Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers were going for their first 12-game winning streak since 1976, but that was brought to an end tonight by the Braves in a 6-3 loss. Brandon McCarthy struggled from the get-go and the bats couldn’t make up the ground this time, as the Dodgers fall to a disastrous 31-5 in their last 36 contests.
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Brando took the ball for the Dodgers, looking to get back on track after a bout with the yips, going to the DL, and having mixed results after coming back. Well McCarthy was throwing strikes, but perhaps there were too many strikes, as he seemingly grooved pitch after pitch.
https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/888236188393381889
All told, McCarthy surrendered six runs on nine hits. He struck out five and only walked one, but gave up way too much hard contact to have lasted in the game, and he made it through just four frames and 72 pitches before being removed.
The way he’s trending right now is, uh, not great.
Anyway, Luis Avilan entered for him and got a 1-2-3 fifth frame, then Brandon Morrow followed with two perfect innings of his own while expending just 18 pitches. Brock Stewart then took over in the eighth and actually struggled a bit for the first time all year. He allowed two hits and a walk, only avoiding giving up a run due to Chris Taylor throwing out a guy at the plate. Stewart then stayed in the for the ninth, getting a 1-2-3 frame and two shutout innings in the box score.
It wasn’t enough, however, as the early runs the Braves got held up.
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Honestly, I was hoping/fearing that the offense would somehow mount another miracle comeback, but it just didn’t happen for them this time.
Things got off to a quick start for the offense in the first, after a one-out double by Corey Seager off the left-field wall was followed by Cody Bellinger lining the first pitch he saw for a single to center to get the Dodgers a run.
They seemingly got back into the game a bit in the sixth when Taylor smacked a one-out double and then was followed by Yasmani Grandal barely donging a ball to right.
However, they stranded runners in scoring position in the first, fourth, fifth, and ninth innings, going 2-for-12 with RISP on the night. Though it might’ve been less about that and more about having just seven hits and three walks to begin with.
Shit happens.
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Losing drops the Dodgers to 66-30 on the year and 39-12 at Dodger Stadium. After the Diamondbacks won today, and with the Rockies idle, it also means that the lead in the NL West decreases to 10.5. The Astros were also idle today, meaning the Dodgers are 2.5 up on them for the race for the best record in baseball.
The Dodgers now look to even the series tomorrow at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Alex Wood (1.56 ERA/2.06 FIP/2.42 DRA) will take the hill for the Dodgers, pitching against his old team, and now doing so like an ace. Jaime Garcia (4.33 ERA/4.26 FIP/4.90 DRA) is still scheduled to pitch for the Braves, but that’s in serious doubt as he’s about to be dealt to the Twins. Thus, it’ll likely be Aaron Blair making his 2017 debut in the majors against the Dodgers tomorrow.
