The Los Angeles Dodgers overcame late-inning drama to snap a frustrating streak of inconsistent play against the Washington Nationals.
The Los Angeles Dodgers didn't think they'd have to use Jack Dreyer in a save situation, but that's exactly what happened when the Washington Nationals scored three runs in the top of the ninth.
The Dodgers prevailed, 5-3, and successfully won back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 22-23.
As crazy as that is to say, it shows just how inconsistent this team has been down the stretch.
Once again, bullpen issues were transparent late in this one, and if it weren't for Dreyer, who knows what would've happened in the rest of this ballgame.
Regardless, the Dodgers improved to 84-57 and are still 3.5 games out from reclaiming the best record in all of baseball.
Blake Snell threw six scoreless innings
With all eyes on Blake Snell and this team's starting rotation going into the postseason, Snell once again pulled his weight.
He very quickly found himself with a 3-1 record this season, and for good reason. The 33-year-old has now won three of his last four starts, with this victory coming in a six-inning performance that saw him allow only five hits.
Snell needed exactly 100 pitches to get through his six innings. He struck out seven Nationals batters and provided them with their only two walks of the game.
Kyle Tucker's 12th home run of the year
No one expected Kyle Tucker to be batting eighth in this lineup, but that's what a .226 batting average will do to someone.
Manager Dave Roberts still believes in his right fielder, and rightfully so, especially when he's hitting a 377-foot bomb to right-center.
This marked Tucker's first home run since Saturday, Aug. 8, showing just how long it's been since his power has helped take this team to the next level.
Three-run third inning got Dodgers out to an early lead
The bottom of the third inning was the Dodgers' best of the game, and that three-run frame made a huge difference knowing what was to come in the top of the ninth.
Back-to-back walks got things started, and then Mookie Betts drove in a run with a single that was followed by a Teoscar Hernandez double, which scored both Betts and Enrique Hernandez.
Dreyer saves the day
Roberts thought he could put Seth Halvorsen out there for the ninth inning, but he allowed three runs on three hits without recording a single out.
Dreyer picked up his second save of the year as he needed just 15 pitches, only one more than Halvorsen threw, to record all three outs.
