Gavin Lux had a game-high three RBI to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-3 win over the New York Mets in the series opener at Citi Field. The Dodgers became the first team to 90 wins this season, on the heels of reaching 80 before every other team as well.
With the Dodgers trailing 1-0, Austin Barnes and Mookie Betts helped jumpstart the comeback with a base hit and double to start the third inning. Max Muncy’s walk loaded the bases with two outs, and Joey Gallo brought in the tying run when he was pitch by a pitch.
It was a fortunate break for Gallo, who went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts prior to being replaced by a pinch-hitter. Gallo has just three hits and 12 strikeouts in his last 23 at-bats.
Lux kept the rally going by driving the first pitch he saw from Taijuan Walker into left field for a two-run single. Three innings after the Mets puled even, Lux made the Mets pay for intentionally walking Will Smith with a go-ahead RBI base hit into center field.
The Dodgers being in position to taking a lead in the seventh inning was set up by Freddie Freeman legging out a hustle double on a soft roller into shallow left field that beat the shift. Freeman went 1-for-4 and now has 164 hits to Trea Turner’s 161 for the MLB lead.
Andrew Heaney got through five innings with just three runs (two earned) allowed. Heaney’s throwing error on a bunt that would have rolled foul allowed the Mets to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
He worked out of multiple jams by collecting strikeouts at a high rate, but remained hamstrung by the home run ball. Starling Marte’s solo homer in the third inning cut the Dodgers’ lead in half, and Mark Canha’s blast off a changeup from Heaney pulled the Mets even in the fourth.
Heaney finished with eight strikeouts to fall short of joining Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela and Clayton Kershaw as only left-handed Dodgers pitchers with at least 10 in three consecutive starts.
Unorthodox Dodgers bullpen decisions
Heath Hembree made his Dodgers debut in the sixth inning and worked around two base hits to preserve a 3-2 lead. He was then followed by Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips, before Jake Reed was tasked with converting his first career save opportunity.
Like with Hembree, the Dodgers added Reed to their active roster on Tuesday. Craig Kimbrel threw 32 pitches over 1.1 innings in the series finale against the Miami Marlins.
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