Urías falters for first time this August, Dodgers unable to hold on

August 27th, 2023

BOSTON -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said this weekend at Fenway Park has felt like a postseason atmosphere. That’s no surprise given the matchup between two of the most historic franchises in the sport.

With the Dodgers all but locking up yet another postseason berth, this is the type of weekend that will prepare them for what’s to come in October. On Friday, the Dodgers punched first, allowing a large group of their fans to celebrate in Boston.

But on Saturday, the Dodgers fell just short in an 8-5 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park as left-hander picked up his first loss in a month after allowing six runs over six innings of work.

“I think that Julio, given this series, I think he was really looking forward to this series and building on his momentum,” said Roberts. “And the way it started, to the way it ended, I think he’s pretty frustrated and rightfully so. It’s a good environment. But as far as [we are concerned], we’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Over the next month, all of Urías’ starts will be magnified. That’s because of the level of impact he has on the Dodgers’ rotation and the type of boost he can give the club heading into what it hopes is a deep postseason run.

In his previous four starts in August, Urías was 4-0 with a 1.44 ERA, showing, once again, the ace-level type pitcher he can be when he has his entire repertoire working. Through five innings on Saturday, Urías was showing it again, allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers, but striking out eight and keeping most hitters off balance.

But in the sixth, things changed. Former Dodger Justin Turner led off the frame with a double, which was followed by a Rob Refsnyder single. After Urías won a lengthy battle and struck out star Rafael Devers, the Mexican left-hander started to see a path on how to get out of the jam.

Urías quickly jumped ahead 0-2 on Adam Duvall, but then left a cutter around the plate, and that the Red Sox outfielder turned on it and snuck it just over the Green Monster in left field. That gave the Red Sox a 5-4 lead, an advantage they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the afternoon.

“Obviously, those are things that happen in baseball,” Urías said in Spanish. “Obviously, JT got me with the double and I feel that gave them the possibility to change the game for them. Obviously, I felt good in the game. It’s baseball. That happens and, simply, it hurts. It hurts, but, well, in five days, six, you have to return and pitch better.”

While Urías couldn’t hold the Dodgers’ lead in the middle innings, the team did have a pair of opportunities to go ahead in the late frames of the game. In the eighth, with the Dodgers trailing by just one run, they loaded the bases with just one out.

The Dodgers, however, just weren’t able to get the big hit, as Will Smith flied out to shallow right field for the second out of the inning. Then, Max Muncy, who hit his 30th homer of the season on Saturday, struck out looking to end the frame.

As he was rung up for strike three, Muncy tossed his bat in disagreement on a pitch that did appear to be down in the zone. After arguing balls and strikes, Muncy and Roberts were both ejected by home plate umpire Jordan Baker.

“You know, there’s some pitches that I didn’t argue, but I thought maybe that was a ball and I went back and looked and he got them right,” Muncy said. “So I thought he did a very good job all day, to me at least. And then, I just knew right away that one wasn’t a strike.”

In the ninth, the Dodgers loaded them up again with two outs. They were down three. And there came Mookie Betts, who was showered with love yet again by the sold-out Fenway Park crowd. It was another Hollywood script for Betts, but this time, he lined out to the warning track in center field.

“I didn’t come through,” Betts said. “It is what it is. Put a good swing on a pitch and it went in his glove. But the moment is just a moment.”

The Dodgers will get another chance at big moments on Sunday.