Dodgers: Will Smith’s walk-off home run eases pain of Turner, Muncy injuries

On the verge of falling three games back of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West and dropping the first two games of the series, the Los Angeles Dodgers found a way, as they almost usually do.

In the fifth inning, they trailed 6-1. Darien Nunez and Josiah Gray got knocked around for six earned runs on six hits and two walks. Yeah … this starting rotation thing is starting to become a big problem.

But if there’s any team that can weather a bullpen game, it’s the Dodgers, who have been doing it consistently since early May.

All the pitchers have to do is not give up double-digit runs. Then they can watch the offense chip away.

Chris Taylor homered twice and Austin Barnes drove in a run to make it 6-5 in the sixth, but the offense went silence in the seventh and eighth.

That is, until Will Smith stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the ninth.

The Dodgers won on a Will Smith walk-off homer.

Good night, Los Angeles! After Giants closer Tyler Rogers walked Taylor and Matt Beaty to lead off the bottom of the ninth, Smith gave the fans a grand exit when he cranked an offering from the submarine right-hander for his 12th blast of the year. Dodgers win 8-6, and remain one game back of San Fran.

They especially needed that one because earlier in the contest both Justin Turner and Max Muncy — two of the Dodgers’ All-Stars — left the game with injuries after being hit by pitches and added to the growing list. They’ll now join Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Lux, Corey Seager and others who are on the shelf. Brutal.

But for a moment, Smith’s home run made all the worries dissipate because the Dodgers have their nonsense bullpen games out of the way. Julio Urias and Walker Buehler are set to take on the Giants on Wednesday and Thursday.

We’ve yet to hear any definitive updates on Muncy or Turner, but don’t expect them to jump right back into action on Wednesday. Muncy is also expecting his first child any day now, so there’s a chance he’ll be away from the team regardless.

Without Smith’s homer, though, this all would’ve sounded a lot worse.

Another fun tidbit from Tuesday? Jimmie Sherfy, the pitcher the Dodgers picked up from the Giants last week, grabbed his first win of the season … against San Fran on Tuesday. How’s that for turning the tables?

Dodgers fans fight each other in stands during Giants beatdown

Why are Los Angeles Dodgers fans fighting each other in the stands as the San Francisco Giants beat the team on the field? Eh.