Will Smith starts Dodgers’ 7-run rally in 11th inning vs. Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — Coming into the season, the Dodgers knew they had the starpower to outplay any team in the Majors. But what has proven to be even more deadly is their ability to consistently win by showing their overall depth.

In a game that could have been lost at various stages, the Dodgers got contributions from almost everyone on the roster when they needed it most, especially in a seven-run 11th inning that led them to a 14-7 win over the Giants on Saturday at Oracle Park.

“When it’s right, it is suffocating,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “The talent is there. The performance hasn’t been consistently there. But when they’re performing the way they’re capable of, you know, it’s really special.”

The last few innings on Saturday showed what happens when the Dodgers put it all together on both sides of the ball. With Shohei Ohtani set to lead off the 11th inning, the Giants elected to walk the two-time American League Most Valuable Player. It’s hard to blame the decision, especially considering Ohtani had already his NL-best 26th homer earlier in the game.

Walking Ohtani also came into consideration given Will Smith’s offensive struggles as of late. But even with him not putting up his usual numbers recently, Smith is one of the best-hitting catchers in the Majors, and he made the Giants pay with a go-ahead two-run double.

“He’s clutch,” Roberts said of Smith, who finished 3-for-6. “Taking a couple days, he doesn’t run from struggles or big spots. To hit some outfield grass, I think he breathed a sigh of relief because that first at-bat, he hit a ball really well and [Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos] made a good play on it. It was good to see him throw out some knocks.”

Freddie Freeman followed up Smith’s double with one of his own. Teoscar Hernández then singled. So did Chris Taylor. Jason Heyward added a two-run triple before coming in to score on Miguel Rojas’ sacrifice fly. Before the Dodgers recorded an out in the 11th, they had already put up six runs on the Giants, another sign that what separates them from other teams in the division is their ability to get timely plays from just about everyone.

“We played a really good game,” said Rojas, who drove in four runs as the Dodgers improved to 12-0 this season in games in which he records at least one RBI. “Long game, but the team effort was remarkable. I feel like that’s the team that we have. We’re always going to fight, and we’re always going to be in games.”

Before the offensive heroics in the 11th, it was the Dodgers’ bullpen that kept them in the game. Tyler Glasnow had one of his worst starts of the season, allowing five runs over three innings. Glasnow said he knew from pregame warmups that he didn’t have the command of any of his pitches, particularly his curveball.

Luckily for him and the Dodgers, just about everyone in the bullpen did have their best stuff. Yohan Ramírez, Alex Vesia, Michael Petersen, Anthony Banda, Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips allowed just one run over six combined innings.

In the 10th, it was Daniel Hudson’s turn to come up clutch, though it didn’t come easy. After allowing the automatic runner to score and tie the game, the Giants were able to load the bases with just one out against Hudson. With the Dodgers bringing in a five-man infield to try and keep the winning run from scoring, Hudson came up big by striking out Patrick Bailey and getting Matt Chapman to pop out to end the threat. In the 11th, Ryan Yarbrough got into the game, leaving nobody else available in the bullpen.

“It was all hands on deck, really,” Hudson said. “We had to go get that one once we tied it up and took the lead. I know [Vesia] made a good pitch and gave up a run. But just focused on getting to the next guy.”

When the Dodgers go “all hands on deck,” they’re really tough to beat. The stars will have to step up when it matters most in October. But in the meantime, it’s their entire 26-man roster that has given them a 7 1/2-game lead in the NL West to close out June.

“[Hudson] again saved us,” Rojas said. “We got the opportunity to score more runs and that’s what happened.”