Final: Brewers hold off Dodgers for 5-3 win, four-game series split
The Dodgers couldn’t complete the comeback, going scoreless over the final three innings — and going down on three consecutive strikeouts in the ninth inning — to lose 5-3.
They’ll have to settle for a four-game series split in which they scored just 13 runs.
They are 81-36 on the season.
Final: Brewers 5, Dodgers 3
Dodgers knock out Corbin Burnes, get back within two in sixth inning
Corbin Burnes was cruising through five innings today.
Then, the Dodgers finally got to him the third time through the order, plating three runs in the sixth inning to get back within two.
The rally started with a double by Trea Turner on a fly ball just out of Andrew McCutchen’s reach in left. Freddie Freeman followed with a single. Then Will Smith got some redemption from his mistake the prior half-inning by roping an RBI single to center.
Later, with two outs, Gavin Lux came to the plate and launched a 1-and-0 cutter to deep right-center. Brewers outfielder Tyrone Taylor made a leaping effort at the wall to keep the ball from clearing the fence, but he couldn’t hold onto it through the collision, leading to a two-run triple.
That knocked Burnes out of the game. His replacement, right-hander Brad Boxberger, walked Joey Gallo before finally ending the inning with a strikeout of Chris Taylor.
End 6th: Brewers lead 5-3
Will Smith’s passed ball extends inning, then Hunter Renfroe hits two-run homer
Andrew Heaney thought he’d gotten out of the fifth inning.
With two outs and nobody on, Heaney got Andrew McCutchen to swing through a slider for strike three.
The only problem: The ball got by catcher Will Smith, a passed ball that allowed McCutchen to reach first base and the inning to stay alive.
It proved costly. In the next at-bat, Hunter Renfroe blasted a two-run homer to left, the Brewers’ third home run of the day against Heaney.
Dave Roberts came to get the left-hander before he threw another pitch, ending his day after 4 2/3 innings.
End 5th: Brewers lead 5-0
Andrew McCutchen homers again while Corbin Burnes keeps Dodgers quiet
Andrew McCutchen once again had Andrew Heaney’s number in the third inning.
Just like he did in his first trip to the plate, McCutchen took the Dodgers’ left-hander deep, this time swatting a center-cut slider for a two-run home run to center.
The Dodgers offense, meanwhile, hasn’t been able to give Heaney any support.
Through five innings, they’ve been held scoreless by Corbin Burnes, with just two hits and two walks against five strikeouts.
Mid 5th: Brewers lead 3-0
Brewers score first on Andrew McCutchen home run
Through two innings, Andrew Heaney’s stuff has been mostly untouchable — with the exception of one pitch.
In the bottom of the first, Andrew McCutchen got to an elevated fastball from Heaney and launched it to center field for a solo home run.
Other than that, however, Heaney has five strikeouts through two innings.
End 2nd: Brewers lead 1-0
Cody Bellinger returns to lineup as Dodgers face Corbin Burnes
MILWAUKEE — After getting a couple days off to “reset,” in the words of manger Dave Roberts, center fielder Cody Bellinger returned to the Dodgers lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Brewers.
“We’ve had really good conversations over the last couple days,” Roberts said of Bellinger, who is batting just .206 this season. “I’m not really looking for performance as far as the process. I just want to see that his head is good, he’s got clarity, he’s taking good at-bats, he has good swings. And with that, we’ll bet on the performance. I’m not going to look at one day or two days. But I feel good with where we’re at.”
Roberts said part of the reason for the reset was because he could sense Bellinger was getting frustrated amid a 2 for 19 slump.
In his final at-bat Monday, Bellinger didn’t hustle out a ground ball to the first baseman.
“That did show me is that he reached a point of frustration, so that’s telling to me,” Roberts said. “Because it’s not intentional. It’s not disrespectful. It’s just he’s frustrated because he wants to do so well. So that tells me as a manager that he needs a blow.”
Bellinger will bat ninth as the Dodgers face reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes (8-5, 2.39 ERA)
Andrew Heaney (1-0, 1.16 ERA) will start for the Dodgers.
Here is their full lineup:
Can the Dodgers rely on Craig Kimbrel as closer? For now, Dave Roberts thinks so
MILWAUKEE — The Dodgers have done this song and dance before.
They’ll have a veteran closer who begins to struggle. They’ll stick with him, for better or worse, down the stretch of the regular season. Then, come the playoffs, they’ll pivot, turning to someone else for ninth-inning situations in the heart of October.
In the past, it has been Kenley Jansen.
This year, it seems increasingly likely they’ll do the same with Craig Kimbrel.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season: