May 16, 2023 | Los Angeles, Sports, Valleys

Dodgers Go Streaking

Chris Taylor scored on a bases-loaded walk in the 12th inning, Max Muncy homered twice to move back into the major-league lead, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Minnesota Twins 9-8 for their sixth straight win.

Mookie Betts has had a strong last couple of weeks for the Dodgers. (Getty Images)

By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer

Trayce Thompson drew a walk on a full count with the bases loaded and two outs off Jorge López (1-1) to give Los Angeles its third walk-off victory this season.

“I’m not looking to just take a pitch right there. If he throws a pitch right down the middle, and I am not aggressive, it’s tough to sleep at night,” Thompson said. “You have to take your two-strike approach and try to battle anything close. If it’s not there. it’s not there.”

Will Smith also went deep as the Dodgers led 6-3 thru seven innings before the game saw three ties and three lead changes in the final five innings.

Before the series opener with the Twins The Dodgers defeated the Padres on Sunday by a 4-0 final completing a three-game weekend sweep and extending Los Angeles’ divisional lead over San Diego to seven games. The Dodgers, who now also have the best record in the National League (At press time) outscored the Padres by a combined 12-4 margin in these three games.

The Dodgers can credit their pitching staff for delivering their third team shutout of the season.Tony Gonsolin threw five innings of two-hit ball, walking one batter and striking out six to lower his seasonal ERA to 1.42. A parade of relievers then took their turns mowing down the Padres lineup: Yency Almonte, Victor Gonzalez, Brusdar Graterol, and Justin Bruihl combined to throw four innings, surrendering one hit and two walks and punching out four batters of their own. Meanwhile, on offense, both Mookie Betts and Miguel Vargas drove in a pair of runs.

The Men in Blue are 10-2 in May with a plus-39 run differential. In addition to winning both series they’ve played against the Padres, the Dodgers have taken series from the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. Those teams each won at least 86 games last season, and the Phillies and Padres met in the NL Championship Series.

“I think we’re playing good baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I know that. We know we have a good ball club. Like I said before, it’s just good to play good baseball against a team like that, put some distance ahead of us and them.”