For all the criticism the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has taken this season and in recent years, the unit was key to a comeback win on Sunday that prevented the Arizona Diamondbacks from completing a four-game series sweep at Chase Field.
With the Dodgers essentially using Ross Stripling as an opener of sorts, manager Dave Roberts then used eight different relief pitchers to earn the 4-3 win in 11 innings. His hand was forced in some regard when Dustin May was struck in the head by a line drive.
May took over at the start of the fourth and presumably would have logged multiple innings if not for the scary incident. Fortunately for May and the Dodgers, all appears to be well.
May allowed two runs before his exit, and had a third charged to him when Adam Kolarek gave up an RBI single. After that, Caleb Ferguson, Dylan Floro, Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Casey Sadler and Pedro Baez combined for seven scoreless innings.
Roberts initially intended to avoid using Baez, but said he received word from the right-hander he was capable and prepared to pitch, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“He called down. I was trying to stay away from him, three in a row. Those leverage spots, for his ability to continue to make pitches … he’s got a lot of confidence.”
With Jansen appearing in the eighth inning and succeeding at keeping the Dodgers’ deficit to just one run, and Kelly and Sadler used in the two ensuing innings, Baez was needed for the save.
He fell behind in the count to two of the three batters faced but set the Diamondbacks down in order. Baez’s changeup was particularly effective as he used it to hit the outside corner against Ketel Marte.
Sunday marked a second time this season Baez appeared in three consecutive games, and it was Baez’s fourth time pitching in a five-day stretch. Most surprising was the save was the first of his career.
