Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After dropping a key series to the Diamondbacks, the Dodgers now find themselves looking up at the Rockies in the NL West, and tonight they started a three-game set against the rival Giants. Things were looking rather dismal for the Boys In Blue early, but stellar pitching made one big blow hold up in an important 3-1 win.
——
Hyun-Jin Ryu was forced to fight through trouble in his six innings. Though he only threw 85 pitches, many were tense. After giving up a solo homer to Nick Hundley to start the 2nd, he then issued back-to-back walks, but he fought through it by inducing a double play and a fly out. Ryu found himself in even deeper trouble in the 4th, as David Freese dropped a routine throw to start things, and back-to-back one-out singles (including one of the bloop variety) loaded the bases. However, Ryu escaped by inducing yet another double play. He got one final double play in the 6th, which was the last he needed.
So Ryu ended his night allowing just the one run over six innings, surrendering just four hits and two walks, though he was only able to strikeout three. He ended up lowering his ERA to a ridiculous 1.97 on the year.
Six solid innings tonight from @HyunJinRyu99. pic.twitter.com/E9vk36BWK3
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2018
On the other side, Madison Bumgarner pushed his start back specifically to beat the Dodgers. While he didn’t exactly look sharp, he did well early, even if he was getting help.
https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/1045866255511543808
In the 1st, the Dodgers had runners on first and second with one out and runners on second and third with two outs, but couldn’t capitalize. That seemed ominous, but in the 3rd, a rally started behind Enrique Hernandez (who went 3-for-3 against MadBum, by the way) singling and Freese drawing a one-out walk. Manny Machado then jumped on the first pitch for a clean single to left to plate Enrique and tie the game, 1-1.
Things slogged along in a deadlock until the 5th, when Enrique (who else?) singled with one down and Justin Turner (who else?) followed with a towering two-run bomb to left, his 14th of the year. That put the Dodgers up by two at 3-1.
JT clutch? You already knew this. pic.twitter.com/iRzJtq3EFy
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2018
How is this possible, honestly?
We meet again, Keith. pic.twitter.com/eE0jGobS21
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2018
Unfortunately, the bats managed just two more scoring chances in the game. In the 8th, they got a two-out single and a stolen base, but couldn’t cash in. Then in the 9th a rally was struck down by shitty luck, as the Dodgers got a double to start but then lined into a double play and the threat was erased.
That left work to do for the pen. In relief of Ryu, Scott Alexander entered in the 7th for a lefty, but issued a walk and was removed. Pedro Baez then entered and immediately surrendered a single to put the Dodgers in trouble, but he quickly rebounded with two strikeouts. Surprisingly, he was removed for Alex Wood, but that made sense and paid off when he escaped trouble with a strikeout.
https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/1045897560957706240
Was actually the right move on paper cause Hanson has the pop from the left side and d'Arnaud is a sub-.600 OPS hitter, which is why you look things up.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 29, 2018
Kenta Maeda then entered for the 8th, and after getting an out to start he allowed a single to bring the tying run to the plate. Thankfully, yet another double play got him out of the jam and preserved the lead.
Kenta is a mood. pic.twitter.com/xhKnGEmBkz
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 29, 2018
Next up was, of course, Kenley Jansen for the 9th. Things started alright with a fly out to left, but he then hit a batter to bring the tying run to the plate. Kenley then induced a double play to end it, the fifth of the night for Dodgers pitching.
Exhale a bit.
——
The Dodgers are now 89-71 on the season, and though it doesn’t feel that way, just a win away from 90 yet again. Unfortunately, the Rockies also won (eight in a row, credit to them) so their NL West lead remains one. Fortunately, the Cardinals lost, which means the Dodgers now have a two-game lead in the race for the last playoff spot. The absolute worst they can do now is get a tie-breaker with the Cardinals for the playoffs.
Clayton Kershaw will take the mound tomorrow at 10:05 AM HST/1:05 PM PST/4:05 PM EST looking to punch the team’s ticket to the postseason against Dereck Rodriguez.
