Gavin Lux and the Los Angeles Dodgers quieted Timmy Trumpet at least for now, edging the New York Mets 4-3 Tuesday night in a matchup of NL division leaders.
The Mets lost with Trumpet, who performs Edwin Diaz’s entrance song “Narco,” at Citi Field and ready to blare away if the closer got into the game. But Diaz didn’t get in and Trumpet instead played a more muted version of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” on his horn in front of the Dodgers’ dugout during the seventh-inning stretch.
Minutes after the Mets lost in the first major league game the Australian-born Trumpet had attended, he tweeted that he’ll be back at the ballpark Wednesday night, hoping for another chance to sound off.
Lux drove in three runs, including a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning. The hit drove in Freddie Freeman and came immediately after Joely Rodriguez (0-4) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Will Smith.
The Dodgers won despite stranding 12 runners, one shy of their season high, and leaving the bases loaded in the sixth and seventh.
Heath Hembree, making his Dodgers debut, earned the win by stranding a pair of runners in the sixth, when he whiffed James McCann for the final out.
Jake Reed, Los Angeles’ fifth pitcher, notched the save in the ninth, when he allowed a leadoff single to Eduardo Escobar before getting Daniel Vogelbach to hit into a double play and retiring Brandon Nimmo on a comebacker.
It was the first big league save for Reed, who was claimed off waivers from the Mets in mid-July and recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier Tuesday.
The Dodgers scored their first three runs on consecutive pitches in the third. Joey Gallo was plunked by Taijuan Walker with the bases loaded and Lux followed with a two-run single that drove in Mookie Betts — with his 100th run of the season — and Max Muncy.
Mark Canha hit his 100th big league homer and Starling Marte also connected for the Mets. Marte helped create a run in the first inning, when he bunted and Nimmo scored from first on pitcher Andrew Heaney’s two-base throwing error.
Francisco Lindor snapped an 0-for-20 streak with a fifth-inning single for the Mets.
Walker allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Heaney surrendered two earned runs in five innings.
GALLO’S RETURN
Gallo started at designated hitter, batted fifth and stuck out twice in three plate appearances in his first game in New York since the Dodgers acquired him from the Yankees Aug. 2.
Manager Dave Roberts said he sensed Gallo — who hit .159 with 194 strikeouts and a .660 OPS in 421 at-bats with the Yankees the last two seasons — was more comfortable in Los Angeles. Gallo, who declined to speak to reporters Tuesday afternoon, entered the game hitting .205 but had three homers, seven RBIs and an .840 OPS in 44 at-bats.
“(From) talking to him, he’s much more relaxed and I think he’s playing really well for us,” Roberts said. “Every time up to bat, I feel confident he’s going to hit the ball hard somewhere. He’s having really good at-bats.”
KERSHAW IS COMING BACK
Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw is set to come off the injured list and rejoin the rotation Thursday to face the New York Mets.
Kershaw hasn’t pitched since Aug. 4, when he exited a start against San Francisco because of lower back pain. The 34-year-old three-time NL Cy Young Award winner spent five weeks on the IL with a back injury earlier this season.
Kershaw felt good following a bullpen session Monday is ready to return in a game at Citi Field between NL division leaders.
Manager Dave Roberts said inserting Kershaw into the rotation Thursday will allow the Dodgers to give Dustin May an extra day of rest before his third start following Tommy John surgery. May, who underwent the procedure in May 2021, is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings.
Kershaw is 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 15 starts. He tossed seven perfect innings before being pulled against the Minnesota Twins in his season debut April 13 and carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on July 15.
CANHA’S MILESTONE
Canha became the 974th player to hit at least 100 homers in the majors. Fans in left field gave him a warm ovation as Canha trotted to his position in the fifth. Canha nodded and gave a pair of appreciative gestures.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (lower back) felt good following a bullpen session Monday and will start Thursday’s series finale. It will be Kershaw’s first start since Aug. 4. … 3B Justin Turner and C Smith were out of the starting lineup after the Dodgers arrived in New York early Tuesday morning following Monday’s 10-inning win over the Marlins.
Mets: RHP Carlos Carrasco (left oblique) threw 55 pitches in a simulated game Monday and could return to the rotation this weekend.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: LHP Tyler Anderson (13-2, 2.69 ERA) is in the midst of a season-long three-start winless streak despite posting a 2.45 ERA in that span.
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (3-1, 2.15 ERA) has struck out 46 and walked just two in 29 1/3 innings spanning his first five starts after missing 13 months with various injuries.
Source: NBC Los Angeles
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