Dodgers couldn’t come back a third time, lose 5-4 in 10 innings

The Dodgers played from behind all day, twice coming back to tie the game. After sending the game to extra innings with a run in the bottom of the ninth it seemed as though they had seized momentum, bringing Kenley Jansen in to pitch the 10th.

That is, until Kole Calhoun launched his third home run of the series to the right field bleachers. That would be the final blow the Dodgers were unable to overcome, going on to lose 5-4.

With the loss, the Dodgers fall out of first place by a half game in what has been a seesaw battle of late in the NL West.

Yasmani Grandal had two plate appearances Saturday and both came in the final two innings, with a chance to tie or win it. A pinch-hit double brought Chase Utley in from first to tie the game in the ninth and the two of them would get another chance when the Dodgers had the tying run on third with one out in the 10th.

Utley flied out to short left to give Grandal another chance to do some damage, but the Dodger catcher would strike out to end the game.

There might have been a different outcome had Andrew Toles ended up at third on his one-out double. Justin Upton misplayed the ball in left as it hit of the wall, but Toles didn’t know where the ball was and had to settle for second base.

Toles moved to third on a wild pitch, a play he would’ve scored on had he been at third. That is assuming the wild pitch would’ve happened had he been on third.

Even after clawing their way back into the game several times, the Dodgers were just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Alex Wood ran into trouble early, allowing eight of the first 14 batters to reach in the first two innings. The Angels would use three doubles, three singles and a pair of walks to score three before the lefty could settle in.

Over the next four plus innings, Wood retired 13 of the next 15 he faced to give the Dodgers a chance to get back into the game.

Down 3-0 heading to the bottom half of the second, the Dodgers sent eight hitters up to face Andrew Heaney. After the first two reached, Cody Bellinger poked a single to left to bring home a run.

The inning would have been over three batters later if it weren’t for a Heaney throwing error. With runners on first and second, Wood laid down a two-out bunt that Heaney fielded but pulled Jefry Marte off the bag at first with a wide throw. Heaney hit Chris Taylor three pitches later to cut the Angel lead to one.

It would be Taylor who would tie the game in the fifth with his 11th homer of the season.

In a 3-3 game and the meat of the Angels order coming up in the seventh, Roberts turned to Dylan Floro who had retired 12 straight batters, recording 13 outs in his first three appearances in a Dodger uniform.

Upton ended that streak by crushing a 95-mph sinker into the left field seats to give his team a 4-3 lead.

When all was said and done, the Dodgers and Angels played their fourth one-run game in five tries over the last nine days, The Dodgers are now 14-13 in such games in 2018 and 4-5 in extra innings.

Up Next

The Dodgers and Angels close out the first half with Clayton Kershaw (3-4, 2.61) and Deck McGuire (0-1, 6.10)

Saturday particulars

Home runs: Chris Taylor (11), Justin Upton (19), Kole Calhoun (9)

WP - Jose Alvarez (4-3): 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

LP - Kenley Jansen (0-3): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 strikeout