Lux's HR clears the wall -- only to roll back UNDER the fence?

LOS ANGELES -- Gavin Lux was sure he’d homered. His high fly ball off Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller in the fourth inning of the Dodgers' 6-3 win on Tuesday night cleared Dodger Stadium’s right-center-field wall, evading the glove of Victor Robles. Third-base umpire Dan Iassogna signaled that it was gone.

Except, though, that the ball was back on the warning track.

Lux was in his home run trot and nearing third base when the confusion ensued. Had the ball actually not made it over the fence after all? Would Lux have to settle for a triple?

A quick crew-chief review followed, during which the umpires gathered and watched the play again on DodgerVision. The replay made it obvious that the baseball had, indeed, made it over the fence, and Lux was officially awarded his home run. It was the second night in a row that Lux homered to put the Dodgers on the board, as he went yard against Bryan Woo to snap a scoreless tie in the seventh inning on Monday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts first noticed that the ball had returned to the field as Lux was rounding second base.

"I thought I saw it go out, but my eyes aren't great,” said Roberts. “I'm happy it worked out.”

But still, the question remains: How did the ball get back?

The answer, it appears, is that the ball managed to drop through an opening in the wall, landing at its base as Robles was down on the ground after his attempt to make a highlight-reel catch. An unusual occurrence, but not one that negated Lux picking up his 10th home run of the season -- although it figures to be one of the more memorable four-baggers of his career -- and not just because it gave him his first MLB season with double-digit home runs.

This was just the latest moment in what’s been an impressive turnaround for Lux. After batting .213 with a .562 OPS and three homers in 78 first-half games, Lux has come out of the All-Star break scorching, batting .361 with a 1.107 OPS and seven homers in 30 games. After that difficult start, he is now, by some measures, having an overall average season. His OPS is up to .713, which was exactly league average entering Tuesday; his wRC+ is 101, up from 60 at the break (league average is 100).

The Dodgers’ lineup is back to full health, something that could be a difference-maker in what’s shaped up to be a tight National League West pennant race -- provided they can make everything click.

Lux, without a doubt, has been doing his part.