Dodgers can’t avoid big inning, drop series finale in Philadelphia

The Dodgers couldn’t avoid the big inning Wednesday afternoon, allowing a five-run outburst to the Phillies in the fifth inning, leading to a 7-3 loss.

Within hours of dropping a 16-inning marathon, the Dodgers also lost the series finale, which gave the Phillies the tiebreaker for home-field advantage if these two teams should meet in the postseason by virtue of Philadelphia winning four of the seven games versus Los Angeles this season.

Activated before the game, Walker Buehler ran out of gas in the fifth inning. In a 1-1 game, Scott Kingery ended a streak of 10 straight retired by Buehler, lining a solo homer that snuck out over the right field scoreboard. That would start the unraveling for the Dodgers.

Buehler wouldn’t last much longer, giving up a single and an RBI-double to bring Rhys Hoskins to the plate with first base open and two outs. Manager Dave Roberts opted to intentionally walk Hoskins — who had already homered in the first inning — to bring Scott Alexander in to face Odubel Herrera.

Lefties were just 5-for-35 with 13 strikeouts against Alexander in their last 38 plate appearances against him. Herrera would walk to bring Carlos Santana up with nowhere to put him. The switch-hitting first baseman slapped a triple to the alley in right-center to clear the bases.

The Dodgers couldn’t get anything going on offense for most of the day against Jake Arrieta. Much like Tuesday, Los Angeles was gifted a run in the first inning when catcher Andrew Knapp threw a ball into center field, allowing Joc Pederson to reach third on a steal attempt that ended up being ball four to Manny Machado.

Matt Kemp would drive him home with a sac fly.

The only hit with runners on for the Dodgers all day cut the Phillies lead in half, when Max Muncy slugged a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

The Dodgers would however bring the tying run to the plate in the top half of the eighth, with two runners aboard for Alex Verdugo. The 22-year-old gave it a charge, coming within a few feet of three-run homer. But Herrera reeled it in at the wall to snuff out any chances of a comeback.

Up Next

After dropping two of three in Philadelphia, the Dodgers head to Atlanta to face the Braves in a four-game series in another possible playoff preview.

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: Hoskins (18), Kingery (5), Muncy (24)

WP - Jake Arrieta (8-6): 6 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

LP - Walker Buehler (4-3): 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

SV - Seranthony Dominguez (10): 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts