Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
A 10-game winning streak is a rarity in baseball, as no matter how good a team one has, there’s just so many things that could go wrong and result in a random loss. So it’s only fitting then that the Dodgers had their streak ended after a gem turned in by Ricky Nolasco in a 4-0 loss to the Angels.
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The explosive bats were quieted today to the tune of just five hits and three walks. They had their chances, however, and stranded the bases loaded in the first, stranded a man on second in the third, and stranded men on second and third in the seventh.
The last chance was perhaps the most frustrating, because for whatever reason Dave Roberts choose to hit Mike Freeman over Austin Barnes, Logan Forsythe, and Trayce Thompson. Unsurprisingly, the guy who has a career .428 OPS in the majors struck out on three pitches against the Angels best reliever.
I have no idea what he was thinking there. Either way, that about ended the game.
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Rich Hill, meanwhile, turned in likely his best start of the season. Yes, he allowed three runs, but two of those came on a bloop single that Yasiel Puig maybe could’ve caught had he dove and another crossed the plate primarily because Joc Pederson misplayed a fly ball to center into a triple.
On the night, Hill miraculously made it through seven frames after not going more than five innings all year, allowing just four hits and walking just two (IT’S A GOTDAMN MIRACLE), though he did also hit a batter (allegedly). In his 99 pitches, Hill also struck out seven, which was another positive sign.
Luis Avilan then entered out of the bullpen and allowed two hits, but it was still a scoreless inning thanks to one Puig in right.
Sergio Romo entered for the ninth and he gave up a dinger because he does in fact still suck. He also gave up another hit and walked a guy, but look, the important thing is that at some point he has to go.
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The Dodgers drop to 51-27 overall and 32-11 at home with the loss. With the Diamondbacks winning over the Phillies earlier today, the Dodgers are now just 1.5 games up in the NL West.
Same two teams will do this again tomorrow at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST as the Dodgers try to salvage a split in their home part of the Freeway Series with the Angels. Kenta Maeda (4.62 ERA/4.16 FIP/4.20 DRA) will be on the hill making his first start since June 18, facing off against Jesse Chavez (5.15 ERA/5.49 FIP/5.45 DRA), who basically sucks but so did Nolasco and we see how that worked out.
