Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers have taken the first series of the 2022 season against the rival Giants, winning 9-1 tonight and completing the mini-sweep to make it three straight wins.
Tony Gonsolin prevented damage early and the Dodgers eventually took a slim lead before blowing it open late.
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Gonsolin hasn’t given the Dodgers the most length this year, but when he has been in the game he has limited damage, and that continued tonight.
After a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st, Brandon Crawford ambushed the first pitch of the inning in the 2nd for a homer and putting the Dodgers down 1-0.
That was all Gonsolin surrendered, though. After the 1st, he gave up exactly one baserunner in each inning but nothing else, making it through five frames in the end.
5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 65 Pitches
Old friend Alex Wood was on the other side of things, and apparently he sits 93-94 mph now. Farhan Zaidi‘s fault.
Anyway, he ended up facing the minimum through the first three innings, having a walk erased by a double play. The no-hitter was broken up immediately in the 4th, as Mookie Betts dribbled a grounder through the infield for a single, Freddie Freeman walked, and then Trea Turner and Will Smith drove home a run each with a single for a 2-1 lead.
The rally stalled there with a Max Muncy strikeout and Justin Turner double play, both of whom are struggling mightily. Wood then bounced back in the 6th by striking out the side, but in the 7th it was the Dodgers turn to ambush a pitcher as Mookie jumped all over the first pitch for a solo shot for insurance at 3-1.
Poor Giants fan. More on that later.
The Dodgers seem to absolutely not want Gonsolin to face hitters a third time through the order, so it was Evan Phillips in the 6th, who gave up an infield single to start and struggled to land his vaunted slider but didn’t face any real trouble. The 7th continued the trend of getting on for the Giants, with Tommy Kahnle giving up an infield single on a bunt, but settling and facing the minimum after a two grounders, one of which was a double play.
For the Giants pen, Mauricio Llovera got the last two outs of the 6th but then started the 7th by giving up a Muncy single. After an out, Sam Long entered for a lefty-lefty matchup against Cody Bellinger, but that backfired as he roped a double into the gap. After going 3-0 on Chris Taylor, the Giants decided to intentionally walk him to load the bases, and Gavin Lux chopped an awkward single to first for a 4-1 lead.
A Mookie sacrifice fly to right plated another run, and then Freddie truly blew the game open with a ripped triple down the line in right for a 7-1 lead.
Tyler Beede finished off the 7th but then continued in the 8th and walked Will, then gave up a oppo two-run dinger to Max, who is hopefully breaking out of his slump now to make it 9-1.
With all the breathing room, it was Phil Bickford in the 8th and he too ended up allowing the lead-off man to reach on a walk but faced the minimum thanks to a double play. Reyes Moronta then finished the game off in the 9th, giving up a single but getting through the inning without damage.
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On Mookie’s homer, this Giants fan was the MVP and the reactions were amazing.
Max was just grateful for anything at this point.
New Clayton Kershaw meme just dropped.
Hanser Alberto is a national treasure.
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The Dodgers are now 16-7 on the year and have won three in a row, they have a 1-game lead in the NL West.
After another day off tomorrow to travel to Chicago, the Dodgers will face the Cubs at 8:20 AM HT/11:20 AM PT/2:20 PM ET with Tyler Anderson against … well I’m not sure yet.
