The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a series win over the Houston Astros in a wild game with three home runs, a four-run comeback and go-ahead balk.
Mookie Betts nearly made the score 1-0 with a leadoff homer for the second consecutive game, but Corey Julks robbed him with a leaping catch at the wall in left field.
Instead, it was Will Smith who started the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. It was the Smith’s 11th homer of the season as he makes his case to start for the National League in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game.
Jason Heyward continued his resurgent season when he hit his eighth home run, a two-run shot that put L.A. up 3-0 before fans were even settled into their seats.
Will and Jason homer? Houston, we have liftoff! pic.twitter.com/gvGFoZQO7Q
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 24, 2023
The yakker. pic.twitter.com/aVwyNlR7nD
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Will Smith ends the inning with a great recovery. pic.twitter.com/eD9nPSfdZ9
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Didn't post it at the time cause I was honestly getting a bit salty, but this was a huge catch by James Outman. pic.twitter.com/ahbPvLOflC
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 25, 2023
James Outman gives the Dodgers a lead … wait, it's a ground-rule double stuck in the fence. Tie game.
Wasn't going to get that slider by him behind in the count a second time. pic.twitter.com/lKHSuAhud0
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Balk it out! pic.twitter.com/205awOD4qu
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 25, 2023
Evan Phillips to Mookie Betts (playing second base) to Freddie Freeman, just as we all would've expected in like January of 2020. pic.twitter.com/qZnLGOLTMX https://t.co/2pUA4RvFCX
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 25, 2023
Victory formation!
Dodgers x @Yaamava pic.twitter.com/FmtWRI8Bcx
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 25, 2023
The Astros got on the board in the third with a single from Jose Altuve and then they took a 5-3 lead when Alex Bregman hit a grand slam in the fifth. Yanier Diaz added one more run with a single in the fifth, and Jose Abreu hit a sac fly to make the score 7-3 in the sixth.
The Dodgers’ rally began when David Peralta blasted a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the seventh inning that cut Houston’s to 7-5.
The rally continued in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly from Heyward to pull L.A. within one run. James Outman then tied the game with an RBI ground-rule double that additionally put runners on second and third base.
With Miguel Rojas at the plate, Ryne Stanek balked, which allowed the Dodges to score the go-ahead run, at 8-7.
The Astros put the tying run on base with a leadoff single from Kyle Tucker in the ninth, but Evan Phillips forced the next batter to hit into a double play, and he recorded the final out on a flyout to Heyward.
Dodgers bullpen once again effective
Bobby Miller only pitched four innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits, but the Dodgers bullpen was able to pick up the slack.
Yency Almonte, Ryan Brasier, and Evan Phillips all worked an inning, while Phil Bickford pitched two scoreless innings. Brasier was the only relief pitcher to allow a run, but it came following a dropped popup from Freddie Freeman.
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