by Cary Osborne
Max Muncy collected what would become the 27th out on Monday at Dodger Stadium, throwing it across the diamond to complete a 7–4 Dodger win against the Diamondbacks on Monday night.
In left field, David Peralta pounded his glove. In center, James Outman did the same. Jason Heyward in right looked up to the sky. The trio of outfielders then converged, touched gloves and did the Freddie dance.
Team win.
Hot August has been so much about the two igniters at the top of the lineup — Mookie Betts and Freeman. But one night, near the end of the month, showed the strength of the lineup and underscored what the Dodgers will need beyond August.
Freeman homered in the first inning off Arizona ace Zac Gallen, but the Dodgers’ 3–7 in the lineup of Will Smith, Muncy, Heyward, Peralta and Outman went a combined 9-for-18 with three home runs, six RBI and six runs scored.
“That’s what it’s going to take all year long. That’s what it’s going to take in October if we continue to take care of business,” Heyward said. “We know we got work to do, but it can’t always just be (Betts and Freeman). I think that’s been a big part of their success this year, and ours. We lean on them, but they lean on us, and they let us know they appreciate us.”
Heyward hit his first home run since Aug. 2 in the Dodgers’ three-run sixth inning. The two-run shot turned a 4–3 deficit to a 5–4 Dodger advantage.
Los Angeles Dodgers on Twitter: “J-Hey, how about we send ’em Outman? pic.twitter.com/CWxiWuHl3T / Twitter”
J-Hey, how about we send ’em Outman? pic.twitter.com/CWxiWuHl3T
Outman then followed with his second homer in consecutive days — a solo home run off Gallen and the rookie’s 17th of the season.
Muncy hit a two-run homer in the first inning.
The four homers were the most Gallen has allowed in a game in his career.
Muncy has continued to strike the ball with force. He has hit safely in seven straight games, and is 10-for-30 with two homers, two doubles, eight RBI and a .333/.393/.667/1.060 slash line. He had a .193 batting average going into the run and is now hitting .204.
“I did see a two up there (on the scoreboard), so that felt pretty good,” Muncy joked.
He also now has 31 homers and an .819 OPS to go with those numbers. He went 2-for-3 with a single and a walk to go with his homer on Monday.
“I expect a lot from Max, and I know he expects a lot of himself,” said manager Dave Roberts. “Tonight, to take the walk, to get a pull-side home run on a curveball, to get a two-strike base hit to the big part of the field, those are things that I think he’s capable of doing. And it was just an all-around good performance for Max, and defensively he was really good.”
Betts went 0-for-4 with a walk, ending his 15-game hitting streak. Freeman went 1-for-5.
Bobby Miller pitched six innings, allowing four runs and seven hits, walking two and striking out four. He allowed three runs in a 31-pitch fourth inning, but retired the final eight batters he faced.
The Dodgers (81–49) now lead second-place Arizona by 13 games in the National League West.
Gonsolin to Have Tommy John Surgery
Tony Gonsolin will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Sept. 1, ending his season and likely his 2024 season.
“We knew he was dealing with some elbow issues. But there was a point where he felt like he could pitch and get Major League hitters out until he couldn’t,” Roberts said. “And just talking to the doctors, we just felt that it was time to do (the surgery), at some point (it) was inevitable.”
The 2022 All-Star’s 2023 season finishes with an 8–5 record and a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts.
He joins fellow Dodger starter Dustin May, who had Tommy John surgery in July.
Dodgers give opponents more to worry about beyond the top of the lineup was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.