Rich Hill struggles in rehab start but Dodgers win 4-2

Although the Los Angeles Dodgers played a baseball game hosted by the Baltimore Orioles tonight and won 4-2, the story of the night was always going to be Rich Hill.

Hill made what amounted to a rehab start and lasted six batters. After striking out two batters and throwing only three balls total, he hit Trey Mancini with a 1-2 pitch. A walk, hit batsman and another walk ended Hill’s outing at 27 pitches, allowing one run. Adam Kolarek induced a ground out to end the inning.

Hill was expected to throw about 30 pitches and maybe two innings.

Jon Morosi on the Fox telecast reported that Hill had “issues with his left knee”, according to manager Dave Roberts.

UPDATE:

As for the game itself, after the Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on solo home run by Pedro Severino, the Dodgers took a 4-2 lead in the sixth.

After A.J. Pollock started the inning with a ringing double to right and Cody Bellinger drove him in with a single, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs on a walk and fielding error. Russell Martin then struck out, but a passed ball by Severino allowed him to reach first base while Bellinger scored, then Corey Seager also scored as Baltimore’s starter, Dylan Bundy, failed to cover home on the play.

Six different relievers combined to allow only two hits to get the game to Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning. The beleaguered closer pitched a clean inning on 18 pitches to record his 29th save.

Tony Gonsolin, scheduled to be the “bulk innings” man, entered the game in the third inning and allowed two hits and the one solo home run in three innings, while striking out 4 batters.

The Dodgers manufactured their first run, in the second inning. Cody Bellinger stole second base after his ground-ball single. Corey Seager advanced him with a ground out and Gavin Lux singled him home.

Lux would also swipe his first major-league base later in that inning. The Dodgers stole four bases to set a new season high, with Bellinger also stealing a base and Kiké Hernandez and Russell Martin executing a double steal, also in the sixth inning.

Thursday particulars

WP: Tony Gonsolin (3-2), 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 SO, 1 HR Allowed

LP: Bundy (6-14), 5 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Save: Jansen (29) 1 IP, 1 SO

Home runs: Severino (13)

Box score

Up next

The Dodgers travel to New York to open a series with the Mets tomorrow at 4:10 PM PDT. Clayton Kershaw is set to toe the rubber for the Dodgers while Noah Syndergaard climbs the hill for New York.