Tesoro baseball tops Capistrano Valley in extra innings to win South Coast League title

• April 27, 2023

MISSION VIEJO — The Tesoro baseball team clinched the outright South Coast League championship by beating Capistrano Valley 9-8 in eight innings Wednesday at Capistrano Valley High.

Tesoro (19-8, 9-2) won the CIF-SS Division 2 championship and a CIF SoCal Regional championship last season, but it hadn’t  won a league championship since 2018 when the Titans won the Sea View League title.

“I’m so proud of our boys. We had so much grit today and that has been the story of our season,” Tesoro coach Tony Nieto said. “We missed out on it the last two years and we were one win away in 2021. This was our goal from the very beginning and we had the right guys coming back from last year.”

“After this long of a wait, it feels amazing to be able to stand on the top of this hill,” senior catcher Carter Jorissen said. “There are so many great teams in this league, so winning it feels great.”

The Titans gave up six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lose a four-run lead.

Capistrano Valley (13-13, 7-4) scored runs on a hit by pitch and an error to cut Tesoro’s lead to 6-4.

With the bases loaded, Long Beach State signee Reid Montgomery hit a grand slam over the right field wall to give the Cougars an 8-6 lead.

The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh inning.

Owen Faust hit a leadoff single to give the Tesoro dugout some energy. Jorissen hit a game-tying, two-run home run over the left field fence to tie the score.

“We have the guys in the lineup and all we had to do was get the first guy on base,” Jorissen said. “I knew from the first at-bat against him that I saw every pitch he had. I just wanted to get a ball to drive in the gap and I hit it well I guess.”

Junior Tanner Tobias hit a run-scoring single for Tesoro in the eighth inning to put the Titans in front 9-8.

Junior Ryan Rios pitched the eighth inning and shut the door for the Titans.

“Who says baseball isn’t romantic? We brought up Ryan Rios from the junior varsity team last year to pitch a game against Capo Valley and he got the big win to launch us into the playoffs,” Nieto said. “He came up big today in another big moment.”

Tesoro had a 5-2 lead after two innings. Northwestern signee Jackson Freeman hit two home runs in the first two innings to drive in four runs. Freeman has hit 11 home runs this season, which is a school-record.

Caden Chergey hit a run-scoring double to give Tesoro a 6-2 lead in the third inning.

Rhett Chisholm hit a two-run single for Capo Valley in the first inning.

The Cougars have clinched second place in the league standings.

“I think this is the top public school league in the county,” Nieto said. “All these teams are good. This is good baseball down here and for us to win shows that we have a culture where the goal is hanging banners and we hung a banner today.”

The two teams will complete the three game series Friday at Tesoro High.

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​ Orange County Register 

Esperanza softball holds off Canyon to capture outright Crestview League title

• April 27, 2023

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ANAHEIM — One of Orange County’s most consistent softball programs brought clarity to the ultra-competitive Crestview League on Wednesday.

One of the county’s most surprising teams made it close in typical Crestview fashion.

Esperanza reliever Mia Sanchez got Carson Cooper to line out to center fielder Taylor Shumaker with the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning to close out a 6-4 victory at Canyon High that delivered the Aztecs the outright league title.

“It doesn’t happen very often,” Esperanza coach Ed Tunstall said with a chuckle of an outright champion in the Crestview. “Everybody beat each other this time.”

Esperanza (19-6, 7-2), ranked fifth in Orange County and eighth in CIF-SS Division 1, entered Wednesday with a one-game lead against No. 10 Canyon (17-10, 5-4) in a finale between two playoff-bound squads.

Last season, the Crestview produced a three-way tie for first place between Esperanza, Canyon and Villa Park. The logjam led to a coin-flip for the league’s No. 1 playoff entry (won by Villa Park) and a playoff spot for the No. 2 entry (won by Esperanza).

After Canyon missed the playoffs because there were no at-large playoff entries for Division 3, the Crestview shifted to three rounds of play this spring.

Esperanza followed its offense — which had been a bit quiet in recent games — to the decisive victory. Shortstop Sharyn Duncan highlighted a four-run third inning with a three-run home run, her seventh, to open a 4-0 lead.

Duncan, a four-year starter, finished 4 for 4, including a key RBI single in the seventh that made it 6-1.

