Lux Puts Dodgers Ahead for Much Needed Win – 5/11/21

Lux Puts Dodgers Ahead for Much Needed Win – 5/11/21

The Dodgers struggled mightily on their lengthy road trip. They returned home tonight to begin a nine-game homestand, starting with the Mariners. The Boys in Blue faced the Mariners in April and came away with one win and one loss. This quick two-game series felt like the perfect time for the Dodgers to face another team that hasn’t been great as of late. Buehler wasn’t at his best, but the offense decided to show up tonight, so what he provided was more than enough. 

Buehler Gives Up a Bomb

The Mariners welcomed themselves to Dodger Stadium real quick with a Mitch Haniger home run in the first inning. Mariners had an early 1-0 lead, but Buehler didn’t look phased, striking out the next four batters he faced. 

Dodgers had a chance to score some runs in the second inning, but like we’ve seen most of the season, they just can’t seem to hit with RISP. Smith led off the inning with a base hit, followed by a Muncy walk. Taylor struck out, Neuse flew out, and Haniger made a sliding grab in right field to rob Lux of a hit and at least one run. The Dodgers got the first two on in the inning yet couldn’t even move the runners over one base. 

Buehler had done well holding the Mariners off until the fourth inning when he gave up a single to Lewis, and Kyle Seager followed that up with a two-run home run. Mariners were now up 3-0, and the Dodger bats had nothing going for them. 

Awwooo! Muncy Homer

Then Max Muncy came to the plate in the bottom half of the fourth. Muncy crushed a ball 433 feet to right-center, the furthest of the season so far. The Dodgers slid into the run column. With one run on the board and two outs, Taylor smacked a pitch off the right-field wall and tripled. Unfortunately, Neuse swung at some bad pitches out of the zone, stranding Taylor at third to end the inning. 

It didn’t take long for the Mariners to get their run right back. Haniger came up in the sixth and hit his second solo home run of the game. Mariners were back on top 4-1, and Buehler had given up three home runs in a start for the first time since 2018. Buehler made three mistakes tonight, but they were all costly. He only gave up four hits, but with three of them being home runs, he ended up giving up four runs in his outing.

Buehler racked up the strikeouts tonight and had 17 swings and misses, but it wasn’t a great outing when you factor in the runs. The good news is he is still keeping the walks at a minimum. Now we just have to hope he can cut back on the mistake pitches next time out. 

Seager RBI (the Dodger One This Time)

Taylor led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit, and the Dodgers had the leadoff guy on for only the second time in the game. Lux singled with one down, and Pollock drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. With the tying run at first and one out, Mookie came to the plate and battled before being called out on strike three, which was very clearly ball four. So what should’ve been a bases-loaded walk with one-out turned into a strikeout and two down. Seager came up still looking for his first hit of the night, and on the first pitch, dropped a single into right field, and two runs came across to score. Dodgers now only trailed by one with the tying run on third. Unfortunately, Turner struck out to end the inning and also picked up his first career four-strikeout game. 

Lux Puts Dodgers Ahead

The eighth inning is when the Dodgers got some magic going. With two outs, Taylor singled and picked up his first three-hit game of the season. He stole second base but ended up not mattering much as reliever Rafael Montero plunked the pinch hitting Matt Beaty in the leg to put him on first. That brought Gavin Lux to the plate with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run at first. Lux completely obliterated the ball, and put the Dodgers ahead, now leading this one 6-4! Talk about the perfect time to his your first home run of the season.

As soon as Lux hit the ball, he knew it was gone and tossed his bat down, turned to look at the dugout, pounded his chest, and yelled, “Let’s fucking go!” and he was PUMPED! The stadium sounded like it was full capacity, and the Dodgers were back on top! That right there might be the moment that turns things around for the Boys in Blue.

Now it was all up to Jansen to close this one down. He came in and struck out Haniger and Lewis to start the inning. Kyle Seager popped out, and the game was over! Dodgers beat the Mariners 6-4.

I Love LA Resounds

Dodgers pulled out a victory at home and did it on the backs of the offense coming through in moments they needed to. It wasn’t the best outing for Buehler.  The offense struggled when Kikuchi was on the mound. But once they got to that bullpen, they battled and found a way to pull this one out. There were no sketchy bullpen moments, and there were finally some of those moments we all fully expect to see as Dodger fans. Tonight felt like a Dodgers win, and it felt so damn good. I’m hoping Lux’s home run will be the turning point for this offense, and we come out of tomorrow’s game with a nice little two-game sweep.

First pitch is at 7:10 PM PDT. 

For Sunday’s game recap, click here.

Photo Credit: Michael Owens/Getty Images