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Recap: Chris Taylor Has Big Game In Dodgers’ Loss To Diamondbacks

Matthew Moreno
4 Min Read
Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

Corey Seager returned from the 60-day injured list with a multi-hit effort and Chris Taylor twice pulled the Los Angeles Dodgers back into the game before the rest of the lineup started contributing but the result was still a 6-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 10 innings.

With a bullpen game looming on Saturday because Josiah Gray was included in the trade with the Washington Nationals, Tony Gonsolin failed to provide any sort of length. He struggled to locate and worked himself into a jam by walking the bases loaded in the second inning.

Gonsolin nearly wiggled out of trouble but gave up a two-run double to Josh VanMeter with two outs. Gonsolin issued his fourth walk of the inning — fifth on the night — and was replaced by Phil Bickford.

The five walks tied a career high that was set in Gonsolin’s first start of the season. It also represented some regression as the right-hander was coming off an outing in which he walked just two and struck out seven over 5.1 innings.

The Diamondbacks extended their lead to 3-0 before the Dodgers began to make some headway against Zac Gallen. He held L.A. to just one hit — a Billy McKinney infield single — through five scoreless innings.

Taylor’s leadoff home run in the sixth snapped a string of 10 batters retired in a row and sparked a rally. Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Corey Seager each followed with a single to load the bases with nobody out.

However, the rally began to stall when Will Smith was called out on a check-swing and AJ Pollock’s drive to the right-center field gap died at the warning track for a sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers’ bullpen allowed the two runs right back, but Taylor delivered a gain with a two-run triple in the seventh inning. His extra-base hit with nobody out pulled the Dodgers back within a run but saw Miguel Aguilar retire Muncy, Turner and Smith in his MLB debut.

The Dodgers kept the pressure on in the eighth with Smith and Pollock combining for back-to-back singles with nobody out. Albert Pujols completed the late-game comeback by delivering a pinch-hit RBI single to tie it.

Kenley Jansen worked himself into a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning before getting consecutive strikeouts to keep the game tied.

Turner getting hit by a pitch and Seager connecting on a single gave the Dodgers runners at the corners with one out in the ninth, but the rally came to halt when Smith grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Adrubal Cabrera delivered the walk-off win for the Diamondbacks with a one-out RBI single. L.A. fell to 1-11 in extra innings this season.

Dodgers miss opportunity

Compounding their loss to an opponent with the worst record in baseball was the Dodgers failed to capitalize on the San Francisco Giants falling to the Houston Astros, and Colorado Rockies defeating the San Diego Padres.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com