MLB

Dodgers survive Angels shoot-out after almost blowing 13-0 lead, Hader fastest to 400 career K's

By Sports Desk May 09, 2021

World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers almost blew a 13-0 lead in their wild 14-11 win over city rivals the Los Angeles Angels, a result which snapped a four-game skid.

The struggling Dodgers – whose nightmare stretch saw their record dip from an MLB-best 13-2 to 17-6 having lost 14 of 18 games – raced to a 13-0 lead after five innings in Anaheim on Saturday.

After neither team managed a hit in the first three innings, Mookie Betts inspired the Dodgers with a lead-off walk in the fourth inning followed by a two-run single later in the frame.

Max Muncy, Matt Beaty, Austin Barnes, Betts, Corey Seager and Will Smith all delivered RBI hits for the Dodgers – who added another five runs in the fifth inning.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw also struck out five batters and allowed two hits over five scoreless innings before the team's bullpen surrendered 11 runs to the Angels.

The Angels scored seven unearned runs in a two-out rally in the seventh inning, highlighted by a first career homer for Jose Rojas – a three-run shot.

However, the Dodgers managed to hold on as they survived for a confidence-boosting victory in the Freeway Series.

 

Hader history

Milwaukee Brewers ace Josh Hader became the faster pitcher in MLB history to 400 career strikeouts. Hader reached the mark in just over 234 innings, surpassing the mark set by Craig Kimbrel (236) in 2014. Hader struck out the side in the ninth inning as the Brewers defeated the Miami Marlins 6-2. In the same game, team-mate Adrian Houser homered off Daniel Castano on April 27 and again on Saturday. Per Stats Perform, Houser is the first Brewers player to hit his first two career home runs against the same pitcher since Robin Yount in 1974.

Max Scherzer had 14 strikeouts and allowed two hits in the Washington Nationals' 4-3 extra-innings loss to the New York Yankees. It was his seventh game of 14-plus strikeouts and three or fewer hits allowed, a mark only bettered by Nolan Ryan (15) and Randy Johnson (14) in the modern era, per Stats Perform.

Chicago White Sox star Yasmani Grandal has 13 walks in his last four games, tying the most in any four-game span in the modern era, according to Stats Perform. The others with 13 are Babe Ruth (1930) and Bryce Harper (2016). The White Sox eased past the Kansas City Royals 9-1.

 

Musgrove costly in San Fran

Star pitcher Joe Musgrove struggled in the San Diego Padres' 7-1 loss at the hands of in-form National League (NL) rivals the San Francisco Giants. Musgrove gave up eight hits as he allowed four runs and two homers in five innings.

 

Biggio hits first homer in Houston

Craig Biggio enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with the Houston Astros. His son Cavan plays for the Toronto Blue Jays and the emerging second baseman hit his first home run at the ballpark where his father made so many memories. Cavan Biggio had a two-run homer in the second inning as the Blue Jays topped the Astros 8-4 at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

 

Saturday's results

New York Yankees 4-3 Washington Nationals
St Louis Cardinals 9-8 Colorado Rockies
Chicago Cubs 3-2 Pittsburgh Pirates
San Francisco Giants 7-1 San Diego Padres
Oakland Athletics 6-3 Tampa Bay Rays
Detroit Tigers 7-3 Minnesota Twins
Cleveland Indians 9-2 Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 Miami Marlins
Boston Red Sox 11-6 Baltimore Orioles
Texas Rangers 9-8 Seattle Mariners
New York Mets 4-2 Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago White Sox 9-1 Kansas City Royals
Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 Houston Astros
Atlanta Braves 8-7 Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers 14-11 Los Angeles Angels

 

Diamondbacks at Mets

Mets (15-13) ace Jacob deGrom is pencilled in to make his return to the mound in Sunday's series finale against the Diamondbacks (15-18). DeGrom has been sidelined due to lat inflammation. The Diamondbacks will counter with Riley Smith.

Related items

  • Forest taught 'a lesson' as winning run ended by Newcastle according to Nuno Forest taught 'a lesson' as winning run ended by Newcastle according to Nuno

    Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged Nottingham Forest were taught "a lesson" by Newcastle United, even if he did not criticise his side following a 3-1 defeat at the City Ground.

    Forest had won their previous three matches to climb to third in the Premier League, and Murillo's opener had them on course for another victory.

    But that goal came against the run of play, and Newcastle continued to dominate, eventually equalising through Alexander Isak.

    Forest, who have been so solid at the back this season, went chasing victory and were instead caught out as both Joelinton and Harvey Barnes scored on the break.

    Those counter-attacks have been a large part of Forest's own attacking identity previously, and Nuno was full of praise for how ruthlessly Newcastle executed that tactic.

    "I cannot say that was a bad performance, that is totally out of the question," the Forest boss told BBC Sport.

