Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers makes the out against Kevin Kiermaier of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 8-7.Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
James Outman doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers came back from down four runs in the ninth to stun the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 in a wild one at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.
Freddie Freeman and J.D. Martinez hit home runs for the Dodgers, who trailed 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth after the Blue Jays scored three in the top of the inning.
Outman reached base five times on three hits and two walks, hitting his walk-off double off the top of the wall in right-centre against Blue Jays right-hander Mitch White (0-1). The umpires reviewed the play to see if it cleared the wall for a home run but called the hit a double.
Bo Bichette had four hits, including a home run, to end an 0-for-18 drought, but the Blue Jays failed to hold on to a four-run lead in the ninth inning as closer Jordan Romano had the night off after he pitched four times in the previous five games.
Instead, the Dodgers tied the game with four runs in the ninth inning off Blue Jays right-hander Erik Swanson. Three consecutive singles to open the ninth inning resulted in an RBI hit from Mookie Betts to get the Dodgers within 7-4.
Three batters later, Max Muncy walked with the bases loaded to get the Dodgers to 7-5. After Martinez struck out for the second out, an infield single by Chris Taylor off the glove of Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored both Betts and Will Smith – who ran through a stop sign at third base and beat the throw home – to send the teams into extra innings for the second consecutive game.
Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt gave up two runs on four hits over five innings with four walks and six strikeouts.
Dodgers starter Julio Urias gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Brusdar Graterol (4-2) pitched a scoreless 10th inning, helped by Betts who threw out Kevin Kiermaier at home trying to score from second on Bichette’s one-out single.
Brandon Belt had a sacrifice fly in the first inning to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead, but Freeman answered in the Dodgers’ half of the first with a home run to centre field, his 21st.
Bichette was at it again in the third inning with a two-run home run for a 3-1 lead. It was Bichette’s 17th of the season but just his third this month.
The Dodgers pulled within a run in their half of the third with a sacrifice fly from Muncy.
The Blue Jays added a run in the eighth inning for a 4-2 lead on an RBI double from Alejandro Kirk before Martinez got the run back for the Dodgers in the same inning with his 25th home run.
Danny Jansen’s three-run double gave the Blue Jays a 7-3 lead in the ninth.