Friday, August 30, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
On a Friday night where the Dodger bullpen had to cover eight innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a five-game lead over both the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Clayton Kershaw left in the second with a sore left big toe. The Dodger bullpen was marvelous. Joe Kelly and Anthony Banda were the only relievers who allowed runs. Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Shohei Ohtani homered. The Dodgers inched out the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-to-9 at Chase Field.
Freddie Freeman returned to the lineup, but his finger would be broken until the end of the postseason. The three-game rest allowed him to have a mental reset. The last month had been hard for Freeman with his son hospitalized and was on a vent and having his best friend Jason Heyward released by the Dodgers. Now, Heyward is a Houston Astro.
Shohei Ohtani doubled to start the first. Mookie Betts’ grounder advanced Ohtani to third. Freddie Freeman blasted a two-run homer. Gavin Lux doubled.
For the first time since the playoff debacle, Clayton Kershaw faced the Arizona Diamondbacks. He allowed a double to begin the first. He issued a walk. He allowed a run-scoring single. He hit a batter to load the bases with an out. On a sacrifice fly scored the tying run, but the Diamondbacks ran themselves into an inning-ending double play.
Max Muncy singled to begin the second. Tommy Edman singled moving Muncy to second. Miguel Rojas singled in Muncy and moving Edman to third. Ohtani’s elbow was hit to load the bases. Betts’ sacrifice fly scored Edman. Ohtani stole second, his 43rd. Freeman’s grounder scored Rojas and moved Ohtani to third.
Kershaw allowed a solo home run to start the second. Kershaw is leaving with an injury.
Joe Kelly relieved Kershaw. He gave up a single. With two outs, Kelly hit Joc Pederson, a former Dodger. He escaped the inning.
Kershaw had a left toe hurting.
The Dodgers didn’t score in the third despite a walk to Will Smith.
Kelly allowed two runs in the third.
Alex Vesia relieved Kelly with two outs in the third with a fly out.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the fourth.
Vesia continued pitching in the fourth, and he had a perfect inning.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the fifth.
Ryan Brasier relieved Vesia in the fifth. He gave up bunt single, but the runner was erased on a double play. He got out of the fifth by facing the minimum.
To open the sixth, Muncy doubled and advanced to third on Rojas’ grounder. Muncy scored on a wild pitch.
Michael Kopech relieved Brasier in the sixth. He allowed a single to begin the sixth and issued a walk. He escaped from the jam scorelessly.
Betts walked to begin the seventh and stole second. Teoscar Hernández intentionally walked. Kiké Hernández’s fly out advanced Betts to third. Teoscar Hernández stole second. Will Smith socked a three-run homer.
Daniel Hudson relieved Kopech in the seventh. He was perfect.
With two outs in the eighth, Ohtani blasted his 43rd home run of the season. He is the first player to have 43 stolen bases and 43 home runs in major league history.
Blake Treinen relieved Hudson in the eighth. He allowed a double to begin in the inning and uncorked a wild pitch moving the runner to third, but Treinen escaped out of the eighth.
With an out in the ninth, Teoscar Hernández doubled, but the Dodgers stranded him.
Anthony Banda relieved Treinen in the ninth. Banda allowed a lead-off single to Pederson. He gave up another single that moved the runner to second and uncorked a wild pitch to advance runners. He allowed a two-run single. He gave up a three-run homer.
Banda finally preserved the win.
