David Peralta homer and a critical balk fuel wacky Dodgers comeback over Astros
Four walks, a knock and a balk. These were the primary ingredients in the witches brew of a cocktail that the Dodgers stirred together for a wacky eighth-inning rally that capped an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
A crowd of 49,281 at Chavez Ravine, their voices hoarse from booing Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, the two holdovers from Houston’s 2017 electronic sign-stealing team, cranked up the volume in the final three innings, when the Dodgers overcame a 7-3 deficit to beat the defending World Series champions for their fourth straight win.
“This tells you guys what kind of team we are,” said Dodgers outfielder David Peralta, whose pinch-hit, two-run home run pulled the Dodgers to within 7-5 in the seventh. “We’re fighting all the way to the end. We never give up.”
Dodgers hold on in the ninth to defeat Astros 8-7
⚾ Dodgers 8, Astros 7 — FINAL
Top of the ninth: Kyle Tucker singled to right before Jose Abreu hit into a 1-4-3 double play, with Evan Phillips knocking down the ball to start the play. Yainer Diaz flied out to right to seal the Dodgers’ comeback win.
Bobby Miller struggled, giving up 10 hits — including a grand slam to Alex Bregman — as the Dodgers fell behind 7-3 by the sixth inning. David Peralta hit a two-run home run in the seventh to cut into Houston’s lead. The Dodgers scored three runs in the eighth, with Jonny DeLuca scoring the winning run after Astros reliever Ryne Stanek is called for a balk.
The Dodgers will go for the series sweep Sunday in prime time (4:10 p.m. PDT start, ESPN).
Dodgers score go-ahead run after Ryne Stanek is called for a balk
⚾ Dodgers 8, Astros 7 — End of the eighth
Top of the eighth: Phil Bickford struck out Jake Meyers and Jose Altuve. Alex Bregman grounded out to cap the frame.
Bottom of the eighth: Facing Houston reliever Bryan Abreu, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases with no outs. Jason Heyward hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Freeman. James Outman then tied the game on a hit that was ruled a ground-rule double after the ball got lodged between padding and a chain-link fence on the right-field wall. Houston reliever Ryne Stanek struck out David Peralta.
Facing Miguel Rojas, Stanek was then called for a balk by second base umpire Junior Valentine, allowing Jonny DeLuca (who was pinch running for Heyward) to score the go-ahead run from third. Stanek was livid with the call, but Houston manager Dusty Baker did not come on to the field to argue the umpires.
After striking out Michael Busch to end the inning, Stanek and Baker immediately started yelling at Valentine and both were promptly ejected.
David Peralta’s two-run home run makes it 7-5 Astros
⚾ Astros 7, Dodgers 5 — End of the seventh
Top of the seventh: Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford struck out Jeremy Pena. Blight Madris flied out to left and Corey Julks struck out.
Bottom of the seventh: Phil Maton took over on the mound for the Astros and hit Jason Heyward with his first pitch. After James Outman popped out, David Peralta hit a two-run home run to right to cut into the Astros’ lead. It was his fifth home run of the season. Michael Busch followed with a double to left field. Mookie Betts flied out against Astros reliever Hector Neris.
Astros extend their lead over Dodgers in the sixth
⚾ Astros 7, Dodgers 3 — End of the sixth
Top of the sixth: Ryan Brasier took over on the mound for Yency Almonte, and promptly got Jake Meyers to ground out to second. Jose Altuve reached first on bloop infield single that proved to be too much for Freddie Freeman after the ball bounced off his glove as he ran forward and slid to make a catch. Alex Bregman followed with a double down the left-field line.
Brasier intentionally walked Kyle Tucker to load the bases and face Jose Abreu, who responded with a sacrifice fly to center to score Altuve. A diving catch by Outman on Abreu’s flare likely prevented an additional run from scoring. Yainer Diaz struck out to leave a couple runners stranded.
Bottom of the sixth: Ronel Blanco struck out Freddie Freeman and Will Smith and J.D. Martinez grounded out to third. Since giving up a pair of home runs in the first, Blanco hasn’t allowed a hit and has retired 16 of the last 17 batters he has faced.
Alex Bregman grand slam powers Astros into lead
⚾ Astros 6, Dodgers 3 — Fifth inning
Top of the fifth: Corey Julks singled to right for the Astros’ sixth hit today. Bobby Miller then walked Jake Meyers. Jose Altuve loaded the bases on a single to first, beating Miller in a sprint to first as the Dodgers starter tried to cover the bag after Freddie Freeman fielded the grounder. Alex Bregman then hit a grand slam into the Dodgers’ bullpen for his 11th home run of the season, thrusting the Astros into the lead.
Miller, still looking for his first out of the inning, walked Kyle Tucker. Jose Abreu doubled on line drive to left center, just beating the throw to second. Yainer Diaz followed with a RBI single on a grounder to center field, ending Miller’s afternoon. Miller allowed 10 hits, six earned runs, walked three and struck out three over four innings and 80 pitches. Yency Almonte took over in relief.
