The Los Angeles Dodgers concluded a stretch of 31 gams in 30 days with a 5-4 loss to the New York Mets in 10 innings and series split at Dodger Stadium. They had a lead until Brusdar Graterol ran into trouble in the eighth inning.
Julio Urías pitched into the sixth inning and allowed just one run despite issuing three walks to go along with the Mets’ three hits. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second inning to keep the Dodgers’ 2-0 lead intact but then surrendered a leadoff home run to Starling Marte in the third.
Urías followed that by retiring the next nine batters faced to get into the sixth inning. That string was snapped by Francisco Lindor’s leadoff single, and Urías gave way to Evan Phillips after getting Pete Alonso to foul out.
Phillips was pressed into action on Saturday after a failed attempt to have Zach McKinstry pitch the ninth inning because the Mets were only ahead by five runs and MLB rules don’t allow a position player to take the mound in such situations unless they are designated as a two-way player.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was hoping to save Phillips for multiple innings on Sunday, and with that option eliminated, the right-hander retired two of three batters.
Graterol struck out Marte to end the inning, but allowed the lead to slip away in the eighth. Consecutive doubles by Lindor and Alonso tied the game, and Eduardo Escobar’s sacrifice fly gave the Mets a lead.
Alex Vesia inherited a baserunner from Graterol and issued a walk followed by an RBI single before getting through the inning.
Dodgers force extra innings
While the bullpen was unable to hold a lead, the offense didn’t aid matters by not scoring much after Trea Turner’s two-run home run in the first inning. They were quiet until Will Smith led off the ninth with a home run.
Chris Taylor nearly tied the game with a two-out home run, only for his drive down the left-field line to hook foul. Taylor did end his at-bat with a double and he came around to score the tying run on Eddy Alvarez’s RBI single.
The Mets pulled back ahead on J.D. Davis’ game-winning RBI double to lead off the 10th inning.
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