Punxsutawney Spirit

Gavin Lux gets 2-run double, Dodgers surge past Phils 5-4

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gavin Lux allowed a routine two-out grounder to roll between his legs in the second inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies jumped through that opening to score four unearned runs.

With the Dodgers down to their final out three hours later, Lux got an improbable opportunity for redemption — and he crushed it.

Lux atoned for his fielding mistake with a two-run double in the ninth inning, and Los Angeles avoided a four-game series sweep with a 5-4 victory on Sunday.

“Probably shouldn’t even have been in that situation anyway, so I kind of had to make up for earlier,” Lux said after his first career walk-off RBI.

The Phillies led 4-0 after Lux's error, and they were up 4-2 after Aaron Nola threw seven gutsy innings of four-hit ball. Lux drew a leadoff walk in the eighth and scored on Mookie Betts’ double off Jeurys Familia, but the reliever escaped with two groundouts.

Philadelphia then got within one strike of its first four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium since 1985, but couldn't close it out.

The bases were empty when Cody Bellinger abruptly delivered a twostrike, two-out triple off closer Corey Knebel (0-3). Ten pitches later, it was over.

After Chris Taylor walked, Lux drove home both runners with a drive to the right field corner. He set off a frenzied celebration at Chavez Ravine for a big crowd that included actor Tom Hanks, who put both hands to his head in disbelief.

Betts also homered for the Dodgers, who avoided their first five-game skid since April 2019. Los Angeles hadn’t won in walk-off fashion since last July 20.

“I'm sure (the error) was on Gavin's mind all day long,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I don't want to say it's the biggest win of the year with a short sample, but it's a big one. Guys are feeling real good right now.”

Although the Phillies' perpetually problematic bullpen failed again, the powerhouse Dodgers have done it to better teams. They hadn't done it lately, though: The Dodgers had lost five of six and were staring at another disheartening defeat to an opponent that was significantly better than them all weekend.

“You can't always be in front," Bellinger said.

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2022-05-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

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