After a day off playing ping-pong, Dave Roberts rolled out a troll lineup against the Diamondbacks and it didn’t work as the Dodgers fell in extra innings 3-2 to end their five-game winning streak.
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Despite rolling out Kristopher Negron as protection for Cody Bellinger against Robbie Ray, the Dodgers ended up striking first in the 3rd. A Corey Seager double set the table, Tyler White walked to up the trouble, and Walker Buehler successfully laid down a bunt to advance both. A.J. Pollock then followed by lining a sacrifice fly to deep left, and after a walk to Justin Turner, Will Smith doubled the lead with a ringing double into the left-center field gap to make it 2-0.
Meanwhile, Buehler wasn’t at his sharpest, issuing three walks. However, he did successfully pitch around that traffic, allowing just four hits over six shutout innings, partially thanks to eight strikeouts.
.@buehlersdayoff comenzando de gran manera la noche. 💪#LosDodgers | #LASangraAzul
— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) August 10, 2019
Acciones: https://t.co/ToagJ03vgQ pic.twitter.com/sqiuTenDbQ
Pedro Baez took over in the 7th, and despite allowing a single, he also got a scoreless inning and struck out two. Adam Kolarek has struggled so far in his new role as a LOOGY, as the adjustment to needing to be on his game immediately is a thing. He got behind 3-0 to start the 8th, but eventually rebounded with quality pitches to get a strikeout.
That brought in Joe Kelly, who is now the setup man, which is what he deserves. He immediately gave up a ball down the right-field line that seemed to be surely extra bases, but Bellinger had other ideas as he provided a pinpoint accurate throw with a quick release to gun the runner down for his 10th outfield assist (3rd in the majors).
Kelly then induced a ground out to end his work successfully.
That brought in Kenley Jansen for the 9th, who allowed a bloop single to start and then gave up a two-run, game-tying shot to Carson Kelly. He also gave up a bunt single and a stolen base, but got out of the inning without further damage thanks to two strikeouts.
Not great.
Julio Urias entered and got a scoreless 10th despite a single and a walk thanks to a double play, but gave up the game-winning homer to Kelly in the 11th. He also surrendered a single in the inning before getting out of it.
However, despite the failures of Kenley and Urias, it didn’t help that the Dodgers had just two hits in 11 innings, including just four walks. They just didn’t have many chances to score.
Also Archie Bradley got mad for whatever reason because he hit Pollock on the wrist and got an out from it.
The guy literally shit himself, so I’m not taking anything he says seriously.
They’re not wrong.
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The Dodgers fall to 77-41 on the year. They are now 17 games up on the Diamondbacks in the NL West, 8 games up on the Braves in the NL, and tied with the Astros and Yankees in the MLB.
The two teams will do it again tomorrow night an hour earlier at 3:10 PM HST/6:10 PM PST/9:10 PM EST. Kenta Maeda will face off against rookie Alex Young.