Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
A day after beating up on the Braves’ bullpen, the Dodgers failed to mount a comeback in Game 2 of the NLCS weekend series.
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After each team went scoreless in the first inning, the Dodgers and Braves each led off the second inning with doubles. After Corey Seager doubled to lead off the top of the second, the Dodgers were unable to cash him in. Josh Donaldson led off the bottom of the second with a double, but the Braves were also unable to cash him in and he was stranded there thanks to a couple nice plays by the Dodger defense.
The Dodgers threatened again in the third inning, which started with two quick outs. Max Muncy drew a walk, and a Justin Turner single and Cody Bellinger walk loaded the bases for Seager. Seager hit a blooper to center, but was robbed on a diving catch by Ronald Acuna Jr. to end the threat.
Ryu couldn’t escape the trouble in the third, which started with a questionable not-strike three call that preceded a double by Adeiny Hechavarria. A bunt and a walk put runners on the corners for Ozzie Albies, who drilled a double to left to plate both runners. Ryu escaped the inning without further damage.
After failing to strike in the first three innings, Matt Beaty got the Dodgers on the board with his seventh homer of the season.
Ryu extended the fourth with a single, but was stranded at first. While he kept the Dodgers at bay, the Dodgers forced Folty to throw 90 pitches through the first four innings.
The Braves kept Foltynewicz in to start the fifth, and the Dodgers took advantage. Turner drew a one-out walk and Bellinger singled to move him to second. After a flyout, Beaty came up and delivered an RBI single to tie the game. That single ended Folty’s night, and Sean Newcomb came in to end the inning with an Edwin Rios fly out.
Ryu cruised until the sixth inning, where Donaldson destroyed a high fastball to give the Braves the lead again.
Ryu followed that up by allowing a homer to the very next batter, Adam Duvall. He got a groundout for the second out of the sixth, but was pulled after 5 2/3 innings. It matched the second-shortest non-injury-related start of the season for him, and the four earned runs are the second time he’s allowed more than two in a game this season.
The Dodgers got one back to start the seventh, as Muncy led off with an opposite field homer to cut the deficit to one.
Joe Kelly finished off the sixth inning and remained in for the seventh. He allowed a double, but kept the deficit at one thanks to a nice catch by Bellinger in center.
The Dodger bullpen remained sharp, as Adam Kolarek and Pedro Baez combined to throw a perfect eighth.
However, Shane Greene struck out the side in the eighth and Mark Melancon worked around a two-out single to close out the game and give the Braves the one-run victory.
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The Dodgers fall to 82-43 on the season, which is still p decent. This is the first time in five games this season that the Braves have defeated the Dodgers, and the rubber match takes place tomorrow. Tony Gonsolin will start for the Dodgers against Max Fried, with first pitch scheduled for 10:20 PST/1:20 EST.
