Barnes, Freese spark comeback as Dodgers score 11 unanswered runs
by Rowan Kavner
In a breakout performance during an admittedly trying season for Austin Barnes, he accomplished a feat no Dodger catcher has in a decade while helping flip a 4–0 Dodger deficit into an 11–4 victory Tuesday night.
Barnes became the sixth Dodger catcher since 1908 and the first since Russell Martin in 2008 to hit a home run, steal a base and knock in three runs in the same game. His teammates took it from there, as the Dodgers matched their largest deficit overcome in a win this season.
“It’s been obviously a frustrating little funk I’ve been in — not really little — but it was nice to contribute,” Barnes said. “To finally put a good AB together and get us back in the game, it felt good, for sure.”
Each of the first three run-scoring hits of the evening were two-run homers, the first two courtesy of the Mets and the third from Barnes, who sparked the comeback with his second home run of the year and first since May 3.
Barnes entered the night with a .249 slugging percentage, but it’s a testament to his talent work behind the plate and calling a game that the Dodgers continue to give him opportunities to break out.
He said he appreciates that faith, and he rewarded the Dodgers on Tuesday night.
“It’s not easy failing, for sure,” Barnes said. “It can test you, for sure. You’ve just got to keep going.”
That’s what Dodger starter Rich Hill did as well, rebounding after allowing two early home runs to eventually earn his seventh win of the year.
A couple lefties got to the southpaw early on, with Jay Bruce pulling a two-run homer in the second inning and Michael Conforto doing the same an inning later as the Mets jumped ahead swiftly. Both home runs came off sidearm pitches, and each of Hill’s last five home runs allowed have come against lefties.
“Just got to figure out some of those drop-down sliders,” said Hill, who doesn’t think deception is the issue when he lowers his release point. “I just think it’s the execution part. The one that Bruce hit out kind of hung there and the other one just didn’t really finish either. It’s just a matter of finishing the pitches.”
The rest of the night, he did that.
”After a Todd Frazier double in the third inning, Hill retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced, including his final seven batters of the night in a six-inning effort.
“Rich had a couple tough ones, but stuff got better as the game went on,” said manager Dave Roberts. “To get through six innings was a big lift.”
Power brought the Dodgers back within striking distance, starting with Barnes. After two quick innings for Mets starter Jason Vargas, the Dodgers began making solid contact their second time through the lineup.
David Freese got the call for his second start as a Dodger, coming into the night 7-for-12 with two home runs in his career against Vargas. The decision was a prudent one, as Freese followed Barnes’ homer in the third with a solo shot in the fourth for his first home run as a Dodger.
They weren’t done.
Chris Taylor, who walked in his first plate appearance, followed a Kiké Hernández infield single with a double. Then the Mets gave the Dodgers a hand in the comeback.
Barnes nearly followed with a pop-out, but the ball plopped foul in front of the Mets dugout as Bruce failed to reach it. He nearly followed with a groundout, but the ball was mishandled at third base by Todd Frazier, allowing Hernández to score on the miscue.
Barnes would come around to score on a fielder’s choice by Brian Dozier. An inning after trailing by four runs, the Dodgers led by one.
“The way guys hit the ball was tremendous,” Hill said. “It was great to see Freeser get his first home run here. That was awesome to see.”
They’d only continue building from there, scoring as many runs Tuesday as their previous four games combined.
Back-to-back doubles from Justin Turner and Manny Machado sparked a six-run seventh inning that included Machado scoring from second on a wild pitch and Chris Taylor scoring from first on a two-run single by Yasmani Grandal.
The victory kept the top of the standings in a dynamic National League West division the same for a night, with the Rockies and Diamondbacks also winning earlier in the day. The Dodgers have one more game against the Mets before a series in Colorado against the division leaders.
