Cody Bellinger broke an MLB record as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied against the game’s best bullpen, but their relief pitchers failed to protect the lead and allowed the San Francisco Giants to come back for a 3-2 win.
After relying on their defense to keep the game locked in a scoreless tie, the Dodgers flipped it upon Tony Watson entering in the sixth. Despite facing four left-handed batters, Watson was ineffective.
Singles by Joc Pederson and Justin Turner put runners at the corners with one out. Bellinger again delivered in a two-strike count, pulling an RBI single into right field. The RBI was Bellinger’s 37th, breaking a record for most before May 1 in MLB history.
Muncy followed with an RBI double that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0 and knocked Watson out of the game. Watson’s struggles made the Giants’ decision to remove Jeff Samardzija after just 79 pitches and five innings all the more curious.
In addition to a manageable pitch count, he’d only allowed two hits and issued one walk.
The Giants put the leadoff man in each of the first two innings and had a baserunner reach in all five of Maeda’s five-plus innings. Maeda would’ve faced more trouble in the second if not for Bellinger throwing out Brandon Crawford on his attempt to go from first to third base.
The outfield assist was Bellinger’s fourth this season, which leads the National League. Instead of having runners at first and second with nobody out, the Giants settled for a man at first. Kevin Pillar was ultimately stranded by Gerardo Parra and Samardzija.
Maeda faced more trouble in the fifth inning as his command waned. Tyler Austin reached on a pinch-hit single and Joe Panik worked a walk to put two on with one out. The Dodgers’ defense again lent a hand, this time with Max Muncy laying out for a diving catch, arguably saving a run. Maeda then struck out Brandon Belt to escape the jam.
After Scott Alexander inherited a leadoff double in the sixth inning, he retired three of four batters faced to keep the Dodgers ahead. However, Ross Stripling didn’t fare as well, allowing the Giants to load the bases with one out in the seventh.
Dylan Floro got Buster Posey to strike out on a slider out of the zone, only to hang one to Evan Longoria for a game-winning, three-run double.
Reyes Moronta walked Bellinger and Muncy in the eighth but stranded both. Will Smith worked around Austin Barnes’ one-out bloop single in the ninth to convert the save.
