It took two pitches for the Dodgers’ extra-inning struggles to resurface Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
After failing to protect an early two-run lead, then squandering chances to go back in front later, the Dodgers found themselves deadlocked with the Angels after nine innings in the opener of this weekend’s Freeway Series.
In the first at-bat of the 10th, they fell behind for the first time all night.
Angels shortstop José Iglesias lined a leadoff RBI double to score the automatic baserunner. Third baseman Jack Mayfield tacked on an insurance run on a pop up that squirted out of Max Muncy’s glove in shallow right field. And Angels closer Raisel Iglesias ended it in the bottom of the inning, securing the Angels 4-3 win by stranding the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base after the Dodgers had gotten back within one.
The Dodgers are 65-45, but dropped to 1-12 in extra-inning games. They also failed to take advantage of the San Francisco Giants’ loss earlier in the night — also in extra-innings to the Milwaukee Brewers — and instead stayed four games behind the Giants in the National League West standings.
The night began with a long-awaited reunion, as Dodgers first baseman Albert Pujols faced the Angels (56-54) for the first time since being released by the club in May.
During pregame batting practice, Angels players and staff walked over to Pujols one-by-one, greeting their former teammate with hugs and smiles behind the plate at his new home field.
Pujols shared a laugh with catching coach José Molina. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara came over to say hello. Even general manager Perry Minasian shared a hug with the 41-year-old slugger.
Exactly three months earlier, Minasian and Pujols had met under more ominous circumstances in Anaheim, when the Angels’ first-year GM informed Pujols he was being released in the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract.
But if any hurt feelings remained, neither showed it on Friday.
Instead, Pujols concluded the friendly pregame reunion, then opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI groundout. Serving as the Dodgers cleanup hitter, he singled in the third inning — his first hit against the Angels since 2007.
Dodgers starter David Price was cruising early. He retired nine in a row to begin the game. He faced the minimum again in the fourth after David Fletcher hit a ground-rule double but was later caught trying to attempt a delayed steal from second. Then, Price contributed at the plate, drilling a two-out base hit in the bottom of the fourth to set up Mookie Betts for an RBI single in the next at-bat.
But the Dodgers’ lead didn’t last.
José Iglesias hammered a solo home run to left center, his eighth of the season. And an inning later, Mayfield drove another solo blast to center, his seventh in 20 games since the All-Star break.
That marked the end of Price’s night, with reliever Phil Bickford getting the final two outs in the inning. Angels starter Patrick Sandoval, meanwhile, lasted just five innings, giving up two runs with four strikeouts.
From there, the bullpens took over, trading zeroes to push the game past the ninth.
José Quijada tossed a scoreless sixth for the Angels, then Austin Warren got seven outs between the seventh and ninth — twice stranding runners to keep the score tied.
For the Dodgers, Joe Kelly and Blake Treinen kept the Angels quiet in the seventh and eighth before Kenley Jansen spun a perfect ninth.
In the 10th, however, Garrett Cleavinger gave up the double to Iglesias. Muncy couldn’t make his over-the-shoulder catch on Mayfield’s pop up. And the Dodgers couldn’t come all the way back in the bottom half of the inning.
Mookie Betts exits with hip issue
Betts left the game after the sixth with what the team said was right hip discomfort.
Betts’ right hip has given him issues throughout the season, including a recent stint to the injured list from which he only returned last weekend.
Betts had two hits in his first three at-bats on Friday before being double-switched out of the game to begin the seventh.
It had been the continuation of a strong week for the 28-year-old former MVP, who was seven-for-17 with three home runs since returning from the IL.
Angels notes
— Manager Joe Maddon said it’s “not impossible” for first baseman Jared Walsh (right intercostal strain) to return from the injured list this weekend. Walsh has been out since July 27 with a right intercostal strain but has been able to begin taking swings again and do agility drills on the field.
— The Angels recalled reliever Andrew Wantz on Friday and placed Steve Cishek on the bereavement list.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.