I’m actually running out of ways to write how good the Dodgers are right now. The crappy April start is nothing but a distant foggy memory. Cody Bellinger good. Chris Taylor good. Yasiel Puig good. Hyun-jin Ryu not so good….but…but….the Dodger offense……really good.
The Dodgers plated ten runs on 12 hits and slugged four home runs on Saturday afternoon to pummel the Reds 10-2. Puig hit two of the four home runs and Cody Bellinger hit his nineteenth home run as the Dodgers improve to 5-0 against the Reds. They’ve won 8 of their last 10 games and are now 43-26 through their first 69 games. Bellinger is now tied for second in the NL in long balls.
Hyun-jin Ryu struggled at first but was able to get through five innings without giving up the world. Somehow he wiggled out of jams. For instance in the second inning he stranded two runners after Scott Schebler singled and Devin Mesoraco walked. After allowing three consecutive singles and walking in a run in the bottom of the third inning he got Schebler to line out and Jose Peraza to ground into a double play.
In the bottom of the fourth inning he stranded Billy Hamilton at third base after he tripled by striking out Zack Cozart. In the fifth inning he stranded Joey Votto at second base after he doubled by retiring three consecutive Cincinnati batters . Overall Ryu tossed five frames allowing two earned runs on eight hits, striking out seven. He walked two and made 105 pitches. He earned his third win of the season. The Reds were 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.
The Dodgers on the other hand were 5 for 17 and hit four home runs. Two of them were by Puig. They scored one run in the first and five runs in the top of the third inning. Puig hit two solo home runs, one in the sixth and another in the eighth inning. Opposing starter Asher Wojciechowski lasted just 2.1 innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits. The Dodgers hit two home runs in the third inning. Joc Pederson hit his fourth of the season, and Cody Bellinger followed with a solo shot of his own.
Bellinger went 3 for 5 with 3 runs batted in and 3 runs scored. Corey Seager went 2 for 2 with 3 walks and Yasiel Puig drove in three runs. Seven of the Dodger’s 12 hits were for extra-bases. The Dodger bullpen pitched four scoreless innings. Luis Avilan, Pedro Baez, and Josh Ravin finished the game for the boys in blue.
The Dodgers are still one game behind Colorado in the National League West. However they now have the second best record in the National League, behind only Colorado. The Snakes are also tied with the Dodgers and remain one game behind. One thing to consider is that the Dodgers, Rockies, and Snakes are all tied in the loss column.
The Dodgers will go for the sweep on Sunday morning as Kenta Maeda is scheduled to return to the rotation. The Reds will counter with the reanimated corpse of Bronson Arroyo. First pitch is set for 10:10 AM PST.
35-19 = 16 HR needed for Cody to catch Piazza. What a great run for this kid!
Artieboy
And Bellinger really should have had two HRs yesterday, he had the hardest hit ball on his double that looked like it should have went out, before he hit his HR.
Good game all around. Nice defense to get Ryu out of a couple of jams. Ryu pitched just good enough to win. BP solid again.
Arroyo vs Maeda on a hot day in Cincinnati. 50% chance of rain. If the game is played there is a 50% chance 12 runs will be scored. Dodgers 8-4. We’re 62% favorites.
“Bellinger went 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored”. He’s comfortable against the Reds staff. He’s had recent success. He started the year at AAA.
Just read the Dodgers are now worth $2.75 billion. Anyone remember the debates a few years ago on how impecunious the Dodgers were, how they were “losing money”? Yeah, right. The value of the franchise went up 10% in ’16. Guggs is doing just fine thank you.
Kersahaw pushed back a day. This is how it will go through the summer. Not a 6 man rotation though. Just 5 days rest every chance they can get.
There’s a difference between the total estimated value of a company and cash flow. The Dodgers might be worth a lot of they were to hypothetically go on the market, but are they making money?
I’m not sure…..is Amazon even profitable yet?
Is Amazon profitable?
