Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After having their four-game winning streak snapped and getting a day off, the Dodgers are looking to start another one and began their series at the dreaded Coors Field against the Rockies with a comfortable 5-0 victory.
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The Rockies started Connor Seabold, who I had honestly never heard of before, which usually somehow results in a shutout.
Thankfully though, after a quiet 1st, the 2nd started with a Max Muncy walk, had a David Peralta double, and Jason Heyward got hit to load the bases. James Outman battled back from a 1-2 count to single for the first run of the game, and Miguel Rojas managed to scratch another across with a sacrifice fly.
James Outman singles with the bases loaded for the game's first run. Great at-bat to work his way back from 1-2. pic.twitter.com/ti67w6XTUE
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 28, 2023
In the 3rd it was a Freddie Freeman single that started things off, but after two outs it looked like he might be stranded, before J.D. Martinez came up with his 17th homer for a 4-0 lead.
#300 for Just Dingers. pic.twitter.com/WIidrzOTQA
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 28, 2023
After stranding a lead-off double in the 4th, Seabold got his first clean inning in the 5th, but that was the end of his night.
That brought in Brad Hand for the 6th, whose first pitch was deposited into the left-field seats by J.D. for his 300th homer of his career and 18th homer of the year for a 5-0 lead.
Just Dingers in the house of Dinger. pic.twitter.com/A6am3wDStt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 28, 2023
The Dodgers didn’t add on in the final three innings, only threatening in the 9th with a two-out double.
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As the title mentioned, Clayton Kershaw was absolutely cruising. He got the first 12 batters he faced before issuing a walk in the 5th, but that was erased by a double play. The first hit he surrendered came with two outs in the 6th, but even that was erased on a pick-off. Thus, he faced the minimum batters needed in his start.
Surprisingly, Kershaw was the one that told Dave Roberts he was done, and you hope it’s just the altitude/fatigue.
Cameras showed Kershaw asking out of the game after the end of the 6th, which is hopefully just fatigue.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 28, 2023
6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 79 Pitches
6 up, 6 down for Clayton Kershaw in Colorado pic.twitter.com/RYQVs5H8CV
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) June 28, 2023
More from Dave Roberts on Clayton Kershaw: "He's going to be on an extra day the next turn, so it's more just seeing how he comes out of it. There's times when he bounces back really well, and there's other times when he doesn't."
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) June 28, 2023
As a result, Brusdar Graterol came out for the 7th, and he gave up an infield “single” that Muncy didn’t play well, and then a clean single up the middle for the Rockies’ first RISP of the game. However, he also got out of any trouble by inducing an inning-ending double play.
The 8th belonged to new pen sensation Ryan Brasier, who breezed through a seven-pitch frame. That left Phil Bickford to close the game out in the 9th, and things were not as easy for him. While he got a pair of strikeouts, he also walked the bases loaded. Three fucking walks when all they wanted was to not use Evan Phillips.
With the save situation in play, Roberts turned to Phillips, and he made things exciting by getting an out on a fly ball hit to the warning track.
Alrighty.
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Bobby Miller, promo model.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 47-32* |
| Giants | 45-34 (2 GB) |
| Dodgers | 44-34 (2.5 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at the same time of 2:40 PM HT/5:40 PM PT/8:40 PM ET, and it’ll be another pen game from the Dodgers against Kyle Freeland (4.54 ERA/5.12 xERA/5.65 DRA).
