LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers got a nice pick-me-up for a depleted rotation when Matt Magill pitched into the seventh inning in his major league debut Saturday night.
But the feel-good story had an unhappy ending: Reliever Matt Guerrier allowed a pair of home runs in a 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Magill had arrived at the Dodger Stadium clubhouse for the first time in his 23 years at about 3 p.m., having traveled the day before from Round Rock, Texas, where the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate was playing.
Magill was an emergency replacement for pitcher Stephen Fife, who was scratched from Saturday’s start and put on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder bursitis.
Magill got into a jam in the third inning -- his own wide throw to second fueling a two-run Brewers’ inning -- but he was otherwise in command, striking out seven batters while allowing just four hits. The outing could be a one-and-done situation for Magill, as the Dodgers won’t need a fifth starter again, due to days off, before veteran Chris Capuano is ready to come off the DL.
Still, it will give the Dodgers some added confidence in their pitching depth. They have used nine starters in 23 games due to a long string of injuries.
Guerrier hung a breaking ball to Carlos Gomez and Martin Maldonado hit a fastball. Both two-run home runs traveled deep into the night, clearing the left-field fence.
Manager Don Mattingly had pulled Magill with two outs and nobody on in the seventh inning in favor of lefty Paco Rodriguez, who allowed an infield hit to Norichika Aoki. Three Guerrier pitches later and the Dodgers were trailing.
The Dodgers brought the winning run to the plate, and got the tying run to second, in the ninth after a walk and a Yuniesky Betancourt error. But shortstop Alex Gonzalez made a spinning, off-balance throw to get A.J. Ellis for the final out.
