The Los Angeles Dodgers had their season-best nine-game winning streak snapped on Monday as they fell 5-4 to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park.
The club trailed for most of the game but mounted a comeback attempt that fell just short after Victor Gonzalez allowed a two-out, go-ahead home run to Jorge Alfaro in the bottom of the eighth.
“I thought we took some good at-bats. We faced their ace, chased him and got a chance in the ‘pen,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Had opportunities late to take the lead and win a baseball game, but they made pitches when they needed to.
“I don’t see anything different. I think we’ve just got to go out there and take good at-bats collectively, play a clean game defensively and see what happens.”
Looking to help the Dodgers start a new winning streak is Tony Gonsolin, who makes his fifth start and sixth overall appearance of the season. He last pitched in relief on July 1 against the Washington Nationals, allowing one run over three innings of work with four strikeouts.
Gonsolin originally was scheduled to start but the threat of a rain delay prompted the Dodgers to rely on Gonzalez as an opener. L.A. won the rain-shortened game, 6-2, in five innings.
Gonsolin is 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA, 3.66 FIP and 1.56 WHIP in 16 innings pitched this season. Tuesday marks his first career appearance against the Marlins.
Miami counters with Pablo López, who is in the midst of another excellent season. He enters with a 4-5 record, 2.97 ERA, 3.30 FIP and 1.08 WHIP in 91 innings to date (17 starts).
López was ejected after hitting Ronald Acuña Jr. with the first pitch of the game in his last outing against the Atlanta Braves on July 2. He previously faced the Dodgers on May 16 and earned a win after allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings pitched.
The Dodgers lineup looks considerably different on Tuesday as Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy return after not starting in Monday’s series opener. They each wound up pinch-hitting in the top of the eighth, however, and stayed in the game as defensive replacements.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
C: Will Smith
2B: Chris Taylor
SS: Gavin Lux
LF: AJ Pollock
P: Tony Gonsolin
Marlins lineup
2B: Jazz Chisholm Jr.
CF: Starling Marte
RF: Garrett Cooper
1B: Jesús Aguilar
SS: Miguel Rojas
LF: Jesús Sánchez
C: Jorge Alfaro
3B: Joe Panik
P: Pablo López
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