NEW YORK — A night downpour interfered with the Dodgers’ best-laid plans. Nevertheless it did not wash away their possibilities of beginning the street journey on a victorious observe.
It took eight pitchers, 13 innings and practically six hours, however the Dodgers outlasted the Mets, 7-5, in Friday’s collection opener at Citi Subject.
After neither crew scored by way of the primary three innings of extras, Teoscar Hernández led off the thirteenth with a double, scoring automated runner Will Smith with ease. Andy Pages added on with a sacrifice fly to create somewhat respiration room for Luis García, who held the road within the backside of the body.
“It may occur. They’ve an excellent bullpen,” Hernández mentioned. “It isn’t going to be straightforward, however we tried. That is the very best that we will do. And simply go up there … battle each at-bat, attempt to have a very good at-bat, crew at-bat in that scenario in further innings, and simply attempt to put one on the board.”
It was the Dodgers’ second-longest recreation for the reason that automated runner rule was put in place in 2020 — behind solely their 16-inning marathon in opposition to the Padres on Aug. 25, 2021, a 5-3 victory — and the win got here at a price.
Los Angeles used all of its bullpen arms save for Jack Dreyer, a necessity after a one-hour, 38-minute rain delay restricted Clayton Kershaw’s begin to two scoreless innings. It was an unwelcome, but extra manageable job when there have been solely seven innings to cowl. However Tanner Scott, pitching for the third time in 4 days, couldn’t maintain on to a three-run lead within the backside of the ninth.
“You virtually form of go in playoff mode, within the sense of attempting to depend outs and work out how one can maximize your arms. And even coming into the collection, we have been fairly taxed,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “The fellows did a improbable job. And yeah, you anticipated 4 or 5 innings out of Clayton or no matter, high quality begin, and never having the ability to get it — I do know [Mets manager Carlos Mendoza] felt the identical factor.”
Each groups knew unhealthy climate was coming, and Roberts mentioned there was some consideration of starting in a delay. However they thought they might be capable of squeeze in additional innings earlier than the heavy rain started, relatively than burning Kershaw and Mets starter Griffin Canning.
It was simply Kershaw’s second begin of the season, as he missed the primary month and a half whereas finishing his rehab from offseason surgical procedures on his left knee and left toe.
“I feel in hindsight, in all probability ought to have simply waited to start out the sport for some time,” Kershaw mentioned. “Powerful to have our bullpen find yourself protecting [11] innings. However they did an incredible job. … It is a robust approach to begin the street journey, simply depleting the bullpen like that, clearly. However the Mets needed to do the identical factor they usually misplaced, so that does not really feel close to pretty much as good.”
Matt Sauer and Ben Casparius have been the primary out of the ‘pen for the Dodgers, protecting three innings apiece. Then got here Scott, who suffered his second blown save in his previous three appearances.
Alex Vesia received the ultimate two outs of the ninth and the primary out of the tenth, then Lou Trivino, Anthony Banda and García mixed to carry the Mets scoreless the remainder of the best way.
García pitched the ultimate 2 1/3 innings, his longest look since 2017. Will probably be robust for the Dodgers to piece collectively the remainder of the weekend, given all of the arms they used on Friday — however they have been all in on popping out on prime.
“I hoped the fellows would rating the primary inning that I received in,” García mentioned, “however we did it on the finish, and we received the win. That was the extra vital factor.”
