David Price continues to impress in new role

After earning the save for the Dodgers on Thursday night, David Price was asked to try and keep the Dodgers alive on Friday night. Boy did he do that.

Price picked up his first win as a member of the Dodgers after throwing two scoreless innings in extras.

“To go back-to-back, I can’t remember if he’s ever done that,” manager Dave Roberts said following the game. “You hear about a player, teammate and performer, but when you see it like this, it’s next level. To finish the night off with that was pretty impressive.”

Price entered the game in a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the 11th. Because of the (dumb) new extra-innings rule, there was a runner on second base already. After a groundout on the first pitch, the game-winning run was already on third base with one out. After an intentional walk, Price struck out Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers to end the inning, needing only seven combined pitches to do so.

“That was really cool,” Price said following the game. “I haven’t been in that situation many times. I’ve never given up a walk-off.”

After the Dodgers scored five runs in the 12th inning, Price was sent back out there to finish the game. He retired the side, striking out his final two hitters to give him four strikeouts on the night.

Initially, the plan was for Price to be unavailable on Friday. After all, he pitched on Thursday and had never appeared in games on back-to-back days. However, Price wanted to be ready if the Dodgers needed him.

“I told them I was good to go,” Price said. “I told them if they needed me to go out there and pitch, I was willing to do that.”

When asked about potentially pitching on back-to-back days moving forward, Price said he would be up to it. He knows the Dodgers don’t want to overuse him, but he says he’s bounced back well and knows his body. He said that he felt very good and was able to stay loose in the bullpen.

Don’t look now, but Price has been nearly lights out over his last three games. Over his last four innings of action, he hasn’t allowed a run and has eight strikeouts. The season is still very young, but I think the Dodgers might have found themselves a reliable and clutch late-inning reliever.