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Recap: Justin Turner & Max Muncy Removed Early, Will Smith Get Dodgers Walk-Off Win Against Giants

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied in the middle innings and completed their comeback on a Will Smith pinch-hit, walk-off home run to get an 8-6 win over the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers snapped a two-game losing streak and are back to within one game for first place in the National League West.

L.A. did add to their list of injuries as Justin Turner left the game in the top of the sixth inning due to a left knee contusion. Turner was hit by a pitch from Alex Wood on the outside of his left knee in the third inning and took another at-bat in the fifth prior to being removed.

Turner exited with the Dodgers trailing 3-1, though their deficit immediately grew as Josiah Gray surrendered a leadoff home run to Thairo Estrada. It was the third homer Gray surrendered, which clouded an otherwise encouraging MLB debut.

Gray allowed four runs on the three homers (four total hits) and collected seven strikeouts in four innings of work. The outing was just his fourth since returning from a right shoulder injury that sidelined him for two months.

With Mookie Betts out of the lineup for a third consecutive game because of right hip irritation, Chris Taylor lit the spark from the leadoff spot. He went 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, walk and three RBI.

Taylor’s second home run was a two-run shot in the sixth inning that pulled the Dodgers back into the game. It was Taylor’s third career multi-homer game, of which two have come against the Giants.

Giants relief pitcher Tyler Rogers threw eight balls in his first nine pitches to walk Taylor and Matt Beaty to start the ninth inning, which set up the game-winner for Smith.

Dodgers lose Muncy early

Max Muncy did not add to his home run total against the Giants, instead settling for an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a lead in the first inning. Like Turner, Muncy was removed early — in the seventh inning — because of a right shoulder contusion.

Muncy additionally was also hit by a pitch from Alex Wood, taking one in the upper back/shoulder blade area.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com