Hitless through 5, LA stuns Philly on 5-run rally

Hitless through 5, LA stuns Philly on 5-run rally

May 28th, 2018

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers' surge continued Monday night in a 5-4 comeback win over the Phillies that had the familiar look of 2017 all over it.
They overcame a short spot start from , received five innings of lockdown relief from the embattled bullpen, went from being no-hit for five innings by Vince Velasquez to erasing a four-run deficit and accepted enough gift runs from a generous opponent for their ninth win in the past 11 games.

With the win, the Dodgers climbed into third place in the National League West for the first time since April 26. The four-run deficit is the largest the club has overcome this year, and it was only the third time in 26 games that the Dodgers won a game they trailed after the seventh inning.
"We need more wins like that," said Matt Kemp, who delivered a crucial RBI double pinch-hitting in the eighth and has seven extra-base hits and nine RBIs in the past 11 games. "We're playing good baseball right now. The first month and a half wasn't the best baseball we played, we know we're capable of more. This was a good team win. We capitalized on their mistakes and made them pay. Once we get firing on all cylinders, we'll be a tough team to beat."

Their winning three-run "rally" in the eighth inning included an infield single off the third baseman, a missed pop fly by the second baseman, a single off the pitcher's glove, a wild pitch and a tiebreaking seeing-eye single through a drawn-in infield by .
"It was funky," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts after beating Phillies manager and former Dodgers executive Gabe Kapler. "To come back after Velasquez was cruising, trying just to find a way to get a hit, let alone a run."
, called up before the game, pitched two innings for the win and earned his 12th save and sixth in the past 10 days. and pitched an inning each from a bullpen that Roberts said was the key to the game.

The Dodgers scored twice in the sixth inning, three times in the eighth, both innings with the catalyst.
Puig finally broke up Velasquez's no-hit bid leading off the bottom of the sixth with a single that left fielder mishandled, allowing Puig to hustle to second. He was doubled home one out later by , who was singled home with two outs by , chasing Velasquez.
Puig started it again in the eighth with an infield single off third baseman and was doubled home by Kemp. Pinch-hitter 's popup was missed by second baseman for an error that put runners on the corners. singled off reliever 's glove to tie the game and Grandal's bouncer past shortstop brought home Hernandez for a 5-4 lead.
"My team is looking for Puig to do his crazy stuff," Puig said. "When I do something good or crazy or whatever you call it, my team plays better. I try to do something every night to give energy to my team to play better."

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
The Dodgers won the game in the eighth inning, but Roberts said the two runs chipped away in the sixth were just as important. He offered particular praise for an opposite-field RBI double by Pederson that scored Puig with the first run.
"Joc got behind in the count, but he stayed above the ball and drove it to left field," said Roberts.

SOUND SMART
The Dodgers have won nine of their past 11 against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
In the past 11 games, the Dodgers' bullpen has a 1.64 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.
HE SAID IT
"I hope we don't have a lot of comebacks. I want to be winning easy." -- Puig
UP NEXT
(4-3, 3.38 ERA) starts Tuesday night against (4-2, 2.45 ERA) and the Phillies, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium. Maeda struck out a dozen Rockies over 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his last start. He's pitching better and being allowed to go deeper in games while utilizing a more aggressive approach in the early innings.