The Los Angeles Dodgers punctuated an 8-1 homestand Thursday by completing a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks before heading out on the road to face the San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros.
It’s the first time the Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks in a four-game series at Dodger Stadium since 2004. The night was also memorable on a personal level for Albert Pujols, as he hit his first home run since signing with the Dodgers.
Pujols joined Shea Hillenbrand (2007) and Tim Wallach (1996) as the only players in MLB history to hit a home run with both the Dodgers and L.A. Angels in the same season.
Furthermore, he’s now one of four Dodgers to homer at 41 years of age or older. The group also includes Rickey Henderson (44 years old; twice in 2003), Babe Herman (42; 1945) and Curt Davis (41; 1945).
.@PujolsFive goes oppo for his first home run as a Dodger. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/eNgCM8Xu2T
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 21, 2021
One pitch was all Will Smith needed. pic.twitter.com/dJG94RIBup
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 21, 2021
The Dodgers bullpen upheld Pujols’ two-run blast until Joe Kelly surrendered a game-tying home run to Eduardo Escobar in the sixth inning. L.A. had the go-ahead run reach with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Max Muncy was caught napping and picked off after his single.
It left Will Smith to leadoff the bottom of the seventh inning and he didn’t waste any time. Smith ambushed Merrill Kelly and hit the first pitch he saw for what ended up being a game-winning home run.
Smith breaking the 2-2 tie also was notable in that it came on the same night as Pujols — his childhood idol — also going deep.
The following inning, Smith became just the second catcher to ever throw out former teammate Tim Locastro on a stolen base attempt. It ended the eighth inning and prevented the Diamondbacks from having an at-bat with the go-ahead run at the plate.
Dodgers bullpen
A bullpen game again went well for L.A., beginning with David Price tossing two scoreless innings as the opener. He was followed by Jimmy Nelson, who struck out five and retired all six batters faced.
Alex Vesia also worked a scoreless inning, and Victor Gonzalez and Blake Treinen were similarly impressive. The 3-2 win was finished off by Kenley Jansen appearing for a third time in four days for the first time this season.
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