Dodgers Rally to Victory Against Arizona
With a striking comeback, the Dodgers scored three runs in the sixth inning on a six-pitch span against Zac Gallen, one of baseball’s formidable right-handers. This successful effort turned a one-run deficit into a two-run lead, changing the tides for rookie right-hander Bobby Miller from possible defeat to victory.
Surprisingly, the top-of-the-order sluggers and National League MVP candidates, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who have been instrumental to the team's offensive success over the last two months, did not contribute to this crucial rally. Instead, David Peralta sparked the sixth-inning drive with a leadoff single against his former club. Jason Heyward and James Outman followed with back-to-back home runs, leading the Dodgers to a 7-4 victory before a crowd of 36,521 at Chavez Ravine.
35th Comeback Win for the Dodgers
This triumphant game marked the Dodgers' 35th comeback victory of the season, improving their August record to 22-4 and extending their NL West lead to 13 games over the Diamondbacks. Despite Betts' rare 0 for 4 performance and the end of his 15-game hitting streak, the Dodgers still managed an impressive performance. Contributions came from all corners, with Max Muncy, Heyward, Outman, and Will Smith each recording two hits.
“That’s what it’s gonna take all year long, and that’s what it’s gonna take in October. It can’t always just be [Mookie and Freddie], and I think that’s been a big part of their success this year, and ours. We lean on them, but they lean on us, and they let us know they appreciate us,” said Heyward.
Outman and Heyward Power Through
Peralta's single led the way in the sixth inning, followed by Heyward's powerful two-run home run – his 12th of the season – off a 1-and-0 changeup from Gallen. Outman continued the momentum by lining a middle-in fastball over the right-field corner for his 17th homer, marking the ninth time this season the Dodgers have hit back-to-back homers. Thanks to Heyward and Outman's excellent performance, the Dodgers secured a vital 7-4 lead.
Dodgers' Pitching Excellence
Despite a rocky start, Bobby Miller's strong finish, Alex Vesia's scoreless seventh inning, Ryan Brasier's clean eighth inning, and Caleb Ferguson's 1-2-3 ninth inning propelled the Dodgers' victory. This fantastic pitching ensemble improved the Dodgers' season record to 81-49.
“Sometimes a young pitcher, certainly one with velocity, things speed up, and you just want to rear back and throw as hard as you can and hope that it ends. But for me, just watching his mound presence, he was able to continue to go pitch by pitch, to execute pitches, to make pitches, and [three runs] was all they got, and he was determined that it wasn’t going to be his last inning. So for me, that’s tremendous growth,” said manager Dave Roberts about Miller's performance.
Looking Ahead
With the Dodgers' ongoing success, fans are anticipating the return of reliever Shelby Miller, who has been out since June 16 due to a herniated disc. Designated hitter J.D. Martinez is set to resume training this Tuesday, and recently claimed reliever Tyson Miller was added to the active roster on Monday.