The Dodgers had an off day yesterday after a pathetic loss against the Mets on Wednesday. The Gauntlet part two this weekend as the Dodgers play three in Coors against the Rockies 1.5 back of them. Dodgers embark on a ten game road trip that will define the season. No Kenley Jansen for this trip and Ross Stripling was activated today for this series. Clayton Kershaw took on Jon Gray in the opener. The Dodgers got on the board quick. With two outs, Manny Machado singled followed by a Max Muncy walk. Cody Bellinger who hits Jon Gray good roped a double to score a run and the Dodgers led 1-0.
In the top of the second, Yasiel Puig hit a solo shot and the Dodgers led 2-0.
A trot around the park for the Wild 🐎. pic.twitter.com/qfm8O4MPbi
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 8, 2018
In the bottom of the 2nd, Matt Holliday hit a solo shot off Clayton Kershaw and the score was 2-1 Dodgers. Ian Desmond then doubled and the Rockies were cooking. Drew Butera singled him in and the Rockies tied the score 2-2. The Dodgers had Jon Gray on the ropes all night as his pitch count was up and he couldn’t find the strike zone. In the top of the third with two outs, the Dodgers had two men on but Kiki Hernandez popped up. In the top of the fourth, two men on with two outs. Justin Turner was called out on strikes on some questionable calls.
The top of the 5th inning was the twilight zone. Chris Rusin came in to pitch. He walked Manny Machado and Max Muncy on 8 straight pitches. Bellinger struck out. Then a balk was called on Rusin and Bud Black came to argue and was kicked out of the game. Kiki Hernandez grounded to short and Trevor Story threw Machado out at home.
Rockies out-hit the Dodgers but didn't out-run them. LA won 4-2. Rox lead in the West is now a 1/2 game. A uhh rough? night for Andy Fletcher. There's probably a more appropriate synonym…
— Nick Groke (@nickgroke) September 8, 2018
Alex Verdugo came in to pinch-hit against Yency Almonte. Verdugo grounded to Nolan Arenado who backpedaled the ball and threw off one foot to first dragging Ian Desmond’s foot off the bag and the Dodgers scored. The umpires had to review the play and the call stood on the field. Yasiel Puig singled in a run and the Dodgers led 4-2. Puig was caught stealing.
Clayton Kershaw grinded out six innings. The Dodger’s bullpen had to get the job done for the next three innings. Caleb Ferguson came in and gave up an infield single to Chris Iannetta. DJ LeMahieu then singled. The Dodgers brought in Dylan Floro. Nolan Arenado then walked. Floro was able to strike out Trevor Story to end the inning. Ross Stripling came in to pitch the 8th and gave up a double to Matt Holliday.
Ian Desmond then grounded out. Scott Alexander then came in to pitch. He got Carlos Gonzalez and David Dahl to ground out. Alexander pitched to start the 9th and gave up a double to Chris Iannetta. Charlie Blackmon then struck out on a full count. Kenta Maeda came in and got DJ LeMahieu to fly out on a full count. Maeda was then able to get Nolan Arenado to strike out swinging. Dodgers win 4-2. The bullpen did it’s job today. The offense needs to wake up for the rest of this series. Dodgers trail the Rockies by 1/2 game for the division and only 1 game back of the Cardinals for the 2nd wildcard.
Reppin' blue forever. #SorryNotSorry pic.twitter.com/Z8oyVHwIn0
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 8, 2018
James Moya
Hi I’m James Moya. I am an avid Dodgers fan. I graduated Cal State Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications. I used to freelance at the San Bernardino Sun. I’m excited about this opportunity to write for LA Dodger Report to gain experience. I’m a straight shooter on my opinions and I hope to get some good conversations going. My dream has always been to report on the Dodgers because Baseball is the National Past-time. I hope you enjoy the ride with me.
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A nail biting critical win for the Boyz n’ Blue.
Kershaw toughed it out, and earned the victory. The bullpen, led by interim closer Kenta Maeda sealed the deal, with Maeda striking out the ever dangerous Arenado.
A very well balanced offensive attack.
