On Friday night time, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts was cautiously optimistic.
“I’ll take the 2 wins,” he mentioned, when requested if his membership was “on a roll” after successful back-to-back video games for the primary time in a pair weeks. “I believe, offensively, we’re beginning to do some good issues.”
Twenty-four hours later, he and the Dodgers had much more purpose for perception.
The 2-time defending champions nonetheless aren’t firing on all cylinders, they usually’re nonetheless simply .500 over the past two months.
However after weeks of middling play, they simply could be turning a nook too, battling again (after which, in a bushy ninth inning, hanging on) for a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday that gave them some tangible momentum to lastly latch onto.
For a lot of the night, the night time was shaping as much as be a irritating dud.
Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup once more. Max Muncy (sick) and Dalton Speeding (discomfort in the identical proper elbow the place he already has a barely torn ligament that he’s been taking part in by way of) have been scratched a pair hours earlier than first pitch.
The offense scored two first-inning runs, then went quiet. Tyler Glasnow was not sharp in a six-plus-inning, four-run begin, turning the early lead right into a two-run deficit by the point he exited.
The Dodgers, nonetheless, pleasure themselves on successful the “large moments.”
And Saturday, none was larger than when Tommy Edman stepped to the plate within the backside of the seventh.
Two runners have been aboard, after a stroll from Alex Freeland and single from Kiké Hernández. The Nationals had turned to their traditionally wretched bullpen, which is on tempo to set an MLB document in blown saves.
Proper on cue, Edman took benefit.
Former Dodgers prospect Clayton Beeter threw him an elevated slider in a 2-and-1 rely. Edman –– who had already electrified the group earlier within the night time with a leaping catch on the wall in heart discipline –– turned on it from the left aspect of the plate and launched a go-ahead three-run residence run, igniting a scene of ecstasy at Chavez Ravine that was equal components celebration and reduction.
In any case, the Dodgers are working out of time to get themselves proper.
Every of their earlier potential second-half turning factors –– like consecutive sweeps of the Rockies and Pirates final month, and even their collection win over the Tigers final week –– have confirmed to be false begins.
Every time they’ve gave the impression to be gaining traction, their offense goes chilly, or their pitching hits a snag, or they’ve one other damage setback that dampens the temper across the crew.
For some time on Saturday, they have been threatening to fall sufferer to all three fates. Even within the ninth, when what had grown to a 6-4 lead was abruptly at risk once more with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring place towards Tanner Scott, hazard loomed.
By the tip of it, nonetheless, they have been formally again on the upswing as winners of three-straight video games.
This time, they want it to be an actual catapult over the remainder of the season.
