It took ten wild frames, but the Dodgers finally found their rhythm, blasting through the Giants’ defense for a 5-1 win in San Francisco. After nine-plus innings where both teams couldn’t buy a hit with a runner in scoring position, the dam finally broke in the tenth, and it was a total surge of momentum. Alex Call smacked a crucial two-out double, setting the stage, and then Andy Pages stepped up and absolutely crushed a three-run shot. That bomb gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game, and turns out, it was the only one they’d need. What a way to seal it, man!
Early Jitters and Jaw-Dropping Ejections
Before the extra-inning fireworks, this game was a tight, frustrating grind. Giants opener Jack Dreyer actually did a solid job keeping the Dodgers’ bats quiet, but the Giants managed to scratch a run across in the second. Shay Whitcomb singled, then swiped second, getting himself into scoring position. Scott Bandura, playing in just his 13th big league game, drove him in for his first RBI of the season. Talk about a memorable moment, right? Bandura even tried for another steal, but Dreyer was alert this time and picked him off. For the Dodgers, it was a traditional bullpen game, with Carson Seymour getting just one inning to kick things off. They tried to get something going in the third, but it blew up in classic fashion. Tony Vitello got tossed from the game, his seventh ejection of 2026, arguing a check swing call on Mookie Betts. It was a call that had been a topic of frustration all game, and Vitello finally boiled over. Betts struck out on the very next pitch, and Sam Hentges punched out Freddie Freeman, squashing that threat completely.
Squandered Chances and a Game-Tying Sac Fly
The Dodgers’ offense couldn’t get it done in the third, but they quickly responded in the fourth. Kyle Tucker got on base thanks to a defensive error by the second baseman, then hustled to third after Max Muncy ripped his 27th double of the season, setting a new career high. With two men on and one out, Andy Pages came through with a sacrifice fly, tying the game up. But after that, it was a clinic in missed opportunities. Freddie Freeman laced a hit with a man on, but Jonah Cox made a fantastic defensive play to take it away, somewhat redeeming himself for the earlier error. That was actually Freeman’s last action of the game, as Dave Roberts pulled him after five innings to rotate some key pieces, bringing in Kiké Hernández. Muncy nearly became a giant killer again in the sixth, but a ball he ripped just died in the deepest part of the park. It would’ve been a solo shot in 23 of 30 stadiums, but not at Oracle Park that night. The biggest squandered chances, though, came in the seventh and eighth. The Dodgers stranded a leadoff double by Tommy Edman with three straight groundouts in the seventh, and then another chance went begging after Muncy secured his T (sentence cuts off). Man, you gotta capitalize on those!
But hey, that’s what makes extras so wild. The Dodgers finally broke through in the tenth, turning all that frustration into a big 5-1 W.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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