Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers continued their struggles with RISP last night, and the questionable decision to start Tony Gonsolin came back to bite them as he only managed to get record four outs. He somehow only allowed one run, and Andrew Heaney and the bullpen combined to allow only one more run the rest of the game. Two runs allowed should be enough to win a game, but the Dodgers went 0-9 with runners in scoring position and are 0 for their last 19 with runners in scoring position.
Now, an elimination game. The upside to the decision to start Gonsolin yesterday means they’re potentially avoiding a bullpen game today, with one of their breakout arms getting the ball in Game 4.
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| 6:37 PM | San Diego | ||
| RF | Betts | SS | Kim |
| SS | T. Turner | RF | Soto (L) |
| 1B | Freeman (L) | 3B | Machado |
| C | Smith | DH | Drury |
| 3B | Muncy (L) | 2B | Cronenworth (L) |
| DH | Turner | 1B | Myers |
| CF | Thompson | LF | Profar (S) |
| LF | Taylor | CF | Grisham (L) |
| 2B | Lux (L) | C | Nola |
| P | Anderson (L) | P | Musgrove (R) |
Tyler Anderson gets the ball in Game 4. Anderson was a breakout star for the Dodgers, as he made his first All-Star team and posted a 2.57 ERA (nearly a full run lower than his previous career high) in 178 2/3 innings, which was also a career-high. Anderson was especially excellent in the second half, as he posted a 2.10 ERA in his final 13 starts and allowed an OPS of only .571. Anderson saw the Padres four times this season and posted a 1.88 ERA (five runs) in 24 innings. Anderson made his first start of the season (third appearance overall) in San Diego and allowed two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, before he was really built up as a starter. He didn’t see the Padres again until July 2, and allowed a run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. About a month later, he turned in one of his best starts of the season against the Padres, as he allowed two hits over seven shutout innings. He saw them a fourth time in his final start of September and pitched well, allowing two runs and three hits in six innings. However, the Dodgers did lose both the games he started in San Diego.
Opposing Anderson is Padre ace Joe Musgrove. Musgrove also made his first career All-Star team, with a 2.93 ERA and 3.59 FIP in 181 innings. Musgrove came out of the break and struggled really badly, with a 4.91 ERA in his first 10 post-break starts. He bounced back in a big way to end the season, allowing one run and 15 hits over his last four starts/22 innings. That carried over to the Wild Card round, where Musgrove absolutely dismantled the Mets offense. He allowed one hit and one walk over seven shutout innings in the decisive game three. Musgrove allowed 15 hits and seven runs in 17 1/3 innings against the Dodgers this season, with the Dodgers coming out on top all three times. Musgrove allowed three runs and five hits over seven innings in his first look at the Dodgers on June 30 and allowed four runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings on September 11. The Dodgers homered off him twice in each of those two games, with Justin Turner hitting three of the four and Chris Taylor hitting the other one.
The main omission from the Dodger lineup is Cody Bellinger, who sits in favor of Trayce Thompson. It’s not like Thompson has brought anything in this series offensively either. Trea Turner is in the lineup today after jamming his finger yesterday.
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More on Trea.
He suffered a Grade 2 strain, but can swing and throw and is starting today.
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It’s not quite all hands on deck tonight.
Julio Urias will not pitch tonight, as they’re saving him for a potential Game 5 tomorrow. Heaney threw 61 pitches last night, and will also not be available tonight.
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First pitch is scheduled for 6:37 and will be shown on FS1.
