PHOENIX _ Los Angeles Dodgers television analyst Orel Hershiser winced as the dugout camera zoomed in on Walker Buehler's blistered right index finger.
"Oh," Hershiser said on the SportsNet LA broadcast. "That don't look good."
Just six days after returning from a trip to the injured list caused by a blister, Buehler appeared to be battling the irritating finger issue again Tuesday, allowing five runs (two earned) during a season-short 2 2/3 innings start against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Fueled by a familiar late-game outburst, the Dodgers won nonetheless, completing a season-high four-run comeback with a 10-9 extra-inning victory in which AJ Pollock scored the go-ahead run on an error and Gavin Lux recorded five RBI.
But Buehler's blister was the most significant big-picture development, creating a potential speedbump in the right-hander's preparation for the fast-approaching postseason.
While blisters are hardly unusual for pitchers, they can be uniquely annoying. Buehler's appeared to be no exception. As his start went sideways, the 26-year-old didn't show any signs of pain. His frustration, however, was impossible to hide.
After opening the game with seven straight outs, Buehler allowed a solo home run to Daulton Varsho high off the left field foul pole with one out in the third. When Tim Locastro and Josh Rojas singled in the next two at-bats, Roberts and a trainer came to the mound to check on Buehler's finger, which was a non-issue in his first start back from the IL last Wednesday.
The meeting was brief and Buehler stayed in the game, inducing a ground ball from Ketel Marte just two pitches later. But as the go-ahead run from third crossed home plate, second baseman Lux pulled a running throw toward first base wide of the bag to put runners on the corners with still only one out.
Christian Walker drove in a run with a fielder's choice grounder in the next at-bat, then Kole Calhoun lined a two-run home run to left field. This time, Roberts retrieved the ball from Buehler for good. As the pitcher walked back to the dugout, he glared down at his bothersome pointer finger.
Buehler still managed 98.9 mph average fastball velocity (the second-highest in a game in his career, according to Brooks Baseball) and eclipsed triple-digits four times but only threw six breaking balls in 61 pitches.
Before the game, Roberts said Buehler's hand hadn't been getting "hot" in bullpen sessions and didn't think Tuesday's start would put the pitcher in any harm's way. Roberts did acknowledge, however, that a blister "can show its head pretty quickly."
"The main thing is, no matter what, we're going to take care of him and look out as far as the longer view," Roberts added. "I'd rather be more cautious."
The Dodgers got Buehler off the hook for the loss, climbing out of the early hole by scoring four runs each in the seventh and 10th innings.
Walks from Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor (the Dodgers drew a season-high 12 free passes on the night) sparked the seventh-inning spree, preceding an RBI single from Lux, two-run double from Edwin Rios and game-tying RBI single from Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers were aided by two Diamondback mistakes later, with Locastro running into a third out at home in the ninth and Eduardo Escobar committing the 10th-inning error that allowed Pollock to score. Lux, who homered in the second, added a three-run blast in the next at-bat.
Kenley Jansen allowed three runs (two earned) in the bottom of the 10th but struck out Wyatt Mathisen looking to end the game.