You’re joking.
I’ve never believed any talk of cash flow issues. Large corporations own the keys to our economy and they are all driving shiny new Rolls’ Like I said, Guggenheim, and the Dodgers are doing just fine.
Dodger patch
Amazon must be, they just bought Whole Foods grocery change.
That is chain.
Badger
I agree with you about the Red’s pitching, but I would say that Bellinger looks more mature when he is up to bat, then both Joc and Puig.
He seems to make better adjustments, and he seems to make his adjustments quicker, especially for a rookie, that only played a month in AAA, before he came up.
But it was good to see Joc try to not over swing so much.
But he is still doing it at times, so we will have to wait and see what he does as we go along..
It will be interesting to see what we do against the Mets and the Rockies, next week.
The Mets have had a lot of injuries, and most of their starters have eras over four.
I think Syndergaard is out, and he was the toughest Mets pitcher, to hit.
But I think the Mets should have better pitching then the Reds have.
Because it sounds like the Reds have the worse starting pitching in baseball, and their relievers are not that great either.
And about Ryu, he didn’t have good control of his off speed pitches yesterday, but he still fought hard the entire time he was out there, and not all of our pitchers, would do that.
He has had shoulder surgery and command is the last thing that comes, after a shoulder surgery so I give him credit for that.
But they still have to beat the bad teams, so they did that, so let’s give them credit when credit is due!
Met pitching is just as bad as the Reds. ERA’s separated by .003 pts.
I think the key, Scott, is to not be completely euphoric when the Dodgers win or fall into a despondent rant when they lose. It’s a long season. On the whole, they’re good. There are a lot of good teams. How do the Dodgers match up against a hypothetical playoff series against the Rockies, Dbacks, Yankees, Nats or, and they’re really good…Houston?
The Dodgers will be better and I’ll be more confident if: Ryu’s fastball can pop, which will set up his great change, Maeda gains the control that makes him successful, Hill figures it out, Pederson plays more like the second half of last year, Puig, now that Ward has taught him how to manage off speed pitches, can remember how to crush fastballs like it did in 13 and 14, Forsythe starts doing something…..
Like any team, a lot has to go right when winning a WS.
Encouraging that Joc looks better after coming back. What was all that crazy talk about trading him?
Crazy talk is what blogs specialize in patch.
I’ve said many times and I see no reason to waiver now – keep everybody. Management went all in on high risk pitchers. We have a rostation filled with them. We’ve heard numerous times how this risk is worth it. Ok. That being the case – it’s my opinion we should do whatever it takes to win the West but make sure Kershaw and two others are fresh for the second season which starts a little over 3 months from now. How to do that is the question.
We are about to entire summer. It’s going to be hotter this year than it was last year and the year before that. Roberts must be very careful with these cream puffs. 5 innings, 90 pitches, days off whenever possible and beef the relief.
Badger
Here is the disclaimer for the day!
Bronson Arroyo has given up more HRs for nine innings this year, then any other pitcher, in baseball history!
Happy Father’s Day, to all of you guys, that are are Dads!
Thanks MJ.
Cream puffs. That was funny Badger.
This team is rolling. 2 out rally keyed by the pitcher. Love it.
Let’s move this game fast, just in case the rains come!
Frankie Montas is back in AAA, and with it comes a hopeful ray of good form: 3 ip, 0 h, 0 r, 1 bb, 7 k.
In his previous appearance, he struck out all three batters faced.
Meanwhile, with those still in Dodger blue: Alex Verdugo went 3-4, 2 2B, BB, K.
Dodgers DFA’d Jason Wheeler, claimed Peter O’Brien of waivers from the Rangers, and signed another lefty to a minor league deal. That catch Kike made in the 8th was by far the best defensive play he has made as a Dodger.
I saw O’Brien when he was in Arizona. Impressive dude. Crushes them in batting practice. Only 79 plate appearances in the bigs. If he can get it together he could impress. Another if. Add him to the list.