Pages goes 4-5 including the game ending hit, Stone allows just one run over six innings
The Dodgers hosted the National League leading Atlanta Braves Friday night in an extra inning affair, with the Dodgers coming out on top by a final score of 4-3 in 11 innings.
Gavin Stone made his sixth start of the season for the Dodgers, as he looked to replicate the same success he had in his previous start against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Charlie Morton made his sixth start of the season for Atlanta, having tossed at least six innings in each of his first five starts.
The Braves bats came out swinging early against Stone, as leadoff man Ronald Acuña Jr. swatted a single on the first pitch of the game with Ozzie Albies advancing him to second base on the very next pitch. Austin Riley belted his third home run of the season, and had it not been for Stone picking off Acuña at second, it would’ve been a 2-0 Atlanta lead.
A running theme for the Dodgers has been their inconsistency to produce with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers wasted no time attempting to reverse their misfortunes. In the second inning two men on and two outs, Gavin Lux lined a base hit to left field that would’ve scored Andy Pages had it not been for a perfect throw from left fielder Jarred Kelenic to gun him down, ending the threat and the inning.
After Shohei Ohtani worked an eight pitch walk and stole his sixth base of the season, Will Smith collected his 20th RBI with runners in scoring position, tying the game at one apiece and tying Mookie Betts for the team lead in RBI.
Tie game! pic.twitter.com/eudW7yvA1I
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 4, 2024
Teoscar Hernández helped give the Dodgers their first lead of the night with a solo home run to make it a 2-1 game. It was Hernández’s seventh home run of the year, tying Ohtani for the team lead, and his sixth home run at Dodger Stadium.
No. 7 for Teo! pic.twitter.com/to1EaFkFW0
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 4, 2024
After getting ambushed by Riley in the first inning and tossing 27 pitches in the second inning, Stone was able to settle into a groove his second time facing Atlanta’s lineup, as he held Braves’ hitters to just a .143 average through his final four innings of work.
Over his last 13 innings, Stone has allowed just seven hits and two earned runs, striking out seven and walking three in that span. Overall on the season, Stone has lowered his ERA to 4.09 and a FIP of 3.75.
Charlie Morton has now started six straight games where he has pitched six innings to begin the season, as he limited Dodgers hitters to two runs while striking out five and walking two.
Joe Kelly came in relief of Stone in the seventh inning, and after the Dodgers used a successful challenge on a hit-by-pitch call, Kelly pitched a scoreless seventh inning, lowering his season ERA to 4.85.
Daniel Hudson followed Kelly to try and keep the lead, but allowed a towering solo home run to the reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. to tie up the game at two. It’s been a rough stretch for Hudson recently, as he has allowed at least one run in his last four appearances.
The Dodgers had the chance to capitalize in the bottom half of the eighth inning, as they put two runners on with two walks, but Max Muncy struck out swinging against lefty relieve A.J. Minter to prevent the Dodgers from taking back the lead.
Evan Phillips came in for a non-save situation in the ninth inning and made relatively light work of Atlanta’s lineup, including a strikeout of Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud to retire the side.
Alex Vesia relieved Phillips in the 10th inning, but allowed former Dodger Luke Williams to score on a sacrifice fly from Orlando Arcia, giving the Braves back the lead.
Shohei Ohtani managed to display his speed with two stolen bases, with one of them leading to a Dodgers run. He then decided to keep the game going with an RBI single off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias in the bottom of the tenth inning to tie the game at three.
Shohei for the tie! pic.twitter.com/df7LvjlR8J
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 4, 2024
Ohtani is now the fourth Dodger so far to reach the 20 RBI mark.
Michael Grove came in for the top of the eleventh inning, and pitched a solid inning of scoreless ball. Grove has found his form over his past nine innings of work, registering a 3.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts to just three walks.
Andy Pages kept his hot start to his major league career going, as he extended his hitting streak to nine games. Pages was the only Dodgers on the night to collect multiple hits with four, and now has a slashline of .333/.354/.567 with a 158 wRC+.
He also sent Dodgers fans home happy with his first career walk-off hit.
WALK IT OFF, ANDY. pic.twitter.com/EyXPe61ZS0
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 4, 2024
Game particulars
- Home runs: Teoscar Hernández (7); Austin Riley (3), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2)
- WP— Michael Grove (1-1): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
- LP— Jesse Chavez (1-1): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Up next
The Dodgers will look to win their fourth straight series Saturday night, as they will send Tyler Glasnow for his eighth start of the season. Bryce Elder will make his third start of the season for Atlanta. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA).