Electric Blake Snell moment in Dodgers' win might be spark LA needs to wake up

Blake Snell was through 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Phillies when he got into some trouble. Two back-to-back walks put men on first and second with righty Otto Kemp coming up to face the veteran lefty.

The Dodgers were only holding onto a three-run lead at that point, and despite the fact that his bullpen is top-to-bottom terrible right now, Dave Roberts didn't want to take any chances. Snell had already labored that night, throwing 107 pitches and Alex Vesia was ready to come in from the bullpen.

Roberts started his stroll out to the mound, and Joe Davis correctly intoned over the SportsNet LA broadcast, "This is not gonna be a popular sight for this Dodger Stadium crowd." Color commentator Jessica Mendoza started to add, "Does this not have all the Tampa Bay...flashbacks to the World Series against the Dodgers? He did not wanna come out."

And it did. Rays manager Kevin Cash notoriously pulled Snell after just 5 1/3 innings and 73 pitches in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, and Tampa Bay's bullpen proceeded to implode against LA.

But this wasn't a playoff game, so Roberts decided to give his starter a longer leash. After a brief conversation with Snell on the mound, the manager turned and headed right back to the dugout to cheers after Snell mouthed "I got this", and Vesia made a long walk back to the bullpen.

Snell made it count. After falling behind 2-0 on Kemp, he took him down swinging on his next three pitches.

Blake Snell refuses to come out of Dodgers-Phillies finale and completes dominant seven-inning start

Snell might've saved Roberts from himself on that one. Vesia came in for the eighth and took the Phillies down in order, but if he hadn't been able to clean up the two men on for Snell? Armageddon for Roberts and the Dodgers bullpen once again.

The Dodgers' offense made sure that Snell wouldn't get stuck with a no-decision. Shohei Ohtani piled his 51st home run of the season on top of the three runs that Freddie Freeman, Ben Rortvedt, and Kiké Hernández had already given them, and Tommy Edman finished off the scoring with a sac fly. Tanner Scott came in for the ninth and got out of the inning unscathed despite giving up a hit and a walk. The Dodgers avoided a sweep and recovered a little bit of their dignity.

LA desperately needed that win, and hopefully it'll be the game they can point at the end of the regular season as the moment that turned things around.