Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After splitting the first two games of the Freeway Series, the Dodgers dropped the rubber match against the Angels with two dongs sinking their hopes in the 4-3 loss.
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The dong machine that is the Dodgers offense seemed to get back on track to take the early lead in the 2nd. Matt Kemp walked with one out and Logan Forsythe later walked with two down, then both moved up a base on an Andrew Heaney wild pitch. Yasiel Puig then stepped up to the plate and took advantage of seeing three consecutive curves, bombing a 1-1 pitch to dead center for his 11th dong of the year, a three-run shot.
The Angels offense did manage to strike back against Alex Wood in the 3rd. Two singles and an intentional walk to Mike Trout led to the bases loaded situation with two down, and Justin Upton made them pay by lining a sharp single to center to plate two and cut the Dodgers lead to one at 3-2.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot the Dodgers were doing offensively. After Puig’s homer, Heaney sat down 12 in a row, which was broken up with two outs in the 6th. Back-to-back singles by Justin Turner and Max Muncy and a walk by Kemp led to the bases suddenly being loaded. Cody Bellinger then hit a high chopper to first and was ruled out on a bang-bang play at the bag. It was challenged by Dave Roberts, but the call on the field stood as it wasn’t blatantly obvious, I guess.
That would immediately prove costly in the Angels half of the 6th, as with two down Wood surrendered a no-doubter to Albert Pujols to tie the game, 3-3. It would be his last frame even though he was only at 76 pitches, likely due to the abundance of hard contact. Still, Wood was solid, giving up just five hits and two walks while striking out four.
JT Chargois then took over in the 7th and started by facing pinch-hitter Shohei Ohtani. He started off by throwing two strikes that were called balls, then got threw three more strikes (one called, two fouled off), which was enough time for Ohtani to burn him with a homer to center on the sixth strike to put the Dodgers behind, 4-3. Chargois struck out the next batter and was then relieved by Edward Paredes. The LOOGY proceeded to issue a walk and then get removed for Dylan Floro, who made his Dodgers debut, and all he did was immediately escape trouble by inducing a double play. Floro also emerged for the 8th and did his ground ball thing, inducing three of them for an outstanding scoreless debut.
Unfortunately, the Dodgers managed just five hits and three walks this afternoon, continuing a series-long struggle. They capped off the showing by grounding into double plays to end both the 8th and 9th.
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Yasiel Puig got hurt. Obliques are usually bad news.
Yasiel Puig exited because of an intercostal oblique strain, the Dodgers said. After the game, I will let you know how serious they say it is.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 9, 2018
Dave Roberts said he is “almost certain” Yasiel Puig is headed to the disabled list. Puig will get an MRI tomorrow in L.A.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 9, 2018
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The Dodgers fall to 48-41 on the year, though they remain just a game back of the Diamondbacks in the NL West due to them dropping a 16-inning marathon to the Padres.
Speaking of which, the Boys In Blue will head down to San Diego for the start of a four-game set beginning tomorrow at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Clayton Kershaw will look to continue to prove his health and efficacy against Luis Perdomo.
