Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Walker Buehler was dominant, and the Dodgers offense was relentless in a 9-0 shutout against the Marlins on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. With the victory, the Dodgers completed the three-game sweep vs. Miami and picked up their 40th home win on the season.
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The Dodgers struck first against the Fish. On a two-out two-strike pitch, Max Muncy crushed a two-run home run off rookie right-hander Jordan Yamamoto in the first. That was the first major-league homer allowed by Yamamoto in his career (34 innings). It wouldn’t be the only Dodger dong he would allow on a hot afternoon at Chavez Ravine.
That @maxmuncy9 bat drop? You already know. pic.twitter.com/UdcEoSCO6V
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 21, 2019
In the third, Joc Pederson unloaded for a two-run homer into the visitor’s bullpen to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.
To: The visitor’s ‘pen
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 21, 2019
Love, @yungjoc650. pic.twitter.com/36Z0n2j4EO
That’s Pederson’s 23rd home run this season. His career-high is 26 (2015).
A.J. Pollock started the bottom of the fourth with a single to left field. With Matt Beaty at the plate, Pollock stole second and took third on a throwing error by Miami catcher Jorge Alfaro. Enrique Hernandez cashed the error in with an RBI double for the Dodgers’ fifth run vs. Yamamoto on the day.
Austin Barnes got screwed in his at-bat, though.
The rout continued in the fifth. Pollock’s two-out RBI single brought home Pederson to make it 6-0.
The Dodgers took a commanding 9-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Pollock crushed a three-run shot to right-center field vs. Miami reliever Tayron Guerrero. That’s Pollock’s fourth home run and 12th RBI in nine games so far in the second half.
A.J. for three! pic.twitter.com/zU07Vk81Cv
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 21, 2019
With a nine-run lead, Casey Sadler took over for Buehler in the eighth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
Buehler’s final line: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 11 K, 0 BB, 94 pitches (71 strikes)
Caleb Ferguson got the ball for the ninth, looking to make his first scoreless appearance out of the bullpen since June 17. Russell Martin got a chance to play some infield at third base while Justin Turner moved over to second for the first time since 2015. Let’s get weird. Ferguson gave up a Neil Walker double, but he looked a lot better than he has recently. He was able to shut down the Marlins and preserve the shutout.
The pitching, offense and defense lined up in this one. Pollock went 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs, Pederson went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, and the offense hit three home runs and went 5-for-13 with RISP. Plus, they didn’t commit an error!
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With the sweep, the Dodgers improve to 67-35 and 40-12 at home.
The Dodgers get a day off at home Monday then resume the homestand Tuesday with a two-game interleague series against the Angels (51-49). Kenta Maeda (7-6, 3.71 ERA, 4.25 FIP) makes his 20th start of the season when he faces Felix Peña (7-3, 4.92 ERA, 4.71 FIP) in the series opener with first pitch at 7:10 PM PST.
