The Dodgers handed the Reds their tenth consecutive loss on Wednesday night defeating them by a 3-1 score and completing a three game sweep. The Reds have now lost nine straight to the Dodgers and the Dodgers have won four in a row themselves. Scott Kazmir pitched the game of his life by allowing just one earned run on four hits and striking out 12 over 6 innings. Opposing starter Dan Straily pitched well too, allowing just three hits over seven frames and whiffing 11, but it was not good enough to get the win.
The loss charged to Straily balances his books at 2-2 on the season. The Dodgers collected just three hits on the night. The difference in the game was a two-run single by Joc Pederson in the bottom of the fourth that erased a 1-0 deficit. Yasmani Grandal added a solo home run in the fifth and that was all for the Dodger’s offense. They didn’t need much. The bullpen (Louis Coleman, Pedro Baez, and Kenley Jansen) tossed three scoreless frames and the Dodgers won again. The Giants beat the Padres earlier, so the Dodgers could only keep pace in the NL West standings.
Reds 1 4 1
Dodgers 3 3 0
WP-Scott Kazmir-4-3
LP-Straily-2-2
SV-Jansen-14
HR-Grandal-4
The Reds scored first in the top of the fourth. Brandon Phillips flared a single to right. Jay Bruce’s triple off the wall in center field scored Phillips to put the Reds up 1-0. Joc Pederson tried to make a leaping catch against the wall but came up short. Bruce actually tried to come around to score for an inside the park home run but was thrown out at the plate. Chase Utley’s relay throw to Yasmani Grandal was a good one.
The Dodgers came back with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth frame to take a 2-1 lead. Utley singled and after Seager made out, Justin Turner was plunked by a pitch. Adrian Gonzalez’s walk loaded the bases and Joc Pederson’s single to right plated two. Dodgers took the lead 2-1!
The Dodgers got one more run when Grandal homered into the Red’s bullpen in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the boys in blue ahead by a 3-1 score. That was all the offense needed. Kazmir got into a bit of trouble in the top of the sixth when he walked Zack Cozart, and Phillips. However he recovered to whiff Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto and then induced a ground ball out on Bruce to end the inning. The Dodgers bullpen took things the rest of the way from there.
Kenley Jansen recorded his fourteenth save of the season and is now just five saves shy of breaking Eric Gagne’s all time Dodger save record. There were 27 strikeouts in the game. 14 of them were by Red’s batters. The Dodgers will now fly to New York to play a weekend series with the Mets. The Reds will go back to loserville and try to pick up the pieces of their horrendous play.
In the meantime the broom depot is still holding their special promo on all of your Dodger sweep needs. They’ll remain open until midnight. Make sure to use the code “DodgersSweepSadSackReds” to receive your discount. Isn’t winning nice? Let’s enjoy it while it lasts. Friday night’s series opener against the Mets will see Alex Wood face Jacob deGrom.
Enjoy the sweep! Go Blue!
Orel called the Kazmir thing in a telecast last week when he said that Kazmir was nearing the point of having it all together. He was able to see this while lesser experienced persons were calling for Kazmir’s demotion. Now, let’s hope that it is real and not just a Red’s thing.
I heard that too. Orel, like most real baseball people has vision, not just eyesight! He also has no “FAZ bashing agenda” which is totally irrational. If FAZ signed them they are terrible!
KAZ is not consistent – he has had an up and down career, but once he gets in a groove, he can stay there a while. Let’s hope he has found one.
KAZ threw 97 pitches, 52 of which were 92 MPH or above. He had several at 94 to 95 MPH. Yet, many on this board persist in calling him a “soft tosser” and refer to his 90 MPH fastball. I don’t want to confuse you with the facts.
The team can use a day off. Puig will be more focused, I believe and it’s just a matter of time until that break out their big bats.
I have never been a Pederson fan, but I like his evolution. There’s a lot to build on there and he is trying… and most importantly, he is improving. I would love to be wring about Young Mr. Pederson.
Overreact much? (everyday) 6 innings against the woefully inept Reds. When he does it for 7-8 against the Cubs I will be a believer.