Shumaker went 2 for 4 with an RBI double. Freshman Calista Van Artsdalen added an RBI double as the Aztecs finished with 11 hits in support of Charley Duran, who pitched 6 1/3 innings for her seventh win.

“This is our third time seeing this pitcher (Jessalyn Gallegos) and we kind of knew what she was going to be throwing and we adjusted,” Duncan said of the senior who fired a no-hitter Monday.

Esperanza claimed a fifth consecutive league title.

“We just have girls who really want it,” said Shumaker, a junior who is committed to Florida. “We have girls who work really hard.”

Canyon scored three runs in the seventh, including a bases-loaded, two-run double by leadoff batter Sam Gresham (2 for 4).

The Division 2 Comanches, who were unranked in the O.C. preseason poll, are headed to CIF playoffs for the first time since 2019.

“It’s always exciting to make the playoffs, and for this team especially because its so young,” Canyon coach Jess Carbajal said.

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​ Orange County Register 

Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life

• April 27, 2023

Henry Winkler, actor, producer and director, has played many roles since his iconic turn as “The Fonz,” and each time, he said, he finds something new inside with which to bring the most current character to life.

Winkler, 77,  said it’s all about the passion and joy he gets from his art and the experiences he’s lived in the 50 years since landing his role in the 1970s sitcom “Happy Days,” which started with six lines, an Italian accent and some imagination and turned into a 10-year run that aired in countries around the world.

“There is life; life completely informs your work as an actor,” Winkler said during a visit Wednesday to Crestavilla, a Laguna Niguel senior living community, where he shared his message of inspiration with a group of local drama students and then with dozens of seniors eager to learn the New York-born actor’s life story.

“You have to be open,” he said. “I enjoyed it, and I’m never bored by it. I do not take it for granted and all of that fuels the wonder of discovery every day.”

Winkler said he knew he wanted to become an actor as soon as he was “old enough to reason,” but didn’t get a lot of support from his parents when he was young. Dyslexia also didn’t make his young life any easier, he said.

Winkler attended Emerson College and went on to study acting at the Yale School of Drama. He joined the Yale Repertory Theater and got his first paying job as an actor in 1970. Later, he joined an improv group, tried out plays on Broadway and then decided it was time to move to Hollywood. His first gig there was on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

When an opportunity for “Happy Days” presented itself, Winkler said he made the most of it by changing his voice and adding some dramatics. When he was done with his audition, he threw the script in the air and left. Two weeks later, he was asked if he wanted the part. He agreed, he said, on the condition that he could play the role of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli by showing his emotional side.

To create The Fonz, Winkler said he used his imagination as the basis of the character.

“The basis was everybody I wanted to be and who I wasn’t,” Winkler said. “You take the words that are written; like Robin Williams, who would suck the script into his body and then spit it out and Williamize it, and that’s what you do. You churn it up and put it back into the world with your spin, and all of it has to be coded in courage.”

“Your job as an actor is to illuminate the character and illuminate life,” he added.

And, by bringing The Fonz character to life, Winkler became a household name. But, that would also become a problem, he said, explaining that it took seven or eight years before he was cast into a new role.

“I was shocked how popular I was,” he said. “It was beyond the human condition. It was big. I had no idea. I had six lines when I started. All I was doing was doing the best job I could as a professional.”

In his career, Winkler was cast in a series of character roles, including Arthur Himbry in “Scream,” Coach Klein in “The Waterboy,” Barry Zuckerkorn in “Arrested Development,”  Eddie R. Lawson in “Royal Pains,” Dr. Saperstein in “Parks and Recreation,” Stanley Yelnats III in “Holes,” Uncle Joe in “The French Dispatch,” Al Pratt in “Black Adam,”  and now, most recently, he wrapped up the fourth season of the HBO dark comedy “Barry,” in which he plays acting coach Gene Cousineau.

In 2016, Winkler also became a reality television star on the NBC series “Better Late Than Never.” Winkler’s accolades include a Primetime Emmy, two Daytime Emmys, two Golden Globe Awards and two Critics Choice Awards.

In meeting with each of the two age groups, Winkler did his best to inspire them to be their best selves.

The students, who are opening a production at Aliso Niguel High School on Thursday, hung on his advice. “If it’s not your passion, you’re in the wrong place,” he told them.

“This is an industry of more no’s than yes’s, but you’re a Weeble Wobble, people will say no and you’ll get back up. If you’ve got talent and joy that comes shooting out of your body, somebody will choose you.”

