Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Dodgers lost 8-7 in Game 4 of the World Series. Julio Urias was pretty good, except for two mistake pitches. Corey Seager and Justin Turner each had four hits and both homered.
The bullpen was not good. You can read about most of it below, because from the sixth through the eighth, you’re getting what I had already written. Sorry if it’s a bit unbalanced in terms of content.
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK
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In the bottom of the sixth inning, after Treinen got a ground out on one pitch in the fifth, hung a slider to Arozarena who promptly hit it into center field for a single. Ji-Man Choi followed with a walk. After Austin Meadows struck out on a very hittable slider, Treinen was lifted for Pedro Baez.
I wasn’t opposed to it. Baez has been very good in the playoffs and is hell on lefties — specifically because of a plus-changeup. After getting ahead 1-2 on three straight changeups, Baez doubled up on fastballs and, well…
Yep. It wasn’t the worst pitch he’s ever thrown, but both of Lowe’s Game 2 homers went to the opposite field and he struggles mightily against changeups. It’s anyone’s guess as to why Baez went away from his best pitch.
In the top of the seventh, Seager led off with a single and Turner followed with a double. With second and third and no outs, Aaron Loup struck out Muncy on three pitches. Nick Anderson relieved Loup and and struck out Smith on three pitches. Kevin Cash then intentionally walked Cody Bellinger to bring up Pollock. Instead, he was pinch-hit for by Joc Pederson, and Joc did this.
However, the lead was short-lived. After striking out Mike Zunino to start the bottom of the seventh, Baez did another bad.
Baez threw a flat changeup, and it tied the game at 6. Instead of coming out of the game, Dave Roberts left Baez in. He walked Yandy Diaz and was, inexplicably, allowed to face Arozarena. Somehow, some way, Baez got Arozarena to ground into an inning-ending double play. The result was, obviously, great, but the decision to leave Baez in was not.
The top of the eighth started with a Taylor near-home run off Anderson. It went for a double. After Hernandez was, inexplicably, asked to bunt, he bunt popped out to the third baseman. Betts followed with a ground out to shortstop. With two outs and first base open, Cash opted to pitch to Seager with Anderson rather than walking Seager to get to Turner.
Seager’s fourth hit of the night gave the Dodgers a 7-6 lead. Turner followed with a single before Muncy grounded out to end the frame.
Adam Kolarek — yes, he still exists — was called on to face three consecutive lefties in the bottom-half. After a shaky-looking 4-pitch walk to Choi, he got Meadows to fly out and struck out Lowe on three pitches. Roberts called on Brusdar Graterol to pitch to Willy Adames.
After a bloop single to left, Graterol was able to get Renfroe to fly out to right field despite a missed strike call on the first pitch of the at-bat. Yeah, he crossed up Smith, but that shouldn’t matter on a center-cut pitch. I’m just glad nothing bad happened in that inning after the missed call.
In the bottom of the ninth, well, Kenley Jansen fucking blew it.
Yep. That’s how this game ended.
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Instead of a commanding 3-1 lead, the Dodgers and Rays are now tied at 2. Clayton Kershaw gets the start on Sunday. He’ll be opposed by Tyler Glasnow.
I want to fucking die.
