The Los Angeles Dodgers couldn’t break a scoreless tie until late but put together a big seventh inning to defeat the Kansas City Royals, 8-3, extending their season-best winning streak to 11 games.
Playing at Kauffman Stadium for the first time since 2014, the Dodgers quickly discovered how expansive the outfield is.
After Freddie Freeman’s two-out walk in the first inning, Will Smith flied out to the warning track in left-center field. Smith again hit a deep fly ball in the fourth, only for that to be caught as well.
Smith’s fly balls traveled a combined estimated 796 feet and both would have been a home run at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers went on to load the bases with nobody out in the fifth inning, only for Daniel Lynch to retire Trea Turner, Freddie Freeman and Smith to escape the jam. Turner fouled out despite getting ahead in the count 3-0, and Smith went down on yet another deep flyout.
Turner made up for his empty at-bat when again batting with the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning. He extended a hitting streak to seven games by getting a two-run single into left field, and Freeman followed with an RBI double.
Turner then scored on a wild pitch and Justin Turner capped off the five-run inning with a sacrifice fly. While that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0, Turner went 0-for-4 and had his on-base streak snapped at 20 games.
Trayce Thompson broke the game open with a three-run homer in the eighth inning.
Gonsolin turns in latest strong Dodgers pitching performance
While the Dodgers were squandering early opportunities, Tony Gonsolin had a perfect game until walking Kyle Isbel with one out in the sixth inning.
Gonsolin then kept his no-hitter intact until Vinnie Pasquantino’s one-out single in the seventh. Gonsolin issued a two-out walk and was removed from the game despite trying to convince Dodgers manager Dave Roberts into leaving him in.
David Price was aided by Turner making a backhanded play to strand both runners. Turner was starting at third base for the first time since coming off the 10-day injured list.
Gonsolin’s outing was the eighth start this season a Dodgers pitcher did not allow a hit through five innings. He’s accomplished the feat twice, along with two each from Tyler Anderson, Clayton Kershaw and Mitch White.
The Dodgers are the only team in the last 40 years to have four different starting pitchers produce multiple no-hit bids of at least five innings in a single season.
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