Fernando Rodney’s meltdown opens the door for Dodgers’ comeback
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Seattle Mariners closer Fernando Rodney always seems to make things interesting in the ninth inning. That was the case Tuesday, as Rodney entered the game with a one-run lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Things did not go well. Rodney gave up a single to Justin Turner to kick things off. Turner then advanced to third on a single from Jimmy Rollins.
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With men on the corners, Rodney was able to induce a ground ball to third. Turner ran on the play, and was thrown out at home for the first out of the inning. Just as it was starting to look like Rodney would find a way to escape the jam, his command deserted him.
A walk to Adrian Gonzalez loaded the bases, bringing Howie Kendrick to the plate. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Kendrick lined a ball into right field. Rollins scored easily and Carl Crawford barely beat the throw home, giving the Dodgers the 6-5 walkoff victory.
The loss overshadowed some strong performances by Seattle. Robinson Cano hit his first home run of the season in the first inning, and Nelson Cruz added his fifth in the next at-bat. Cruz has now homered in each of the last four games.
The Mariners have the day off Thursday, and will look to right the ship against the Texas Rangers on Friday.
ADAM JONES DOES IT ALL IN O’S WIN
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones is off to a blazing start this season. In 32 plate appearances, the 29-year-old is hitting a blazing .429 with four home runs. He was at it again Tuesday against the New York Yankees.
Jones wasted no time getting to work. In the top of the first inning, Jones made a running catch to rob Chase Headley of an extra base hit. That success in the field carried over to the plate. In the bottom of the inning, Jones kicked off the scoring with a solo home run. He would plate another run in the third inning with a sac fly.
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Jones finished 1 for 3, with one run scored and two RBI.
He wasn’t the only Oriole who put in work during the contest. Miguel Gonzalez pitched a great game, striking out 10 over seven strong innings. He allowed just one run. Kevin Gausman struggled in relief, causing Buck Showalter to turn to closer Zach Britton a little earlier than usual. Britton was able work out of the jam, tossing a perfect 1 1/3 innings en route to his first multi-inning save.
STEVEN SOUZA JR. DOMINATES IN RAYS’ VICTORY
It was a big day for Tampa Bay Rays’ rookie Steven Souza Jr. The 25-year-old showed why the Rays felt comfortable dealing Wil Myers during the offseason during Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Souza made his presence felt early, hitting a mammoth home run in the first inning. The blast was measured at an impressive 463 feet.
Souza wasn’t done just yet. With the game tied 2-2, he singled to lead off the eighth inning. Souza would steal second, and advance to third on a throwing error. He would score the eventual game-winning run on a sac fly later in the inning.
Souza finished 3 for 5, with two runs scored and one RBI. He came into the game hitting just .158, so the multi-hit game was encouraging.
NEW-LOOK PADRES CONTINUE TO HIT
Looks like general manager A.J. Preller’s offseason plan to acquire hitting is going to work out. The San Diego Padres continued to be an offensive force, picking up the 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
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The new additions were at it again during the contest. Matt Kemp drove in one run and scored two, Justin Upton hit his second home run of the season and Derek Norris knocked in a run on an RBI double.
After finishing dead last in runs scored last season, the Padres currently rank ninth with 35 runs scored in nine games. The advanced stats agree thus far, as the team ranks seventh with a 116 wRC+.
It’s only been nine games, of course, but it looks like San Diego may have finally found some hitters who can overcome the dimensions of Petco Park.
Want to see the rest of Tuesday’s MLB action? Check out our scoreboard.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
