Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Inexplicably, Dave Robots elected to send Caleb “Turd” Ferguson out for another inning in a tie game, and you won’t be surprised with the outcome.
There’s a precedent here, one we are all familiar with. I won’t say a May loss in a simulation is the same as Joe Kelly returning for the 10th inning of the 3-3 tie in Game 5 of the NLDS, but it isn’t not similar.
Anyway, the Los Angeles Dodgers (29-22) lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Indians (27-27) thanks to the 1-2 punch of Turd and Kenley Jansen, who is probably getting let off the hook since I enjoy bitching about Ferguson.
Sending Ferguson to the mound in the eighth while trailing 2-1, Robots appeared to be punting on a comeback. However, a scoreless inning by Ferguson and Corey Seager’s continued dominance tied the game at 2-2 to set up the conundrum.
Seager, the NL Player Of The Week, tied up the game with a single off of Phil Maton after Carlos Carrasco held the Dodgers to just one run in his 6 2/3 IP. Ferguson survived his first inning on the mound, but a single for Oscar Mercado with one away in the ninth forced Robots to turn to Jansen.
Quickly things turned from bad to worse, with Jose Ramirez connecting on single and Francisco Lindor doubling home both men for the 4-2 lead. Jansen closed out the inning from there, but the Dodgers could only muster a single against Brad Hand as he wrapped up the Indians’ victory.
“We’re a talented bunch when we’re playing well,” Lindor said. “I think we showed that here.“
It does take some talent, but the four relievers the Dodgers used in the game all hold an ERA of 4.41 or higher after their outings today.
Julio Urias was wild again on Sunday, but allowed just one run on one hit and four walks during his 5 1/3 IP. Striking out seven, Urias was primarily let down by his offense. The Dodgers wouldn’t score until Urias left the game, with Justin Turner driving home Tyler White in the sixth off of Carrasco.
Blake Treinen started the bullpen struggles in the seventh, with Mercado’s two-out triple pushing Cleveland back out in front before Seager’s single brought home Code Bellinger after his one-out double.
Not much else of note happened in the game, though Urias hit a two-out double in the third, but the top of the order couldn’t bring him home.
Winners of 4 of their past 6 at home, the Dodgers head back out on the road to start a run of 14 straight games. Four in Colorado precede three in New York against the Mets. A trip back to Los Angeles splits the trip in two, but comes without an off day.
