Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t vintage, but Zack Greinke and the Dodgers escaped Philadelphia with a 10-8 win on Thursday afternoon.
Things started off well enough, as the Dodgers plated three runs in the first innings. Then, uncharacteristically, Greinke had an extremely poor inning. He allowed five runs before retiring a Philadelphia hitter. It started with a error by Greinke, just his third error since joining the Dodgers and seventh of his career. The big blow came from Domonic Brown, who hit a mammoth 3-run home run. Luckily, this is the Phillies we’re talking about here.
The Dodgers came back with three runs of their own on an Adrian Gonzalez 3-run home run, No. 22 on the season. He finished the game 2-for-5 with that home run and two runs scored. He’s quietly having a great season. But the real star on offense was Greinke. He went 3-for-3 with three runs scored — one of which came on this.
That bat flip! He was pitching and hitting angry today. That’ll happen when you give up five runs to the hot-yet-lowly Phillies.
Greinke’s final pitching line wasn’t his best, but it was good enough: 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 111 pitches, 69 strikes, 6/2 GO/AO. This is the most runs he has given up all season and only the second time he has allowed more than three runs in an outing. His ERA skyrocketed from 1.41 to 1.71. Ugh, probably shouldn’t re-sign him.
Also on offense, Howie Kendrick went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Andre Ethier was 2-for-5 with a double of his own. Even Carl Crawford got in on the action with a 2-run single of his own. The duo of J.P. Howell, Juan Nicasio were good in relief. Joel Peralta and Kenley Jansen were not. Peralta allowed two singles, the second of which was an infield one that resulted in him possibly twisting his ankle. Jansen came in and got ahead of Maikel Franco 0-2. Unfortunately, he left a cutter up in the zone and Franco smoked it for a 2-run double. Ryan Howard followed with a bloop single to left. Luckily, Brown lined into a game-ending double play, as Gonzalez snagged a line drive and touched first base for the game’s final out.
The Dodgers improve to 62-46 with the victory. They travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (62-44). Clayton Kershaw (9-6, 2.37 ERA) opposes Gerrit Cole (14-5, 2.29). First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Pacific. If you aren’t watching this game, you’re doing baseballing wrong.
