Nationals bullpen can’t tame Justin Turner

It seemed like the Dodgers were going to win 1-0 for a good majority of the game. But it’s baseball, so, of course it wasn’t as simple as that.

After LA had a quick first inning rally, they didn’t earn another base runner until the eighth inning.

Luckily, they were behind the magnificent Hyun-Jin Ryu, who was as great as always. The Korean Monster held the Nationals scoreless through six innings before coming into the dramatic seventh inning. The Nats found a way to get a couple hits and a sacrifice bunt to load the bases with no outs. The first out was a force out at home (the only up side to loaded bases) and then Adam Easton knocked a base hit to score the tying run.

Alex Verdugo saved the one Nationals run from being two runs with a phenomenal throw from the outfield to get Gerardo Parra out at home.

The Dodgers must have been affected by this tie score because they immediately reclaimed the lead in their next turn. Justin Turner came up to the plate with Joc Pederson and Alex Verdugo on base and smashed a 3-run homer to put the Dodgers up 4-1. It was his 15th homer of the season and his second game in a row with a dinger.

Of course, we must talk about Kenley Jansen.

He came in to close the game after Joe Kelly and Pedro Báez pitched a combined 1 ¹⁄₃ scoreless innings. Now, if you didn’t watch the game, I want to describe what watching this ninth inning was like. It was horrifying. It seemed like the Dodgers were doomed. Not to be dramatic.

Anyway, Jansen allowed Trea Turner aboard with a base hit and he made his way over to third base after a defensive indifference and an intentional balk. Jansen hit Adam Eaton by a pitch and walked Anthony Rendon to load the bases. He couldn’t seem to find the strike zone this whole time, as he ended up walking in a run. Jansen struck out old friend Howie Kendrick to end the 34-pitch inning.

This marked the Dodgers 68th win of the year. In 2018, the Dodgers won their 68th game on August 24.

Friday particulars

WP: Joe Kelly (4-3), ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 H, 0 R

LP: Tony Sipp (1-2), 0.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB

SV: Kenley Jansen (25), 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB

Home runs: Justin Turner (15)

Box score

Up next

The Dodgers look to take the season series tomorrow against the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. PDT. Will Smith will catch Clayton Kershaw for the third time this season.