Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After dropping three in a row and looking terrible doing it, the Dodgers rebounded last night against the Brewers in extra-inning walk-off fashion. Tonight they made things a ton easier in a 21-5 blowout thanks to an offensive explosion, earning themselves a series split.
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On paper, this lineup is incredible with basically no holes anymore and with a bench that could basically all start somewhere. Fans have been waiting for them to put it together and today they finally seemed to achieve their potential.
Joc Pederson started things by leading off the game in the 1st for the Dodgers with a no-doubter to right, his 15th of the year.
No doubt about that one. 😳 #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/xXflIgq8FY
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 3, 2018
Flip it, @yungjoc650! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/7uBpJLKWuB
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 3, 2018
In the 3rd, the offense got an assist or two from the Brewers. With one out, Joc reached on a routine grounder that was bobbled and he later scored on a single by Manny Machado after the lazy throw back in to the infield bounced away.
Things just unraveled from there, as Machado stole second, Justin Turner walked, and Yasmani Grandal also walked to load the bases. Cody Bellinger, who hadn’t hit a dong since July 2, stepped up and skied a ball that just hit the fair foul in right for a grand slam and his 18th dong to blow the game open.
Life is grand. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/nh2W4Kkrpr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 3, 2018
The fireworks continued in the 4th, when Yasiel Puig yanked a curve down the line in left for a dong, his 13th on the year.
JT and Belly got on base with walks in the 5th, setting up Brian Dozier with one out. All he did was continue to enjoy his time in Los Angeles, hitting a three-run dong to left-center, his second in as many games with the Dodgers and his 18th in 2018.
So glad @briandozier's part of our Crew. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/5Cl2UsiQGC
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 3, 2018
The onslaught didn’t subside in the 6th either, as a one-out single by Enrique Hernandez was immediately cashed in by JT, fresh off the DL, as he bombed one to center for a two-run shot and his 6th of the season.
In almost comical fashion, the Dodgers’ biggest inning still hadn’t come, as they put up nine runs in the 7th. Max Muncy doubled to start, and he scored on a Puig single. Chris Taylor then walked, and Joc brought everybody home with a three-run shot to right, his second of the night and 16th of his rebound season.
That brought in a position player for the Brewers in Hernan Perez, who actually shut the Dodgers down at the start of the second half, but not this time. Hernandez singled, Grandal hit a one-out double, and Belly grounded out to plate one. Dozier doubled to plate yet another, and Muncy doubled to exchange places with Dozier for one more. Then to cap it off, Puig hit his second of the night and 14th of the year for two more runs.
Almost mercifully, they scored no more, finishing with 21 runs on 18 hits and six walks, including seven dongs and five doubles.
21 runs scored by the #Dodgers tonight is a Dodger Stadium record.
— AlaNNa Rizzo (@alannarizzo) August 3, 2018
Oh right, some dude named Clayton Kershaw was on the mound as well. He continued to pitch well despite a diminished fastball, striking out seven over six innings of two-run ball. Kershaw surrendered just five hits and two walks, and while he may not be as good as we’re used to, he’s still Kershaw.
Erik Goeddel took over in the 7th and picked a quality game to shit the bed at least, giving up a walk and two hits, including a three-run shot in his inning. Pedro Baez was tasked with getting the last two frames of the blowout, allowing two hits, but otherwise at least preventing the need to use more pitchers.
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The Dodgers improve to 61-49 overall and get to 30-26 at home. After tying the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead last night, a loss from them tonight meant they took first place by a game. A Rockies loss puts them two back in the three-team NL West race.
https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/1025236680352063490
Tomorrow the Astros come into town starting at 4:00 PM HST/7:00 PM PST/10:00 PM EST, and people will hype it as a potential playoff preview. Don’t believe it, as the Astros will be missing Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and maybe George Springer, while it’s possible (POSSIBLE) none of the three starters for the Dodgers in series will be in their playoff rotation. Alex Wood will take the bump and will face Justin Verlander, and if Roberto Osuna gets in the game at any point in the series, boo the shit out of him (also applies to Yuli Gurriel).
