Cody Bellinger missed a second consecutive game due to a sore right lat, the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup was late to get going and they received a little help to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 3-2 win in 10 innings.
Mookie Betts started the comeback effort with a game-tying solo home run off Kevin Ginkel in the bottom of the ninth. Corey Seager followed with an opposite-field double but was stranded.
Fresh off being named the National League Reliever of the Month for July and August, Kenley Jansen struggled with command. A walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases, then a second walk in the inning gave the Diamondbacks a lead.
Jansen limiting Arizona to just one run ultimately proved key. Chris Taylor’s sacrifice bunt attempt resulted in a throwing error by Junior Guerra, tying the game. Taylor wound up in scoring position on the play and was driven in two batters later by Will Smith’s base hit.
Walker Buehler picked up where he left off and didn’t show any ill effects of a blister on his right hand that required a stint on the 10-day injured list. Though, the Dodgers did take a cautious approach and removed him after 71 pitches over five scoreless innings.
Buehler faced some trouble in the second inning when David Peralta hit a leadoff double, but nothing came of it. He then stranded a two-out walk in the third and Carson Kelly after his base hit with two outs in the fourth.
Buehler’s effort was bested by Zac Gallen, who Dodgers manager Dave Roberts raved about prior to the game. “This guy Gallen has really shown himself pretty well. He’s opened some eyes, I like the stuff, I like the way he competes. This is going to be a good test for us,” Roberts said.
Galen gave up a leadoff single to Mookie Betts on his first pitch of the game, then didn’t give up another hit to get through six-plus innings. Galen nearly allowed a solo home run to Max Muncy in the fourth inning, but his drive to the opposite field was caught at the wall.
His string of consecutive batters retired was snapped at 16 when Joc Pederson led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk.
The Dodgers bullpen has held up well this season, but a mistake by Caleb Ferguson resulted in a Christian Walker solo home run that broke up the scoreless tie in the sixth inning and was proving to be the difference until Betts’ heroics.
With their win, the Dodgers remained the only team to not lose a series this season.
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