The Dodgers swept the lowly Padres with a 13-4 win on Wednesday evening to capture their fourth consecutive win. The Dodger bats took advantage of opposing hurler Luis Perdomo’s infamous control problems by smattering the young right hander for nine runs on ten hits over just three innings. Perdomo walked two and struck out four. The Dodger bats exploded for 18 hits (five extra-base hits) and were 9 for 19 with runners in scoring position.
Corey Seager, Yasmani Grandal, Matt Kemp and Cody Bellinger all had two or more hits each with Seager going 4 for 5 with three runs driven in. The Dodgers scored three in the first as they jumped all over Perdomo early in the game. They scored one more run in the second and then the big inning was the top of the third when they knocked in five runs.
Dodgers 13 18 0
Padres 4 8 1
WP-Maeda-2-1
LP-Perdomo-1-2
HR-Muncy-1
Kenta Maeda wasn’t great but pitched well enough to pick up the win. The Japanese righty tossed 5.1 innings allowing four earned runs on eight hits but struck out ten. He walked two and made 106 pitches before being lifted in the bottom of the sixth with one out and two runners on. Newly recalled Adam Liberatore made an appearance tossing 1.1 scoreless frames with two punch-outs. The rest of the Dodger bullpen (J.T. Chargois, Wilmer Font) finished the game for the Dodgers without issue.
The story of the night though was the Dodger bats. Notably Max Muncy, who got the start at third base tonight hit his first home run of the season as a Dodger and scored two runs. He also made a couple of nice defensive plays as well.
Yasmani Grandal continued his hot hitting with a two-run double, and a single in four trips to the plate. Matt Kemp was 2 for 4 and Cody Bellinger drove in a run with an RBI single in the first inning. Chase Utley contributed with a two-run double of his own and scored twice. Even Yasiel Puig got into the fun with an RBI single in the ninth inning. Every Dodger in the lineup reached base at least once. The offensive star of the night for San Diego was Carlos Asuaje who was 2 for 4 with two runs driven in. Corey Spangenberg also tallied two hits.
There’s nothing better for what ails a team than to play the pathetic Padres. Talk about getting back on track. The Dodgers (8-9) steamrolled over the Friars. The boys in blue will take a day off on Thursday and return to action on Friday night to begin a three game series against Washington. We know that Max Scherzer will be on the mound. We don’t know yet who will start for the Dodgers. It should be a marquee matchup and a lot of fun to watch. Look sharp Dodgers! Oh and remember the broom depot stays open late tonight to service all of your Dodgers sweep merchandising needs. Go Blue.
Muncy had some nice at bats. The only guy who looked lost at the plate was Taylor who now has struck out 22 times and is hitting less than Kike.
Last year, Taylor had his first full season as a starter. His years before joining the Dodgers was unimpressive and nothing stood out when examined. It seems this year, he has become the player that he was before last season. He does have a knack of getting that clutch hit and has power as exhibited last season. But if a player cannot sustain their productivity, they need to sit awhile, and this may be the time where we bring up Toles or another outfielder to punch Taylor’s buttons.
I find it strange that Muncy was called up to start at 3B. He has no track record in the majors for being either a good hitter or fielder. It’s great that he hit a HR today, but every dog has it’s day. What was wrong with Farmer playing 3B while Turner rehabs?
And, pulling Puig to start Joc? Who is the more important player to the Dodgers? I just don’t get this. Puig needs the AB’s as much as Joc does and he is so much more of a talent to have on the field.
Good win and good to see Liberatore having a good game as well as Seager swinging the bat with authority. Maeda without the run support is fragile. He is a lucky winner and I said the same thing last year. It’s not because he is in command.
