The expected pitcher’s duel between Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom was more of a grind for both starters as the Los Angeles Dodgers twice erased a deficit to earn a 9-5 comeback win against the New York Mets in the series opener.
The Mets swung early and often against Clayton Kershaw, making soft contact early and connecting on extra-base hits midway through the game. Amed Rosario led off the game with a bloop double and later came around to score on Pete Alonso’s base hit.
Kershaw gave up another single to Todd Frazier but benefitted from Cody Bellinger throwing out Michael Conforto at home plate. Kershaw then faced one over the minimum from the second through fourth innings but ran into more trouble in the fifth.
Tomas Nido led off the inning with a single and nearly scored from first base on Rosario’s second double of the game but was thrown out by a relay of Joc Pederson to Corey Seager to Russell Martin.
However, the excitement and relief of the play putting the Dodgers one out away from preserving their lead was erased when J.D. Davis golfed the next pitch for a go-ahead, two-run home run down the left-field line.
Kershaw exited after six innings and the Dodgers facing the prospect of their winning streak in his starts snapped at 15 games.
While they erased 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the first inning, L.A. also let deGrom off the hook after singles from Pederson, Max Muncy and Justin Turner loaded the bases with nobody out. Particularly Bellinger, who couldn’t fight off a pitch in on his hands and fouled out.
Replay was required to overturn a clear missed call, and Corey Seager’s force out wound up driving in the Dodgers’ lone run in the inning. Bellinger atoned for his missed opportunity with a solo home run in the third inning.
But it was the bottom of the sixth that saw the Dodgers erupt against the Mets bullpen. Chris Taylor drove the first pitch he saw from Tyler Bashlor into the pavilion in left-center field for a game-tying solo home run.
After consecutive singles and another pitching change, Kiké Hernandez went the other way for a pinch-hit, three-run home run. Muncy followed with a single and Turner doubled, leading to Bellinger being intentionally walked.
That backfired as a breaking ball got away from Daniel Zamora, hitting Seager to bring in a run. Alex Verdugo’s sacrifice fly capped off the six-run inning.
Joe Kelly allowed the Mets back into the game by surrendering a two-run homer in the eighth. Kelly was removed after failing to retire any of the three batters faced in his return from the bereavement list. Dylan Floro exited with one out and the bases loaded.
Pitching for the first time since May 21, Kenley Jansen converted a five-out save. He was aided by Bellinger making a catch deep in right field and throwing out a runner at third base for an inning-ending double play in the eighth before Tomas Nido could cross home plate.
Taylor’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth provided Jansen with additional insurance.
With 17 hits on the night, the game marked a fourth in a row for the Dodgers in which they reached double-digits, and they scored six runs in the sixth inning for a second straight contest.
