Dodgers’ home runs not enough, Brewers walk it off in the 11th

Tuesday night was all about the long ball, until it wasn’t. The Dodgers faced multiple deficits, answered with a home run on multiple occasions, but ultimately blew an extra inning lead, falling 5-4 in eleven innings.

Ryan Pepiot’s night got off to a rocky start. After walking Christian Yelich to lead off the bottom of the first, Willy Adames punished a hanging slider to give Milwaukee an early 2-0 lead.

After escaping a first inning jam, Brandon Woodruff’s stuff was as good as it has been all year. Over his first four innings, Woodruff struck out eight Dodgers and allowed no runs. The Dodgers got to him in the fifth. Joey Gallo sent the first pitch of the inning over the right field wall to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 2-1, and Mookie Betts tied the game at 2-2 with a 403 foot no-doubter of his own.

Pepiot settled in nicely following Adames’ first inning homer, allowing only one hit over his next three innings, but handed the lead right back to the Brewers following Mookie’s game-tying homer. Just as the first four runs were, the fifth run of the game came on a long ball. Christian Yelich saw Mookie’s 403 foot bomb and said, “Whatever you can do, I can do better.” Yelich’s 451 foot home run put Milwaukee ahead 3-2.

Chris Taylor’s first of two big moments came in the top of the 7th. Taylor hit the Dodgers’ third home run of the game, and fifth home run overall, to tie the game at 3-3. Following his home run, the bats on both sides went ice cold. The next hit of the game came on Trea Turner’s single in the tenth inning. Following Yelich’s homer in the fifth, the next Brewer to record a hit was Hunter Renfroe on his bunt single in the eleventh inning. We almost didn’t get to that point. In the bottom of the 10th, Chris Taylor made arguably the best defensive play he’s ever made in Milwaukee… Can I say that? Obviously this catch came with much less on the line, but it was a game-saver nonetheless.

Joe Davis’ call was perfection. If you didn’t see it, listen up:

The Dodgers’ first lead came on a Justin Turner single in the top of the eleventh, but Hanser Alberto and Trayce Thompson were unable to push a second run across, which with the new extra-inning rule, is incredibly crucial. The first run is almost a given, driving the second one across is what wins games.

Because Roberts had already used Moronta, Price, Phillips, Bickford and Vesia, he had no option but to turn to Craig Kimbrel in the eleventh. Kimbrel, who has been rocky all season, gave up a bunt single to Renfroe and walked the bases loaded after striking out Kolten Wong. Victor Caratini then blooped a walk-off two run single into shallow right field to give Milwaukee a 5-4 win.

Blake Treinen can’t come back soon enough.

Tuesday particulars

Home runs: Willy Adames (23), Joey Gallo (13), Mookie Betts (27), Christian Yelich (9), Chris Taylor (8)

WP — Brent Suter (4-3): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

LP — Craig Kimbrel (3-5): 0.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Up next

Tony Gonsolin takes the mound as the Dodgers look to clinch at least a series split in Milwaukee. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PST and will be live on FS1.