He also said that he believes if “they put ‘Happy Days’ on now at 8 p.m. on a day of the week, children would find it in exactly the same way. It would absolutely bloom again because it’s timeless.”

To the seniors, he said, “There is no right time.

“You’ve talked yourself out of doing something, you’ve said you can’t do it, because you’re too busy, it’s not the right time, you’ve passed it,” he said. “I’m saying to you, all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and try.”

Winkler said he has treasured each role he’s had and poured his passion into them all. He’s sad to see “Barry ” end, and said he will tremendously miss all who he worked with.

“I love these people so much,” he said. “I am grateful that I get to do what I get to do every day.”

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​ Orange County Register 

John Phillips: London Breed could be on Newsom’s shortlist if Sen. Feinstein steps down

• April 27, 2023

Ever since California’s senior U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein announced that she would not be seeking another six-year term in 2024, conventional wisdom has been that the battle for her replacement would be among three Democrats: Burbank Congressman Adam Schiff, Orange County Congresswoman Katie Porter, and Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

In reality, all of the recent metrics indicate that Schiff is running away with it.

Campaign donations are a reliable barometer of enthusiasm for a particular candidate.

According to the most recent fundraising numbers, Barbara Lee has generated only $1.4 million.

That puts her just slightly ahead of David DePape.

Comparatively, Schiff brought in $6.5 million and Porter raised $4.5 million.

In terms of endorsements, 20 current Democratic members of the California House delegation have endorsed Schiff, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Two have endorsed Barabra Lee.

None has endorsed Katie Porter.

Ouch.

I guess we now know why Porter goes after the banks so aggressively — she couldn’t find a co-signer if her life depended on it.

Schiff also claims to have lots of evidence that he’d be the most prepared senator – but so far he hasn’t shown it to anybody.

Go figure.

The way I see things, this contest is now a two-person race.  Not between Schiff and Porter or Schiff and Lee….but between Schiff and Newsom.

If Dianne Feinstein were to vacate her seat before her term expires, Newsom would have the responsibility of appointing her successor.

He has already gone on-the-record saying if that were to occur, he would appoint a Black female.

In March of 2021, MSNBC’s Joy Reid asked Newsom if he would commit to naming a Black woman to the Senate were Feinstein to step down, and whether he had thought of particular replacements.

Newsom told Reid, “I have multiple names in mind. We have multiple names in mind — and the answer is yes.”

And we can definitely count on Newsom to keep his word.  Just ask anybody who works at the French Laundry.

Conventional wisdom is that if a vacancy were to occur, the seat would belong to Barbara Lee.

But, not so fast.

Bear in mind (pun intended): Newsom’s pick would not be intended to please the people of California. He can’t run for governor again, which in California makes him a lame duck l’orange.

Whether he admits it or not, Newsom is running for president…and the new Democratic primary calendar has South Carolina voting first.  Whatever decision he makes will be intended to please that audience, not the people of California.

If elected, Barbara Lee would be in her eighties during her freshman term, which would likely make her a short-term senator.

However, if Newsom were to pick a younger Black woman for the seat, he could make the argument to the majority black South Carolina Democratic primary electorate that, thanks to him, Black women would have representation in the U.S. Senate for decades.

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The youngest, most politically ambitious Black female in California politics is currently 48-year-old San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

As mayor of San Francisco, Breed shares a political pedigree with both Newsom and Feinstein, and it probably doesn’t hurt that she also comes from the same Willie Brown political machine that produced Newsom.

If appointed, Breed would be bringing her unique brand of leadership with her to Washington.

Meanwhile, America braces for a severe shortage of tents.

Oh yeah, she’d also have all of the power that comes along with incumbency, including widespread name identification, franking privileges, and the support of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

To my eye, this race is a two person battle all right. But only one of them is an actual candidate.

So far.

John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.

​ Orange County Register 

Chad Bianco’s Keystone Cops lose 60 pounds of meth

• April 27, 2023

Riverside County has now gifted satirists a plotline.

Last week, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arranged a sting operation hoping to arrest drug traffickers. Only, in this case, the department unwittingly became the actual traffickers.

Undercover officers provided a drug dealer with 60 pounds of methamphetamine. The dealer then took off and the department’s finest couldn’t keep up to complete the operation.

