Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers collides with catcher Chad Wallach #17 of the Miami Marlins at the plate in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on May 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Betts was called out. 1(Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Adam Duvall goes up to the plate for the Miami Marlins with the same plan every time.
“I want the ball to feel like it was shot out of a cannon when it leaves my bat,” he said.
Although Duvall admits he doesn't usually succeed, he blasted a couple of three-run cannonball homers during the Marlins' weekend stop in Los Angeles.
The right fielder showed off a pretty decent cannon for an arm as well Sunday during a fifth inning that turned out to decide the Marlins' latest win.
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Duvall homered and then threw out Mookie Betts at the plate in the same inning, and Miami hung on for a 3-2 victory in its series finale with the Dodgers.
Miami got all of its offense from Duvall’s second homer in three days at Dodger Stadium. Pablo López and the Marlins’ relievers then barely held off the injury-riddled Dodgers, who pitched a bullpen game and sent out a batting lineup with several backups.
Duvall put the Marlins ahead with a two-out shot off inexperienced reliever Edwin Uceta (0-2) for three unearned runs in a rally that began with fill-in second baseman Sheldon Neuse’s fielding error. Duvall also hit a three-run homer off Clayton Kershaw on Friday.
“They’ve been bringing sinker guys in against me the past couple of nights, so I had a plan of what I wanted to do, and I got the pitch I needed and was able to put a good swing on it,” Duvall said. “That was that.”
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Duvall then threw out Betts at the plate rather comfortably from right field to end the fifth when Betts was curiously sent home from second on a short single by Matt Beaty, who had three hits.
“I know that Mookie is a great baserunner," Duvall said. "I know the speed that he has, so I know I had to get rid of it pretty quick. It was a good ball to do that on.”
Betts attempted to hurdle Chad Wallach at the plate, but the catcher applied a vertical tag.
“The ball beat me by so much, and I wasn’t going to slide into him for no reason,” Betts said. “I pretty much had no chance, and so I just jumped. I didn’t even think about it.”
López (1-3) gave up seven hits and two runs over five innings in his first victory of the season for the Marlins, who won for just the third time in nine games and avoided the series sweep.
“We’re not at full strength, (and) you feel a little bit overmatched in this series, honestly,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “But when we get rolling, we can play with anybody. I don’t think you look at the Dodgers and say over 162, we’re going to be toe-to-toe with them, but we can beat anybody.”
Austin Barnes had an RBI double and Betts drove in another run during the second inning for the defending World Series champions, whose four-game winning streak ended with their first loss on a nine-game homestand.
The Dodgers put World Series MVP Corey Seager on the injured list before the game with a broken right hand. Seager became the 13th player sidelined for Los Angeles alongside the likes of Cody Bellinger, AJ Pollock, Zach McKinstry and Dustin May.
“I thought the guys in the bullpen did a really nice job, and there were some nice defensive plays out there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But yeah, it’s kind of what you’ve got right now, so you’ve got to make do and not make excuses.”
OLD FRIENDS
Two former Dodgers relievers secured the victory for Miami. Dylan Floro stranded two runners in a scoreless eighth, and Yimi Garcia pitched the ninth for his seventh save, getting Betts to ground out with a runner on first to end it.
Garcia appeared to throw the ball in the direction of the home dugout after the final out, angering a few Dodgers.
BULLPEN START
Jimmy Nelson opened with 1 2/3 innings, and five Dodgers relievers followed him. Only Uceta found any trouble, but he recovered and pitched three innings of four-hit ball in his fourth major league appearance, even retiring Duvall on a fly to end the seventh.
“They gave us the opportunity to win, so we’ve got to win games like this, especially when the bullpen does a great job like they did today,” Betts said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: SS Jazz Chisholm returned from a hamstring injury and went 2 for 5 in his first game in nearly three weeks.
Dodgers: 2B Chris Taylor was scratched moments before the first pitch with right wrist soreness, forcing Neuse to step in. ... LHP David Price is likely to be activated Monday. He has been out since late April with a strained hamstring.
UP NEXT
Marlins: After a cross-country flight and a day off, Miami opens a three-game series Tuesday at Philadelphia. The Marlins haven't announced a starter.
Dodgers: Walker Buehler (1-0, 3.45 ERA) returns to the mound in Chavez Ravine when LA opens a four-game series with Arizona. Buehler has gone at least six innings in every start this season.
