Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
I wouldn’t say any game in April is a must-win for the Dodgers, but against the struggling Rockies coming off being shutout for the entire series by the Padres, it sure would’ve been nice to start this set right after dropping three-straight series, if for no other reason than to shut doomers up for a day.
Thankfully, the bats got off to a quick start today and jumped out to an early lead, and Dustin May took it from there with a dominant performance. The pen continued to show surprising leaks, but they managed to get the job done in a 5-3 victory.
======
A struggling Dodgers offense looked to get right against Antonio Senzatela, and fortunately they didn’t waste much time course correcting. Shohei Ohtani led off by reaching out and touching a single into right, and Mookie Betts followed by bombing his fourth homer of the year into the left-field stands for a 2-0 lead in a flash.
Hello Mookie! pic.twitter.com/J2h5KERevm
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 15, 2025
After a quiet 2nd, the 3rd started with a bang when Ohtani led things off with his fifth homer of the year to make it 3-0.
Shohei Ohtani homers sound different. ? pic.twitter.com/pdbNq99i3O
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 15, 2025
They also had a one-out double and single later in the inning, but a double play killed that rally in the 3rd. Another chance followed after a one-out walk and single in the 4th, but that went for naught as well.
Senzatela wasn’t as fortunate in the 5th, as a Betts double started things, and he was plated on a Will Smith single that made it 4-0.
Will Smith singles to drive in another run. pic.twitter.com/YvomtvkIow— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
That knocked him out of the game and brought in the pen, who walked two in the inning to load the bases, but the Dodgers couldn’t take advantage yet again.
——
Meanwhile, May was stellar to start the game. The only blemish over the first three innings was an error in the 1st, and the first RISP he faced was a lead-off double in the 4th, which he worked around with a groundout and a pair of strikeouts.
Dustin May sweeps away a batter. pic.twitter.com/Gr7sN4M9eu
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
Goodness, the movement on this from Dustin May. pic.twitter.com/Fw9jxqDkFT
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
May came right back with a clean 5th, and looked like he’d do the same in the 6th. However, an infield single with two outs was followed by a bouncing double from Kyle Farmer down the line in left for the Rockies’ first run in forever to make it 4-1.
Dave Roberts played things safe with him, taking up out despite the low pitch count: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 76 Pitches.
Dustin May stuck out seven and was very efficient in another great outing for him. pic.twitter.com/AVjCUht9WN
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
The offense did manage to help him out a bit more, though the trend of feeling like they should be ahead by even more continued as well. With one out in the 6th, Ohtani reached on an infield single, Mookie walked, and Freddie reached on an error to load the bases. However, the Dodgers only managed to get a run out of that to make it 5-1 on a Smith sac fly.
All those missed chances loomed larger when the pen and Anthony Banda entered in the 7th. After getting one out, he gave up a single and then a homer to Hunter Goodman, cutting the lead to 5-3 all of a sudden.
Going, Goody, Gone pic.twitter.com/FU6YOjTmoJ
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 15, 2025
Kirby Yates didn’t exactly have a smooth time in the 8th either, hitting a batter, giving up a double, and issuing a walk, but the pressure was relieved a bit thanks to picking off the hit batter, and he managed to escape without damage.
The bats weren’t able to add on to the lead in the 7th or the 8th, though Ohtani just missed a homer for the second time tonight.
Shohei Ohtani is about five feet short of a three-homer game, and a bit worse outfield communication away from a homer and two doubles/triples. pic.twitter.com/yeGAjuzN55
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
That left things up to Tanner Scott, who also struggled through continuing to not being able to put batters away. He gave up two two-strike singles to corner the runners with one out, though he finally locked in a bit and got a strikeout and a groundout to secure the win.
More exciting than it needed to be.
——
Enrique Hernandez can pick it anywhere.
Enrique Hernandez with an outstanding barehand play. pic.twitter.com/mM45VbTwit
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
Hello Kitty done in style.
Fashion king. pic.twitter.com/Oj7lMCwpnA
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 15, 2025
======
The Dodgers improve to 12-6 on the year, which again, I must insist is a 108-win pace. If they are playing terrible right now, that is an extremely good sign.
Same two teams, same place, same time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET tomorrow night with Landon Knack looking to rebound after his disaster last time out against Ryan Feltner.
