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Gavin Stone struggles in Dodgers’ wild loss to Rays, jeopardizing his rotation spot
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Once the ambush started with two outs in the second inning Sunday, Gavin Stone couldn’t make it stop.
In his third career major league start — all against high-octane playoff teams from last year — the Dodgers rookie right-hander got stuck in a spin cycle against the Tampa Bay Rays.
On the verge of escaping an early jam and potentially moving past the rocky start to his outing, the same way he had six days earlier against the Atlanta Braves, Stone instead yielded five straight hits. The Rays exploded for six sudden runs.
By the time the outburst was over, the Dodgers were in a hole they never fully recovered from in an 11-10 loss at Tropicana Field.
Dodgers can’t rally in the ninth, drop series to the Rays
⚾ Rays 11, Dodgers 10 — FINAL
Top of the ninth: TV cameras captured Rays closer Pete Fairbanks walking gingerly to the dugout after suffering an apparent injury while warming up on the bullpen mound. Jason Adam continued to pitch for Rays, striking out Miguel Vargas and pinch-hitter Jason Heyward. Pinch-hitter Will Smith popped out to Adam to end the game.
After going 4-6 on their road trip, the Dodgers will return home to open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday night.
Dodgers continue to trail by a run in the eighth inning
⚾ Rays 11, Dodgers 10 — End of the eighth
Top of the eighth: Rays reliever Jason Adam struck out Freddie Freeman. J.D. Martinez flied out to right. Chris Taylor, who dove out of the way to avoid being hit in the head with a pitch during his at-bat, drew a walk. James Outman struck out for third time today to leave Taylor stranded.
Bottom of the eighth: Dodgers reliever Yency Almonte struck out Isaac Paredes, Josh Lowe and Jose Siri.
Rays strike again in the seventh to retake the lead
⚾ Rays 11, Dodgers 10 — End of the seventh
Top of the seventh: Rays reliever Jalen Beeks struck out Miguel Vargas. Miguel Rojas reached second on a fielding error by Jose Siri after a flare popped out of the center fielder’s glove. Beeks walked Trayce Thompson, then struck out Austin Barnes. Mookie Betts lined out to fall to 0 for 5 today, stranding Rojas and Thompson.
Bottom of the seventh: Luke Raley singled on a blooper to first, with Freddie Freeman’s underhand toss to a base-covering Victor González not quick enough to force out the speedy Raley. Brusdar Graterol then replaced González on the mound. Francisco Mejia popped out to shallow right. Yandy Diaz singled on a liner to right, moving Raley to third. The Rays retook the lead when Raley scored on a ground out by Wander Franco. Brandon Lowe singled before Harold Ramirez struck out to end the inning.
Dodgers tie game on another set of back-to-back homers
⚾ Dodgers 10, Rays 10 — End of the sixth
Top of the sixth: Mookie Betts dropped to 0 for 4 on a ground out to third. Freddie Freeman flied out to the warning track in right. J.D. Martinez homered on a blast to left field for his 10th home run of the season. Chris Taylor then homered to right — his second home run today and the Dodgers’ second set of back-to-back homers off Rays starter Josh Fleming — to tie the game.
Taylor was part of the Dodgers’ first set of back-to-back homers with Max Muncy in the second inning. The Dodgers have hit five home runs on 12 hits. James Outman struck out to cap the frame and end Fleming’s tumultuous start.
Bottom of the sixth: Facing Dodgers reliever Victor González, Isaac Paredes flied out, Josh Lowe grounded out Jose Siri popped out.
Trayce Thompson homers for his third hit of the game
⚾ Rays 10, Dodgers 8 — Fifth inning
Top of the fifth: Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas each grounded out. Trayce Thompson homered to straight-away center field for his third hit of the game and his fifth home run of the season. Thompson entered the game hitless in his last 39 at-bats. Rays left fielder Luke Raley robbed Austin Barnes of potential extra bases with a leaping grab at the wall for the third out.
Bottom of the fifth: Shelby Miller replace Phil Bickford on the mound for the Dodgers. Yandy Diaz lined out to short and Wander Franco struck out. Brandon Lowe drew a walk, promptly stole second, then took third on a wild pitch by Miller. Harold Ramirez lined out to James Outman in center for the third out.
Rays tack on two more runs in the fourth inning
⚾ Rays 10, Dodgers 7 — End of the fourth
Top of the fourth: Mookie Betts grounded out before Freddie Freeman drove the ball off the wall in the left-field corner for his second double. J.D. Martinez lined out to right before the Rays opted to intentionally walk Chris Taylor. Josh Fleming struck out James Outman on three pitches to leave Freeman stranded.
Bottom of the fourth: After Harold Ramirez struck out, Isaac Paredes drove in his fourth run today on a solo homer to left off Phil Bickford. Paredes is a triple away from hitting for the cycle.
