The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen failed to protect another lead in a third consecutive loss, which was compounded by Cody Bellinger being removed in the eighth inning due to left hamstring tightness and Joe Kelly not available to pitch.
Bellinger had his best performance in several weeks, ending an 0-for-25 drought with an RBI double in the first inning to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0. Bellinger then hit a stand-up triple in the sixth and scored on AJ Pollock’s base hit.
The multi-hit performance was Bellinger’s first since June 11, and it was the first time with multiple extra base-hits since Sept. 18, 2020. His drive to right-center field nearly cleared the fence for a home run, which would have prevented the injury.
“He’s going to be down [Saturday]. I’d like to think we got ahead of it. He felt it on his triple,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained after the extra-innings loss. “Same hamstring as before, so he’ll be down [Saturday].
“Hopefully come Sunday he’ll be back in there. Right now, I guess he’s day-to-day.”
Bellinger previously missed seven games in June because of left hamstring tightness/strain. In that case the team initially was hopeful the injury was more of a cramp but Bellinger wasn’t able to test the hamstring without issue during running drills.
Prior to that he missed 46 games while recovering from a hairline fracture in his left fibula.
Bellinger’s latest hamstring trouble further cuts into a thin group of position players. Mookie Betts is expected to be out of the lineup until next week’s series with the San Francisco Giants.
Dodgers missed Kelly
While Kenley Jansen and Blake Treinen expectedly were unavailable after pitching back-to-back nights, the reason for Kelly’s absence wasn’t clear as the game went on.
“Just kind of some soreness,” Roberts explained. “We’ll see. I think he’ll be back on line on Sunday.”
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