Saturday night’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium was one for the books. Not only did it almost not happen because of significant rain which caused a two hour and 15 minute delay, but at one point, both benches cleared between the division rivals over a pitch that Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar thought 25-year-old Dodgers starting right-hander Gavin Stone intentionally threw at him in the top of the sixth inning. (He didn’t).

Stone would go on to earn his first win of the season (with one loss), tossing 6.2 innings in the Dodgers eventual 5-2 win over the Friars, during which he allowed two runs on five hits, with one walk and four strikeouts. So efficient was the Lake City, AR native and Dodgers fifth-round draft pick in 2020 out of the University of Central Arkansas that he took a perfect game into that heated sixth inning.

As for those five Dodgers runs, two were driven in by ridiculously hot Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts on RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings, and one each by second baseman Gavin Lux (RBI single in the sixth), designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (sacrifice fly in the sixth), and third baseman Max Muncy (sacrifice fly in the seventh).

But the behind the scenes hero in Saturday night’s exciting win was 29-year-old Dodgers right-handed closer Evan Phillips, who picked up his fifth save of the young season, allowing no runs and two hits to the five Padres batters he faced in the top of the ninth.

Through the Dodgers first 17 games, the Salisbury, MD native and 17th-round draft pick in 2015 by the Atlanta Braves out of the University of North Carolina has appeared in eight of them. He sports a stellar 1.17 ERA that includes only one earned run on six hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts in his National League-leading five saves.

As Dodgers fans well know, their beloved team has a storied history of outstanding closers since saves became an official stat in 1969. Tops on that list is likely future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen, who saved a remarkable 350 games during his 12 seasons with the Dodgers before signing with the Atlanta Braves as a free agent in March of 2022 and with the Boston Red Sox in December of 2022.

But look who’s tied for 21st on that impressive list with former Dodgers closer (and longtime Dodgers bullpen coach) Ken Howell. With his save on Saturday night, Phillips moved up one notch and is now tied with former Dodgers closer Alejandro Peña in the number 20 spot.

Obviously, with only 32 saves and at age 29, Phillips will never come even remotely close to catching ‘California Love.’ He is, however, in an excellent position to move up on that prestigious list before his closing days with the Dodgers are over.

Play Ball!

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