That game shouldn’t have been that close, but the Dodgers will take it. After a few late hiccups by the bullpen, the Dodgers got a break on a game-ending double play to seal a narrow victory.
Julio Urias was the star on the mound, as he threw six innings, didn’t allow a run, walked only one, and had five strikeouts. It was a dominant effort by Urias in a game that got rather close towards the end. Giving the Dodgers six innings was crucial in eating some innings for the bullpen as well as garnering that confidence back.
The Dodger offense, although stagnant at times, had a plethora of clutch hits this game. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts combined to go 5-9 with three RBI and scored a run each to lead the lineup in hitting. That is now 47 multi hit games for Freddie, 3 hits Tuesday night and in his last 9 games, has a .528 batting average with, 8 extra base hits and 8 RBI.
With Urias giving the bullpen some relief by going six innings, you would think the baton would be passed along in an easy Dodger win. That would be wrong, as the Diamondbacks mounted a late comeback against the Dodger bullpen to put the tying run at first and the winning run at the plate.
Evan Phillips just did not have his same lethal pitch mix, as he gave up two runs in the ninth to make it a one-run game. His pitches lacked movement and conviction, as the young and talented Diamondbacks rolled the lineup over to give themselves a chance. In a weird final play, rookie Corbin Carroll grounded into a game-ending double play to Freddie Freeman that he initially thought was foul, which led him to stop running out of the box. Freeman then easily turned the double play as Carroll and the Diamondbacks were left in shock to give the Dodgers the 5-4 victory.
The Dodgers are now 66-46 and five games up in the National League West due to a Giants loss Tuesday night.
Here are my three takeaways:
Julio Urias Has Thrown 14 Consecutive Scoreless Innings
After an inauspicious start to the second half of the season for the usual dominant Julio Urias, he has settled down and given the Dodgers two consecutive scoreless outings. This is where the nickname “Second Half Julio” was birthed as before this season, Urias had held one of the best second-half stat lines in MLB history. Now, we are starting to see him round into that form once again, as his pitching arsenal looked crisp and with conviction and bite. He easily made his way up and down the Arizona lineup and it seems he has gotten the swagger back that we have seen in years past.
David Peralta Robs A Home Run From His Former Team
In the bottom of the fifth, David Peralta got back at his former team in a big way. He leaped up over the wall and robbed Carson Kelly of a home run to keep the Dodgers in the lead and help Julio Urias’ scoreless outing. For a veteran that many skeptics said had lost a step and might be washed, Peralta has been an incredible pickup on both sides of the field. We all know about his clutch bat and solid approach, but his defense is very underrated and could help the Dodgers win some games in September and October.
Dodgers Sign 19 Year Old Korean Pitcher
In somewhat shocking news, the Dodgers have signed Hyun-suk Jang, who will forgo the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) draft in order to pursue a career in the MLB. He signed a $900,000 contract to avoid being selected to the KBO and give the Dodgers a potent young arm to develop and have in the rotation in the future. His fastball reaches the mid 90’s and above already and with the Dodgers pitching experts within the organization, Jang could end up developing into a coveted young asset. He said, “It is an honor to join such a prestigious team as the Dodgers. I will work hard to develop as a player & repay their faith in choosing me.”
The Dodgers wrap up this short 2-game series as Bobby Miller takes the mound for the Dodgers against Merrill Kelly for Arizona. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
