When the Dodgers returned home from their ten game road trip they were a half game behind the Colorado Rockies in the National League West race. The three game series with the Rockies at Dodger Stadium from Monday through Wednesday appeared daunting. There was no doubt that the three game set was a crucial one for both clubs. These were the games that would decide the NL West race. Or at the least put one of the two clubs in the driver’s seat.
Once the series was over, the Dodgers had swept in convincing fashion. The Dodgers scored 16 runs in the series, and walked-off in the second game when Chris Taylor hit a clutch extra-inning home run. The Dodgers are now 2.5 games ahead in the NL West and barring a calamity appear to be a lock to qualify for the postseason. The Rockies on the other hand are mired in a late season slump. With nine games left to play, the Rockies will have to battle for the Wild Card.
3 for 19 5 K 7 LOB RBI
1 for 13 5 LOB 3 K RBI
3 for 10 HR 2 BB 2K
Strategy and approaches play such a huge part in critical late season series such as this one. One of those key strategies is to mitigate the opposing team’s biggest offensive threats. For Colorado that would of course be Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu. The Rockies were shorthanded, playing without shortstop Trevor Story. The Colorado slugger was battling a sore elbow and only played in one game in the series.
With Story on the shelf, the Dodger pitching staff focused on silencing Arenado, Blackmon and LeMahieu. They did just that. The Rockies only scored 6 runs in the series and hit one home run (Blackmon in the second game). The Dodger arms quieted the Colorado bats with impressive pitch sequences. Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Hyun-jin Ryu were all successful. The Dodger bullpen was pretty good too.
The slumping Nolan Arenado was only 3 for 19 in the series with no extra-base hits, 5 strikeouts and seven runners left on base. Arenado drove in just one run in the entire series. He was 0 for 5 in the Dodger’s 3-2 win on Saturday night. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu was 1 for 13 (.070) with five left on base and three strikeouts. Blackmon while hitting the Rockie’s lone long ball of the series was limited to just three hits in the series, ( 3 for 10) with two walks. All total the three Rocky mountain hitters were a combined 7 for 36 (.194) with 10 strikeouts, 12 runners left on base, one home run and three runs batted in.
You could say that the Rockies were slumping, and the Dodgers got lucky. But you have to give the Dodger pitching staff some credit. They stifled the Rockies and kept their big bats quiet. They kept the Colorado hitters in the ball park. That’s exactly what you have to do during a hugely important series like that one.
Actually their slump started in San Francisco. The Giants beat them 2 of 3 and shut them out the first two games. They only scored 3 runs in the game they won 3-2 and they won that because their starting pitcher shut down the Giants. So a lot of credit goes to the Gnats. Probably one of the few times you would see a Dodger fan pulling for them. Putting 25 on the post season roster is not going to be easy. There will be some snubs. I do not see Utley there in the first round. Actually I can see a scenario where Alex Wood does not make it either. He has not been good in a starting roll the last month, and neither has he impressed out of the pen. So I am thinking if they carry 4 starters and 9 bull pen guys like last year, it will be Hill, Ryu, Kersh and Buehler. Pen would be, Jansen, Baez, Alexander, Maeda, Ferguson, Venditte, Stripling, Floro, and just because Cingrani is not really at full strength, Rosscup. The 12 position players, Bellinger, Dozier, Machado, Turner, Pederson, Kemp, Puig, Grandal, Taylor, Hernandez, Freese, and Barnes . Billie Jean King is now a part owner of the Dodgers, Jarrin signs a 2 year extension, and according to reports, both Kershaw and the FO are hoping he will be a part of the team for years to come….I thought that interesting.
OK to talk about the future, but the Dodgers still have a lot of work to do. We cannot get ahead of ourselves.
Tonight, the Padres are playing the odds, and are determined to do their part as a spoiler in the Dodger quest for the playoffs.
The Pads are putting up a Rookie Left-Hander…. going for “both” left and right Achilles heels of the Dodgers. Rookie pitchers have always done well against the Dodgers, and the infamous “Lefty Lineup” has been nothing to brag about.
If the Dodgers are not careful, all our playoff predictions will be a moot point.
I think they have the easiest road to the title. AZ is slumping and so are the Rocks who have to play AZ for 3, 4 with Phlly and a 3 game set with the Nats. I am pretty confident that they can do it now that they have the Rocks out of the way. They are not going to take their foot off the gas pedal.
Which rookies have done well against the Dodgers this year?
Laurer, “Twice”. 2-0 vs. Dodgers?
Michael,
I hope you are right, but you know, as well as I, that these Dodgers often take things for granted, and end up losing to inferior teams…. remember the Reds and Mets?
SD and SF seem to up their game vs. the Dodgers. As far as AZ, yes, they are in a major slump, but they are overdue to break out of it, and they have the talent to spoil the Dodger run to the playoffs.
I’m just sayin’.
It is not over, until Tommy Lasorda sings.
They are just rookies…. I cannot even remember their names. There were many of them. Way too many to remember.
I went through the beginning of the season (albeit the first few months only) and it didn’t seem to be anything more than a slightly above .500 record.
Beating Caleb Smith, Joey Lucchesi and losing to a Padres rookie.
From what I can tell, the team is over .500 vs. rookies.
Not sure, but I think that’s right.
Then again, the Dodgers SHOULD be over .500 vs. Rookies. So….
Well Bluto…. rookie left-hander tames the “Lefty Lineup”. Laurer 3-0 vs. Doyers. Sorry to say, “I told you so”.
Don’t hold your breath…. two more rookies coming, one of them a lefty. Don’t buy those playoff tickets yet.
What is up with JT and his errors? “The Smirk” no help. Offense 2-9 RISP, 17 LOB, 10 KO’s
Strips only lasts 3.1 innings…. not to promising. What a Bullpen one-two punch… Madson and Axeford. Two premier Dodger aquisitions. “The Smirk” is another great aquisition.
?
Dodgers are going to have to win this themselves. They are not going to get any help from anyone else. So they need to step up and beat the teams, SF and SD that they should beat.