With the Los Angeles Dodgers returning home after a six-game road trip, it meant an opportunity for Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley to take a breather. Both veterans were out of Monday’s lineup with the Miami Marlins starting left-hander Wei-Yin Chen.
For Gonzalez, it was his first game not in the lineup this season. Monday also marked the return of former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. A brief tribute video was played prior to first pitch, with the response primarily positive.
As for on-field action, Ross Stripling issued a pair of walks and needed 28 pitches to get through a scoreless first inning. Chen followed suit in the bottom half, but was more economical as he set down Kiké Hernandez, Howie Kendrick and Yasiel Puig in order.
J.T. Realmuto led off the second inning with a base hit, but he was later doubled up at second base to end the inning on an Adeiny Hechavarria liner that was snagged by Yasmani Grandal, who started at first base.
Chen worked around a Trace Thompson two-out single in the bottom of the second to throw another scoreless inning. Marcell Ozuna drew his second walk of the game in the third inning. It didn’t cost Stripling or the Dodgers as Christian Yelich flied to center for the third out.
Charlie Culberson led off the bottom of the third with base hit to left, and he moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Stripling advanced Culberson to third on a sacrifice bunt, where he was stranded by Hernandez and Kendrick.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a towering solo home run in the fourth to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead. The homer was the first Stripling allowed in his career. Realmuto and Derek Dietrich were stranded after hitting back-to-back singles with two outs.
CONTINUE READING: Yasiel Puig and Trayce Thompson go deep, Dodgers get tying run on in ninth
Puig answered Stanton’s blast with a leadoff home run of his own, lining Chen’s first pitch over the right field fence to tie the game. Trayce Thompson then gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead with a two-out homer.
Yelich hit a two-out single in the fifth and it led to a run for the Marlins. Stripling thought he had strike three on Stanton, then the slugger caught a break as Grandal misplayed a foul ball. Stanton drove the next pitch into right-center field for an RBI double.
Chen worked around a Hernandez two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth to keep the game tied at 2-2. Realmuto led off the sixth with a base hit and scored on Dietrich’s RBI triple that got by Puig, who couldn’t cover enough ground to make a diving catch attempt.
After making a bad read, Thompson came charging in and laid out for a catch in shallow center field. Stripling was then replaced by J.P. Howell, who stranded the runner at third base by retiring Chen and Dee Gordon.
Louis Coleman, who was reinstated from the bereavement list on Monday afternoon, set the Marlins down in order in the seventh. He ended the inning by striking out Stanton swinging on a pitch outside the zone.
With A.J. Ellis on first base, Corey Seager pinch-hit for Coleman and reached on a two-out error. That spelled the end for Chen, who gave way to Kyle Barraclough. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts countered the right-hander by pinch-hitting Chase Utley for Hernandez.
Utley worked a full count only to strikeout looking on a call he disagreed with. Adam Liberatore retired the two batters he faced in the eighth. Joe Blanton entered to face pinch-hitter Chris Johnson and struck him out to end the inning.
Joc Pederson pinch-hit and drew a one-out walk in the ninth. Adrian Gonzalez, batting for Blanton, struck out. A.J. Ramos then retired Seager to wrap up the Marlins’ 3-2 win.