Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Their fortunes in one-run games evening out a bit, the Dodgers now have a five-game winning streak after a 2-1 victory over the rival Giants. An early two-run homer by Chris Taylor held up thanks to a gritty performance by Trevor Bauer and the pen.
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Old friend Alex Wood started for the Giants, and after retiring seven of the eight batters he faced to start the game, Mookie Betts smacked a double in the 3rd and was followed by CT3 absolutely smoking a ball to center for a two-run shot and a 2-0 lead. It was his 6th homer of the year.
In both the 4th and the 5th, the Dodgers had two singles in the inning that led to scoring chances, but were unable to capitalize on either. In the 6th, a double got them another scoring chance, and after an intentional walk to get Bauer to the plate, he seemed to have a hit to right but was thrown out to end the threat. They were 1-for-6 with RISP against Wood in the game.
Thankfully, hitting isn’t his main job anyway and Bauer was dominant tonight, basically only getting into trouble due to bloop hits, walks, or his own error. After basically cruising through the first three frames, in the 4th he allowed a bloop double against the shift and then a walk, but escaped any damage.
The 6th was more adventurous, as he issued two walks in the inning, and then seemed to escape trouble with a comebacker off his glove, but he threw it away to allow a run to score. He got out of it after that but the lead was down to 2-1.
Despite the 113 pitches, with the pen day yesterday and their best arms likely unavailable, Dave Roberts let Bauer continue in the 7th. He issued a walk to start and then bounced back with a strikeout before exiting, ending with an impressive line: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 BB, 11 K, 126 Pitches.
The two hits he gave up had xBA below .050.
Letting Bauer try the 7th was a debatable decision given he already seemed to be struggling with his release point in the 6th, but also the reliever they had come in was recently picked up Nate Jones from the Braves, so I guess that kinda explains the risk.
To his credit, Jones got a strikeout and then a ground out to end the inning, then continued in the 8th with a ground out, strikeout, and a pop out to shut things down in his debut.
Zack Littell, Caleb Baragar, Jarlin Garcia shut the Dodgers down over the final three frames, with the bats only managing singles in the 8th and 9th.
Blake Treinen entered for the save with Kenley Jansen throwing in three of the last four days. Treinen carved the Giants up with a ground out, pop out, and comebacker on just eight pitches.
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Gavin Lux continued his hot hitting with a 2-for-4 night with a double, though it was unfortunately in front of an imponent bottom of the order.
Betts continues to look a bit off with two strikeouts, but did go 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
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The Dodgers improve to 27-18 with the victory.
The series will continue tomorrow at 1:15 PM HST/4:15 PM PST/7:15 PM EST with Walker Buehler (2.98 ERA/3.53 FIP/3.62 DRA) facing … well, they haven’t announced yet.
