Dodgers Highlights: Freddie Freeman Walks it Off, Chris Taylor Hits Grand Slam, Bullpen Shuts it Down as LA Wins Series
JOIN THE DODGERS NATION POSTGAME SHOW LIVE RIGHT NOW!!!!!
The Los Angeles Dodgers took down the Chicago White Sox in incredible fashion on Thursday, winning their first series of June.
The Dodgers won 5-4 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning by Freddie Freeman — one of the weirdest walk-offs you’ll ever see — but the 11th was far from the only drama in this one.
The biggest stories of the day were Chris Taylor and the Dodgers bullpen. Let’s get into all the highlights of this crazy game.
The White Sox jumped out to the early lead against Michael Grove, hitting back-to-back solo home runs in the first inning.
Then, Grove settled in for the next few innings, before again getting roughed up by back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning.
He ended up going five, leaving the Dodgers bullpen in another tricky position, especially heading into a series with the Giants without a named starter on Friday.
Things would have at least felt better if the Dodgers offense was hot, but they were silent through five dominant innings from Dylan Cease, making him look like the Cy Young runner-up he was in 2022.
However, in the sixth inning, the Dodgers finally got things going.
They started with some small ball, getting singles by Will Smith and David Peralta, forcing Cease out of the game. Then, James Outman singled to load the bases with two outs. It was up to Chris Taylor to make the White Sox pay — and he did just that.
Taylor crushed a ball to left field, a no-doubter off the bat that tied the game in one swing of the bat. It was Taylor’s fifth career grand slam, and the Dodgers’ eighth of the year. No other team in baseball has more than five.
TAYLOR GRAND SLAM WILL KNOCK YOUR SOX OFF. pic.twitter.com/WqRHNkgCNp
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2023
Chris Taylor just connected on the biggest hit of his season.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 16, 2023
He hits a game-tying grand slam in the 6th inning and the Dodgers tie the game at 4.
He now has 11 home runs this season after hitting 10 all of last year.
What. A. Moment.
That home run was also Taylor’s 11th of the year. He had 10 all of last season.
Chris Taylor had 10 home runs in 454 plate appearances in 2022.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 16, 2023
Chris Taylor now has 11 home runs in 177 plate appearances in 2023.
It's been an up and down year for CT3, but he came through in such a big moment for LA.
Finally, it was home run No. 100 of Taylor’s career. A lot happened there. But more was coming next inning for CT3.
Chris Taylor is the first player with a grand slam for both his first AND 100th career home runs
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 16, 2023
he’s the 25th with a grand slam for his 100th
and 1 of 211 with a grand slam for his 1st
but he’s the only one on BOTH lists! https://t.co/nZJvrBYrIF
In the top of the seventh, Shelby Miller came out for his second inning of work after a 1-2-3 sixth.
He got into immediate trouble, allowing Elvis Andrus to hit a leadoff double and get to third with two outs. However, with runners at the corners, the White Sox tried to steal a run with a double steal. Will Smith decided to pump fake to second — which got Andrus to head towards home — and throw it back to Taylor at third. Taylor then chased Andrus all the way down the line, and went full superman to get him out and keep the game tied at four. Take a look for yourself:
Chris Taylor doing it all. pic.twitter.com/JYvBMNwpdG
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2023
Will Smith just pump faked a throw to second to get Elvis Andrus in a pickle at third.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 16, 2023
Chris Taylor just went full superman to tag Andrus out.
Shelby Miller just let out the biggest fist pump after pitching two scoreless innings.
The good vibes are back at Dodger Stadium.
In the top of the eighth inning, Roberts went back to Yency Almonte, who blew it in the eighth last night against Eloy Jimenez and Jake Burger. Those were the first two batters he faced, and he struck them both out. Then, Andrew Vaughn grounded out to Smith, and it was a dominant 1-2-3 inning from Almonte after the gutsy call by Roberts.
Dave Roberts elected to bring Yency Almonte into a 4-4 game in the 8th inning to face Eloy Jimenez and Jake Burger, who doubled and homered off of him in yesterday's 8th inning.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 16, 2023
He went 1-2-3 with two strikeouts.
Credit where credit's due. Gutsy call paid off for the Dodgers.
The Dodger bats were silent in the seventh and eighth, leading to a 4-4 game in the ninth. Evan Phillips got the call, and went 1-2-3 in the ninth.
The Dodgers were set up for a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth, and Miguel Rojas led off with a single. However, after a Freddie Freeman walk, Will Smith and Jason Heyward struck out to send us to extras.
In the top of the 10th inning, Phillips went back out there for the Dodgers, and continued to be incredible.
He stranded the ghost runner on the bases, striking out Luis Robert Jr. and Jimenez to end the inning and put the Dodgers in prime position to walk it off tied at four.
They didn’t.
Then, it was Caleb Ferguson’s turn for a redemption tour, and he did just that, stranding the ghost runner on third, too.
In the bottom of the 11th, enough was finally enough.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out, thanks to an incredible at-bat by Mookie Betts drawing a walk. Freeman then crushed a ball to centerfield, and the Dodgers won on one of the weirder walk-offs you’ll ever see.
Walk it off, Freddie! pic.twitter.com/La31JcqECO
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2023
The Dodgers beat the White Sox, 5-4, on a walk-off hit by Freddie Freeman in the 11th.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 16, 2023
The Dodgers bullpen was incredible, throwing six shutout innings from the 6th to the 11th.
Against all odds, the Dodgers win the series against the White Sox. They're now 39-30. What a game.
Up Next
The Dodgers welcome the rival San Francisco Giants into town for a three-game series starting Friday night. The Giants enter as one of the hottest teams in baseball.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
