In a thrilling Monday night matchup, Chris Taylor's grand slam propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, ending Baltimore's eight-game winning streak. The Orioles now trail the Tampa Bay Rays by one game in the AL East.
Taylor's heroics came in the sixth inning after battling through a tough at-bat against Bryan Baker. Down 0-2, Taylor connected on a fastball, sending it soaring to center field for his 12th home run of the season. "He threw me several in a row, and I finally caught up to one," Taylor commented. "You can't anticipate it, because he mixes in a slider and changeup. I was just trying to make contact and adjust as he kept throwing fastballs."
The Dodgers entered the sixth inning trailing 4-1. Will Smith's RBI single ignited the comeback, and Freddie Freeman's triple set the stage for Taylor's dramatic blast. Baltimore starter Grayson Rodriguez exited with runners on base and no outs, and while Baker briefly seemed to have the situation under control, he ultimately surrendered the grand slam.
Baker reflected on the decisive pitch, admitting, "It could have been placed better. Just a bit too far over the plate, giving him the time he needed." Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan, despite allowing four runs in five innings, earned the win, improving to 3-0. The Orioles couldn't capitalize against the Los Angeles bullpen, with Ryan Brasier securing his first save since joining the Dodgers. Brasier did issue a leadoff walk in the ninth after being called for a pitch clock violation with a full count.
Freeman contributed significantly to the Dodgers' offense, falling just a home run short of the cycle. His triple to center field, which Aaron Hicks nearly caught at the wall, initiated the pivotal sixth-inning rally. Adley Rutschman hit a solo home run for the Orioles.
Baltimore jumped out to an early lead with Ryan Mountcastle's RBI double in the first, followed by Adam Frazier's run-scoring grounder and Gunnar Henderson's RBI triple in the second. J.D. Martinez's RBI single in the fourth put the Dodgers on the board before Rutschman's homer extended Baltimore's lead to 4-1. This marked Taylor's sixth career grand slam and his second of the year, ending a drought that stretched back to 2017.
Rodriguez, a highly touted prospect, returned to the mound after being sent down earlier in the season due to a 7.35 ERA. While he showed early promise, hitting triple digits with his fastball, he ultimately gave up four runs in five-plus innings. The Orioles officially signed their first-round draft pick, outfielder Enrique Bradfield. Jason Heyward (neck soreness) returned to the Dodgers' lineup, and Cedric Mullins (quad tightness) missed his second consecutive game for the Orioles. The two teams continue their series Tuesday night, with Tyler Wells starting for the Orioles and Michael Grove for the Dodgers.
