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There is a saying that the best defense is a good offense, and Trea Turner certainly took that to heart, leading the Phillies to a 10-7 win over the Dodgers in a performance of two halves. Turner’s work with the bat, hitting a pair of home runs, made everyone in the park forgive and forget the multiple errors he committed to make this game closer than it should’ve been for a big part of it.
The Phillies had Cristopher Sánchez on the mound for this one, and a groundball specialist is only as effective as his defense allows him to be. Oftentimes, a defense also is only as strong as its weakest link. For the Phillies and Sánchez, particularly in the early part of this game, it was a tug of war, with great defensive plays followed by errors. It started in the first inning, when after the first two hitters were retired, the Dodgers loaded the bases ahead of Miguel Rojas thanks to a Turner error fielding a ground ball. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Rojas was unable to capitalize on this early opportunity.
In each of the following two innings, right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. made solid plays to retire Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages, but his bigger impact would come in the fourth. Mookie Betts led off the frame with a single and moved to third after Rojas drove a ball to the right-center gap—Rojas couldn’t move into scoring position as well because Rincones did a fantastic job cutting the ball off. With no outs, Philly played for the double-play ball with runners at the corners, and it got just that from Teoscar Hernández. Another potential rally against Sánchez was squashed.
The Phillies starter secured an early lead with his offense scoring four in the second because the Dodgers defense could only do so much to bail out Emmet Sheehan. After Tommy Edman helped turn a beautiful 5-4-3 double play to prevent damage in the first, the bottom of the Phillies order punished the Dodgers’ starter with a string of three consecutive hits—it included a double from Rincones, getting the job done on both sides of the ball. Turner finished off that inning with his first of two home runs, crushing a hanging slider from Sheehan.
In the sixth inning, with the Phillies then leading 4-1, a couple of loud hits were enough for Don Mattingly to turn to Orion Kerkering in the bullpen with Alex Call up at the plate—he did so, knowing the Dodgers had Max Muncy and Kyle Tucker on the bench to counter any righty reliever coming into the game. Dave Roberts pinch-hit Muncy for Call, and the All-Star third baseman delivered with an RBI double. The Dodgers would cut the deficit to 4-3, once again thanks to Turner’s defensive shortcomings as the shortstop mishandled a bases-loaded two-out ground ball from Andy Pages, up at the plate following the intentional walk to Ohtani.
Sadly, as quickly as the Dodgers got back into the game, they were removed from it. Sheehan’s pitch count was in check when he was sent back out there for the sixth inning in a 4-3 game, but the rhythm of his performance had been off from the get-go, often navigating through traffic. It came as no surprise when Brandon Marsh led off the frame with a home run and was followed by a Bryston Stott double. Stott would also come around to score, as Turner hit his second long ball of the game in that inning, this one off Alex Vesia, who faltered in relief of Sheehan.
The late innings of this game proved a home run derby of sorts, with Bryce Harper and Derek Hill taking Landon Knack deep, Harper with a milestone 200th long ball as a Philly. Betts, who was the Dodgers’ best hitter in the game, also left the yard a couple of times, even generating a bit of entertainment in the ninth, cutting the Dodgers’ deficit to just three runs—it just wasn’t enough to will the team back into the game by himself. If nothing else, his two-run shot in the ninth made Don Mattingly bring in Jhoan Duran for the final out of this game, unwilling to take any chances against baseball’s premier club.
On top of the wasted opportunities with runners in scoring position against Sánchez, the Dodgers will lament the continued struggles of Ohtani in the head-to-head battle with this particular Phillies’ starter, who continues to have his number. Ohtani was 0 for 3 with a pair of punchouts facing Sánchez.
Game particulars
- Home runs— 2 Mookie Betts (13), 2 Trea Turner (14), Bryce Harper (21), Brandon Marsh (16), Derek Hill (8)
- WP—Cristopher Sánchez (12-4): 5.1 IP, 7 hits, 3 runs, 7 strikeouts
- LP— Emmet Sheehan (4-7): 5.1 IP, 8 hits, 6 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Up next
Slightly earlier start time on the Tuesday matchup between the Dodgers and Phillies, with first pitch at 3:40 p.m. (PT). Justin Wrobleski will make his first start after being selected to the All-Star Game, putting on the line a sequence of three starts going seven full innings. Continuing to trot out the best they have to offer, Philly will roll with the veteran Zack Wheeler.
