The Los Angeles Dodgers had their third consecutive comeback win as they defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-6, in the first game of a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium. L.A. was powered by three home runs in the sixth inning.
Ryan Pepiot made the start after being called up as the 27th man for the first game of the doubleheader, and struggled with his command early. Pepiot walked the first two batters of the game, but he was able to pitch out of the jam with a scoreless inning by getting two strikeouts and a groundout.
The Diamondbacks then jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third inning when a two-out walk led to an RBI single and Christian Walker’s two-run home run. It gave Walker 60 career home runs, with 13 having come against the Dodgers.
Pepiot finished his day throwing four innings on 87 pitches (52 strikes), allowing three runs on two hits, striking out five and walking three.
The Dodgers scored their first run to cut the D-Backs’ lead to two when Will Smith hit a two-out solo home run in the fourth inning. Their deficit remained 3-1 until the sixth inning, when Mookie Betts tied the game with a two-run home run.
One batter later, Trea Turner put the Dodgers up 4-3 with another long ball in the inning. It was Turner’s first homer in more than a month and his second of the season after he hit 28 last year.
The inning was capped off when Justin Turner hit a two-run blast to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 6-3. The Dodgers’ four homers in the game matched a season high.
Diamondbacks top prospect Alek Thomas pulled them back within two in the seventh and Ketel Marte greeted the newly-entered Alex Vesia with an RBI single to cut the Dodgers’ lead to one while putting the tying and go-ahead runs on.
But Vesia followed with a strikeout to end the inning and limit the damage.
Betts, who has been red-hot at the plate recently, doubled with one out in the seventh inning and was quickly driven in by Freddie Freeman on an RBI single that proved to be the difference.
With Freeman’s single, all nine Dodgers in the lineup reached base safely during the game, with Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy both going hitless but drawing a walk. Betts finished 3-for-4 and a triple shy of the cycle.
Evan Phillips pitched a scoreless eighth and Craig Kimbrel allowed a run before picking up his seventh save of the season. While it marked consecutive appearances in which a run scored against Kimbrel, Tuesday’s was a result of a missed check-swing call leading to a leadoff walk.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts argued the call with third-base umpire Larry Vanover and was ejected for the 10th time in his career (first this season).
Dodgers rely on recently activated and recalled pitchers
Pepiot was relieved by Justin Bruihl, who was recalled prior to first pitch.
Bruihl pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, only giving up one hit while adding a strikeout. Following Bruihl, Mitch White was called on for the first time since he went on the COVID-19 injured list.
White had been out since April 30, and although he reported to Triple-A Oklahoma City to begin building back up, the right-hander never appeared in a game for any Minor League affiliate as part of a rehab assignment.
White struck out the first batter he faced and ended his day pitching 1.1 innings while striking out three and allowing a solo home run.
The trio of Pepiot, Bruihl and White combined to give the Dodgers 6.2 innings pitched with four runs allowed.
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