Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Well, the battle for the NL West got started in what everybody hyped as a playoff type of series. The Dodgers certainly played like it was, stranding runners early, giving up a bunch of runs to the bottom of the other team’s order, and making a bunch of mistakes in a 4-2 loss to the Padres.
Dodgers play clean baseball in a game that matters challenge failed miserably.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
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Padres starter Michael King has been a familiar face for the Dodgers, and the game started as well as possible with Shohei Ohtani rifling the first pitch down the line in right for a double. Mookie Betts followed by grounding to Xander Bogaerts, who uncorked an unforced error into the dugout to plate Ohtani and put the Dodgers up 1-0.
Not used to the opposition doing this in an important game, but Shohei Ohtani's lead-off double is cashed in by an error. pic.twitter.com/wCh71hfNSR
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
After Freddie Freeman softly lined out, Teoscar Hernandez singled to corner the runners. However, the Dodgers couldn’t take advantage as Max Muncy hit a shallow flyball and then the Dodgers ran some stupid-ass double steal/rundown play attempt that resulted in Mookie being caught off third to end the frame.
What is the play here exactly? The fuck. pic.twitter.com/6hDwQRJgKD
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
On the other side was Landon Knack getting perhaps a preview of his role in the playoffs, and he started well with an 11-pitch 1st inning. However, in the 2nd he gave up a single and then gave up a big blow with a two-out homer to Jake Cronenworth that made it 2-1 Padres after all that.
INTO THE CRONE ZONE ? pic.twitter.com/LbEzR9SQTQ
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 25, 2024
The 2nd saw the Dodgers try to rally back against King, but only securing a moral victory and making things more frustrating. A lead-off single from Will Smith was followed by a groundout that advanced him to second, but then Gavin Lux got carved on three pitches. Still, a rally was in play as Miguel Rojas got hit on a 1-2 count and Ohtani drew a walk to load the bases, but then Mookie just flailed at a sweeper to end the threat. Hey, at least the pitch count was up!
#OctoberReady pic.twitter.com/ScYh70fkNZ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
King then faced the minimum over the next three innings, with a walk he gave up in the 3rd was erased by a lined double play.
Meanwhile, Knack seemed to rebound in the 3rd with a 12-pitch frame, but the 4th was a mess. Things started with a double that Mookie didn’t see or didn’t care to try and cut off, which eventually scored on a two-out single that made it 3-1 Padres.
I dunno. pic.twitter.com/OqS2zfo972
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
Things didn’t stop there, as Knack then balked the runner to second, which allowed him to score on the double that followed to make it 4-1 Padres. After a wild pitch, walk, and steal to put a pair in scoring position, even further disaster looked imminent, but he did get out of it.
Landon Knack gives up the first balk of his career after not knowing where his fielder is, a double follows to score the run easily. pic.twitter.com/v5z6mqCsDt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
That started up the pen, and Brusdar Graterol got the 5th, cruising through a five-pitch inning, and then Daniel Hudson followed in the 6th by giving up just an infield single in a scoreless inning.
One exciting thing happened at least, which was the debut of Edgardo Henriquez in the 7th. While he did give up a single and (later) a steal, he also got a foul pop and pair of strikeouts that showcased his potential.
The other end of Edgardo Henriquez's stuff. 101 mph up and in to complete a scoreless debut. pic.twitter.com/vtTxwvH3rD
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
To finish up was Brent Honeywell Jr., an odd choice if it is indeed a playoff game. Regardless, he got a scoreless 8th and 9th to make it five scoreless for the pen. Shame about everything else.
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Speaking of, the Padres pen entered in the 6th, and the Dodgers rallied with a single and walk after two outs. However Tommy Edman flew out on the first pitch as that chance also went for naught. The 7th saw a single erased by another double play, and then a double was stranded in the 8th.
In the 9th, singles from Smith, Edman, and Enrique Hernandez looked like they had a chance to rally, and the lead was cut to 4-2.
Enrique Hernandez makes it three singles in a row to cut the deficit to two. Nobody out. pic.twitter.com/V8T5IgmvFY
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 25, 2024
With the top of the order up next, Rojas was sent up to the plate. He squared to bunt initially, which seemed like the right move, but that was eventually called off or something and Rojas instead hit into a game-ending triple play.
GAME-ENDING TRIPLE PLAY TO CLINCH POSTSEASON BERTH pic.twitter.com/w2VmNQKWHw
— MLB (@MLB) September 25, 2024
Remarkable stuff.
#Dodgers Miguel Rojas said he had a bunt sign on the first pitch of the at bat. That was taken off for the second pitch.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) September 25, 2024
That sucked.
Playoff baseball, indeed.
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 93-64 |
| Padres | 91-66 (2 GB) |
| Diamondbacks | 87-71 (6.5 GB) |
| NL | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 93-64 |
| Phillies | 93-65 (0.5 GB) |
| Brewers | 90-67 (3 GB) |
*Still playing.
The two teams will get back to the NL West battle again tomorrow at the same time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET. It’ll be perhaps the best pitching matchup on paper of the series with Jack Flaherty facing off against Dylan Cease.