Almonte struck out Jeremy Pena, then walked Bligh Madris. With the bases loaded, Julks grounded into a 4-3 double play in his second at-bat of the inning.
Bottom of the fifth: Miguel Vargas grounded out to third and Miguel Rojas flied out to center. Michael Busch became the first Dodger to reach base since the first inning when he walked on an 11-pitch at-bat. Mookie Betts grounded out to pitcher Ronel Blanco to end the inning.
Dodgers hold 3-1 lead heading into fifth inning
⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 1 — End of the fourth
Top of the fourth: Yainer Diaz led with a double to shallow center that deflected off the glove of James Outman, giving Diaz a chance to reach second. Bobby Miller struck out Jeremy Pena for his second punchout today. Miller struck out Bligh Madris before Dodgers catcher Will Smith threw out Diaz at third after fielding a pitch in the dirt.
Bottom of the fourth: J.D. Martinez flied out to center, Jason Heyward grounded out and James Outman struck out. Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has retired the last 10 Dodger batters.
Jose Altuve’s RBI single puts Houston on the board
⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 1 — End of the third
Top of the third: Corey Julks lined out to shortstop Miguel Rojas. Jake Meyers followed with a double on a sharp liner into the left-field corner. Jose Altuve drove in Meyers on a single to right, putting the Astros on the board. Altuve stole second before Alex Bregman grounded out to second. Bobby Miller walked Kyle Tucker, putting runners on the corners. Jose Abreu grounded into a force out at second, ending the inning.
Bottom of the third: Mookie Betts struck out and Freddie Freeman flied out to shortstop Jeremy Pena in left. Will Smith grounded out softly to short.
Dodgers hold 3-0 lead entering the third inning
⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 0 — End of the second
Top of the second: Jose Abreu bounced a grounder off the mound for a lead-off single before Yainer Diaz grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Jeremy Pena followed with a single to right. Bobby Miller struck out Bligh Madris.
Bottom of the second: Miguel Vargas popped out to first, Miguel Rojas struck out and Michael Busch flied out to shallow center.
Dodgers lead on homers from Will Smith and Jason Heyward
⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 0 — End of the first
Top of the first: Facing Dodgers starter Bobby Miller, Houston’s Jose Altuve flied out to right. Alex Bregman popped out to first and Kyle Tucker flied out to Jason Heyward in left.
Bottom of the first: Mookie Betts was inches away from hitting a lead-off home run for the second straight game before Houston rookie left fielder Corey Julks made a spectacular, leaping catch in front of the Dodgers’ bullpen to rob him of a homer. Freddie Freeman grounded out to first. Will Smith then hit his 11th home run of the season on a blast to left field off Houston starter Ronel Blanco.
J.D. Martinez drew a walk. Jason Heyward followed with a two-run home run to right-center field for his eighth blast of 2023. Blanco struck out James Outman to end the inning.
Noah Syndergaard throws three-inning simulated game but is no closer to return
Noah Syndergaard faced batters during a three-inning simulated game in Dodger Stadium Saturday, but it was not viewed as a significant step toward a minor league rehabilitation assignment or possible return for the struggling right-hander, who had a 7.16 ERA when he was placed on the injured list because of a blister on June 8.
“I think it was sort of checking a box in the sense that he got to face some hitters, did some up-downs,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game against the Houston Astros. “I don’t know the next step, but for me, just where he’s at, we’re still a ways away. I know that’s a vague statement, but that’s where we’re at.”
Though Syndergaard’s “injury” was officially listed as a blister on his index finger, a bigger concern was the emotional toll his season-long struggles and inability to gain any velocity on his fastball were taking on Syndergaard, who signed a one-year, $13-million deal with the Dodgers over the winter.
“For Noah to try different things and have the same results and to feel like you’re letting your teammates down, that takes a toll,” Roberts said. “So to get out of that ‘hotbox’ has been great. … I think the mental reset has taken place. Now the other part, which is just as important, is the stuff, the performance part that we’re still trying to work on.”
To that end, how was Syndergaard’s stuff on Saturday?
“I didn’t see it, but from what I heard, it was OK,” Roberts said. “The velocity was OK. Yeah, it was OK.”
Friday recap: Rejuvenated Dodgers pitching staff spearheads victory over Astros
Baseball wisdom says to build momentum, you have to have pitching.
This week, the Dodgers have found plenty of both.
In their third straight win Friday night, a 3-2 defeat of the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium, it was the Dodgers’ once-maligned pitching staff that again led the way.
Rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan gave up just two runs in six innings, following his hitless MLB debut last week with another quality start against a powerhouse lineup.
Dodgers TV schedule for remainder of regular season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the remainder of the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.
