Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
It was scorching hot at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday afternoon (102° F at start time), but both teams took some time to warm up as they faced off in the second game of a four-game interleague series. Monday night the two teams scored a combined 20 runs. Baseball only gave us three runs combined on Tuesday, because baseball is weird.
——
Tony Gonsolin has now scratched through 14 2/3 scoreless innings to start the season after impressing in his 3rd start for the Dodgers this year. The Cat Man made another push to stick in the Dodgers starting rotation with a 6-inning gem, matching the longest start of his career. Gonsolin made 84 pitches (60 strikes) and allowed 2 hits with 3 strikeouts and no walks. He had to settle for a no-decision, but his solid start was a win for sure.
Coming into the game, the Dodgers were slashing .210/.301/.357/.658 vs. LHP, 12th in the NL. Their struggles vs. LHP was apparent as southpaw Marco Gonzalez carved through the lineup in his 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits with 9 strikeouts and no walks.
The Dodgers almost got on the board when Corey Seager doubled off the first pitch of the 4th inning, but Kyle Lewis made a highlight reel play and robbed Justin Turner of a two-run dong.
In the home half of the 6th, Turner did end up delivering with a big two-out RBI single.
Austin Barnes was a big part of this victory, as he went 2-for-2 with a stolen base and was on base three times. He raised his batting average to .304 on the season. Barnes scored the lone run against Gonzalez after legging out a soft infield grounder and then scoring on JT’s single.
Jake McGee relieved Gonsolin in the 7th and found himself in trouble after a leadoff walk to Lewis and a booming double off the right field wall by Kyle Seager. McGee struck out Austin Nola on a called third strike that looked out of the zone, and Barnes’ excellent framing got the assist.
Dave Roberts brought in Scott Alexander next to try to mop up the mess. The tying run scored on a ground ball put into play by Tim Lopes, but Alexander got the last two outs.
Roberts went to the bullpen again, this time for Blake Treinen after Alexander walked J.P. Crawford with one out in the eighth of the 1-1 game, and Treinen managed the last two outs to preserve the tie.
Barnes’ speed played a factor yet again when he scored again in the bottom of the eighth on a Corey Seager RBI single off right-hander Dan Altavilla to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
Treinen then shut down the side in the ninth to secure the Dodgers’ 7th straight victory.
——
The Boys In Blue improve to 18-7 on the season and 8-5 at home to extend their lead in the NL West to 4 games over the Rockies.
Next up: The Dodgers head north to Seattle to play the second half of the series. Julio Urias (2-0, 2.53 ERA, 3.96 FIP) takes on Taijuan Walker (1-2, 4.05 ERA, 4.22 FIP). First pitch at T-Mobile Park is 6:40 PT PST on Wednesday.
