Despite inclement weather in the forecast throughout the night, first pitch at Target Field was thrown on time and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away late to snap their two-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Andrew Heaney pitched well in his official Dodgers debut, getting through 4.1 innings with just one run (unearned) allowed and five strikeouts. Carlos Correa largely had the Twins’ only success off the left-hander by going 2-for-2 with two doubles.
Heaney stranded Correa in both instances. Byron Buxton, who entered play tied for the MLB lead with three home runs this season, was flummoxed by Heaney’s new sweeping breaking ball.
Chris Archer didn’t allow a baserunner until Gavin Lux’s screaming double to right-center field with two outs in the third inning. However, nothing came of that, nor when Freddie Freeman led off the fourth inning by going to the opposite field for a double.
Archer was removed after throwing 63 pitches over four scoreless innings.
The pitching change proved beneficial for the Dodgers as Cody Bellinger drew a one-out walk in the fifth inning and promptly stole second base. Chris Taylor later walked as well, and combined with Bellinger to pull off a double steal.
As the threat of rain loomed, Lux’s sacrifice fly gave L.A. a lead.
That wound up being short-lived, though not all at the fault of Heaney. Max Kepler led off the bottom of the fifth with a double and Miguel Sanó was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Heaney induced a routine ground ball to Trea Turner, but he stumbled and sent an underhanded toss over Lux’s head to bring in the tying run.
Chris Taylor added to his hot start this season with a two-out triple in the seventh inning, only to be stranded.
The Dodgers then did manage to break through in the eighth after back-to-back walks by Mookie Betts and Freeman set the table for Turner with nobody out. His chopper went under Luis Arraez’s glove and carried into left field for a go-ahead RBI single.
Turner extended his hitting streak to a career-best 23 games (dates back to last season) and opened the floodgates.
Following a Max Muncy walk that loaded the bases, Justin Turner collected his first RBI of the season on a base hit to right field. Will Smith tacked on a two-run double to provide more insurance, another run scored on an error, and Lux added an RBI base hit to complete the six-run inning.
However, the big inning was followed by a 1-hour, 28-minute rain delay. Per current MLB rules, because the visiting team took a lead in the inning play was suspended, the home team needed their opportunity to bat.
Dodgers bullpen protects lead
After Brusdar Graterol stranded both baserunners he inherited from Heaney, ensuing relief pitchers followed suit to keep the game tied. Included in that was Daniel Hudson turning in another encouraging appearance.
Garrett Cleavinger threw one pitch before the rain delay began, and remained on the mound when play resumed. He had some control issues and was the victim of bad luck — two bloopers — that led to a run and was removed after facing five batters.
Evan Phillips stranded both inherited runners and remained in the game game to finish out a perfect ninth inning.
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