“After the transaction, the suspect drove away and deputies from the Gang Task Force attempted a vehicle stop. The suspect failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. Due to the high speeds and the suspect’s disregard for public safety, deputies lost sight of the vehicle,” the department said in a statement.

Well done, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

“[Methamphetamine] is often sold in quantities of 3.5 grams, or an eighth of an ounce, known as an 8-ball. Sixty pounds of methamphetamine could be divided into 7,680 such 8-balls,” reported the Southern California News Group’s Brian Rokos.

This is the latest humiliation for one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the state.

The department is now under a state civil rights investigation launched by the California Department of Justice due to a massive spike in jail deaths last year.

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The department is also facing civil lawsuits by the families of people who have died while under the county’s custody.  And that comes not long after the county had to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit after Riverside County deputies wrongly raided the homes of an elderly couple without a warrant.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, elected in 2018 at the behest of the county’s deputies union and with the enthusiastic support of Democratic County Supervisors Chuck Washington and V. Manuel Perez, has steered the department in the wrong direction.

This editorial board will continue to call on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to establish an oversight body over the Sheriff’s Department. Democrats hold a majority on the board; while they are surely conflicted given their alliance with the deputies union, Democrats in Riverside County must press the supervisors to act and act now.

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers fade in 3rd quarter as Grizzlies force a Game 6

• April 27, 2023

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — LeBron James locked eyes with Lakers coach Darvin Ham with 4 minutes, 40 seconds remaining in what would become a 116-99 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday at FedEx Forum. They had a non-verbal discussion, as Ham later put it.

It was time.

Not closing time.

But time to rest, to recover for Game 6 on Friday at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers lead the best-of-7 series, three games to two.

If necessary, Game 7 will be Sunday in Memphis.

“Tonight, I was (expletive),” James said. “I’ll be better in Game 6.”

James and Anthony Davis have been very much like ships passing in the night during the first five games of the series. They haven’t been productive together in the same game yet, with James dipping and Davis soaring in Game 5, and it was the opposite in the Lakers’ victory in Game 4.

James scored 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting with 10 rebounds, five assists and five turnovers in 37 minutes before retiring to the bench with the Lakers trailing 106-92. Davis led the Lakers with 31 points on 14-for-23 shooting and a playoff career-high 19 rebounds in a little more than 35 minutes.

“We just haven’t put two performances together,” James said. ”We still put three team efforts together to be up 3-2, and that’s what’s important. It doesn’t matter what A.D. and I are doing, it’s about winning basketball games.”

The Lakers were within 75-74 after James went on a personal 5-0 run that included two free throws with 4:36 left in the third quarter. But, instead of folding, the Grizzlies surged with a 19-2 run to end the third that they would extend to 26-2 by the opening minutes of the fourth.

Desmond Bane and Ja Morant ensured the Grizzlies would live to play another day, shredding the Lakers’ defense with a mix of drives to the basket and perimeter shots. Bane led the Grizzlies with 33 points and Morant had 31, and the Lakers had no answer for either of them.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and look at the film and see what we come up with and, again, the biggest part of it is to be ready to come out Friday like gangbusters and compete for 48 minutes or however long it takes,” Ham said of the Lakers’ plans for Game 6.

Ham acknowledged facing a difficult decision as to when to pull the plug on Game 5 in order to rest James, Davis and his other starters. Down by 24 points with more than eight minutes still to be played, Ham chose to stick with his starters and see if they could make a run.

“It’s tough, man, because you’re competitive, you feel like in today’s basketball – 3-point shot – you can chew up a deficit really quick,” Ham said. “We gave up a 14-1 run in the first half in the last game, so it just goes to show you. It’s a great conundrum. Do you compete harder?

“Hopefully, some shots go in, you get to the free throw line. Or do you take that time and try to soak up some minutes with those guys getting ice on them or whatever? It’s playoff basketball and everyone’s in a competitive mode, and we decided to leave our guys out there.”

Asked about his level of fatigue, James said simply, “I’m good.”

Davis said he was prepared to “play all 48” in Game 6, if necessary.

“It’s what you prepare an entire season for,” Davis said.

The Lakers fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first half, which had more to do with the Grizzlies’ sense of desperation than anything else. Pushed to the brink of elimination after the Lakers’ overtime victory Monday in Game 4, the Grizzlies fought back to start Game 5.