    "We played against a very good team that was able to control us and then hurt us in the way we've been doing. It is a lesson for us to learn.

    "I just have to recognise that today we played a good team, who were better than us in many, many moments.

    "There's nothing to say about the [Forest] players. The character and belief was there."

    Newcastle were a little unfortunate to trail at half-time, having had seven shots to Forest's three and 60% of the possession.

    Yet Eddie Howe, the Newcastle coach, still saw plenty of room for improvement, which his side delivered on after the restart.

    "It was difficult, but we knew it would be," he said. "They are a difficult team to play against because they don't concede many chances and you're left fearing the worst when you go behind.

    "We had work to do at half-time, but credit to the players because the second half was up there with our best performances this season.

    "Everything we didn't do in the first half, we did at the start of the second half. We were intense and direct with our attacking. We asked more questions and could have scored.

    "I'm really pleased with the second half."

    Newcastle have won three in a row in all competitions for the first time in over a year, helped by a return to form for their attacking stars.

    Isak had netted only once this season before scoring in the past four successive matches, while Barnes again showed his quality from the bench. Six of his nine Newcastle goals have come as a substitute.

    Howe added: "We need our attacking players to contribute goals, and Alex has done that in the past few weeks with massive moments, then Joelinton and Harvey Barnes pop up with moments, too.

    "We know we have players who can make that difference, and I'm really pleased with that side of our game.

    "Harvey Barnes did what he does. He's an outstanding player. Trying to find room for him in the team is something that I am conscious of.

    "I'm really pleased he got that goal – I thought it was a fantastic finish."

  • Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle United: Visitors battle back for another City Ground victory Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle United: Visitors battle back for another City Ground victory

    Newcastle United fought back to win at the City Ground again on Sunday, beating high-flying Nottingham Forest 3-1 with a ruthless second-half display.

    The Magpies had defeated Forest away from home in each of the previous two seasons, but Nuno Espirito Santo's hosts have been a different prospect so far in this campaign.

    And Forest looked set for a fourth win in a row when Murillo nodded in his first career goal midway through the first half.

    That opener was arguably harsh on Newcastle, though, and a deserved equaliser arrived nine minutes after half-time as Alexander Isak scored in a fourth consecutive match in all competitions.

    Isak, who netted twice in a 2-1 win at Forest in March 2023, then turned provider for the second goal as Joelinton brilliantly beat Matz Sels, before substitute Harvey Barnes broke away to net the third.

    Another victory, following on from last week's win against Arsenal, lifts Newcastle to within a point of Forest, who remain third ahead of Chelsea hosting the Gunners later on Sunday.

    Data Debrief: Super sub Barnes shows Newcastle depth

    Newcastle had looked a little short in wide positions prior to a change last week that saw Joelinton moved into the forward line, but now they have a wealth of options.

    Joelinton starred on the left against Arsenal but scored a brilliant goal after moving to the right on this occasion, also contesting (16) and winning (10) more duels than any team-mate.

    Then Barnes arrived from the bench, on for the injured Anthony Gordon, and made the points safe with his ninth Premier League goal for the club and sixth as a substitute. Only Papiss Cisse (eight) and Callum Wilson (seven) have more Newcastle goals from the bench in this competition.

  • Angers 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain: Lee and Barcola bag braces as Enrique's side restore six-point lead Angers 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain: Lee and Barcola bag braces as Enrique's side restore six-point lead

    Paris Saint-Germain restored their six-point lead at the Ligue 1 summit with a 4-2 victory over Angers.

    Luis Enrique's side did the damage in the first half at Stade Raymond Kopa, with Lee Kang-In and Bradley Barcola both scoring twice to extend their unbeaten start to the season.

    PSG broke through in the 17th minute through Lee, who doubled his and the visitors' tally when he turned in Marco Asensio's low cross three minutes later.

    Asensio was the provider again as the Ligue 1 leaders made it 3-0 just after the hour mark, with his centre diverted in by Barcola.

    The latter grabbed his second just before half-time when he headed in from Lee's cross.

    Angers made the scoreline more respectable in stoppage time, with Esteban Lepaul and Emmanuel Biumla halving the deficit for the hosts.

    Data Debrief: PSG make it 30 unbeaten on the road

    Now unbeaten in 30 away Ligue 1 matches, PSG are the first team in the top five European leagues to reach that mark since Napoli in 2018.

    Lee scored his first brace for the club, while Asensio assisted two goals in the same league match for the first time since doing so for Espanyol against Real Betis in October 2015 (three).

    Although, it was not all plain sailing for PSG, who conceded two goals in second-half stoppage time for only the second time in their history (also against Barcelona in the 2016-17 Champions League).

    As for Angers, they have become the first team in Ligue 1 history to lose 15 successive matches against the same opponent.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.