A day that began in celebration for the Los Angeles Dodgers with the unveiling of the 2020 MLB All-Star Game logo, ended in disappointment and a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Dodgers have now dropped all three Freeway Series games this season.
Four days removed from appearing out of the bullpen because his start at Citizens Bank Park was cut short due to rain, Kenta Maeda labored as he failed to get through five innings. Despite a high pitch count early, Maeda did manage to limit the Angels to just one run.
However, that changed in the fifth inning, beginning with Mike Trout’s solo home run that reached the loge level down the left-field line. Trout’s majestic blast was amplified by his throwing out Max Muncy at home plate in the second inning.
Justin Upton followed with a screaming double off the wall, and that marked the end of the night for Maeda. Julio Urias couldn’t get the Dodgers out of the jam without allowing two more runs to score.
The deficit proved too much for the Dodgers to overcome as the Angels pieced the game together after using an opener for just one inning.
After leading off the fourth with a single, Cody Bellinger tagged on a fly ball to shallow left field to score what was the tying run at the time. L.A. loaded the bases in the sixth inning and while they pushed across two runs, squandered opportunities.
After Joc Pederson’s RBI infield single cut the Dodgers’ deficit to one run, Albert Pujols made a diving stop for a fielder’s choice at the plate and David Fletcher took a groundball to third base to end the inning.
Spotted some insurance thanks to Kole Calhoun’s leadoff home run against Yimi Garcia in the seventh, Ty Buttrey returned to the mound and worked around A.J. Pollock’s infield single that was accompanied with a throwing error.
Justin Turner walked with one out in the bottom of the ninth and it was followed by a Bellinger double. Muncy’s sacrifice fly pulled the Dodgers back to within a run, but the game ended with Calhoun throwing out Bellinger at home plate on Kiké Hernandez’s base hit.
