Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Following their winning streak being halted in the series finale by the Marlins, the Dodgers bounced back in a close 3-1 win over the Diamondbacks. They rode Walker Buehler‘s seven shutout innings and some timely hitting.
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It is with a heavy heart that I bring you the news that Madison Bumgarner has apparently found a second wind. Despite looking like he was gonna decline into permanent dogshit, he has rebounded over the last month or so just in time to face the Dodgers.
Thankfully, Will Smith got him with a solo shot in the 2nd to make it 1-0 early.
In the next inning, following back-to-back walks to Mookie Betts and Justin Turner with one out, Albert Pujols came up with a two-out single for his first hit and RBI as a Dodger to make it 2-0.
They could not get further damage against MadBum, but did manage to knock him out after just four innings having thrown 80 pitches in that span.
Caleb Smith took over and shut the Dodgers down in the 5th, but allowed a two-out rally in the 6th following a Sheldon Neuse walk and a Gavin Lux double. The D-backs opted to intentionally walk DJ Peters to face Buehler with the bases loaded, which Dave Roberts allowed in order to get an extra inning out of him. Buehler struck out and surprisingly I was alright with the move despite trading a scoring chance for a third time through the order inning usually not making sense.
Joe Mantiply took over in the 7th and also got a scoreless frame as the offense continued to generally struggle.
For the most part Buehler cruised on the other end, but he worked out of major trouble in the 4th after he lost his release point. Buehler walked the bases loaded and nothing was all that close, but a visit from Mark Prior led to him seemingly finding it thanks to slider use, and he escaped without any damage. In fact, he got the next 11 batters on just 24 pitches, showing dominance after the visit.
The four walks are more than he had the rest of the season combined, but the results were great thanks to allowing just a single hit: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K, 98 Pitches.
Victor Gonzalez relieved him in the 8th and struggled a bit, but also didn’t get much help from the defense. He allowed a one-out walk on a borderline call, then gave up a a single on a difficult play for Lux, and gave up another single on a play that Lux should’ve made to make it 2-1.
🩰✨ https://t.co/73AxLR3tw6 pic.twitter.com/XV6nOgtPYe
— danny ⚾️🏆 (@gatodejazz) May 18, 2021
After a force out on another grounder, Kenley Jansen entered to get the last four outs, and he was able to escape the 8th thanks to an infield dribbler that was converted.
Following some struggles, the Dodgers managed to get to the D-backs’ pen against Taylor Clarke. After a one-out Smith double, a grounder moved him up, and Lux drove him in for a 3-1 lead.
Kenley obviously continued in the 9th, and found himself in some trouble after a one-out walk and then a single against the shift, but rebounded with a double play to end it.
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Dodgers fans work fast.
Lux face.
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The Dodgers improve to 23-18 on the year. A 91-win pace.
The second game of a four game set against the D-backs will continue tomorrow at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Julio Urias will look to continue his great season so far against Merrill Kelly.