Jeff. Toles is hurt and on the DL so he is not coming up anytime soon. I do not know why Roberts started Joc over Puig, but Joc had a decent game. His game was better than Taylors who struck out 4 times and is over 20 for the year. Joc had the same stat line as Bellinger. Muncy hit well in spring and has been playing well at 3rd. With a RH pitcher starting it made sense to get him in a game. He was hitting over .300 at OKC. The main reason he was called up is that he can play multiple positions. He was playing 1st a lot at OKC, but he can also play 2B and the OF. You know they are going to stick with Taylor. Defensively he is better than most in CF, that catch he made Tuesday was proof of that. His biggest fault right now is the strikeouts. And he is not walking very much. Muncy made a great play at 3rd tonight too.
Michael
If Joc was hitting fourth like Bellinger, I don’t think he would have the same stat line, so that is a bad comparison.
Joc is hitting 188 which is the lowest on the team, and that is nothing to brag about.
People get all over Joc, because he has been given chance after chance, and he really hasn’t done much of anything.
Roberts isn’t babying Farmer or Muncy, who are rookies, unlike Joc, who is in his fourth major league year, so it is about time, Joc did something.
But like you have often said about Grandal, every squirrel gets a nut, from time to time, especially when they are getting chance, after chance!
MJ, it was not an over all comparison, it was a game comparison and nothing more. They had exactly the same line 2-5..Joc struck out once and Cody twice. Joc drove in a run and so did Cody, so Joc had a decent game, he contributed to the offense as did Cody. I am not saying he has turned anything around. I am just saying he had a decent game. He has gotten chance after chance because he did produce. He may have had a low average but he was hitting for power and driving in runs. His last 3 years are better in every way than Kike’s. Except for the .300 average 3 years ago. The Dodgers still believe in him even of we fans do not. They have a lot more patience. Kike was under .200 just like Joc and just now went over the Mendoza line, so cut the kid some slack…at least he is not striking out at the same rate as the so called heart of the team.
He was bound to regress, his BABIP last season was a bit ludicrous. Wouldn’t imagine him to regress this much, but….
Pitchers have made adjustments to Taylor. Now he needs to adjust to how they’re attacking him. It’s the same as Bellinger and Seager having to make adjustments to the back foot slider. Or it could simply be that he’s pressing trying to duplicate what he did last year. While I don’t always agree with what Roberts or FAZ do I do like that they don’t overreact. Being from the midwest and seeing lots of Cubs games on TV (WGN) I remember that Ryne Sandberg was typically awful the first month of the season. I don’t think anyone said he needs to sit for awhile and give someone else a chance. Taylor doesn’t have the track record but he’ll be given the time to adjust until FAX has to make a decision. They stuck with Hatcher for longer than most of us would have but in the end they got rid of him.
It was projected that Taylor would not repeat last year’s performance. He’s an all or nothing swinger, and probably shouldn’t lead off, but who else on this team is going to do it?
Maeda worked hard last night to only go 5.2. 106 pitches, over 6 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. Pen looked good.
Muncy made good contact. He looks like a hitter to me. Until Turner returns, why not experiment a little?
We’re hitting, but it was the Padres. 11 Ks. No surprise there. Scherzer up next. It will be a better test.
Another day off. We’ve been lucky in that regard. This appears to be a team that could be health challenged. The SP DL dance has already begun. I expected it of course, but not this early.
Badger
I told you Forsythe should have never went out, we have more then a few players, at the major league level, and in AAA, that would probably hit better then Forsythe would.
We have a lot of outfielders on our top prospect list but I’m not sure about second basemen. Estevez and Lux could profile there, though both 19 are playing shortstop. Both list as B- prospects at this time.
Lux and Robinson the top middle infielders listed. Drew Jackson and Ronnie Brito are in the top 30, but Estevez is not. Lux played 2nd last night and Estevez SS at Rancho. But 4 of our top 8 prospects are outfielder, one a catcher and 3 RHP in that group. No top infield prospects at AAA.
Reds fire Bryan Price and Jim Riggleman becomes the interim manager. Reds off to a horrendous start.
Rylan Bannon, a 3B playing at Rancho Cucamonga went 3-5 last night with 3 HR’s and 5 RBI’s. Quakes won 11-4. Estevez hit a 2 run dinger and Conner Wong, a catcher had a solo shot.
