The Los Angeles Dodgers jumped on the Milwaukee Brewers early but saw their lead steadily slip away before resulting in a 9-8 loss at Camelback Ranch on St. Patrick’s Day. The matchup was the first since the teams played to a Game 7 in the 2018 National League Championship Series.
Joc Pederson led off the bottom of the first with a home run, and it was one of two long balls the Dodgers hit off Zach Davies in the inning. He struck out Cody Bellinger and A.J. Pollock, only to walk Kiké Hernandez.
That wound up proving costly as Chris Taylor lifted a three-run homer to left field. Taylor then doubled in the third inning and came around to score on Russell Martin’s base hit down the left-field line. Taylor was removed in the fifth inning as part of a double switch, finishing halfway to the cycle.
Though comfortable, the 6-1 lead was not enough for Rich Hill and the bullpen. Hill pitched to contact but initially minimized damage. Back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the third led to a run when Jesus Aguilar added to the streak of hits with an RBI single.
The Brewers again rallied with two outs, beginning on a Hernan Perez double in the fifth inning. Reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich followed with a chopper inside the third-base bag that got through for an RBI single.
Aguilar’s second single of the game put runners at the corners, and was followed by Travis Shaw driving in a run on a base hit to right field. The single knocked Hill out of the game, but still responsible for two runners on. With two each, Perez, Yelich and Aguilar combined for six of the Brewers’ eight hits off Hill in 4.2 innings.
With the Dodgers considering Caleb Ferguson for a potential spot in the bullpen on their Opening Day roster, he was inserted into the minor jam. The young lefty walked the bases loaded before putting out the threat.
Ferguson struck out a pair en route to retiring the Brewers in order in the sixth, but allowed a two-run double in the seventh inning. Milwaukee completed their comeback effort in the eighth when Jaime Schultz allowed a base hit and walked three, with the last bringing in a run.
Parker Curry retired the first batter faced upon inheriting the bases-loaded jam, but then gave up three-run double to Keston Hiura. The Dodgers scored a run in the bottom of the ninth and left the tying and winning runs on base.
