penchant for wildness.

Stretch, Sheldon, stretch!

However, it looked like Jansen might shut this thing down after all when he induced Thairo Estrada to hit a slow grounder to short. Sadly, everybody on the home team was way too nonchalant about the whole thing. Taylor didn’t charge the ball. And defensive replacement Sheldon Neuse at second didn’t stretch to meet Taylor’s throw. The result was a bang-bang play that was called out on the field, but reversed on appeal.

Hosed by the umps

One run scored on the play, and the Dodgers’ lead had been trimmed to 3-2. Still with the bases loaded, Darren Ruf came to the plate. He worked the count from Jansen full, fouling off a pitch along the way. Then, in the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Jansen sent a cutter Ruf’s way. The pitch was clearly out of the strike zone, but it appeared that Ruf had failed to check his swing. Will Smith quickly pointed to the first base umpire Ed Hickox for a ruling. Hickox, much to the dismay of practically everyone in Southern California, said that Ruf had held up, thus walking home the tying run.

Choice words from the skipper

That was it. Dave Roberts had had it. He barreled out of the dugout and attacked Hickox with a classic tirade, which promptly got himself thrown out of the game. With the game now tied and bench coach Bob Garen calling the shots, Jansen was left in there though he was over twenty-five pitches into his outing. The top of the order was up now, and pesky first baseman Lamonte Wade Jr. Wade laced the ball into right, and new Dodger Billy McKinney was unable to make a sliding catch. Two Giants scored.

Ugh

And that is where it stayed. 5-3 Dodgers loss. Which means they lost three out of four at home to the Giants. Not great. Colorado comes in this weekend. Somebody gonna get a hurt real bad.