Jul 28, 20237 min read

James Outman Hits Double in 10th to Complete Wild Comeback for Dodgers

Everyone on the Los Angeles Dodgers wants to carry on the continuity that has made them perennial playoff contenders for the past decade during the Dave Roberts era.

This year's team might not be the most talented Dodgers team, at least on paper, but they are one of the more stable teams in the MLB, and it has translated onto the field.

And they showed exactly that with their amazing comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, winning 8-7 in the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium.

While it was improbable, they showed anything is possible, especially in the last two innings of the game.

It looked like they would be dropping their third straight game after Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen hit a three-run double in the 9th inning to extend their lead to 7-3. For a moment, they would drop three straight for the first time in over a month.

Julio Urías was doing everything he could to keep LA in the game in allowing three runs through six innings, but the offense couldn't take advantage of opportunities that were handed to them. Dodger fans were headed for the exits.

But then, they made things interesting after three straight base hits to open the 9th. That was when the momentum was starting to shift. The madness had just begun.

Mookie Betts' RBI single was what started it, cutting the deficit to three in scoring James Outman.

Then, with two runners on bases and one out, Will Smith hit a bouncer to third base. While Matt Chapman is one of the better third basemen in the MLB, and with the game looking like it would end on a double play, Smith reached out to load the bases.

Max Muncy followed that up with a bases loaded walk to pull within two.

After J.D. Martinez struck out, it was Chris Taylor, who lives for bases-loaded moments, coming in on the clutch. Taylor hit a first pitch swing, sending a ground ball to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base that bounced off his glove.

That allowed Betts to make it home, and Smith thought that the ball would get into the outfield, so he rounded out third base and he sprinted home, despite the stop signal from third base coach Dino Ebel. Smith beat out the throw to home plate to tie the game.

"You're thinking 'score,' right when he hits it," said Smith. "Two outs, you're thinking, 'Go home.' Right before I hit third base, I see Dino waving at me and I'm like, 'All right, I gotta get there.' I hit third base, and my head's just down. I didn't see it."

That would prove to be a blessing in disguise, as Muncy was trying to race back to second base, but was a split second away from being ruled safe as Bo Bichette caught him out on the throw from home plate by Jansen.

It would not stop the Dodgers from working their magic. Although Bichette fired a base hit to right field, centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier wanted to test Betts' arm, sprinting for home plate. While Betts was off target on the throw by a little, Smith picked it up to close the first base line and jumped across to tag Kiermaier, preventing a go-ahead score.

"I thought he was gonna be dead to rights," said Roberts. "But then I saw where Will had to go, and he just made a heck of a play. I can't speak enough of that play. It's a bang-bang play that he executed."

And then comes Outman who delivered the finishing kick, firing a fly ball that ricochet off the top of the wall at center field and off the glove of right fielder Jordan Luplow, who jumped to try and make the catch, for one of the best wins of the Dodgers' season. Outman reached base all five times in this game, including his walk-off double off former Dodger Mitch White.

Brusdar Graterol was flawless in the extra frame for the Dodgers, pitching a scoreless 10th for the win, allowing just one hit and posting a strikeout.

Adding to the scoring for the Dodgers are Freddie Freeman and Martinez, who both had solo home runs in the 1st and 8th innings, respectively. Freeman's homer was his 4th in his last five games, while Martinez had a deep ball for his second straight game.

Bichette had a four-hit night, including a two-run homer in the 3rd inning, ending an 0-for-18 skid. He extended his lead within the AL on games with at least three hits, with 13.

Injuries

Blue Jays: There is the possibility that left-handed pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu (Tommy John surgery recovery), who had surgery last June, could throw a simulated game before he is activated off the IL, per manager John Schneider.
Dodgers: Left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw (left shoulder soreness) threw at a bullpen session where he went to his full bag of pitches. Roberts said that what is next could be for Kershaw to face hitters depending on how he feels.

Scoring

TOR, Top 1st: Brandon Belt hit sacrifice fly to center, Whit Merrifield scored. 1-0 TOR
LAD, Bottom 1st: Freddie Freeman homered to center (442 feet). 1-1 TIE
TOR, Top 3rd: Bo Bichette homered to left center (411 feet), Kevin Kiermaier scored. 3-1 TOR
LAD, Bottom 3rd: Max Muncy hit sacrifice fly to right, Freddie Freeman scored. 3-2 TOR
TOR, Top 8th: Alejandro Kirk doubled to left, Matt Chapman scored. 4-2 TOR
LAD, Bottom 8th: J.D. Martinez homered to center (416 feet). 4-3 TOR
TOR, Top 9th: Danny Jansen doubled to left, Matt Chapman scored, George Springer scored and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored. 7-3 TOR
LAD, Bottom 9th: Mookie Betts singled to left, James Outman scored, Miguel Rojas to second. 7-4 TOR
LAD, Bottom 9th: Max Muncy walked, Miguel Rojas scored, Will Smith to second, Mookie Betts to third. 7-5 TOR
LAD, Bottom 9th: Chris Taylor reached on infield single to second, Mookie Betts scored and Will Smith scored, Max Muncy out at third in rundown. 7-7 TIE
LAD, Bottom 10th: James Outman doubled to right, Chris Taylor scored. 8-7 LAD

Batting

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Whit Merrifield: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, .297 batting average, .349 on-base percentage, .403 slugging percentage
1. Daulton Varsho: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .214 batting average, .274 on-base percentage, .357 slugging percentage
Bo Bichette: 6 at-bats, 1 run, 4 hits, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .312 batting average, .344 on-base percentage, .490 slugging percentage
Brandon Belt: 2 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .248 batting average, .365 on-base percentage, .434 slugging percentage
1. George Springer: 1 at-bat, 1 run, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, .260 batting average, .328 on-base percentage, .401 slugging percentage
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, .270 batting average, .342 on-base percentage, .457 slugging percentage
Matt Chapman: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .262 batting average, .351 on-base percentage, .460 slugging percentage
Alejandro Kirk: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .251 batting average, .332 on-base percentage, .330 slugging percentage
1. Danny Jansen: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 1 hit, 3 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .230 batting average, .294 on-base percentage, .470 slugging percentage
Santiago Espinal: 5 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .230 batting average, .305 on-base percentage, .302 slugging percentage
Jordan Luplow: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, .231 batting average, .375 on-base percentage, .231 slugging percentage
Kevin Kiermaier: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, .275 batting average, .339 on-base percentage, .429 slugging percentage

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Mookie Betts: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .276 batting average, .377 on-base percentage, .562 slugging percentage
Freddie Freeman: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, .328 batting average, .410 on-base percentage, .584 slugging percentage
Will Smith: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, .286 batting average, .392 on-base percentage, .486 slugging percentage
Max Muncy: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, .199 batting average, .330 on-base percentage, .483 slugging percentage
J.D. Martinez: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .263 batting average, .314 on-base percentage, .574 slugging percentage
David Peralta: 2 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout, .277 batting average, .315 on-base percentage, .414 slugging percentage
1. Chris Taylor: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 2 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts, .212 batting average, .282 on-base percentage, .451 slugging percentage
Jason Heyward: 2 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .253 batting average, .349 on-base percentage, .475 slugging percentage
1. Jonny Deluca: 2 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .262 batting average, .311 on-base percentage, .429 slugging percentage
2. Yonny Hernández: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .143 batting average, .240 on-base percentage, .190 slugging percentage
James Outman: 3 at-bats, 1 run, 3 hits, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts, .247 batting average, .341 on-base percentage, .427 slugging percentage
Miguel Rojas: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, .225 batting average, .283 on-base percentage, .273 slugging percentage

Pitching