Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers returned home to Dodger Stadium and welcomed the Marlins with a clean sweep. In what seemed like a lopsided matchup on paper, Ryan Pepiot outdueled Sandy Alcantara in a relatively easy 10-3 victory to close out the series.
======
Alcantara came into Dodger Stadium with a sub-2 ERA and exited … well, without one. Things started early behind a Mookie Betts single and stolen base, then a Will Smith single to make it 1-0 in the 1st.
It continued with a two-out rally in the 2nd, as Joey Gallo hit a towering fly ball off the wall in right for a triple, and Cody Bellinger followed by crushing a homer to that same area in right for a 3-0 lead.
Now with sound. My bad. pic.twitter.com/RVfrUpR6bt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 21, 2022
Cody Bellinger smashes a two-run homer to right. pic.twitter.com/UAweDuua2n
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 21, 2022
Honestly, the consistency of their success against Alcantara was most surprising. They struck for the third consecutive inning in the 3rd behind back-to-back singles from Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman, then Max Muncy later singling in a run to make it 4-0.
In a way, not mentioning Pepiot’s outing to this point is a bit misleading, since it was relatively active. He struggled a bit in the 1st with command, issuing a lead-off walk, hitting a batter, and giving up a single, only to be saved by a Gallo laser from left.
That did seem to get him on track, as he was much more efficient in following innings. Pepiot worked around a double in the 2nd and got a clean 3rd, but a walk to start the 4th ended up haunting him when Lewin Diaz hit a homer to center with two down to make it 4-2.
Still, Pepiot ended up getting through six, allowing just an infield single after the homer and ended up with probably his best start so far: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 97 Pitches.
No matter about the runs anyway, as the Dodgers came right back in the 4th. Gallo singled to start things, advanced to second on an out, and then scored on a Mookie single.
After a walk to Justin Turner, Will followed with a ground-rule double that made sure the Dodgers got both of the runs back and made it 6-2. It also knocked Alcantara out of the game.
After that, the Marlins pen did well for about seven outs, but Muncy stayed hot and led off the 7th with his 16th dong of the year to push the lead to five at 7-2.
As far as the red-hot Dodgers pen goes, they started with Alex Vesia, who gave up a walk and single, but ended the 7th with back-to-back strikeouts to escape trouble. Amusingly, in the 8th it was David Price, who completed a no-hitter in relief … then immediately gave up a homer to JJ Bleday.
The Dodgers then got three runs to push the lead to 10-3 in a messy 8th. Trea drew a one-out walk, Freddie followed with a single, and Dills singled to plate a run. Muncy walked to load the bases, and JT singled a run in as things went station to station. Hanser Alberto pinch-hit and lifted a shallow fly to right which wasn’t deep enough to score a run, but a throwing error led to one scoring anyway.
In the end, Craig Kimbrel looked to continue get on track in the 9th. Hopefully he did so with a 1-2-3 frame.
——
Good, actually.
Justin Turner, the best at taking balls.
Joe Davis, legend.
Maybelle Blair, also legend.
======
84-36 on the year and 43-15 at home.
| TEAM | CHASE | GAMES |
|---|---|---|
| Mets | MLB | 6.5 Up |
| Mets | NL | 6.5 Up |
| Padres | NL West | 18 Up |
Tomorrow the Brewers make their way into town and the series will start at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Julio Urias against the much-feared Eric Lauer.
