The Dodgers did well in their 9-5 opening game victory over the Dbacks on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium. But they face another tough test in game 2. Perhaps this could be their toughest test of the series as they face left hander Robbie Ray. Curveball expert Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers in the battle of southpaws.
Ray has been public enemy number one to the Dodgers. He’s been their kryptonite, beating the boys in blue three different times this season. In five starts this season against the Dodgers, Ray has a 3-0 record, a 2.27 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched. In 13 career starts Ray is 6-3 with a 2.89 ERA against the Dodgers. He’s struck out 105 in 80.1 innings pitched. Ray also has a 1.81 ERA in 7 career starts at Dodger Stadium.
Ray has nasty stuff. He’s averaged 11.8 K/9 when he faces the Dodgers. If you remember he struck out 13 against the Dodgers on July 6, and then whiffed 14 in seven shutout frames on September 4. He also finished the season winning his final six decisions. Overall Ray finished with a 15-5 record, and posted a 2.89 ERA while striking out 218. He’s also a pretty good hitter too. He batted .245 (13 for 53). I really hate him.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Arizona –NLDS Game 2
#ThisTeam// Game 2:
Taylor CF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Hernández LF
Forsythe 2B
Barnes C
Puig RF
Hill P pic.twitter.com/aVRFh0at2r— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 7, 2017
Robbie Ray-15-5 vs. Rich Hill-12-8
Tonight's #Dbacks lineup for Game 2. #BeatLA pic.twitter.com/K1qKesXNz7
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 7, 2017
Game Time – 6:00 PM PST- TV- TBS
If there is an Achilles heel for Ray, it’s hard to find one. He’s 8-1 with a 1.86 ERA on the road this year. He has given up 23 home runs, so that might be his one weakness. That and he’s never pitched in the postseason before the wild card game last week. The Dodgers have hit six home runs against Ray. Enrique Hernandez has three dingers. Otherwise the Dodgers are only hitting .198.
Ray vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Yasiel Puig | 33 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | .222 | .333 | .667 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 30 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 7 | .269 | .367 | 1.097 |
| Justin Turner | 29 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | .208 | .345 | .636 |
| Corey Seager | 23 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | .143 | .217 | .455 |
| Austin Barnes | 17 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | .167 | .412 | .745 |
| Chris Taylor | 17 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .438 | .471 | 1.033 |
| Logan Forsythe | 12 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | .444 | .500 | 1.278 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Rob Segedin | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .111 | .200 | .311 |
| Curtis Granderson | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .111 | .111 | .556 |
| Charlie Culberson | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .143 | .143 | .286 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .286 | .571 |
| Cody Bellinger | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| Trayce Thompson | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .200 | .333 | .533 |
| Kenta Maeda | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Rich Hill | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Joc Pederson | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Brandon McCarthy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Brock Stewart | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Ross Stripling | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Alex Wood | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Chase Utley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||
| Total | 238 | 207 | 41 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 25 | 84 | .198 | .288 | .626 |
On the other side, Rich Hill looks to keep his second half momentum going as he tries to pitch the Dodgers to a 2-0 series lead. Hill pitched so much better in the second half, and the final month of the season. Hill posted a 1.86 ERA in September while also posting a 7-4 record with a 3.01 ERA in the second half. July was his greatest month, as he went 4-0 with a 1.45 ERA to win NL pitcher of the month honors.
Hill has faced the Snakes four times in 2017 and is 0-3 with a no-decision. Hill has made 9 career starts against Arizona and is 1-5 with a 4.78 ERA. He has struck out 9.0 per nine and walked just 14 in 49 frames. The Snakes have hit five home runs against Hill, but are hitting just .180 (16 for 89) with a .641 OPS .
Hill vs. Snakes
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Chris Iannetta | 12 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | .250 | .250 | 1.000 |
| Brandon Drury | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .091 | .091 | .273 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .300 | .300 | .600 |
| J.D. Martinez | 10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .222 | .300 | .967 |
| David Peralta | 10 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .400 | .956 |
| A.J. Pollock | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .100 | .100 | .500 |
| Jake Lamb | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .500 | .750 | 2.000 |
| Adam Rosales | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .000 | .167 | .167 |
| Robbie Ray | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Chris Herrmann | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Ketel Marte | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .333 | .333 |
| Kristopher Negron | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Archie Bradley | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Rey Fuentes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Zack Godley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Jeff Mathis | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 98 | 89 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 36 | .180 | .247 | .641 |
The Dodger’s lineup takes a different look with a left hander on the mound. The first four are the same. But Enrique Hernandez takes over left field and bats fifth behind Cody Bellinger. Yasiel Puig is dropped to eighth in the order, and Austin Barnes takes over behind the plate. Oh and hey the Dbacks and coach Ariel Preto got fined for wearing apple watches in the dugout. This was back in the wild card game though. I guess the Snakes didn’t get the memo that Apple sucks.
