The Los Angeles Dodgers fell well off their neck-breaking home run pace set on Opening Day but broke a new record, albeit in a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 13 innings. At six hours and five minutes, it marked the longest regular-season home game in Dodgers history. The Dodgers and New York Mets went five hours and 42 minutes in 19 innings on May 24, 1973.
Before the bullpen faltered, the night belonged to A.J. Pollock, who was a thorn in the side of his former teammates by going 4-for-6 with three RBI. Pollock finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and also reached safely in his first five plate appearances, one of which was a walk.
He broke a scoreless tie in the second inning with a solo home run to left field. Though Robbie Ray managed to limit the number of hits allowed, his lack of command put plenty of traffic on the bases.
Ray walked the bases loaded in the third inning, which led to Pollock driving in a pair on a two-out single. In an approach that’s been omnipresent the past two seasons, the Dodgers were patient and forced Ray deep into accounts.
He still managed to strike out nine and get through five innings despite throwing 102 pitches. Ray benefitted from Kiké Hernandez hooking a would-be three-run home run just foul, then striking out on the next pitch to end the fourth.
Excluding Pollock reaching safely in each of his three plate appearances, the Dodgers were a combined 1-for-14 against Ray.
Meanwhile, Ross Stripling wasn’t overly sharp himself, but induced enough soft contact and recorded timely outs to get through 5.1 shutout innings.
The baton was handed off to Scott Alexander, who finished out the sixth by retiring both batters faced. Pedro Baez was the victim of some bad luck as a third strike went to the backstop, allowing Nick Ahmed to keep the seventh inning alive. A walk followed, and Baez somewhat peculiarly was removed.
Joe Kelly’s Dodgers debut came in a high-leverage situation and one that saw him surrender a game-tying home run to pinch-hitter Christian Walker. The homer was Walker’s second in as many games this season.
After Corey Seager bailed Kelly out with a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the seventh, the right-hander allowed the Diamondbacks to again tie the game as a base hit and double led to an intentional walk.
The Dodgers nearly turned an inning-ending double play, but Ketel Marte beat the throw to first base and that allowed the tying run to score.
After the Dodgers squandered multiple opportunities, the Diamondbacks broke through in the 13th. A walk that appeared to be a result of a shrinking strike zone ultimately cost Yimi Garcia when Carson Kelly blooped a game-winning RBI double into shallow right field.
