Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers started a six-game road trip by playing a tight affair with the Marlins that saw them fall 6-3 on a pair of late homers, though the concerns for the team went beyond the result of this game.
The Dodgers have now lost four of their last five.
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Jesus Luzardo is one of the bright young starters for the Marlins, and he was certainly impressive again today.
Surprisingly though, it was the Dodgers who got to him first. After he cruised through the first six outs, the 3rd started with a James Outman walk and Miguel Rojas single, but a strikeout and a pop foul followed to put the rally under threat. Thankfully, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith came to the rescue with back-to-back RBI singles for a 2-0 lead.
Shoulder fucked, velocity way down, and zero command, but Clayton Kershaw's curve can still get an amazed reaction. pic.twitter.com/vCHbsEC0fH
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 5, 2023
Unfortunately, aside from that patented two-out rally, Luzardo allowed just an infield single over the next three innings to make it through six frames with just the two runs allowed.
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On the other end was Clayton Kershaw, which normally fills me with confidence because … well, it’s Clayton Kershaw. However, this version has everybody rightly concerned.
Not great! https://t.co/LtsZnWATED
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 5, 2023
Despite that, he continued to battle through his start, kicking things off with a clean 1st. However, he allowed a walk and a pair of singles to load the bases with just one out, putting him in serious trouble … at least until he managed to roll a double play.
If you needed evidence he wasn’t right, he issued two walks in a scoreless 3rd. The smoke-and-mirrors act was broke in the 4th when Jake Burger smashed a solo homer, and he had to work out of trouble after that as well due to another walk and a single.
We'll take one Burger to go, please. pic.twitter.com/EaIUZXHfDD
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 5, 2023
Dave Roberts pushed his luck by running Kershaw out there in the 5th as well, and yet another walk and a Josh Bell homer put the Marlins in front by a 3-2 score before Kershaw’s night was over.
THIS BELL HOMER DESERVES ALL THE HYPE. pic.twitter.com/S29L0fS6U8
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 6, 2023
Kershaw is clearly diminished at the moment, but he still managed to keep his team in it: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 3 K, 84 Pitches.
Shoulder fucked, velocity way down, and zero command, but Clayton Kershaw's curve can still get an amazed reaction. pic.twitter.com/vCHbsEC0fH
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 5, 2023
Thankfully, Luzardo was out of the game in the 7th, and Chris Taylor started the pen’s outing by smoking a homer to left to tie the game at 3-3.
CTied at 3! pic.twitter.com/03z6o6l1oL
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 6, 2023
Ryan Yarbrough took over for Kershaw in the 6th and started with a clean frame, then worked around a single in the 7th. However, a hit by pitch was followed by back-to-back homers from Bryan De La Cruz and Jazz Chisholm Jr. for a 6-3 lead all of a sudden.
Fish on Point. 😂 pic.twitter.com/zbxEMfQrOL
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 6, 2023
BEAUTIFUL, @j_chisholm3. pic.twitter.com/GtVLlrCnuz
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 6, 2023
Meanwhile, the Dodgers offense struggled today, and it’s clear they cannot go without J.D. Martinez and Max Muncy into the playoffs. The depth just isn’t there.
They got just a walk in the 8th and an infield single in the 9th.
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| NL | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Braves | 90-46* |
| Dodgers | 84-53 (6.5 GB) |
| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 84-53 |
| Diamondbacks | 71-67 (13.5 GB)* |
*Either still playing or will play later.
The two teams will do it again tomorrow at the same time of 12:40 PM HT/3:40 PM PT/6:40 PM ET. It’ll be Lance Lynn looking to bounce back after a rough outing against … well, somebody for the Marlins.
