Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Dodgers clawed their way back into the game against the Phillies, but got walked off for the third game in a row in a 5-4 loss.
They’re now 1-5 in their last six.
Not great!
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The Dodgers offense struck first in the 1st against Ranger Suarez, thanks to a one-out double by Freddie Freeman and a two-out double by J.D. Martinez to plate a run. So that was good.
J.D. Martinez starts the scoring with a double. Incredible range here. pic.twitter.com/pZ0OAtu1ia
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 9, 2023
Partially a sign of the times regarding the rotation and partially because the Phillies are lefty-heavy, Victor Gonzalez started today’s game as the opener. He faced three lefties to start the game, issuing a lead-off walk but rebounding with a pair of groundouts.
That was the end of his night, as he handed things over to bulk guy Michael Grove. He promptly allowed a single to center to put a pair on, but escaped the 1st without any runs crossing. After allowing just a two-out single in the 2nd, the 3rd started with a triple from Kyle Schwarber of all people as Jonny DeLuca in center played the carom awkwardly. Eventually, Bryce Harper tied the game after a battle by tugging a single to right.
Grove rebounded for a 1-2-3 frame in the 4th, but things went terribly in the 5th. A single, walk, and double by Nick Castellanos kicked the inning off and granted the Phillies a 2-1 lead. A wild pitch plated another run, and after an out, a Trea Turner single extended that to 4-1. Grove’s night was then finished after he got the second out of the inning.
Alex Vesia entered for him and got the final out of the 5th, then came back in the 6th and struck out the side. Long way to go, but promising sign for him.
That was unfortunately about all that was going on for a while, as the Dodgers managed just a single in the 2nd, a single and walk in the 3rd, and a walk and wild pitch in the 4th against Suarez.
He eventually got through six innings with only the one run allowed, and with the most notable Dodgers offensive highlight being DeLuca’s first MLB hit.
Jonny DeLuca's first MLB hit is a clean single to center. pic.twitter.com/0m8e46zb1m
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 9, 2023
That changed when Matt Strahm entered out of the pen in the 7th. He handed a walk to Miguel Vargas, but seemed to rebound with back-to-back strikeouts. However, he then gave up an absolute moonshot into the wind by Mookie Betts, his 17th of the year, to cut the lead to 4-3. That lead then evaporated when Freddie Freeman made it back-to-back shots with his 12th dong of the year.
We had a game again.
Freddie cuts through the wind to make it back-to-back and tie the game. pic.twitter.com/uZaNVYPkhW
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 10, 2023
Jose Alvarado came back off the IL just for the Dodgers it seemed, and his night started in the 8th with a Martinez double off the top of the wall. It looked like Max Muncy tied the game in the next at-bat with a clean single, but he was robbed by a diving Bryson Stott. After a strikeout, he issued a walk and wild pitch to corner the runners, but escaped with another strikeout to end the threat.
The bats went down quietly in the 9th and that was it for them.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers pen was still in on the other side, which has usually made things interesting. Thankfully, Shelby Miller was around to play hero, as started the 7th and took any interest away by setting down the side in order. Surprisingly, he also came back out for the 8th, and despite hitting a batter and allowing a steal, he ended up striking out the side to keep things knotted up.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last, as Caleb Ferguson retired the first two batters in the 9th before giving up a no-doubt homer to Schwarber.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 38-25 |
| Dodgers | 36-28 (2.5 GB) |
| Giants | 32-30 (5.5 GB)* |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The two teams will do it again a few hours earlier tomorrow at 10:05 AM HT/1:05 PM PT/4:05 PM ET, with Bobby Miller (1.06 ERA/2.10 xERA/3.96 DRA) looking to continue his impressive debut year against Aaron Nola (4.30/3.67/4.43).
