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    Dodgers lose see-saw battle to Pirates, spoiling storybook ending
    • July 5, 2023

    Jonny Deluca of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits his first MLB home run, a solo shot as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Jonny Deluca of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits his first MLB home run, a solo shot as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Jonny Deluca is congratulated by first base coach Clayton McCullough of the Los Angeles Dodgers after hitting his first MLB home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Jonny Deluca is congratulated by first base coach Clayton McCullough of the Los Angeles Dodgers after hitting his first MLB home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Jonny Deluca of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted in the dugout after hitting his first MLB home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    An American flag is held by members of the U.S. military during the national anthem prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Luis Ortiz of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    An American flag is held by members of the U.S. military during the national anthem prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Austin Hedges of the Pittsburgh Pirates beats the tag by Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Jonny Deluca of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted in the dugout after hitting his first MLB home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Henry Davis of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits an RBI-double in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Emmet Sheehan (R) walks to the dugout after he was pulled by manager Dave Roberts (2nd L) of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    James Outman of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

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    LOS ANGELES ― Like the fireworks exploding and echoing around Chavez Ravine on Tuesday night, the Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates traded blows for nine innings, with each team trying to one-up the other until their final fuse was lit.

    Dodgers rookie Jonny DeLuca hit his first major league home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie game, only to see closer Evan Phillips surrender three runs in the top of the ninth.

    The Dodgers’ 9-7 loss spoiled a potential storybook ending before a packed crowd on the 4th of July.

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had hoped to avoid using Phillips, who had thrown one inning in each of the previous two games. But he spoke to Phillips just before the game, and the 28-year-old pitcher declared himself ready.

    “In the moment I really felt fine,” Phillips said. “I think naturally there’s probably some fatigue from (pitching on the) third day in a row, travel, this and that. But I really felt confident I could help the team win a ballgame tonight so it’s really unfortunate that we came up short.”

    “It really hurts without a doubt, especially after Jonny hit a big home run for the team like that. I really felt that was the momentum shift we needed, and I could come in and finish the game. It just didn’t work out that way.”

    DeLuca, a rookie outfielder from nearby Agoura Hills, clubbed a pinch-hit home run against left-hander Angel Perdomo over the left-field fence to give the Dodgers a short-lived 7-6 lead. He acknowledged the announced crowd of 51,487 with a curtain call ― the perfect ending as fireworks filled the night sky.

    Unfortunately for DeLuca and the Dodgers, the game wasn’t over.

    Phillips walked Jack Suwinski and Nick Gonzales, and allowed a game-tying single to Jared Triolo. Pinch hitter Josh Palacios then roped a double over the Dodgers’ drawn-in infield, scoring two more runs to give Pittsburgh a 9-7 lead.

    “The stuff, the velocity, after he walked those guys … started getting better,” Roberts said of Phillips. “He got a (strikeout) late. If the player says he feels good, you have to trust him. Quite honestly, we didn’t have anyone else.”

    In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers used a walk by Will Smith and a single by Max Muncy to put runners on first and third with one out against Pirates right-hander David Bednar. Named to the National League All-Star team earlier in the day, Bednar struck out Miguel Vargas to end the game.

    DeLuca’s home run was the fourth of the day for the Dodgers. James Outman followed a pair of singles by Jason Heyward with a pair of home runs of his own. Mookie Betts’ 22nd home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning against Pirates starter Luis Ortiz, gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead.

    Thus began the see-saw.

    Emmet Sheehan’s fourth major league start was also his shortest. The right-hander was charged with five runs in 3 ⅔ innings, walking four batters and allowing a home run to Jack Suwinski. He allowed two runs in a 37-pitch first inning. He allowed three runs in the fourth inning before giving way to Caleb Ferguson.

    The parade of relief pitchers that followed was an adventure. Gavin Stone allowed five hits over two innings, and was fortunate to allow only one run.

    The score was 6-6 when Pirates manager Derek Shelton brought in Perdomo to pitch the eighth. Roberts countered by replacing David Peralta and Heyward with a pair of right-handed hitters, Vargas and DeLuca.

    DeLuca hadn’t homered in his first 16 major league games. He barely had a chance; only twice has DeLuca played all nine innings from start to finish. As a pinch hitter, DeLuca is now 4 for 5 with a double, a home run, and two RBIs, despite little experience in the role to this point in his career.

    “Those are the spots you dream about,” he said. “You can’t really describe it in words. It’s just really special, having it be here. That was pretty cool.”

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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