Houston Astros @ Los Angeles Dodgers (9/12/20) — Final: HOU 7, LAD 5

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An inexucseable loss falls on Kenley Jansen and only Kenley Jansen, as a three run lead slips away in the ninth and the Los Angeles Dodgers fall to the Houston Astros, 7-5.

Julio Urías’ day commenced with a ball, followed by a double down the line from George Springer. Kiké Hernàndez made an outstanding diving play to help Urías get the second out; however, Yuli Gurriel’s RBI bloop single put the Astros in front early, 1-0. Urías struck-out Kyle Tucker to finish the opening frame before Framber Valdez went to work. Mookie Betts was caught looking on 3-pitches, and Valdez pounded the zone in an easy bottom frame. Urías answered with a perfect frame of his own to start the second. In the home half, Will Smith pulled a 1-out single and Chris Taylor gave the Dodgers the lead with an opposite-field 2-run home run. On the next pitch, Kiké Hernàndez hit a solo shot that landed in nearly the same spot, doubling their advantage to 3-1. Urías erased a leadoff walk in the third with in an inning-ending double-play, and Corey Seager smashed a 1-out triple in LA’s half. AJ Pollock’s sacrifice-fly scored Seager, making it 4-1 Dodgers. Urías walked Gurriel in the top of the fourth, but Smith cut him down attempting to steal 2nd as the final out. Valdez pitched a 1-2-3 frame to end the inning, and Urías, again, walked the leadoff batter in the fifth. He countered with some very good pitches though, getting a ground-out and two strike-outs to strand the runner. Valdez walked Betts with 2-outs in the bottom half, and after a wild pitch allowed Betts to advance, Seager brought him home with a single through the hole, putting LA ahead 5-1. Urías went back out for the sixth, giving the Dodgers some much needed length, and worked around a walk and a single to escape the frame unscathed. That concluded his stellar outing, aside from the walks, pounding the zone and trusting himself. His final line displayed this: 6IP, 1ER, 3H, 4BB, 3K and the win. Smith doubled in the home half, and Taylor’s base hit put runners at the corners with 2-outs for Hernàndez. He watched book-end strike calls and was punched-out, unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Pedro Báez, returning from the IL this morning, entered to pitch the seventh. He allowed a double, but pitched a scoreless frame. Betts was caught stealing following an infield hit in a quick bottom of the inning. Blake Trienen pitched the eighth and allowed a run on a ground-out, resulting after a pair of singles. He struck-out Tucker to limit the damage, keeping LA in front 5-2. After a scoreless frame offensively, Kenley Jansen was given the ninth with a three run lead. 4 straight Houston hits put runners at the corners with still nobody out, now a 5-4 game. Springer, unsurprisingly, kept the streak alive with a game-tying single. After allowing yet another knock to Bregman that put the Astros ahead 6-5, Jansen was (finally) relieved. Adam Kolarek entered to clean up the mess (understatement…) and managed to get three outs only allowing an additional run. In what began 5-2, the top of the ninth came to an end with the Dodgers behind, 7-5. Ryan Plessly entered for the bottom of the ninth, and Cody Bellinger’s leadoff single was erased by a double-play. The pinch-hitting Joc Pederson doubled, but Gavin Lux went down swinging — making the late rally in vain. An unbelievable and unacceptable loss.

A 5-run ninth ruins a wonderful eight innings of baseball from the Dodgers, and they fall short in the series opener in very disappointing fashion, 7-5. Tomorrow, they’ll look to hold onto a lead and win the series finale, with the goal of a split. A starter is yet to be announced for LA; however, it will be a bullpen game. For the Astros, old friend Zack Grienke, 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA, gets the ball. 5:08pm start time on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

Side note: it’s time to demote Kenley Jansen. If he remains closer, a World Series won’t be won. Final remark: it’s Blake Trienen time.