Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers have started their road trip with back-to-back victories after securing an 8-4 win tonight over the Reds. They have suddenly won three of their last four and their offense is certainly looking more like it should after they piled up 16 baserunners (and actually drove them in).
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In his first start after his no-hitter attempt, Tyler Anderson certainly didn’t look sharp, but he at least managed to keep things together for the most part.
After a clean 1st, and 2nd proved to be a mess. Anderson surrendered back-to-back doubles with one out for a run, walked a batter, and later with two outs he gave up an infield single that scored another run after Trea Turner threw into the dugout after a great diving stop. A wild pitch plated the third run for a 3-0 deficit early.
On the other side was Reds ace and potential future Dodger in Luis Castillo. He showcased why he’s desired in the 1st with a clean frame with two dominant punch-outs against the elite top of the order. However, Castillo started to show some cracks in the 2nd with a single and a walk, even though it amounted to nothing.
Things started to unravel in the 3rd, as Trea drew a walk, Freddie Freeman got hit, and Will Smith singled sharply through the left side to plate a run.
While the Dodgers didn’t take further advantage of traffic following that, after a clean 4th, they did take advantage in the 5th.
Gavin Lux led off the inning with a double, advanced on a ground out, and then scored on a Freeman single. Smith then followed with a single of his own, and Castillo seemed to unravel, walking Max Muncy to load the bases, hitting Chris Taylor with a pitch for force a run in, and then giving up a sacrifice fly to Justin Turner to give the Dodgers the lead at 4-3.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, after his rocky start, Anderson settled in by retiring seven in a row going into the 5th. But the lead he was given lasted all of four pitches, as Albert Almora unloaded on a ball to make it 4-4. After an out, Anderson hit a batter and gave up a double to put himself in trouble. Up came The World’s Worst Fantasy Sports Player Tommy Pham, who flew out to Taylor in left and helped him make a highlight reel throw for a double play to preserve the tie.
The Reds pen started out well with a 1-2-3 frame in the 6th, but Freeman led off the 7th with his seventh homer of the year for a 5-4 lead. Absolutely smoked this ball into the stands.
But it was the 8th that really allowed the Dodgers to cruise in to victory. Back-to-back walks started the rally, and Trayce Thompson came through somehow hitting a slider off the plate solidly into the oppo gap for a two-run double. Eventually, Trayce also scored on a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 8-4.
On the other side, the Dodgers pen was excellent to shut down the Reds. Alex Vesia, Yency Almonte, Daniel Hudson, and Craig Kimbrel all got scoreless frames to close the door. The only baserunners allowed was a single by Vesia and a double by Kimbrel.
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The Dodgers improve to 42-25 on the year and remain tied with the Padres in the NL West.
They will go for the sweep way too early tomorrow at 6:35 AM HT/9:35 AM PT/12:35 PM ET with Clayton Kershaw against Hunter Greene. Should be a good one.
