Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After a decisive win last night, the Dodgers and Angels got right back at it in the Freeway Series, where the Dodgers secured a 6-5 win in 10 innings, which also secured at least a series win as well.
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Walker Buehler still hasn’t gotten into his groove, but his fifth start of the season seemed like about that time he should get going. Things didn’t get off to a good start, as an Enrique Hernandez error in the 1st was immediately followed by a Mike Trout bomb to make it 2-0.
🚀🚀🚀 @MikeTrout pic.twitter.com/PUcjoYZOVO
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 16, 2020
The Dodgers fought back immediately in the 2nd. After a Cody Bellinger single an steal, Max Muncy and Enrique drew walks to load the bases. Later, with two down, Mookie Betts came through with a single to tie the game, 2-2.
The Dodgers then took the lead in the 3rd with a two-out rally. Bellinger singled again, then Chris Taylor doubled, and Muncy came through by poking a ball the other way for a two-run single and a 4-2 lead.
Back to Buehler, he unfortunately continued to struggle a bit. In the 3rd, he gave up a two-out rally with a double, walk, and ground-rule double to Anthony Rendon to cut the lead to 4-3. The 5th ended up being his undoing, as three singles to start the frame ended up bringing home two runs to flip the script and make it 5-4 for the Angels.
That knocked Buehler out of the game at 4.2 innings and 89 pitches. He gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Obviously not his best, though one positive is the strikeout-to-walk ratio certainly looked more normal.
Caleb Ferguson took over, closing the 5th and getting through the 6th as well. He gave up just a single while striking out a batter en route to getting his four outs.
Betts continued his tear in the 7th, leading off the frame with a no-doubt shot to left-center, tying the game at 5-5.
Brusdar Graterol gave up a single in the 7th, but faced the minimum after inducing a double play and then a grounder to keep things tied. He also got the first out of the 8th before giving way to Jake McGee, who got two fly outs. He then continued in the 9th and got a 1-2-3 frame there as well. Just a routine inning with no danger whatsoever, no siree.
In the 10th, the new extra-inning rules came into play. Taylor started at second and stole third, which was immediately cashed in by Muncy via fly ball to the warning track, his second in as many at-bats.
Kenley Jansen was then tasked with closing the game, a tough spot with a runner already on second. He got a shallow fly ball, a strikeout, and then faced down Trout, who he … uh, carved up on three pitches to secure the win.
Seems good.
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The Dodgers are now an impressive 15-7, and with the Rockies losing their third straight, they are now two games up in the division on them.
Dustin May will face Julio Teheran tomorrow at 10:10 AM HST/1:10 PM PST/4:10 PM EST. It’ll be shown on TBS.