I hope you are wring about Pederson too. I have also doubted his Major League ability, mostly because of that swing – a swing that he doesn’t seem to be able to change. He won’t ever hit much above .250 swinging like that, but if he can connect for 30 home runs, and continue to get on at .350, he will be a keeper.
Exactly regarding Kazmir. He has had three good starts all season: SD, StL, and Cincy. Is he is getting better? We shall see. But up to now more bad than good.
Damn, you have reading comprehension issues! All I said about KAZ was this:
KAZ is not consistent – he has had an up and down career, but once he gets in a groove, he can stay there a while. Let’s hope he has found one.
That is over-reaction?
Pederson has been going to left field quite a bit and his hit yesterday was a good head down and make contact swing and not last year’s big swing. In regard to picking players Mark, I had Joc and you had Grandal and Hernandez. The jury is still out on all of them but so far, I like my guy.
As far as Kazmir goes, I think he is a good pitcher and will help the Dodgers as will Maeda but Cueto and Samardzija look to be much better pitchers for 2016. The Giants are benefiting from these risky pitchers this year so far. They might not benefit from them later in their contract years.
Everybody including me, except for my Bum, really didn’t think that Joc would do much this year.
But I have seen all the adjustments that Joc is making, that someone else had mentioned, in an earlier blog, to someone.
I think it was Michael that mentioned Joc’s adjustments.
I thought too, how is this person not seeing the adjustments that Joc has made,
because he is way different from last year.
Most of this is Joc’s hard work in the off season, and playing pepper, before every game.
And Joc’s success, has caused Trayce, and Cory, to participate in playing pepper, before each game, with Joc.
And Bum also saw the growth and closeness, that these young players, were growing to.
Bum
I agree about the Giant’s pitchers, especially Cueto.
Did you hear that the Dodgers just called up Urias, and he will be with the team in NY!
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/05/dodgers-to-promote-julio-urias.html
MM
The thing about Kazmir, I hope he is not throwing to hard, that it affects his longevity this year. Because he really doesn’t throw his fastball, much at 94 anymore. But he did pitch a good game. I hope he can continue to do this consistently.
That would be great, with Ryu only having two more games, before he will be ready to join the team. He is of course working up to 100 pitches, as everyone knows here. His fastball, was only 89 when he pitched those last four innings, but he did still, struck out three hitters, and gave up no runs. But he wasn’t throwing with his full velocity yet!
A neat piece on Puig’s accountability: http://espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/insider/post?id=12936
From DodgersDigest Barry bonds stiffs Joc.
https://twitter.com/McCulloughTimes/status/735575446058766336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Barry Bonds is like Michael Jordon in some respects. Great player – bad human!
MM
They just called up Urias! He will be with the team in NY!
One sports writer, has said that Urias will be in the bullpen.
But other sports writers, are saying Urias is starting the game, on Friday, against the Mets.
A rookie pitching in his first major league game in NY, that is pitching in the limelight!
And if Urias has the maturity that Fernando, had, like everyone has said, he would pitch fine, even on the moon.
Now the same sports writer that said that Urias was going in the bullpen, is now saying that Urias will
start the game on Friday, instead of Wood, and then move to the bullpen, after a few starts.
Awesome MJ. Okay Dodger fans, 2018 begins in 2016 and we all have to be a little juiced. Knock, knock– Whose there? Wholio. Wholio who? Juliomania.
Bum I was at the first game that Fernando pitched in. I was early for batting practice, and me and a friend thought that Fernando was a bat boy, because he looked so young, and he was a little chunky. Then he pitched the last three innings of that game, and that is when Vinny, started saying ole, after Fernando struck out each batter.
That’s very cool MJ.
One thing you forgot to mention Scott: it was the last May baseball game for Vinny. Slowly but surely we approach the finish line. So let’s rejoice in every remaining word 🙂
Bobby
He is finally up! We missed you last night! I hope you just had a better sports event, that you had to see last night!
SLOTim and my son texted me at the same time – Urias is starting against the Mets
JULIOMANIA IS HERE!