Dodgers Let Another One Get Away

It has become the rule rather than the exception for the Dodgers this season: a Dodgers starter struggles after being given an early lead.

In this case, it was a top-of-the-first-inning 3-0 lead for 27-year-old Dodgers right-hander Dustin May, only to have the popular Justin, TX native and Dodgers third round draft pick in 2016 out of Northwest High School in Justin surrendering five runs on six hits to the nine Chicago Cubs batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning before the proverbial seats were even warm.

**All May could do was watch as Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson tripled to left in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game 3-3. (SportsNet LA)**

**Although May struggled on Tuesday, he struck out six of the 27 Cubs batters he faced, including Cubs third baseman Gage Workman to end the fifth. (SportsNet LA)**

On the plus side, Dodgers utility infielder/outfielder/designated hitter Tommy Edman went 2-for-4, including his team-leading eighth home run of the season, a first-inning three-run shot to center, to give the Dodgers that early 3-0 lead. Edman ended up driving in four of the Dodgers 10 runs.

Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages also had a 2-for-4 night, including his third home run of the season, a second-inning solo shot to left-center field, pull to within one of the North Siders. Dodgers Catcher Will Smith slugged his third home run of the season, a solo blast to left in the top of the sixth, to make it a 7-5 ballgame.

**Three of Edman’s four RBIs on Tuesday came on his first-inning 417-foot home run over the center field wall at historic Wrigley Field. (SportsNet LA)**

Also on the plus side, five of the six Dodgers relievers behind May held Chicago to no runs and six hits through their combined four innings of work, handing a 10-10 tie to 28-year-old Dodgers right-hander Noah Davis to begin the bottom of the 11th, with popular former Dodger Justin Turner the Cubs placed runner on second base.

On the minus side, Cubs left fielder Ian Happ roped Davis’ first pitch – a fat 85.6 MPH screwball – to right, allowing JT to easily score from second base for the extra-inning 11-10 walk-off win.

“It’s frustrating,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “Some guys had some big nights, which was great, but there’s still some things situationally that I just didn’t think that we had good at-bats with runners in scoring position. We had (Cubs starter Shota) Imanaga on the ropes early. We still put up 10 runs and wish that we got a win.”

We all know what they say about wishing. I’ll just leave it at that.

Play Ball!

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