Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Compared to honoring Fernando Valenzuela prior to the game and retiring the #34, a mid-August game against the Rockies is basically meaningless.
Great ceremony by the team and about time.
But hey, anyway, they did play so I’m recapping it. Things were somewhat close until the four-run inning for the Dodgers in the 6th, which led to them cruising the rest of the way in a 6-1 win over the Rockies.
The Dodgers have now won six in a row and 10 of their last 11. A win tomorrow would make it four series in a row.
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Another lefty in Austin Gomber started today, giving the Dodgers a chance to deploy their new platoon. While he faced the minimum in the 1st after a Mookie Betts infield single was erased by a double play, the 2nd started with back-to-back singles from Amed Rosario and Enrique Hernandez to corner things up with nobody out. Unfortunately, James Outman flied to one of best outfield arms in Brenton Doyle, leading to an impressive double play that ended with an Elias Diaz tag at home for a double play. That basically ended that threat.
96.6 mph right on ? pic.twitter.com/PZR80y8Cng
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 12, 2023
Fortunately, that didn’t stop the Dodgers, as singles from David Peralta and Miguel Rojas started the 3rd, and Mookie walked to load the bases. Up against Freddie, Gomber got ahead 0-2, but then Freddie reached out an poked a single to center to make it 1-0.
Wait, only one run scored, lol. Damn, they are scared of him now.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
Unfortunately they did then waste that chance with a strikeout, pop out, and fly out to end the inning with just the single run.
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As all this was going on, Lance Lynn was back on the mound and continuing to do work. In the first three innings, he gave up just a two-out double in the 2nd and nothing else.
The 4th started out rough, as a single and walk put a pair on, and then a Brendan Rodgers dribbler to third led to an infield single. Worse yet, Enrique didn’t eat it and tried to make a play, leading to him throwing it past Freddie and scoring a run plus moving both runners into scoring position.
Not to worry, though, Lynn had his back. He notched back-to-back strikeouts on a curve he’s been throwing more with the Dodgers, and then got a harmless fly out to escape without anymore damage than a 1-1 tie on an unearned run.
Curve getting more chases. pic.twitter.com/alHiefAz4l
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
In their half of the 4th, the Dodgers started with another lead-off single, but three straight outs meant that went for naught as well. Thankfully, the 5th was different … barely.
Mookie led the inning off with a double, a deep fly ball from Freddie Freeman advanced him to third, Will Smith got hit by a pitch, and Rosario hit a hot shot to third that he barely beat out at first to prevent a double play and score Mookie. 2-1.
That meant Lynn exited the game with a lead, as after a lead-off single in the 5th, he then struck out the next three to punctuate his dominant outing.
Lance Lynn, FU Fastball. ?
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 12, 2023
9th K pic.twitter.com/tZe4NNRPdo
5 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 9 K, 94 Pitches
Lance Lynn strikes out 9 over 5 (should've been shutout) frames. pic.twitter.com/PlE2tfDbi7
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
Old friend Justin Bruihl entered in the 6th and he unfortunately had a rough go of things (though partially due to Laz Diaz, who needs to retire). After getting the first out, he walked Outman and gave up a single to Chris Taylor, and then after not getting a 2-2 strike called a strike, Peralta doubled to right to score a run and make it 3-1.
David Peralta followed that Laz Diaz special with a double to add a run to the lead. pic.twitter.com/YD6B05zuBC
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
Bruihl then hit Rojas to load the bases and that was the end of his night.
Well, that didn’t end the scoring, as Mookie then got hit to force a run in, and Freddie hit a ball to the track in left that Jurickson Profar embarrassingly whiffed on to score a run (ruled a sac fly).
I don't know how, but it's remarkable. pic.twitter.com/o4HZz7t7LJ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
Will then followed with a sac fly of his own to make it 6-1 before the chaos inning ended.
After a two-out walk and single cornered the runners, the Dodgers weren’t able to tack on in the 7th, and they didn’t add on for the rest of the game either.
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For the Dodgers pen, Caleb Ferguson started things in the 6th, continuing to bounce back nicely from his games in the Padres series. He notched a 13-pitch 1-2-3 frame that included a strikeout. Alex Vesia got the 7th and was also impressive, getting a nine-pitch clean frame that also included a strikeout.
The 8th was given to Yency Almonte, and against his old team he saw a runner reach on an error that was later cut down trying to steal by Will, and then notched a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. He then continued on in the 9th, mainly trying to save their leverage pen arms, and he got two outs but then gave up an infield single.
Unfortunately, he then threw four pitches to the next batter and had to exit with some kind of injury. Ryan Brasier was then forced to get the final out, and after he issued a walk for Yency, he then got the final out.
Hope Yency isn’t too bad.
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Oh, Amed.
Amed Rosario calling for it and flopping all around for some reason. pic.twitter.com/n1vzuXRCi8
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 12, 2023
LMAO
— Adam (@adholland14) August 12, 2023
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 69-46 |
| Giants | 62-54 (7.5 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The Dodgers will go for the series win an hour earlier than usual tomorrow at 3:10 PM HT/6:10 PM PT/9:10 PM ET with Tony Gonsolin facing Peter Lambert.
