LOS ANGELES – As the 2017 World Series grows more distant, the Dodgers and Houston Astros are going to get closer.
Thanks to the balanced schedule adopted by MLB beginning this season, the two will play each season now — though Dodgers fans will only get a chance to rain boos down on the uniforms now occupied (mostly) by a generation of players that arrived post-scandal every other season.
In this edition of the matchup, the Dodgers came from behind for the second game in a row, this time forcing extra innings. But the Astros cashed in their free runners in the 10th and 11th, beating the Dodgers 6-5 Sunday afternoon.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Dodgers and kept them from sweeping the Astros this weekend. For what it’s worth, the two teams have played 14 times in the years since the disputed World Series with the Dodgers winning eight.
Down 4-1 after seven innings Sunday with just three hits in the game, the Dodgers did not seem poised for a breakout when Mookie Betts took a pitch in the back from Astros reliever Rafael Montero who had retired the first two batters in the eighth inning.
But Betts stole second and scored on Freddie Freeman’s second double of the game — and 2,000th hit of his career. Freeman is the 98th player in baseball history to have 2,000 hits and 300 home runs (a milestone he reached last month).
Will Smith followed and worked the count full before getting a fastball on the inner half. Smith drove it 416 feet over the wall in center field to tie the game.
It stayed tied into extra innings with the Dodgers’ bullpen seemingly rejuvenated. After Evan Phillips retired the Astros in the ninth, Dodgers relievers had allowed just one run over their previous 26 1/3 innings.
Brusdar Graterol couldn’t hold the line — but the Astros bungled an opportunity for an even bigger inning.
With the free runner on second, Corey Julks dropped a soft liner down the right field line to give the Astros the lead back. Jason Heyward kicked the ball, allowing Julks to go to second. A passed ball on Smith moved him to third and Jake Meyers drew a walk to put runners at the corners.
With the infield in, No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado bunted the ball back to Graterol who had Julks trapped off third but threw to first for the out. But Julks was slow to break for second and Betts (covering first on the play) threw home to Smith who ran Julks down for the double play.
That baserunning blunder proved costly when the Dodgers cashed in the free runner in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game again. Michael Busch moved him to third with a ground out. Betts started the game with a leadoff home run (his eighth this season and 44th of his career) and looked like he might end it with one as well. His drive came down short of the wall but deep enough to drive for a game-tying sacrifice fly.
The Astros cashed in the free runner again in the top of the 11th when Alex Bregman singled through the boos and Mauricio Dubon made it home despite a late break from second.
The Dodgers couldn’t match them this time. Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon made an excellent sliding play on Smith’s bid for a ground ball up the middle. Miguel Vargas struck out and David Peralta grounded out to end the game.
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June 26, 2023 at 09:30AM
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Dodgers lose in extra innings, can’t sweep Astros - OCRegister
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