Dodgers Highlights: Freddie Freeman Hits 300th Career Home Run, Julio Urias Rocked as LA Drops Series Opener to Cardinals

If you missed Dodgers vs. Cardinals on Thursday, you missed quite the game. The Lakers were playing against the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, so I don’t blame you if you missed the Dodger game. But if you did, you’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about the insane, high-scoring affair that unfolded to open the series in St. Louis:

What Just Happened in This Dodger Game?

Julio Urias was on the mound for the Dodgers, trying to stop the bleeding of three consecutive short outings from Dodger starters (spoiler alert: he didn’t).

The Dodgers wasted no time getting to Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright and giving Urias a lead. In the first inning, the Dodgers quickly loaded the bases, and J.D. Martinez hit a two-run double to give the Dodgers the early 2-0 lead.

Urias was dealing through two innings, but completely fell apart in the third. He allowed two runners to get on, and Willson Contreras made him pay, crushing a home run to center field to give the Cardinals the 3-2 lead.

It didn’t stop there, though, as Juan Yepez came up with two outs in the third and deposited a ball over the left field wall to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead. The next batter was Nolan Gorman, and he gave the right field seats a visit with a home run of his own. But it didn’t stop there.

Next up was Paul DeJong, and he hit a home run of his own off the left field pole. It’s the first time in Urias’ career that he allowed four home runs in one inning, and tied him for the MLB-lead for home runs allowed with 14.

Urias’ day was done after three innings and 68 pitches, becoming the fourth straight Dodgers starter to not last more than four innings. That wasn’t ideal for this worn out bullpen.

Phil Bickford got the fourth, and wasn’t any better than Urias. A two-run home run from Nolan Arenado capped off a three-run inning, giving the Cardinals a 9-2 lead.

The Dodgers bats came alive in the sixth inning, though, and made this a game.

Miguel Rojas hit an RBI single to cut the lead to 9-3. Then, Trayce Thompson drew a walk in a great at-bat, bringing up Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded and two outs. Freddie came through, hitting home run No. 300 of his career, and bringing the Dodgers within two, 9-7.

Suddenly, we had a game.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Dodgers comeback continued. Max Muncy led off with a solo home run, and just like that the Dodgers were down one. For Muncy, it was home run No. 15 on the year, one back of Pete Alonso for the MLB lead.

Andre Jackson was the Dodgers pitcher tasked with eating the innings in this one, and he did a phenomenal job of not only eating the innings, but allowing the Dodgers to come back in this one.

Jackson pitched scoreless innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh, before getting into his first bit of trouble in the eighth.

The Cardinals got three straight base runners off of him, including an RBI single that gave them a 10-8 lead and chased him out of the game.

Yency Almonte came in to clean up the mess, and did the opposite. A wild pitch and Contreras three-run home run later, and the Dodgers were down 14-8 just like that. Gorman went yard later that inning, giving the Cardinals a 16-8 lead.

That ended up being all she wrote, in one of the crazier games of the season.

Obviously the Dodgers needed more out of Urias, but it’s easy to question Dave Roberts’ decision-making in this one. He took Mookie Betts out of the game when the Dodgers went down early, but they would have loved his bat (and arm) as they mounted a comeback.

Additionally, Jackson had no business coming back out in the eighth, and should have been taken out after allowing a walk.

Up Next

The Dodgers and Cardinals get set for the second game of the series on Friday at 5:15 p.m. PT. Tony Gonsolin is taking the mound for the Dodgers, who desperately need a starting pitcher to give them some length.

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