PROTECT YOUR DNA WITH QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayFirst, the Dodgers lost star center fielder Andy Pages to a fractured hand.
Then, they blew a late two-run lead against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Somehow, neither bout of adversity managed to sink them on Friday night.
Instead, in the kind of momentum-sustaining, win-streak-extending result that has too often evaded them during their second-half lull, the Dodgers responded for a 5-4 extra-inning win at Dodger Stadium, walking the Pirates off on Tommy Edman’s two-out single in the bottom of the 10th.
“When the game gets really tense or hot or [in] big spots, we do have guys that can really heighten their focus and execute a pitch, or conduct an at-bat, get a big hit,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We have a lot of experience. And that’s something that is a huge benefit for our ball club.”
The importance of Friday’s game felt heightened from the start.
The Dodgers were trying to build off a series sweep of the Colorado Rockies this week. They had a crowd that came ready to cheer on slumping outfielder Kyle Tucker. Then, in the third inning, they watched Pages get drilled in the hand by a 100 mph fastball that immediately raised alarm bells.
At first, the 25-year-old slugger tried to play the painful moment off. He immediately walked out of the batter’s box, quickly removed his batting gloves, then walked straight to first base, trying to shoo off Roberts and a trainer from coming to check on him.
Pages ultimately talked his way into staying in the game for the rest of the frame, and even went out to play another inning of defense in center field in the fourth.
Finally, however, he was replaced by Kiké Hernández at the beginning of the fifth, and returned to the clubhouse for further evaluation.
That’s where he was diagnosed with a fracture that will sideline him for roughly 4-5 weeks.
“X-rays unfortunately came up as a fracture,” Roberts said. “So he’ll be out for a while.”
Sign up for the California Morning Report newsletter
California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.
Thanks for signing up!
At that point, at least, the Dodgers were still leading, having eraed an early 1-0 deficit on Max Muncy’s two-run homer in the bottom of the first before breaking a 2-2 tie on Mookie Betts’ two-run single following Pages’ hit-by-pitch later in the third.
However, they missed chances to add to their lead from there, leaving the bases loaded to end the third and then again with a chance to extend the lead in the bottom of the seventh –– when Tucker came up to another raucous ovation, but flied out to end the inning as part of an 0-for-4, one-walk performance.
Thus, the door was left open for the Pirates.
And though they had missed their own chances during Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 6 ⅓-inning, two-run start, Oneil Cruz leveled the score with one big swing in the eighth: a towering two-run home run off Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt that traveled 424 feet and halfway up the pavilion in deep right-center.
With a limited bullpen at that point, the Dodgers had to get creative to keep the game going.
Edgardo Henriquez replaced Hurt later in the eighth, then collected five outs to push the night into extra innings. Once there, Evan Phillips faced a bases-loaded, one-out jam following a single and intentional walk, but got Henry Davis to roll into an inning-ending double-play to escape it.
That set the stage for Edman, who slashed a line drive to left with two outs in the inning and runners on the corners.
Even on a night full of other frustrations, that was enough to set up a walk-off celebration.
“We’ve kind of been struggling a little bit in those clutch situations, myself included,” Edman said. “So it felt really good to come through.”
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!














English (US) ·
French (CA) ·