The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed Cody Bellinger back to Dodger Stadium on Friday but as the weekend progressed he began to receive treatment more in line with a normal visiting player. That peaked with Bellinger capping of back-to-back home runs for the Chicago Cubs in their 3-2 comeback win in the rubber match.
Bellinger was soundly booed as he rounded the bases after providing the Cubs with what ultimately held as the winning run. That gave Bellinger 80 career home runs at Dodger Stadium, which is 10th-most in its history. Though, the long ball on Sunday was his first as a visitor.
Julio Urías was one strike away from keeping the game tied in the sixth inning when he surrendered the first of the back-to-back home runs to Patrick Wisdom. That gave Wisdom a homer in each of the three games.
Prior to that point, Urías had been let down a bit by the Dodgers’ defense. Miguel Vargas was charged for an error in the fifth inning as he failed to make a play to his left.
That allowed Bellinger to reach, and he promptly stole second base. A groundout then advanced Bellinger and he scored the tying run on a soft infield single.
Urías’ final line was three runs (two earned) on eight hits, and six strikeouts against two walks over 5.2 innings pitched.
He was spotted a lead in the third inning thanks to Chris Taylor’s solo home run that hit off the foul pole in left field.
The Dodgers received a couple gifts in the seventh inning, including Seiya Suzuki dropping a routine fly ball in right field because of the sun. Mookie Betts was credited with an RBI single but likely would have brought in the run anyway on a sacrifice fly.
Dansby Swanson then failed to come up with a hard-hit grounder that J.D. Martinez was given an infield single on to load the bases. However, the Dodgers couldn’t take full advantage as Max Muncy struck out swinging.
Dodgers lineup without Will Smith
Will Smith was placed on the seven-day concussion list Sunday, retroactive to April 13, which removes a key contributor from the Dodgers lineup.
That places more pressure on the top half of the order, and the likes of Taylor and Trayce Thompson, among others, to emerge from their skids to start the season.
Freddie Freeman went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Sunday’s loss.
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