Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After blowing the game last night (alongside getting screwed by the umpires), the Dodgers fell behind early today. However, they fought back against the Pirates with back-to-back frames with crooked numbers, and the pen hung on this time to win it 6-4.
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After allowing no more than one run in his first four starts, Bobby Miller has had a rough stretch of 16 runs in his last three outings. Tonight he wasn’t able to stop the bleeding on that front, but he was able to stop the bleeding in the game, which helped the Dodgers out.
In the 1st, Miller struck out three batters, but unfortunately he also gave up a solo shot to Bryan Reynolds to make it 1-0 for the Pirates.
We still putting highlights on here? pic.twitter.com/x9IPbAzMbG
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 6, 2023
He seemingly settled down after that allowing just a single in the 2nd and getting a clean 3rd on just 10 pitches. However, the 4th was a disaster, as it started with a double, single, and then Jack Suwinski skied a three-run homer on a hanging breaking ball to make it 4-0.
JACK SUWINSKI ENJOYS DESTROYING BASEBALLS pic.twitter.com/PSpl9P98ao
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 6, 2023
So things looked bad at that point, but he did follow by retiring eight batters in a row before issuing a walk with two outs in the 6th and being removed.
Not better on paper, but he looked sharper to me, just mistakes got hit: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 101 Pitches.
Actually thought Miller looked a lot better today than his last start despite giving up a run more. Mistakes get hit more often sometimes. 7 K. pic.twitter.com/AqKwxiAEDW
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
Anyway, Phil Bickford relieved him and gave up an infield single before closing the 6th. On the upside, Miller did actually leave with the lead.
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The Dodgers offense faced off against Pirates rookie Osvaldo Bido, who worked around trouble in the 1st (double) and 2nd (two walks), but got a clean 3rd.
Like Miller though, he ran into serious trouble in the 4th, walking Max Muncy and J.D. Martinez to start, then hitting David Peralta to load the bases. But he actually did well to only give up a Jason Heyward sacrifice fly and Miguel Rojas single to drive in a pair and make it 4-2.
Miguel Rojas cuts the deficit to two with a single. pic.twitter.com/7RVmSAK2sA
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
That was the end of the road for Bido, but Roansy Contreras was not able to avoid the big blow, as Will Smith and Muncy walked, then Martinez destroyed an 0-2 breaker for a three-run shot to give the Dodgers a lead. His 20th of the year was then followed by Peralta’s 6th of the year to make it 6-4 for the Dodgers all of a sudden.
David Peralta sneaks one inside the fair pole to make it back-to-back dongs. pic.twitter.com/t9zZdx96Hd
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
The Pirates pen did a great job from there, however. In the final three frames, they just allowed two hit batters as they kept the Dodgers at six runs.
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Of course, the Dodgers looked like they were going to give the lead back again soon after they got it, as Bickford continued in the 7th and promptly gave up a single and two walks to load the bases before leaving the game like a child who had scribbled in permanent marker all over the walls.
Ryan Brasier then was tasked with being the adult to clean it up, and unlike in real life, he was able to do so here with two soft infield lineouts and an infield pop-up to keep the scoreline at 6-4.
Ryan Brasier completes the escape. pic.twitter.com/uzcQqNHFOo
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
Phil Bickford reacting to Ryan Brasier getting him out of a no-out, bases loaded jam. pic.twitter.com/qiLcPdEeDL
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
— Bryan Kephart (@thundercrat) July 6, 2023
The 8th was then given to Caleb Ferguson, who allowed a single but also struck out three batters for a scoreless frame.
With Evan Phillips now down for sure after going for three games in a row, it was Daniel Hudson in the 9th. Things didn’t start well with a lead-off double and then a walk, then Reynolds seemed to hit a go-ahead homer that went just foul. And I mean just foul.
Yeesh. pic.twitter.com/bLKRhSOzjT
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
He then walked to load the bases, but Hudson rebounded with a strikeout and getting a shallow fly out to left. In a dramatic battle that was run to 3-2 against Suwinski, who had already homered earlier, Hudson got him on a slider down-and-in to end the game.
Daniel Hudson bails himself out of a no-out, bases loaded jam. pic.twitter.com/c4PbTYL12z
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
Daniel Hudson auditions for Godzilla. pic.twitter.com/sea8MKOyXx
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 6, 2023
Never a doubt.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 50-37 |
| Dodgers | 48-38 (1.5 GB) |
| Giants | 47-40 (3 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The Dodgers will look to win the series finale tomorrow at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET, with Julio Urias (4.94 ERA/4.39 xERA/5.18 DRA) seeking to find any semblance of the form he had last year against Johan Oviedo (4.61/4.48/5.08).
