LOS ANGELES _ The latest Los Angeles Dodger to supply late-inning magic is a 36-year-old former World Series MVP playing out the final stage of an accomplished 11-year career in a platoon role for a club with championship aspirations. David Freese didn't start Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies _ he doesn't start most days _ but he left his imprint, opening the floodgates in the Dodgers' 8-0 win.
After entering the game in the fifth inning to replace first baseman Matt Beaty, who exited with a left hip injury, Freese broke the scoreless draw in the seventh inning with a solo home run. He cracked an RBI single before stumbling his way around the bases for additional insurance in a seven-run eighth inning as the Dodgers (41-19) blew open a tight game en route to a series sweep and their fifth consecutive victory.
Freese's homer came just in time to put Rich Hill in line for the victory after the left-hander's latest gem. Hill held the Phillies (33-26) hitless for four innings. He ended up allowing three over seven scoreless innings, walking three and striking out nine. Hill has allowed three runs in 25 innings over his last four starts, lowering his earned-run average to 2.25 this season.
But for a moment it appeared as though Hill would not finish the seventh ininng. Cesar Hernandez had just cracked a two-out double on his 99th pitch when manager Dave Roberts emerged from the dugout. Rarely does Roberts visit a pitcher without taking the ball from him. But, after a brief conversation, Roberts returned to the dugout without summoning a reliever. Hill remained on the mound to figure his way out of the jam.
With the pitcher's spot on deck, the Dodgers chose to intentionally walk Maikel Franco to force Phillies manager Gabe Kapler to make a decision: have Nick Pivetta, who was through six dominant scoreless innings, hit with the go-ahead run at second base or pinch-hit for the light-hitting pitcher who had struck out in his two at-bats without much resistance. Kapler elected to remove Pivetta and insert Phil Gosselin to pinch-hit. Four pitches later, after blowing a fastball by Gosselin for strike three, Hill walked off the mound with a fist pump to conclude his performance.
Replacing Pivetta _ and turning to their faulty bullpen _ immediately cost the Phillies. Freese clubbed a two-out home run the other way, over the right-field wall, for the game's first run. A spirited Freese bellowed as he trotted around the bases. He flexed his right biceps as he rounded third, looking into the exuberant Dodgers' dugout. The deadlock was broken. A rout was soon in order.
The Dodgers tallied seven runs in the eighth inning against right-handers Edgar Rios and Yacksiel Rios. The outburst began with Max Muncy's double and a walk from Corey Seager. Alex Verdugo singled to score Muncy to double the Dodgers' margin before Freese hit a groundball up the middle to drive in Seager. And it was from first where Freese scored the Dodgers' fourth run, racing around after Chris Taylor laid down a bunt for a safety squeeze. Rios fielded the ball and threw wildly to first base. Freese got the green light from third base coach Dino Ebel, tripped and nearly fell as he stepped past third base before finding his footing and scoring.
