The Los Angeles Dodgers fared well in terms of productive outs early but needed a Will Smith home run in the 10th inning for a 6-5 victory over the New York Mets in the series opener at Citi Field.
Coming off a quiet showing during the three games against the Philadelphia Phillies, Max Muncy doubled in the first inning. That was later cashed in by Corey Seager as he battled in a nine-pitch at-bat that ended with an RBI double to straightaway center field.
That wound up being the only run the Dodgers scored on a hit until extra innings. After singles by Trea Turner and Muncy put runners at the corners with nobody out in the third inning, Will Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field.
Then with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Turner’s drive to center field was caught just in front of the warning track for the Dodgers’ second sacrifice fly of the game.
Chris Taylor led off the sixth inning with a double and alertly took third base when a throw back to the mound went over Drew Smith’s head. Taylor’s awareness paid off as Billy McKinney’s sacrifice fly extended the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0.
Julio Urias didn’t have his most dominant or longest outing, but nevertheless turned in an effective start. His biggest brush with trouble came in the fifth inning when a base hit and walk put two on with one out.
Urias worked through the small jam by striking out Dominic Smith and retiring Brandon Nimmo on one pitch. He was in line for what would’ve been an MLB-leading 14th win this season, but the Dodgers bullpen couldn’t protect the lead.
After Corey Knebel stranded a leadoff single in the sixth inning, Brusdar Graterol started the seventh with back-to-back strikeouts. However, he was removed from the game upon allowing a double to Michael Conforto.
Justin Bruihl was unable to stop the two-out rally as he immediately gave up an RBI bloop single into center field. A walk followed and then a wild pitch, which prompted the Dodgers to intentionally put Pete Alonso on.
Bruihl remained in the game to keep the left-on-left matchup with Jeff McNeil, who dropped another blooper in front of Cody Bellinger for a two-run base hit. Blake Treinen came on at that point, only for the tying run to score on a passed ball before he could record the third out.
The game went into extras and swung on Smith gaining some redemption with a leadoff home run in the 10th inning.
Kenley Jansen remained in the game to pitch a second inning and allowed one run before finishing out the win.
Dodgers avoid tying MLB record
The Dodgers snapped a streak of 11 consecutive losses in extra innings, which was one shy of an MLB record held by the 1969 Montreal Expos.
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