Max Muncy’s ninth-inning grand slam finishes perfect homestand for Dodgers
They got an underwhelming start from their debuting pitching prospect.
They faced a five-run deficit against the defending National League champions.
They squandered golden opportunities at the plate, and managed to blow a save after a methodical late-game rally.
Yet, somehow, the Dodgers still found themselves exactly where they wanted to be Wednesday afternoon — loading the bases with the score tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, just as their hottest early-season hitter came strolling to the plate.
Fittingly, with a screaming drive and thunderous swing, Max Muncy hit a walk-off grand slam just inside the right-field foul pole to lift the Dodgers to a 10-6 win, using his major league-leading 12th home run of the season to put a raucous exclamation point on the Dodgers’ series sweep and 6-0 homestand.
The Dodgers will get their first chance to see the rising star on the big-league stage when Stone starts in the series finale against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium.
“It’s a lot to unpack today,” manager Dave Roberts said postgame, a relieved, appreciative smile on his face. “A lot of good stuff.”
The game wasn’t heading in that direction early.
Gavin Stone sputtered through a five-run, four-inning outing in his big league debut, making his first MLB start less than three years after being an unheralded fifth-round draft pick.
The 24-year-old prospect had to limit damage in the first, when he walked a couple of batters and got little help from his defense (including a Muncy error that led to an unearned run).
The right-hander failed to tip-toe out of danger again in the third, yielding four runs on a pair of one-out doubles and four straight two-out singles to give the Phillies (15-17) a 5-0 lead.
Afterward, Stone acknowledged he “didn’t have my best stuff,” but also reflected on the totality of the day positively.
“It was awesome, just to get out there, and get that first one under my belt,” he said. “That third inning got away from me a little bit. But other than that, it felt great.”
And that was even before the Dodgers (19-13) rallied.
Mookie Betts started the comeback with an RBI single in the third, collecting his seventh hit of the series and 10th in his last seven six games.
Miguel Vargas hit a two-run homer in the fourth, continuing a recent power surge in which he has six extra-base hits over the last week.
Freddie Freeman made it 5-4 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, narrowly missing a potential go-ahead three-run home run.
Then Austin Barnes came off the bench in the eighth to line a two-run single past third baseman Edmundo Sosa, giving the Dodgers their first lead at 6-5.
“To kind of chip away and stay in the ballgame,” Roberts said, “gotta give credit to the team offense.”
Despite getting four scoreless innings from a recently improved bullpen to take the lead into the ninth, Brusdar Graterol failed to make it last.
With two out and nobody on, he gave up a single to Bryce Harper, walked Nick Castellanos, then watched Bryson Stott drop a blooper over shortstop Miguel Rojas’ head.
The Dodgers, however, offered an immediate response, welcoming maligned ex-closer Craig Kimbrel (who last year with the Dodgers had a 3.75 ERA, five blown saves and seven losses) back to Chavez Ravine with an immediate jam.
Chris Taylor singled and stole second. An intentional walk to Freeman was followed by another free pass to Will Smith.
Muncy then came to the plateand jumped on Kimbrel’s first pitch, belting a center-cut fastball over the short wall in right for the third walk-off blast of his eight-year career.
“It’s just understanding the situation,” the slugger said, after raising his on-base-plus-slugging percentage to 1.039 (tied for third in the majors) and collecting his 27th RBI (tied for fourth). “First pitch you get up in the zone, let it rip.”
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As a crowd of 36,539 at Dodger Stadium roared in celebration, Muncy was mobbed by his teammates at the plate.
It was a brief moment of frenzied elation but a telling snapshot about the current state of this Dodgers team.
After slogging through a mediocre opening month, one marred by key absences and team-wide inconsistency, the Dodgers are hopeful they opened a new potential chapter over the last week — one in which they’ve pitched better, delivered in the clutch and, on Wednesday, orchestrated the biggest highlight yet of their suddenly ascending season.
“We’re still finding out who we are as a team,” Muncy said. “[But] this was a really great homestand.”
Short hops
In the corresponding roster move for Stone, the Dodgers optioned reliever Alex Vesia to triple A. Last season, the left-hander was one of the most trusted pieces in their bullpen but has struggled mightily over the opening month with a 7.84 ERA. … Trayce Thompson was unavailable the last couple of days, Roberts said, because of an undisclosed illness.
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