In a reversal of course, the Dodgers won not one, but two extra-inning games, snapping an embarrassing trend.
The Dodgers won 6-5 on Friday night in a 10-inning game against the suddenly spiraling New York Mets. The Dodgers won 2-1 in 10 innings against the Mets on Saturday night. Coming into the series against the Mets, the Dodgers were 1-12 in extra-inning games in 2021.
It is part of the reason the Dodgers are trailing the surprising San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West and the best record in baseball.
Extra-inning games are where Dodger victories go to die.
At least that was the pattern before this past weekend.
While the Dodgers pulled out a couple of close games, it didn’t do much to calm the nerves of Dodger fans who are still waiting for the team to make a move in the NL West standings.
After Sunday’s win over the Mets, the Dodgers are four games out of first place in the NL West standings. The Dodgers have 44 games to make up those four games, or take their chances in the wild-card rounds of the playoffs.
Julio Urias gave the Dodgers a strong start on Friday night. He went five innings and left with a 3-0 lead. The Dodgers increased their lead to 4-0 before the bullpen collapsed.
The Mets scored four runs in the seventh inning to tie the score. Reliever Justin Bruihl gave up three runs, two of them earned, and walked two batters without recording an out.
Thankfully, Will Smith delivered with a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to break the tie and give the Dodgers the lead.
However, Kenley Jansen made it more exciting than it needed to be by allowing the Mets to score a run in the bottom of the 10th inning. The Dodgers held on, but it was far from reassuring.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler and Mets starter Taijuan Walker were in a pitchers duel in the game on Saturday. The game was tied 1-1 after nine innings. Buehler pitched seven innings and struck out 10. Walker pitched into the seventh inning and struck out eight.
The suddenly surging Cody Bellinger broke the tie with a run-scoring double in the 10th inning. Corey Knebel came in to record the last out of the game in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Dodgers their second extra-inning win in a row.
The Dodgers look like they have broken the curse of extra innings. But their cursed bullpen continues to pose problems.
Dodgers starting pitchers power rankings:
- Walker Buehler
- Max Scherzer
- Julio Urias
- David Price
- Mitch White
The Dodgers (72-46) head back home for a three-game series against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. They welcome the Mets for a four-game weekend series starting on Thursday. It’s a full week against a couple of really bad teams.
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