Grandal, Kendrick & Rollins Power Dodgers’ Offense In Win Over Phillies
It wasn’t an ordinary Monday at Dodger Stadium as there were plenty of headlines heading into the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. For starters, it was Jimmy Rollins’ first look at the club he spent the previous 15 years of his career with.
In other starters news, Eric Surkamp was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City, though Yimi Garcia was the first Dodgers pitcher on the mound in a designated bullpen game. Additionally, after no Dodgers made the National League All-Star team via the fan vote, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Zack Greinke and Joc Pederson were part of the reserves and pitchers named to the team.
As for the game, Garcia’s recent troubles didn’t suddenly evaporate with the right-hander serving as a de facto starter. Ben Revere and Cesar Hernandez hit back-to-back singles with no outs in the first inning. After Revere tagged on a fly out to center, Hernandez stole second base to give the Phillies two runners in scoring position with one out.
Garcia got out of the jam by striking out Ryan Howard and getting Carlos Ruiz to fly out. Howie Kendrick hit a one-out triple off Sean O’Sullivan in the bottom of the first. Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a lead on a bang-bang play at the plate, and Adrian Gonzalez’s solo home run quickly extended it to 2-0.
The lead didn’t last long as following a Cody Asche leadoff single in the second inning, Freddy Galvis hit a two-run home run to tie the game. The back-and-forth scoring affair continued in the home half of the second, beginning with a Yasiel Puig double that was nearly a home run. Andre Ethier scored his fellow outfielder with an RBI double and the Dodgers regained the lead.
Surkamp made his Dodgers debut in the third inning after Garcia threw 43 pitches over two innings, which will likely make him unavailable for the next few games. Surkamp promptly gave up a bunt single and walked Maikel Franco on four pitches. Howard then hit a three-run home run that gave the Phillies a 5-3 lead. Turner doubled in the bottom of the third and Gonzalez drew a walk, but the Dodgers failed to cut into their deficit.
CONTINUE READING: Yasmani Grandal, Howie Kendrick And Jimmy Rollins Power Dodgers Offense