Although we were playing the Padres, it was good to see Corey hit line drive, after line drive, last night, especially his hit to the opposite field, that hit a run in, which is classic Corey.
But the real test will be this next series against the Nats, especially if they will be facing Strasberg, and Scherzer.
I was looking at Bryce Harper’s numbers, and he has hit 8 HRs, hit in 18 RBIs, and he has only 12 strikes outs, to 24 walks.
That is quite good numbers!
If he keeps it going it’s a $40,000,000 line.
I wonder what Seager will get in 2022, his first free agent year. I also wonder if he will allow the Dodgers to lock him up before that.
Badger
Were you ever worried about Corey?
I was begining to think he was hurt.
All of our good young players, have that same agent, so it is probably going to be hard, to sign them.
But with the way that Corey has got hurt, maybe he will be thinking about security, and might sign an extension, of some kind..
Yeah, I was concerned. Still am really. Is there is a problem with his elbow?
Badger
I don’t think the Dodgers will lock up Seager before 2022 because his agent is Scott Boras. Enough said. Boras will demand top dollar from the start. Just my opinion.
Package
Boras did do an extension for Strasberg, so if Corey continues to get hurt, he might want a little security, and do an extension, to buy out two are three, of his free agent years.
I think it makes sense to lock up young stars if they are willing. If he plays injury free for a few years he’d be leaving money on the table. I don’t see Boras doing that. Corey will score well in his arbitration years. The Dodgers would be wise to avoid arbitration if possible.
MJ and others,
Replacing ForShyte ain’t a problem, he has set the bar so low it won’t take much to make an improvement. Now ForShyte is definitely one of those acquisitions (not a dumpster dive) that is totally on our FO.
It really is a shame that our FO repeatedly basically tells Farmer to FO. Give the kid a real chance to prove something, not this lame bs on how he is treated. I can imagine that this FO won’t even hold the door on the elevator if they see Farmer walking up to get on.
Kemp is definitely balling.
It took the mighty Padres to finally get the blue to win it’s first series this season, really pathetic. Don’t most of us believe that the OKC Dodgers would win a series against the mighty Padres?
I laugh when I think of all the praise that was given to the Dodgers regarding the organizational depth. Apparently they have changed the definition of the word.
True
I thought about Farmer too, after they brought Muncy up.
Because Farmer had just got two starts in a row, before Muncy was called up.
But sometimes it doesn’t seem like hard work, and production, means anything, with some of these moves.
Kershaw will start Friday followed by Ryu then Wood……they stay in rotation order no call ups.
Some player profiles today.
Dodgers Digest has a nice article out on Cingrani. The comparison to Miller is way premature and a bit crazy as we don’t know if there’s anywhere near the durability and consistency in Cingrani. However the tweaks mentioned and the change in pitch mix is for real and it looks like Honeycutt may be onto something here (again).
TrueBlue has onhand scouting accounts from Hood on Santana, Ruiz and Peters. I’d like to see them move Santana quickly. His curve and change up are both improved. I’m just partial to sinkerball pitchers I guess.
Trayce Thompson back home…..claimed by the White Sox from the A’s. OKC squeaks out a 2-1 win despite only getting 4 hits. The V-boys, Valera and Verdugo drive in the runs, DeFratus the win with Garcia and Venditte getting holds and Schlitter the save…his 2nd. Tulsa slams Arkansas 11-0 with the win going to Spitzbarth who is 2-0 with homers by Smith and Scavuzzo. Rancho is losing in the 7th 4-2….and Great Lakes pounded Fort Wayne 10-2 HR by Yarnall and the win going to Vargas. Yarnall went 4-5 and so did Moises Perez. DJ Peters walked 4 times for Tulsa, Ruiz was 4-6, Scavuzzo was 4-6. Raley was 3-6 and Diaz was 3-4 in his first action at AA.