Dodgers break franchise wins record behind Urias’ dominant performance

Sep 29, 2022 - 6:13 AM

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They’ve done it folks. The 2022 Dodgers have put together the strongest regular season in franchise history, winning their 107th game of the regular season. Behind yet another dominant performance from Julio Urias, the Dodgers escaped with a 1-0 extra-inning victory.

There was one very common theme in this game; the Dodgers struggled mightily with runners in scoring position, and it began in the very first inning. Mookie Betts led off the game with a double before advancing to third base on an error and found himself stuck on third with two outs and the bases loaded after walks to Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy. Joe Musgrove struck out Joey Gallo to escape the early jam. Three runners stranded.

After stranding two more runners in the second, the Dodgers next best opportunity to get on the scoreboard came in the fifth inning. Mookie led off the inning with his second hit of the game, and once again, with two outs and the bases loaded following a walk to Freeman and a Muncy hit by pitch, Gallo found himself at the plate with the bases loaded.

For the third time in three at bats, and second with the bases loaded, Gallo struck out to strand three more runners. Through the first game of this series and the first five inning of tonight’s game, the Dodgers were one for twenty-four with runners in scoring position and stranded twenty-three total runners.

Although stranding runners is never good, it helps when your ace is throwing a gem on the other side. Julio Urias struck out Brandon Drury and Will Myers to escape the first inning, used an inning-ending double play to escape the second, and cruised through his next three innings. The National League ERA leader made it through six innings, struck out five, and lowered his ERA to 2.17.

The seventh through ninth innings saw a total of two hitters reach base, an eighth inning walk to Muncy and a ninth inning single by Will Myers.

One of those quick innings was thrown by Yency Almonte, who made his return to the field after being activated from the injured list earlier today. Almonte looked very good in his return, inducing two ground-outs to second base before striking out Manny Machado to end his inning.

For the second straight night, the Dodgers and Padres would play free baseball. Trea Turner struck out to lead off the top of the tenth but Mookie Betts would advance to third base on a wild pitch during the next at-bat. That at-bat belonged to Freddie Freeman, who would break a scoreless tie with a bloop single into center field.

After already using Evan Phillips and Alex Vesia, Dave Roberts handed the ball to Tommy Kahnle to shut the door in the tenth inning. Josh Bell advanced Jurickson Profar, who was placed at second base to begin the inning, to third base with one out, putting the tying run ninety feet away with only one out.

Kahnle wouldn’t throw another ball. Trent Grisham went down swinging on three pitches before Ha-Seong Kim grounded back to Kahnle who threw to first to end the game, give the Dodgers a 1-0 win and set the franchise record of 107 wins.

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: None

WP — Alex Vesia (5-0): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

LP — Steven Wilson (4-2): 1 IP, 1 unearned run, 2 strikeouts

Up next

Brusdar Graterol will open tomorrow with Andrew Heaney as the “bulk guy” as the Dodgers look to win another series. Sean Manaea will make the start for San Diego. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PST.