Memphis could do nothing to stop Davis in the early going, but the Lakers didn’t have a consistent second or third offensive option. James missed seven of his first nine shots and had five turnovers in a first half that was every bit as forgettable as his Game 5 play was memorable.

Davis had a double-double by halftime, with 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting plus 10 rebounds. His teammates combined to shoot 13 of 31 (41.9 percent) in the first half. Austin Reaves, who had 10 points on 3-for-6 shooting, was the only other Lakers player with 10 or more points in the half. He finished with 17.

“Close-out games are tough,” Davis said. “The other team is going to come out with a sense of desperation. It was on their home floor. The crowd was into it. They got hot in the first quarter, making shots. Desmond Bane got hot and the crowd’s energy fed the other guys and they made plays and made shots.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Wednesday, April 26

• April 27, 2023

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Wednesday, April 26

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

CIF-SS PLAYOFFS

DIVISION 1

Pool Play

POOL A

Loyola def. Beckman, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19

Corona del Mar def. Edison, 25-23, 26-24, 25-17

POOL B

Newport Harbor def. Huntington Beach, 25-16, 23-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-12

Mira Costa def. Mater Dei, 3-0

BASEBALL

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Woodbridge 4, Northwood 0

Laguna Hills 9, Irvine 0

Portola 5, Beckman 3

University 8, Sage Hill 4

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Dana Hills 6, Trabuco Hills 1

DH: Gallison (W, 4IPM 0ER, 4K) Rapp 1-2, 2RBI, Farris 2-4, 2B, RBI, Murray 1-4, 2B, RBI.

TH: B. Gray 2-2, RBI, Manda 2-4, Luce 1-4, 2B, R.

Tesoro 9, Capistrano Valley 8 (8 innings)

Tes: Freeman 2-4, 2HR, 4RBI. Jorissen 2-3, HR, 2B, 2RBI. Tobias 2-4, RBI.

CV: Montgomery 1-3, HR, 4RBI. Chisolm 2-4, 2RBI.

Note: Tesoro clinches first league championship since 2018.

TRINITY LEAGUE

Santa Margarita 9, St. John Bosco 4

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Orange 9, Calvary Chapel 8

Or: Rodriguez 2-4, 3B, HR, 4RBI. Torres 1-2, 2RBI.

CC: Pipia 2-4, 3B, SB, 2RBI. Nakamoto 2-4, RBI.

NONLEAGUE

Mission Viejo 10, El Toro 9

SOFTBALL

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Laguna Hills 8, Portola 1

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

La Quinta 10, Los Amigos 3

LQ: Gomez (W, 16K, 0 ER), McIntyre 3RBI, 2B

Note: La Quinta clinches 2nd place in league for the first time in over 30 years

Other scores

Loara 16, Bolsa Grande 2

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Esperanza 6, Canyon 4

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

Yorba Linda 5, El Dorado 2

NONLEAGUE

Brea Olinda 3, Foothill 2

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Calvary Chapel 10, Costa Mesa 0

ORANGE LEAGUE

Savanna 5, Santa Ana Valley 4

Anaheim 13, Magnolia 3

SAN JOAQUIN LEAGUE

Capistrano Valley Christian 5, Calvary Chapel/Downey 1

Capistrano Valley Christian 22, Calvary Chapel/Downey 9 (Doubleheader)

Western Christian 14, Samueli Academy 1

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Capistrano Valley 5, San Clemente 1

El Toro 12, Trabuco Hills 6

TRINITY LEAGUE

Orange Lutheran 4, JSerra 1

GOLDEN WEST LEAGUE

Ocean View 12, Westminster 4

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Mission Viejo 1, Tesoro

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Sunny Hills 7, Sonora 6

SH: Moreno  (W,1.1 IP, H 2K), Salcido 2-3, RBI, Cueva  3-4, RBI

OLYMPIC LEAGUE

Whittier Christian 12, Village Christian 2

BOYS TENNIS

TRINITY LEAGUE

Singles Final

Brady Schaefgen (JSerra) def Tiago Zunega (Santa Margarita) 6-1, 6-0

Third Place Singles: Everette Somerville (Orange Lutheran)

Doubles Final

Chris Marci / Alejandro Hill (Servite) def. John Burton / David Chen (Santa Margarita) 6-3, 6-1

Third Place Doubles: Gary Davidson/Connor Faul (JSerra)

GIRLS LACROSSE

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Portola 20, Laguna Hills 1][