Josh Lowe followed with a single and promptly stole second. Bickford walked Jose Siri. Lowe stole third, with a video review overturning the on-field call that he was tagged out by Chris Taylor. Lowe scored the Rays’ 10th run when Freddie Freeman was forced to make a diving stop on a liner by Luke Raley.
Siri stole third, with the on-field call holding up after a Dodgers-initiated video review. Francisco Mejia lined out to right, ending another chaotic inning for the Dodgers.
Rays retake lead in third inning after Dodgers rally
⚾ Rays 8, Dodgers 7 — Third inning
Top of the third: Freddie Freeman doubled on a liner to the warning track that popped out of Jose Siri’s glove as the center fielder ran toward the wall. J.D. Martinez then drove in Freeman on sharp liner to left. Chris Taylor followed with a single to left for the Dodgers’ seventh hit. What could have been a double play turned into another run for the Dodgers when Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe overthrew shortstop Wander Franco off a grounder from Max Muncy. Martinez trotted home as the Rays retrieved the ball from behind third.
Miguel Vargas made it a one-run game on a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Taylor. Miguel Rojas tied it up on a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Muncy to score. Trayce Thompson picked up his second hit today on a single to left before Austin Barnes lined out to center for the third out.
Bottom of the third: Phil Bickford took over for Gavin Stone after the rookie gave up seven earned runs and 10 hits over 57 pitches. Max Muncy, who was limping on the basepaths in the top of the inning, exited the game. Chris Taylor moved to third, James Outman took over in center and Trayce Thompson shifted to left.
Bickford walked Luke Raley, then struck out Francisco Mejia. Yandy Diaz singled to left to score Raley and push Tampa Bay back into the lead. Bickford struck out Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe to end the inning.
Gavin Stone struggling as Rays score six runs in the second
⚾ Rays 7, Dodgers 3 — End of the second
Top of the second: Chris Taylor hit a first-pitch solo home run to left field, tying the game on his eighth blast of the season. Max Muncy followed with a solo homer to right-center field on the very next pitch from Rays starter Josh Fleming, pushing the Dodgers into the lead. It was Muncy’s 17th homer of 2023.
Miguel Vargas drew a walk before Miguel Rojas singled to left, prompting a Rays mound visit. Trayce Thompson then ended his 0-for-39 slump with an RBI single to center field, scoring Vargas to extend the Dodgers’ lead. It was Thompson’s first hit since April 17. Austin Barnes hit into a force out at second, just beating out the throw to first on the double-play attempt. Mookie Betts grounded out into a 6-4-3 double play.
Bottom of the second: What should have been a single for Jose Siri turned into a triple when the tricky Tropicana turf aided in a ball bouncing over the head of Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor. Luke Raley followed with a double into the right-field corner to easily score Siri. Gavin Stone struck out Francisco Mejia. Yandy Diaz lined out to left. Wander Franco then tied the game on a single to center, plating Raley, who beat Thompson’s off-the-mark throw to home. Brandon Lowe drove in Franco on single to right, giving the Rays the lead again.
After Harold Ramirez reached on a single that deflected off the glove of Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy. Isaac Paredes doubled off the wall in left-center field, driving in Lowe and Ramirez to extend the Rays’ lead. The pain continued for Stone on the next at-bat when Josh Lowe hit an RBI single to right — the Rays’ 10th hit today. With reliever Phil Bickford warming up, Stone struck out Siri on his 37th pitch of the inning to end the inning.
Isaac Paredes pushes Rays into the lead in the first inning
⚾ Rays 1, Dodgers 0 — End of the first
Top of the first: Facing Tampa Bay starter Josh Fleming (1-0, 3.59 ERA), Mookie Betts struck out. Rays left fielder Luke Raley then made a spectacular, diving catch on a liner into the corner to rob Freddie Freeman of potential extra bases. J.D. Martinez grounded out to second to cap the 1-2-3 inning.
Bottom of the first: Miguel Vargas made a nice diving stop and threw from his knees to get Yandy Diaz out at first. Wander Franco followed with a single to shallow left before Gavin Stone, making his third start for the Dodgers, struck out Brandon Lowe. Harold Ramirez singled on a liner to center, moving Franco to third. Isaac Paredes put the Rays on the board, driving in Franco on a sharp liner to right. Josh Lowe popped out to strand Ramirez and Paredes.
Saturday recap: Dodgers beat Rays with timely offense and clutch relief pitching
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — All season, the Dodgers’ offense has been inconsistent yet productive, streaky but successful.
“If you look at where guys are at,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday, “some guys have been ice cold and then they run really hot.”
That was the case again in the Dodgers’ come-from-behind, 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, coupling superstar-like performances from Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts with just enough offensive punch from the rest of the team.
Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.
