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Recap: Dodgers Pitching Struggles In Extra Innings Loss To Rays

Blake Williams
4 Min Read
Jul 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly (99) adjusts the PitchCom while on the mound in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers came back against the Tampa Bay Rays to take a lead into the eighth inning, but found themselves on the wrong end of the 9-8 final score after extra innings.

Clayton Kershaw was back on the mound looking to build on the success from his last outing, but things got off to a rocky start. After retiring the first hitter of the game, Kershaw allowed five straight hitters to reach.

Brandon Lowe doubled, Junior Caminero singled him home, Christopher Morel doubled to drive in Caminero, Dylan Carlson walked and Jonny DeLuca singled home two more runs. That gave the Rays a 4-0 lead in the first inning, and a disastrous start for Kershaw.

Kershaw also allowed another run in the fifth inning, which came on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning after the Rays loaded the bases. Luckily, the Dodgers were able to limit the damage there.

That also brought an end to Kershaw’s night giving him five earned runs over five innings with nine hits allowed. He struck out five and walked two.

The Dodgers began their comeback in the fourth inning when Shohei Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Mookie Betts doubled him home. Teoscar Hernández followed with a homer, his 27th of the season, that cut the Rays’ lead to just one run.

Although the Rays answered back with a run in the fifth, the Dodgers were still able to take the lead with another three-run inning. Max Muncy started them off with a double, Miguel Rojas singled him home, and once again, Shohei Ohtani homered, his 41st of the season, to give the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.

Ohtani’s home run was hit just down the right field line, traveling 338 feet for the shortest homer of his career.

Miguel Rojas also added to the Dodgers lead with a solo homer in the seventh inning.

The Rays began their comeback in the eighth inning against Michael Kopech, who was fortunate to limit the damage to one. Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no one out, and a sac fly drove in the run.

However, the runner from first attempted to tag up and advance to second, but he was thrown out by Hernández. The next batter popped out, and the Rays left an opportunity to tie or take the lead.

Evan Phillips pitched the ninth inning, but ended up allowing a solo home run that tied the game and sent them to extra innings.

With Joe Kelly on the mound in the 10th, the Rays hit a two-run homer off the bat of José Caballero, which also ended up being the game-winner.

Mookie Betts drove in Miguel Rojas on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th.

Dodgers lose ground in NL West race

The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Boston Red Sox, 4-1, so they moved up to three games behind the Dodgers in the National League West. However, the San Diego Padres were blown out by the New York Mets, 7-1, keeping them at four games behind the Dodgers.

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Blake Williams is a journalist from Reseda, Calif., who is currently the Managing Editor for Dodger Blue. He previously worked as a Managing Editor for Angels Nation, as a staff writer at Dodgers Nation, as the Managing Editor and Sports Editor for the Roundup News at L.A. Pierce College, and as an Opinion Editor for the Daily Sundial at California State University, Northridge. Blake graduated Cum Laude from CSUN with a major in journalism and a minor in photography/video. He is now pursuing his master's degree from the University of Alabama. Blake is also always open to talk Star Wars with you. Contact: Blake@mediumlargela.com