Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
For the third series in a row, the Dodgers were unable to complete a sweep, as after an early grand slam they weren’t able to add on and the Rangers exploded to take the lead in an 8-4 win.
Still, a 6-3 road trip against probably the toughest stretch of schedule is quite nice.
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Martin Perez has been honestly pretty bad this year but has got a lot of run support, and both those things showed up early. The Dodgers started the game with a Mookie Betts double and Freddie Freeman single, and after a Chris Taylor walk, Max Muncy got ahead 2-0, took a fastball for a strike to see one, and then annihilated the next one into the stands for a grand slam, his 24th homer and a 4-0 lead.
Max Muncy annihilates a ball for a grand slam in the 1st. He loves this park. pic.twitter.com/fuYQHSZk5G
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 23, 2023
Like I said though, Perez gets run support, and that unfortunately came at the sacrifice of Emmet Sheehan. After a fly out to start, he issued a walk, gave up a stolen base, and issued another walk to start a rally in the 1st. After bouncing back with a second out to put him on the verge, he then gave up a double that glanced off the glove of Jonny Deluca making an amazing attempt in right to cut the lead to 4-2.
Things didn’t get any better in the 2nd either, as Sheehan wasn’t getting the high strikes, and he issued a pair of walks. Then came the parade of ground-ball singles, as he gave them up to Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe, and Josh Jung to plate three runs and give the Rangers a 5-4 lead all of a sudden.
Quick response. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/rPfk8WdRcF
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 23, 2023
The Rangers didn’t stop there, as they started the 3rd with back-to-back singles and then a double that drove both of them in to make it 7-4. So many uncompetitive pitches for balls and then so many mediocre two-strike pitches when Sheehan did get ahead. Command would be nice.
Speaking of, after back-to-back strikeouts to start the 4th, Sheehan then issued a walk, and that walk predictably scored on a double off the wall to make it 8-4. End of the road for him.
Unfortunately a trip to the minors to fine tune seems to be in the cards after the deadline: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 5 BB, 4 K, 90 Pitches.
Sheehan was relieved by Alex Vesia, who ended the 4th with a strikeout, and followed that with a clean 1-2-3 frame on just 12 pitches in the 5th.
In the 6th it was Evan Phillips to get some work, and he stayed sharp with a clean frame that included a pair of strikeouts. Ryan Brasier got the 7th and gave up a two-out double, but that was it. Justin Bruihl closed the game out for the Dodgers in the 8th, notching a 1-2-3 frame of his own.
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Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Perez settled in, he gave the Dodgers one last big chance but that was it. He got the 2nd on nine pitches, gave up a walk and double to start the 3rd but stranded them both, and then gave up just a single in each of the 4th and 5th innings before finishing with a 1-2-3 frame in the 6th.
Rebounding from disaster to keep your team in the game, something the youngsters of the Dodgers have to get to.
Compared to previous games, the Rangers pen did what they were supposed to. A clean 7th was followed by just a double in the 8th, and an infield single in the 9th.
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The Dodgers got the fans in on The Freddie.
Even the fans in the outfield are doing "The Freddie" with Mookie Betts, lol. pic.twitter.com/sGZ0w4DNZu
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 23, 2023
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 57-41 |
| Diamondbacks | 54-46 (4 GB) |
| Giants | 54-46 (4 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The point of the way-too-early game is that the road trip is over and the Dodgers will be returning home to welcome the Blue Jays tomorrow. A normal 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET start time will feature Michael Grove (6.40 ERA/5.17 xERA/4.96 DRA) and his new cutter against Jose Berrios (3.39/4.58/4.30).
