The Los Angeles Dodgers were receiving another ace-like start from Tyler Glasnow through the first three innings on Friday night, but trouble then arose as the Milwaukee Brewers stormed ahead.
Glasnow retired the first nine batters faced before losing an early bid at a perfect game on a leadoff infield single in the fourth inning. A walk followed and Willy Adames’ one-out RBI single cut the Dodgers’ lead in half.
Adames then stole second and walk loaded the bases. Glasnow’s woes continued as he surrendered a go-ahead grand slam to Rhys Hoskins.
“I just think that inning, timing was a little weird,” Glasnow explained after the Dodgers’ comeback win. “Not executing and kind of falling behind. A heater up, and he put a good barrel on it.”
Miguel Vargas’ two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 5-4, and Glasnow responded by getting through the fifth and sixth innings without issue. It was the longest start by a Dodgers pitcher since Gavin Stone’s complete game on June 26.
“It was important I came back,” Glasnow said. “We got the runs, so I came back and tried to get a zero to keep the team in the game. … I just had to go throw. We were close in the game, so I just wanted to forget about it, treat every inning like its own and just execute pitches.”
The right-hander finished with seven strikeouts but the five runs tied for second-most Glasnow has allowed this season. He’s now done so three times, with each instance occurring in the past five starts.
Glasnow is at 109 innings pitched this season and will soon eclipse his career high of 120 that was set last year. Glasnow threw 111.2 innings during the 2018 season.
He and the Dodgers have dismissed the notion of fatigue being a factor behind recent struggles, or harboring any concern over the 30-year-old being on track to shatter his career high in innings pitched.
Tyler Glasnow credits Will Smith
Prior to allowing the grand slam, Glasnow was backed by two solo home runs from Will Smith. He later added a third and became just the fourth catcher in Dodgers franchise history with three home runs in one game.
“He was awesome,” Glasnow said of Smith. “He called a really good game, and the offense obviously helped. He was the reason we won. He had a phenomenal game, for sure.”
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