The Los Angeles Dodgers endured a sloppy day defensively but mustered enough offense and benefitted from Arizona Diamondbacks miscues to split the doubleheader at Dodger Stadium behind a 6-5 comeback win in the afternoon affair.
Trayce Thompson’s sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the first inning but that was all they could manage against Zach Davies despite working his pitch count. L.A. had at least one baserunner in each of the first seven innings, yet trailed 5-1 when the bottom of the eighth began.
Their comeback started with a Miguel Vargas leadoff single that was followed by a two-run home run from Austin Barnes. Hanser Alberto reached on an error, and Freddie Freeman and Justin Turner both walked to load the bases with nobody out.
Will Smith pinch-hit for Joey Gallo and dropped a blooper into center field to bring home a run. Thompson’s RBI infield single tied the game, and Vargas later added to Josh Rojas’ troubles by getting a grounder by him for another hit that didn’t leave the infield.
Call it a comeback. pic.twitter.com/H605xTuELr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2022
Vargas’ second hit of the inning wound up scoring what held as the game-winning run. The multi-hit game was Vargas’ first of his career.
“Big ABs for Vargie there. Obviously he’s had an outstanding year and a lot of clout behind him,” said Turner, who went 3-for-4 with a walk in the win.
“One thing you’ve got to recognize is when you go from playing every day in the Minor Leagues to coming up and being put in a new role or position, that’s one of the hardest things in all of sports to do, playing once a week or pinch-hitting. He’s been great.
“He’s been positive, he’s getting his work in. When you’re prepared and you have an opportunity, good things happen.”
Dodgers set season high in errors
Although the Dodgers managed to overcome their defensive lapses in the first game of the split doubleheader, they repeat that to compensate for committing a season-high four errors in a 5-2 loss.
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