The Dodgers still have work to do, so let’s not get cocky. We’ve been here before.
Go Blue!
Should be fun! Might get ugly!
I’m good with that lineup, no Grandmal and no Reddickson is an immediate upgrade. Addition of Barnes bat and ability to catch a pitch is an upgrade. If memory serves me, I think Kike has hit Ray pretty well. I like Puig batting 8th. Man, not having Grandmal – Reddickson – Forshyte all strung together is huge (when the F is Roberts going to learn?)
I’m hoping Hill is really on his game and the ump isn’t a chump when calling the strikezone. Chump umps have trouble calling a good game when they have a nasty curveballer on the mound. When can we have electronic balls and strikes and not let the chump umps mess up these games?
I thought Kike hit Ray too, and he has hit two HRs off Ray.
That would be nice to see Kike have a big night, to help us win this game, and as a dedication to his country.
I believe all of his family is in the states now, so that would be nice for them, to see Kike play.
Unbelievable both Forsythe and Granderson, have hit one out against Ray too!
Ray can be wild, so I hope every Dodger makes Ray pitch to them, and they all have patient at bats.
Ray has trouble with his slider at times, and he ends up throwing the pitch into the dirt, so I hope our hitters, let those sliders in the dirt go.
Ruh Roh
Is Goldschmidt a Dodger killer or what?
What a blast! Oh well. Lots of baseball left.
Hill has first inning problems again as usual. Just keep em close. 2-1 now without the benefit of a hit. Ray a little wild. Should get interesting. DC beats the Cubbies late on 2 HR’s in the 8th, one by Harper and one by Zimmerman.
Forsythe and Barnes doing major damage, and Puig with another game of very good bat discipline. The Arizona OF is horrible and slow – we keep getting fly ball hits but we will take them!!
The ump was absolutely horrible today. Hill got robbed every other batter and Ray was getting gift strikes.
(I thought Farmer did very well there too even though he struck out – nasty slider.)
Just love, love, love watching Hill pitch.
Forsythe coming around.
You are the only one who loves watching him pitch..to me it is painful……..Grandermal actually gets a hit in a clutch spot, but Barnes is unreal. Grandal should be traded this winter. Barnes more than capable of handling the catching duties.
This is wonderful guys!!!
Barnes showing he should be starting for the rest of the postseason. Forsythe definitely has woken up!
And hell, Granderson got a hit; who wuda thunk it
Bobby
Good on Forsythe and Granderson they made us shut up tonight.
And Barnes is a player!
And I liked when the crowd was calling Puig’s name!
I think that is the first time since his first year!
Granderson showing how it’s done in the post season. Just have to stay in the game even when you’re slumping.
Puig with the TOOTBLAN. I think Roberts will back him up on that one as they had sent Barnes too. I think you have to let Puig be Puig – a lot of the antics is because he is subconsciously trying to calm himself down. But as soon as he steps on the line you’ve got to step in and pull him back; I think he actually does not mind that.
YF
Puig was just over excited and stimulated
Total TOOTBLAN.
`
Gonna happen with Puig.
The question is why did they pull Maeda so fast?
So Morrow in as well as Ethier. And Goldschmidt lurking.
The Dodgers will out hit AZ, but the snakes will out HR us.
I don’t care what the Dbacks do as long as we score more runs than they do.
I like the Darvish v. Cranke. Cranke is definitely vulnerable.
Three more outs for Jansen to record and I will be sleeping a lot better.
Like I said previously, the Dodgers post season is all about how much offense they can generate. Speaking of that Bellinger is in deep hibernation at the plate, he is actually not only striking out swinging he is starting to strike out watching, that is a sign of really being lost at the plate.
I’m glad Ray had to pitch on monday, he didn;t look to sharp. they are going to have to repair the screen behind homeplate after his efforts tonight.
Nice to see the boys bunch up some runs again. Damn send out a search party for Bellinger.
Send out a burial party for Grandmal, give me Barnes all day, every day! that kid is a baller! He and Taylor are a real pair.
Bellinger is swinging at pitches he could not hit with a 10 ft pole. Not as disciplined as earlier in the year.