Goals: (Por) Zdanavage 7

Note: Jadyn Zdanavage surpassed the 300-career goal mark

Other scores

Northwood 19, Sage Hill 3

BOYS LACROSSE

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Aliso Niguel 17, Dana Hills 1

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

University 15, Woodbridge 10

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Yorba Linda 13, El Modena 4

SUNSET LEAGUE

Los Alamitos 20, Newport Harbor 2

BOYS GOLF

TRINITY LEAGUE

Mater Dei 176, Servite 180

Willowick GC (par 35)

Medalist: Cardenas (MD) 33

​ Orange County Register 

Pirates run wild with 6 stolen bases in rout of Dodgers

• April 27, 2023

PITTSBURGH — The Dodgers need to get tough on crime.

The Pittsburgh Pirates stole six bases Wednesday night, running at will in an 8-1 rout of the Dodgers that snapped the Dodgers’ three-game winning streak.

The Pirates have plundered away, stealing nine bases in nine attempts over the first two games of this series. But the crime wave goes beyond that. The Dodgers have surrendered an MLB-high 35 stolen bases in 40 attempts over the first 25 games of the season.

“It hasn’t been good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game of the Dodgers’ inability to control the running game. “We’ve got to figure something out. I might have to do a better job of calling pitch-outs. I don’t know if that will help in certain situations. We’ve got to try to keep these guys off base, these burners. But they’re gonna keep trying us. I know that. Our pitchers know that. Our catchers know that. So we all gotta get better.”

Tony Gonsolin held the Pirates scoreless into the fourth inning in his season debut, allowing two hits and walking three before being pulled after 3⅓ innings and 65 pitches.

“I threw way too many balls today,” said Gonsolin, who had 26 of those to 14 batters. “Not throwing many effective pitches and fell behind in a lot of counts.”

The Pirates got in the starting blocks against reliever Phil Bickford. They used small ball (including a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt) to set up back-to-back RBI singles by Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen in the fifth inning. Three straight hits – with another stolen base thrown in – resulted in another run in the sixth.

They broke the game open with five runs in the seventh inning, scoring one run when Tucupita Marcano raced home from second base on an infield single. Dodgers catcher Austin Wynns was called for blocking the plate on that play, allowing Marcano to score.

A double steal with Wynns one-hopping the throw to third baseman Michael Busch, who wasn’t even covering the base, set up a two-run double by Jason Delay.

“When you’re putting guys on base by way of walk or base hits or whatever it might be, they’re gonna try to expose us. Right now I don’t know the answer,” Roberts said after the latest round of thievery was done. “The best answer is to try to keep them off first base, but once they get there, they’re taking advantage of us. So I think it’s a combo of the pitchers at times and also I think that the catchers can be guilty at times as well.

“I wish it was a quick fix.”

The Dodgers have another glaring problem in need of repair. The four relievers that followed Gonsolin each gave up runs and the bullpen’s collective ERA rose to 5.32. Only three teams – the Kansas City Royals, Oakland A’s and Chicago White Sox – have been worse. That is not company the Dodgers want to keep.

“Well, I think there’s a lot of factors,” Roberts said. “We’re not doing a good job of getting ahead. The walk is in play – getting into bad counts, not being able to put guys away when we do get leverage counts. Outside of a few guys, they’re all kind of in that category.

“The consistency of these guys hasn’t been there, for the most part. … You look at the track record and the track records are pretty good. So I’m going to keep running them out there and expecting good things when they go out there until ultimately something changes.”

The Dodgers’ offense has not taken advantage of the new rules aiding and abetting a rise in stolen bases across the league this year. They did little else Wednesday night either.

Pirates starter Roansy Contreras walked two in the first five innings but didn’t give up a hit until Wynns led off the sixth with a single.

“I think just the fact that he was able to throw all his pitches for strikes, fastball and slider. To me, that’s the name of it,” Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward said. “Because if you can only throw one for a strike, it’s going to be kind of easy to sit on it and get some good swings off. He made pitches when he needed to.”

The Dodgers’ only run came on a solo home run by Freddie Freeman in the eighth inning.

Tuesday night’s comeback win was the eighth time this season the Dodgers have scored eight or more runs in a game. But they have suffered a hangover in the overserved aftermath, losing six of the eight games that followed those breakouts and scoring a total of just 23 runs in those games.

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​ Orange County Register