The Dodgers this year are such a good team. The contributions come in all forms: come-from-behind bombs by Mookie Betts, sturdy singles from Freddie Freeman, reliable relief from Evan Phillips or spectacular defense by Kiké Hernàndez. Last night, we got to see all those in one game, even though we had no starting pitcher.
As is his wont, Mookie reached base in the 1st with a bloop single that dropped right in the middle of the Giants’ infield and outfield. Two batters later, Freeman knocked him in with one of those solid base hits to right field. Dodgers draw first blood, 1-0.
Next inning, our second of five pitchers, Ryan Yarbrough, started his 4.1-inning stint by giving up a double to Wilmer Flores, who would go on to score on a base hit by Nick Ahmed. Giants tie it up, 1-1.
Yarbrough began the next inning by dealing another double, this time to Matt Chapman, who later came home on a single by Michael Conforto. The Giants take the lead, 2-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Kiké flied out to center field, and then Mookie — the Mini-Monster — stroked his 1,500th career hit into the Left Field Pavilion, tying it up, 2-2.
Well, just as the first 3 innings belonged to the top of our order, the 4th was all about the bottom. Max Muncy doubled a screamer down the first-base line and Téoscar Hernàndez walked, setting up James Outman to be a hero. Unfortunately, Giants first baseman Flores had other ideas. He snagged a line drive that would surely have been at least a two-run double, and Outman licked his wounds all the way back to the dugout. But! Gavin Lux — whose bat has been dismally silent since he came back after taking last year off for injuries — came through with a double to center that was surely spurred by his anger over two very unfair strike calls he had just received from the home-plate ump. He scored what would prove to be the winning run on a single by Kiké.
In the 6th, Yarbrough started pooping out. He left the game after giving up a homer and two base hits, bringing the Giants to the brink of taking the lead. With the tying run on first, the bulldog Alex Vesia came in to shut the threat down. Dodgers 5, Giants 4. That’s how it stayed. Although Phillips put the tying run on base again with two outs in the 9th, he then struck out Chapman on three pitches to secure his third save of the year so far.
So, we’re atop the standings in the NL West, and we have already won the series from the Giants. Tonight, it’s hooded sweatshirts for everybody!
MY SCORECARDS
Game 8: LAD 5-SF 4
Piewalla's Dodger Blues 