The Dodgers dropped the second game of the World Series to the Tampa Bay Rays by a 6-4 score as the Rays tied the series on Wednesday night at Globe Life Park. The Dodgers fell victim to their Achilles heel, which is this starting pitching. If you are forced to start rookie Tony Gonsolin and he pitches to only six batters and you are forced to use a bullpen game in the World Series then you are going to lose. Gonsolin, Dustin May and the rest of the relievers were not effective and the bats were not able to catch up. The problem is the Dodgers essentially have only two starters. After Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw they have almost no options. It’s hard to win with very little starting pitching. Hopefully it doesn’t cost the Dodgers the series.
Tampa starter Blake Snell held the Dodgers hitless until the fourth inning before running into trouble. Brandon Lowe hit two home runs in the game. The first was a solo shot in the top of the first to put Tampa up 1-0. The Rays then scored two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Joey Wendle’s double drove in two in the fourth and Lowe’s two-run homer in the fifth with Austin Meadows aboard put the Rays up 5-2 at the time.
World Series Game 2
Rays 6 10 0
Dodgers 4 5 1
WP-Anderson-1-0
LP-Gonsolin-0-1
SV-Castillo-1
HR-Lowe-1-2-Taylor-1-Smith-1-Seager-1
The Dodgers got on the board thanks to a two-run home run from Chris Taylor in the bottom of the fifth to send Snell to the showers. Snell tossed 4.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits, walking four and striking out nine. The Rays added another run in the sixth inning on a Wendle sacrifice fly.
The Dodgers rallied late in the game and pulled within two runs. Will Smith homered to left in the sixth, and Corey Seager hit one out in the eighth inning to cut the lead to 6-4. Justin Turner followed Seager’s homer with a double, but Max Muncy flied to right. Will Smith drilled a ball to third but it was right into Wendle’s glove. Cody Bellinger struck out. The Dodgers went down 1-2-3 against Aaron Loup and Diego Castillo. It was going to be very hard for the Dodgers to sweep in this World Series. Tampa is too good of a club. The two teams get a day off on Thursday before picking up the series on Friday night. Walker Buehler will take the hill for the Dodgers in game 3. Charlie Morton will get the ball for Tampa Bay. Don’t lose hope guys, the Dodgers are just three wins away from our dreams.
I did not expect too much in Game 2 with the kids Gonsolin and May going in the bullpen game. They needed more length from Catman, and May, again just did not have it. The kids made too many mistakes. Even still, the Dodgers had many opportunities to steal the game. Snell had all four of his pitches tonight, and had the Dodger hitters guessing all night. Snell was not overpowering, he just had total command, and mixed up pitches, tallying 9 K’s during the 4.2 innings he was in the game. The Dodgers were able to see the elite pitchers in the Rays’ bullpen. They are hittable, but you cannot win games with 0-6 RISP, and 15 KO’s.
Big mistakes….
May had Lowe with two strikes and two out In the 5th, and could not slam the door shut, gifting a 2-run HR.
Kiké could not turn an inning ending double play in the 4th, leading to a 2-run double
I did not expect the Dodgers to sweep, or even win today, but I am disappointed that they gave this game away with poor pitching, sloppy play, and missed opportunities.
So, it will be Buehler in Gm 3, Urias in Gm 4, and Kershaw again in Gm 5.
Still holding with Dodgers in 6, but will Gm 6 be another bullpen game? Yikes! Better not hold my breath.
Go Blue!
No baseball today…. just a day of reflection. A day to micro analyze Game 2.
Even with all the mistakes, poor outings by Gonsolin and May, sloppy defense by Kiké, 0-6 RISP, 15 KO’s, the Dodgers only lost by two runs. Lost to the Rays Ace’s superb 4.2 innings, saw their bullpen elite, staged a respectable comeback attempt, and almost stole the game.
The pressure is on for Buehler and Urias to open up strong and take Game 3 and 4. and for Kershaw to continue his dominance with a second victory in Game 5. It would be nice to close it out by game 5, but if necessary, I feel it will be all hand’s on deck for Game 6, Gonsolin and May can only get stronger, and the bullpen will be rested, and ready to carry the baton to a Game 6 victory.