Final: Dodgers survive bases-loaded jam in ninth to beat Angels 2-0
The Angels made it interesting in the ninth.
After a lengthy delay because of an injury to home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson — Mike Trout’s broken bat struck the umpire in the face on the follow through of a swing — the Angels got the bases loaded against the Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel with one out.
Kimbrel, however, struck out the next two batters to end the game and pick up his 12th save of the season.
The Dodgers are now 38-23. The Angels are 29-34.
Final: Dodgers 2, Angels 0
Mookie Betts snaps cold streak with insurance home run
Mookie Betts entering the game in a 2-for-31 slump. He made an out his first three times to the plate, twice going down on strikes.
But then in eighth, Betts’ bat finally came back to life. He hit a solo home run to left field to give the Dodgers an important insurance run. It was his 17th blast of the year.
The Dodgers bullpen, meanwhile, has gotten scoreless appearances from Caleb Ferguson and Daniel Hudson in the seventh and eighth, repsectively.
Closer Craig Kimbrel is coming on in the ninth.
End 8th: Dodgers lead 2-0
Tony Gonsolin takes MLB lead in ERA after scoreless start
Tony Gonsolin continued his stellar start to the season, taking possession of the MLB lead for ERA at 1.42 after a scoreless 6 1/3 inning start.
Gonsolin gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out six batters. He got through the Angels dangerous top of the order three times without a threat.
At 86 pitches, he looked displeased when manager Dave Roberts took the ball out of his hand with one out in the seventh.
However, it still marked the second-longest start of his MLB career, and was his sixth consecutive quality start (at least six innings and no more than three earned runs).
End 7th: Dodgers lead 1-0
Angels get game’s first hit, but Dodgers get opening run on bases loaded walk
The Angels got the game’s first hit, when Shohei Ohtani smoked a 114.4 mph single through the infield in the top of the fourth.
The Dodgers, however, got the night’s first run, taking the lead on a bases-loaded walk by Noah Syndergaard in the bottom of the fourth.
Syndergaard limited the damage there, but still threw 39 pitches in the inning, which included an infield single and three total walks.
End 4th: Dodgers lead 1-0
Through three innings, no hits for either team
Through three innings, there has not been a hit in this game.
The only baserunner came in the top of the first, when Mike Trout drew a walk against Tony Gonsolin. Since then, however, Gonsolin has retired eight in a row, including four via strikeout.
Noah Syndergaard has been even more dominant for the Angels, retiring all nine batters he has faced so far with two strikeouts.
End 3rd: No score
Lineups: Taylor Ward returns for Angels; Noah Syndergaard and Tony Gonsolin take the mound
The Angels will get a boost in Tuesday’s Freeway Series opener, with outfielder Taylor was activated from the injured list and set to lead off at Dodger Stadium.
Ward, who hasn’t played since June 3, is batting .333 on the season with a 1.087 OPS.
On the mound, Noah Syndergaard will make his 10th start of the season. He enters with a 4-4 record and 2.69 ERA.
Here’s the Angels full lineup:
The Dodgers will send Tony Gonsolin to the mound Tuesday. He’ll be trying to continue his strong start to the season, entering the game 7-0 with a 1.58 ERA.
Here’s the Dodgers lineup Tuesday, which includes Chris Taylor after his collision with the wall on Sunday:
Walker Buehler injury: Four ways the Dodgers can cope in the months ahead
It was only last week when, as he was asked during a news conference about what it would take for his team to make a genuine championship push this year, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pointed to production at the top of the rotation as one of the club’s biggest keys.
Roberts knew that in order to be a true contender, the Dodgers needed to have a couple arms capable of pitching not only dominantly, but deep into games on a consistent basis.
And up until the fourth inning on Friday night, the team was still counting on Walker Buehler to be a central part in that equation.
Angels and Dodgers mired in MLB’s big-team bear market as they renew Freeway Series
A month ago, Major League Baseball was making a big deal about its big teams in its big markets.
For the first time ever in early May, both franchises in New York and the Southland were leading their respective division — a fact MLB splashed across its television network and social media feeds.
The Yankees and Mets were rolling on one coast. The Dodgers and Angels were equally as impressive on the other. The sport’s best baseball was being played in its most populous areas. It seemed like it might last all summer.
Fast-forward a few weeks, and the situation has changed.
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: