Dodgers rally late to bring emphatic end to skid

NEW YORK -- After a disappointing weekend in Cincinnati in which they were swept by the Reds, the Dodgers were eager to turn the page against the Mets.

Through seven innings, the offense was unable to get anything going against Mets right-hander Tylor Megill. But as they’ve done time and time again in the past, the Dodgers found a way to make timely plays en route to a 5-2 comeback win over the Mets in 10 innings in the first game of Tuesday’s traditional doubleheader at Citi Field, ahead of a 3-0 victory in Game 2.

For days, the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup has been a hot topic of conversation. It’s a group that has struggled for most of the season, especially during the recent five-game losing streak. Before a Jason Heyward single in the eighth, the six-through-nine hitters in the Dodgers’ lineup hadn’t recorded a hit since Friday against the Reds.

But with the Dodgers down a run going into the ninth, Teoscar Hernández, Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor found a way to tie the game up at 2 against right-hander Adam Ottavino. Hernández and Lux opened the frame with back-to-back two-strike singles. Taylor, who has had a nightmare start to the season (batting .101 entering the day), then delivered a perfect safety squeeze bunt to get the tying run across.

“Yeah, that's all I'm trying to do right now, is help this team,” Taylor said. “I'm trying to put myself aside and take some of the pressure off myself by helping the team as much as I can. I’m glad we were able to get the win today.”

In the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Hudson got himself into some trouble. The Mets loaded the bases up against the right-hander with just one out. Hudson, however, was able to escape the jam by getting Tyrone Taylor and Jeff McNeil to pop up on the infield.

With the Dodgers taking away the momentum, they then turned to their stars to bring them home and end the skid. With the automatic runner on second, Mookie Betts hit an RBI single on the first pitch he saw from Jorge López to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. Two batters later, Freddie Freeman tacked on a pair of insurance runs, hitting a no-doubt homer to right field to provide the Dodgers with a three-run lead they wouldn’t give away.

It was the type of win that required most of the roster. That’s when the Dodgers are at their best.

“We were in a little rough patch there for a little bit,” said Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow, who allowed two runs and struck out eight over seven innings. “It was a really good win towards the end with Huddy there getting out of it. Winning in that fashion was awesome.”