Dodgers dealt double blow with Julio Urías’ delayed return and walk-off loss
PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers have been running short on pitching options lately.
Both to start games — and finish them.
In less than a week, the team went from having a potential surplus of starting pitching to being shorthanded in the rotation once again after a setback to Julio Urías’ hamstring injury.
In that same time, they’ve watched their once-improving bullpen slip back into a late-game slump, suffering their third walk-off loss of this week’s trip in a 5-4 defeat Friday to the Philadelphia Phillies.
“A loss is a loss, but when you feel like you’re in it and you get walked off, that never feels good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “This is a resilient team and we’ve got to keep going.”
Phillies defeat Dodgers on Kyle Schwarber’s walk-off homer run in ninth
⚾ Phillies 5, Dodgers 4 — FINAL
Top of the ninth: Facing Gregory Soto, Miguel Rojas grounded out, Mookie Betts flied out and Freddie Freeman struck out.
Bottom of the ninth: Dodgers reliever Caleb Ferguson got Drew Ellis to ground out before Edmundo Sosa flied out to right. Kyle Schwarber then hit his fourth career walk-off home run to right field to lift the Phillies to victory. It was Schwarber’s 17th home run of the season and the Dodgers’ second walk-off loss in three days.
Dodgers pitcher Michael Grove had a rough outing, giving up seven hits and four runs over four innings as the Dodgers fell into a three-run hole. The Dodgers tied the score in the seventh on back-to-back home runs by Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
The Dodgers got solid relief from Alex Vesia and Shelby Miller. Ferguson fell to 3-2 this season.
The Dodgers and Phillies continue their series Saturday at 1:05 p.m. PDT.
Dodgers and Phillies tied heading into the ninth inning
⚾ Dodgers 4, Phillies 4 — End of the eighth
Top of the eighth: Facing Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado, J.D. Martinez led off with a double off the top of the wall in left-center field. Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott made a spectacular, diving catch on a liner off the bat of Max Muncy. Alvarado struck out Chris Taylor, walked Miguel Vargas and then struck out Jonny DeLuca to leave a couple stranded.
Bottom of the eighth: After striking out Trea Turner, Dodgers reliever Shelby Miller hit J.T. Realmuto with a pitch. Miller then struck out Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh to defuse the situation.
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back homers, tying game
⚾ Dodgers 4, Phillies 4 — Seventh inning
Top of the seventh: Facing Phillies reliever Matt Strahm, Miguel Vargas walked and Jonny DeLuca and Miguel Rojas each struck out. Mookie Betts then hit a two-run home run — his 17th homer of the year to make it a one-run game. Freddie Freeman immediately followed with a home run to center field, tying the game. Will Smith grounded out to end the frame.
Phillies take lead over Dodgers on three-run fifth inning
⚾ Phillies 4, Dodgers 1 — End of the fifth
Top of the fifth: The Dodgers went down in order, with Ranger Suarez striking out Freddie Freeman and Will Smith.
Bottom of the fifth: Edmundo Sosa singled on a grounder to second. After Kyle Schwarber walked, Nick Castellanos doubled on a liner to center field, scoring Sosa. A wild pitch by Michael Grove got past catcher Will Smith, allowing to Schwarber to score. Bryce Harper flied out to left. Trea Turner singled on sharp line drive to left, scoring Castellanos.
After J.T. Realmuto flied out to left, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts replaced Grove with Alex Vesia. Bryson Stott flied out to left on Vesia’s first pitch.
Dodgers and Phillies tied heading into the fifth
⚾ Dodgers 1, Phillies 1 — End of the fourth
Top of the fourth: Chris Taylor walked, Miguel Vargas lined out, Jonny DeLuca flied out and Miguel Rojas grounded out.
Bottom of the fourth: Michael Grove retired the Phillies in order, striking out Brandon Marsh along the way.
Bryce Harper drives in a run to tie game in third inning
⚾ Dodgers 1, Phillies 1 — End of the third
Top of the third: Freddie Freeman grounded out and Will Smith struck out before J.D. Martinez drew a walk. Max Muncy grounded out to end the frame.
Bottom of the third: Kyle Schwarber hit his first triple of the season off the base of the wall in center field. The ball ricocheted behind James Outman, delaying Chris Taylor’s throw to third. After Michael Grove struck out Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper hit an RBI single to right. J.T. Realmuto grounded into a force out at second for the third out.
J.D. Martinez drives in run to give Dodgers early lead
⚾ Dodgers 1, Phillies 0 — End of the first
Top of the first: Facing Phillies starter Ranger Suarez, Mookie Betts flied out to center. Freddie Freeman then hit his 24th double of the season on a liner to the wall in center field. Suarez struck out Will Smith before J.D. Martinez doubled to left-center field, scoring Freeman. Max Muncy grounded out to end the frame.
Bottom of the first: Dodgers opener Victor Gonzalez walked Kyle Schwarber before Nick Castellanos grounded into a force out at second. After Bryce Harper grounded into a force out at second, the Dodgers put Michael Grove on the mound. Ex-Dodger Trea Turner singled to center off Grove. J.T. Realmuto flied out to center, stranding two.
Julio Urías will not make his return from injury Sunday for Dodgers
PHILADELPHIA — In less than a week, the Dodgers went from having a potential surplus of starting pitchers to being short-handed on the mound once again.
A day after the team placed Noah Syndergaard on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts announced Friday that Julio Urías won’t be back this weekend from a left hamstring strain as expected, a setback that could leave the club juggling a four-man rotation for the next few weeks.
“He’s going to keep throwing,” Roberts said of Urías, who was originally slated to start Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies. “But I think when he tries to ramp up the intensity is when he sort of feels the tightness in the hamstring.”
Victor González to serve as opener in front of Michael Grove
PHILADELPHIA — Victor González will serve as an opener for the Dodgers on Friday, with Michael Grove set to follow him as the bulk pitcher for the series opener against the Phillies.
It will be Grove’s second outing since returning from the injured list. While he gave up four runs in five innings, he also struck out seven and showed improved velocity on all his pitches, leading manager Dave Roberts to say this week the 26-year-old will get an extended run in the big league rotation.
Here is the rest of the Dodgers lineup:
Thursday recap: Clayton Kershaw helps Dodgers end their skid in win over Reds
CINCINNATI — Of the many missing ingredients that have afflicted the Dodgers’ struggling pitching staff, one has started looming large among the rest.
The team’s starters haven’t pitched nearly deep enough into games.
And, as evidenced by their 22nd-ranked team earned run average, it has led to a slew of cascading side effects.
“It’s important,” manager Dave Roberts said about starting pitching length. “With relievers as volatile as they are, to put them in stressful games every night, to have to use certain guys every night, it gets taxing.”
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.
