The Dodgers’ rotation has needed a lot of rescuing lately.
Their starting pitchers will set dangerous early fires, threatening to blow up a game by struggling out of the gate.
But then the club’s high-powered lineup will swoop in to save them, dousing the flames with a stream of sudden offense.
It’s an exceedingly concerning habit, one likely to leave the Dodgers burned in the long run if it remains unaddressed.
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For now, though, their streaking bats are compensating for their problematic pitching, saving the day again in the Dodgers’ 13-7 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Early on, it looked as though right-hander Tony Gonsolin was on the verge of implosion.
After two clean innings to begin the day, the 2022 All-Star gave up five runs in the bottom of the third — including four in a four-pitch sequence, when Luis Campusano launched a two-run homer, Trent Grisham and Ha-Seong hit consecutive first-pitch singles, and Fernando Tatis Jr. smoked a first-pitch two-run double before later scoring on a sacrifice fly.
As soon as Gonsolin trudged back to the dugout after the inning, however, the Dodgers’ offense roared to life.
In the top of the fourth, the team mounted an eight-run rally that was capped by a Mookie Betts grand slam. In the sixth, they added five more to cruise to their 27th comeback win — and ninth in which they trailed by at least three runs in the first five innings.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
