Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After an explosive inning was decisive in the series opener, the Dodgers were missing that kind of frame today, as they tried to scratch their way back into it but came up short in a 7-3 loss. They were playing from behind all night against the Diamondbacks, and every time they would get close, the deficit would expand.
This was an omen.
Not even October yet, damn. https://t.co/f2Kw9xCLMB
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 22, 2024
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Gavin Stone‘s lack of strikeouts finally bit him today, as he ran into some unfortunate sequencing early. After an 11-pitch 1st, he started the second with a strikeout, but then gave up four consecutive singles to plate two runs before he was able to escape further disaster with a double play. Still, the D-backs had a 2-0 lead.
Opposing starter Brandon Pfaadt, on the other hand, looked dominant early. Through three innings he allowed just a walk, but he was victimized in the 4th by the Shohei Ohtani show, as he doubled, stole third, and reached home on a throwing error to make it 2-1.
Shohei Ohtani leads the inning off with an oppo double, steals third, and takes home on a throwing error. pic.twitter.com/CUH9Rzdoco
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 22, 2024
In what would become a theme, the D-backs got the run back immediately. After a clean 3rd and allowing just a walk in the 4th, the 5th saw a single and double lead to a run on a groundout to restore the two-run lead for the D-backs at 3-1.
They added in the 6th when Christian Walker homered to left to push it to 4-1.
Was bound to happen the way Stone was pitching: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 93 Pitches.
Surprisingly, the Dodgers fought back. After Pfaadt got a clean 5th, a Miguel Vargas double started the 6th, and he scored on a Ohtani single. Shohei later stole second and then scored on a Will Smith double to right-center field to make it a one-run game at 4-3 all of a sudden.
Shohei Ohtani singles for another run. pic.twitter.com/ec4xCXZPfM
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 22, 2024
Will "Fluid Dancing Hips" Smith doubles to right-center to cut the lead to one. pic.twitter.com/9ch4DrpL49
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 22, 2024
Unfortunately, Michael Grove‘s run of success came to an end in the 7th. A walk and a single were all cashed in at once by old friend Joc Pederson‘s missile that pushed the lead to 7-3 for the D-backs.
Another member of the DFA Boyz Yohan Ramirez got two scoreless to close the book on the D-backs at least.
Think I'm gonna call them DFA Boyz™ instead just for a bit of flair.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 22, 2024
Unfortunately, the offense remained impotent, stranding a Gavin Lux lead-off triple in the 7th, then doing nothing in the 8th and 9th.
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33-18, and once again not another team in the NL West is even .500.
The series finale will also be at the same time, same place, and with the same teams starting at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET. It’ll be Tyler Glasnow, looking to bounce back after an uncharacteristically uneven outing, facing off against Ryne Nelson.
