Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After exchanging wins and losses in the first five games of the season, the Dodgers have broken the trend by stringing together two in a row against the Rockies, giving them a mini-sweep after a 5-2 victory.
Julio Urias starred with an impressive six shutout frames, and three homers provided plenty of offense to back him.
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After being overshadowed on Opening Day by the offense, Urias is going to get his shine after tonight. He was impressive in both working out of trouble that his defense got him into and dominating for a long stretch to close his start out, including using his new cutter that Daniel wrote about earlier today to great effect.
In terms of trouble, he worked around allowing one-out doubles in both the 1st and 2nd innings, though the one in the 1st was a ball Max Muncy should’ve at least been able to knock down. The 3rd was much more problematic, as back-to-back singles started the frame, and Muncy’s indecision on a bunt in his direction resulted in another single to load the bases. However, Urias was able to rebound from this, notching a strikeout on a 3-2 count of Kris Bryant that left him looking and then inducing C.J. Cron into a double play to escape with no damage.
Julio Urias Bases Loaded Double Play pic.twitter.com/PMGnd5ToHC
— Mad Choriyama (@MadChoriyama) April 5, 2023
That escape act started the dominant phase of his start, where he set down 11 batters in a row, including an odd strikeout of Elehuris Montero due to his calling time twice.
Hey, new rules, new quirks.
6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 87 Pitches
On the other side, the lineup didn’t exactly light it up against German Marquez, but they did damage when they got hits.
Things got off to a quick start after Mookie Betts led the game off with a single, and a bit later Will Smith crushed a two-run shot to make it a homer in three straight games.
After a quiet 2nd, the Dodgers got lead-off homers in both the 3rd and 4th innings for two more runs to make it 4-0.
First it was Jason Heyward, who certainly looks like a new man…
…and then it was Muncy getting on the dinger board with his first of the year.
The Dodgers only tacked on a single run after that, however. They weren’t able to capitalize on two walks in the 6th, but falling short of a crooked number in the 8th was on the umpires. After Mookie doubled to start the frame, Freddie Freeman drew a walk, and Will followed by slicing a double into the gap to make it 5-0.
But after that, Muncy and Trayce Thompson were both robbed of walks in at-bats that would see them strikeout and strand runners. Just a brutal showing that could’ve easily made it a blowout.
Thankfully it didn’t end up mattering.
Taking over for Urias was Caleb Ferguson in the 7th. He was greeted by yet another Muncy misplay on a backhand for an error, but he rolled a double play to erase it. After a walk, there was a nightmare scenario on an Alan Trejo pop behind second, where Mookie and Heyward collided. Luckily, neither seemed worse for wear, but it’s an example of the risk of playing Mookie there.
Brusdar Graterol was given the 8th, and he made up for his disastrous season debut, notching a 1-2-3 frame on just six pitches.
To close things out was Phil Bickford in the 9th, which didn’t seem like an issue with a five-run lead. However, he allowed a lead-off double and then another double that Heyward probably feels he should’ve caught to plate a run and make it 4-1. After a walk made it a save situation, he was replaced by Evan Phillips.
The drama was ratcheted up after Phillips’ first pitch hit Elias Diaz to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. He gave up a sacrifice fly after a 3-2 count to cut the lead to 5-2, but got a groundout to end the game.
More exciting than it needed to be.
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After getting a mini-sweep, the Dodgers improve to 4-2 on the year and now lead the NL West after the homestand.
Following a day off, the Dodgers will travel to Arizona for another four-game set against the Diamondbacks, starting at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Dustin May facing Merrill Kelly.
