Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers have basically treaded water since the All-Star break, carrying a .500 record since then into today’s game. Well, they’re now above that mark following a 8-2 win over the Angels, winning the series and splitting the season series between the teams.
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Reid Detmers made just his second career start today, and boy did he get welcomed rudely. Trea Turner started with a double, Max Muncy singled him home, AJ Pollock doubled to right, and Justin Turner grounded to short that resulted in Muncy scoring under the tag. After a double steal it was 2-0 with runners on second and third and nobody out, but Detmers rebounded with two strikeouts, intentionally walked Will Smith to load the bases, and then got Cody Bellinger to strikeout as well.
Detmers escaped that but ran into trouble again in the 2nd, issuing a walk to Trea and then giving up a deflected single to Pollock with Trea running that somehow led to him scoring from first. Albert Pujols then stepped up and absolutely annihilated a 3-0 pitch to deep left for a two-run homer to make it 5-0.
Walker Buehler was facing what was essentially a reserve lineup for the Angels at this point, and considering that he didn’t have as easy a time with them as I expected. He issued a walk in the 1st, a walk and a single in the 2nd, and gave up a run on a single and a double in the 3rd to make it 5-1. He continued to give up baserunners in the 4th with a double and a walk before finally getting a 1-2-3 frame in the 5th. Buehler got his final scoreless inning in the 6th, though he did issue another walk.
So yeah, he had just one clean inning against this mediocre lineup, so not his best considering the year he’s having. Still, clearly more than enough: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 8 K, 95 Pitches.
After the rough start, Detmers settled in, giving up just a single and a hitting a batter in the next three innings to make it through five. In the 6th, a guy whose real name is Packy Naughton (allegedly) took over, giving up a bloop single to Billy McKinney, and getting two ground outs, the latter of which advanced McKinney to second. Pollock again came through with a single to drive in the run and make it 6-1.
Mike Mayers pitched the 7th for the Angels, giving up a single to Chris Taylor and later a two-run no-doubt shot to Bellinger to expand the lead to 8-1. Sam Selman finished off the Dodgers with a clean 8th.
Phil Bickford took over for Buehler, cruising through a 1-2-3 frame in the 7th. Kevin Quackenbush did not fare as well in his first big league appearance since like 10000 BC by the looks of it. After a strikeout, he gave up two singles and a double to score a run and make it 8-2.
Quackenbush was removed for rookie Justin Bruihl making his MLB debut, and he made a stellar start, notching a strikeout on three consecutive breaking balls. He then issued a walk to Shohei Ohtani, which is not the worst outcome, before getting a comebacker to get out of the jam.
Bruihl continued in the 9th, getting two groundouts and a strikeout to end it.
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An injury, of course.
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The Dodgers are now 67-45 on the year and remain 4 games back of the Giants in the NL West.
After a day off to travel to Philadelphia, the Dodgers will play the red hot Phillies at 1:05 PM HT/4:05 PM PT/7:05 PM ET, sending Max Scherzer to the mound against Aaron Nola.
