Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The juggernaut Dodgers (80-34) were back to do what they do best on Monday evening in Milwaukee. Freddie Freeman and Gavin Lux homered to back Julio Urías’ five scoreless frames to shut out the Brewers (61-53) 4-0 in the series opener. The Dodgers became the first MLB team to 80 wins. We are only in mid-August, folks.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 5:10 PM | Milwaukee | ||
| RF | Betts | LF | Yelich (L) |
| SS | T. Turner | SS | Adames |
| 1B | Freeman (L) | 1B | Tellez (L) |
| C | Smith | RF | McCutchen |
| 3B | Muncy (L) | DH | Renfroe |
| DH | J. Turner | 2B | Wong (L) |
| 2B | Lux (L) | 3B | Urías |
| LF | Gallo (L) | C | Caratini (S) |
| CF | Taylor | CF | Davis |
| P | Pepiot (R) | P | Woodruff (R) |
The Boys in Blue picked up their caps and shook them off after their 12-game winning streak ended with a 4-0 loss to the Royals on Sunday in Kansas City. The Dodgers got back on track with a series opener victory at American Family Field on Monday. It was a much-needed win after devastating news hit the Dodgers’ starting squad. Earlier, the Dodgers announced right-hander Walker Buehler will undergo season-ending elbow surgery.
Ryan Pepiot (1-0, 3.92 ERA, 10 K/9) gets his sixth start for the Dodgers since being called up to fill in Clayton Kershaw’s spot in the starting rotation. Last time out against the Twins, at Dodger Stadium, the right-hander allowed four runs on five hits including two home runs and three walks in 4 ⅓ innings for a no decision. MLB batters are hitting .111 against Pepiot’s changeup which he’s thrown 28.1% of the time in 20.2 IP.
Pepiot is already on my good side after he struck out Carlos Correa.
Brandon Woodruff (9-3, 3.52 ERA, 10.7 K/9) gets the ball in Game 2 for the Brew Crew. The big right-hander has been very effective at home this season. He’s 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA and a 0.768 WHIP in 41 ⅔ innings pitched at home. On the road, Woodruff’s WHIP balloons to 1.450 in just over 50 innings. Mookie Betts and Freeman have both hit home runs off Woodruff.
Pepiot has a plus changeup, but Woodruff has a nasty curve.
Joey Gallo gets a start in left field against Woodruff tonight. Cody Bellinger sits this one out. Gallo is OPSing .995 with three extra-base hits including two homers in his 22 plate appearances since joining the Dodgers. He’s also struck out 10 times. Maybe the Dodgers have semi-fixed him? Speaking of needing fixing … Bellinger has two hits in his last 19 at-bats (.105 BA).
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The Dodgers are on pace for nearly 114 wins. Late heroics and epic comebacks have become nightly stories. This is fun.
First pitch from American Family Field is at 5:10 p.m. PT on Sportsnet LA.