Defensively, the biggest play was JT’s run saving pick in the 7th, keeping the game at 4-2 Dodgers.
One game at a time.
I loved it! Floro whiffing Story in the 7th was huge too!
Floro has been really good since we waived him and traded back for him :)))
Our pitching was good, but our offense wasn’t all that!
Did we watch this same game?
We left 11 runners on base, and the umpires practically engineered the two runs we scored, to go ahead.
Kike alone, left 6 runners on base.
If the umpire doesn’t call he balk there, and if Arenado’s throw was more on, we don’t score those two runs.
And in the replay of Arenado’s throw, it looks like Desmond did have his foot on first base.
Cody and Puig had two hits, but everyone else, really didn’t do much.
I know Manny had two hits, but they were not instrumental, to our offense.
Kershaw and our bullpen did a good job, but our offense like I already said, was not all that!
This game other then our pitching, was nothing to brag about.
9 walks…..a hit batter…..8 hits……and you score 4 runs? Pitiful. Kike left 6 runners on, Bellinger 4, and Barnes 5. 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position, those 2? Bellinger’s 1st inning double and Puig’s chopper to right in the 6th. Only thing that saved them was that the Rockies were 1-9 in the same situations. Couple of questions for Roberts. Why did he let Barnes hit with the bases loaded when he had 2 extra catchers on the bench and Matt Kemp available to pinch hit? Kemp has awesome numbers in Colorado. He has a 329 BA< 21 homers and 77 RBI’s at Coors. This game should have been no where near as close as it was. Oh yeah, Kemp will no doubt start today against Freeland, who has been stellar his last 11 starts, and he is hitting below .200 against him. Davey’s platoon plan lays another rotten egg.
Bear
Kemp hits better against Rightys .294 Leftys .266 and has 47 RBIs right and 27 Left.
Yep, and Barnes flailed at a pitch from a RHP. I would have sent Matt up there if the pitcher had 3 arms. He is a much better hitter than Barnes and is hitting close to 380 with runners in scoring position.
Yeah , come to think of it offense did stink, but I say that too much and don’t want to sound like a broken record. They got enough runs to win, so that to me was OK.
Umpire did not help…. boy, his strike zone was all over the place. Sad to see umpire’s call control the offense. Either Dodgers were caught looking or were forced to swing at bad pitches. Umpires are going to make themselves extinct, forcing MLB to go to electronic K-Zone. They should be fined or suspended without pay, for blatant miscalls.
Not a broken record when you are telling it like it is. And yep, that umpire was absolutely horrible. That’s the real reason Black got tossed. Not the balk. Both benches were chirping at him the entire game. That 3rd strike call on Turner was atrocious. He was not calling the low strike all night, then he calls one on Turner that was low and inside! He will feel real stupid after reviewing the game film of that one. UCLA got SLAMMED today……embarrassing…..go USC!
Cool story on MLB.com. They list every teams best season ever. The Dodgers team? The 1953 Dodgers. They won 105 and lost 49. They, like last years team lost the World Series. Some stats……they had 5 guys hit over .300…..Campy, Snider, Robinson, Furillo, who won the batting title at .344, and Hodges. The lowest average by a starter was Pee Wee Reese’s .271. Cox was at .291 and Gilliam hit .278. Gilliam was the only regular who had under double digits in HR’s at 6. Snider and Campy hit 42 and 41 respectively and Hodges added 31. Furillo had 21. Backup 1st baseman Wayne Belardi hit 11. Erskine led the pitchers with 20, Meyer, Loes, and Roe all won in double figures. Only Podres missed that mark with 9. Labine had 11 wins out of the bullpen and 5 different relievers had saves. Jim Hughes led the BP with 9. Here’s a kicker, the team ERA was 4.10. The only starter under 4.00 was Erskine, and Labine’s 2.77 led the team. They led the NL in fielding. They were 3rd in pitching and led the NL with a .285 batting average. That’s quite a team.
My best friend Gary, a Brooklyn native, had acute respiratory failure the other day, so I will be off here for a few days waiting for up-dates on his condition from his wife…..Be well y’all.