Dodgers begin road trip with record-setting power display in Miami
by Rowan Kavner
Catcher Russell Martin finished the night on the mound, inducing a game-ending double play. Reliever Adam Kolarek manned first base, catching the final out of the game. A record-setting night for the versatile Dodgers and another standout evening for their impactful rookies afforded the ability to get creative in the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s blowout win in Miami.
The Dodgers started their road trip by tying the franchise record for extra-base hits in a game (13) and becoming the first team ever to launch six home runs at Marlins Park. Two of those homers came from rookie Will Smith, who caught rookie Dustin May’s first career win in the 15–1 massacre.
“It was as good of a night as we’ve had all year,” said manager Dave Roberts.
Nearly every hit from the Dodgers came in emphatic fashion, from back-to-back homers in the fourth inning by Corey Seager and Smith to another set of back-to-back homers by Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger three innings later. Turner’s 20th homer of the year traveled 417 feet. Bellinger’s 39th blast went 419 feet.
The Dodgers’ six homers tied for their second most in a game this season, trailing only their eight from Opening Day. They also doubled six times and tripled once. In the process, the Dodgers became the first National League team to 80 wins and the first to 200 home runs.
A horde of Dodgers got in on the action.
A.J. Pollock doubled in each of his first three at-bats before the outfielder, who has dealt with a sore groin, was removed for a pinch-runner. Max Muncy and Kyle Garlick, in his first game back with the big league club, also doubled. Even reliever Caleb Ferguson got in on the doubles action.
Matt Beaty cleared the bases with a triple and also homered. Smith, who has homered in nine of his first 71 Major League at-bats, was the lone Dodger to blast multiple home runs.
“One through nine, we were hitting the ball hard, squaring it up,” Smith said.
The offensive onslaught didn’t require much pitching prowess, but the Dodgers got that anyway from May, whose third Major League start was his best.
May has gone exactly 5 2/3 innings pitched in each of his three outings, but he’s lowered his hit total each time — from nine on Aug. 2, to five on Aug. 7, to three against the Marlins on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday, May’s sinker-cutter combo stayed as trusted as it has all year, getting a combined seven swinging strikes and 17 called strikes. But he also more frequently incorporated the curveball, throwing it 17 times.
“The more comfortable I feel with it, the more I’m going to throw it,” said May, who recorded a second straight outing allowing just one run.
As the season progresses and the wins rack up — Tuesday was the Dodgers’ eighth in their last nine games — Roberts continues to learn more about his young players, many of whom are not just getting a taste of Major League action but are also auditioning for October playing time.
Roberts said each time out, he’s learning how hard May competes, takes on information and executes a gameplan.
“There’s a lot of good ingredients,” Roberts said.
