Ahhh, once again the Dodgers can’t seem to figure out a struggling pitcher. The Dodgers from the first two months have resurged and are in full force. Despite being one of the hottest teams in baseball during June, this past week has been quite the opposite.
Like I said in my last post, the Dodgers managed to split the series with the Cubs and hoped to put more distance between themselves and the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies have started to fall in the standings but have picked up some ground after this road series with the Dodgers. Colorado won two of the three games this weekend and unfortunately, two very good starts were wasted by the Dodgers.
Following the trend of Dodger starters pitching into the sixth or seventh inning, the Dodgers bullpen would come in and blow the game or fail to keep it a close game. Now I do have to give credit to the Rockies, they are a good hitting team and that is what they rely on. Colorado has never been famous or known for their pitching because I mean, they play in the worst stadium for pitching. Anyways, the Rockies and their bats managed to score ten runs in the three game series.
On Friday night, Rich Hill started and threw a typical ‘Rich Hill’ game. This can go two different ways though, either the start was a disaster or the start was a gem. For Rich Hill, it was the latter of the two. Rich Hill managed to strikeout ten Colorado Rockies over 6.2 innings and only gave up one earned run. That earned run came via a Solo Home Run from Pat Valaika, his first of the season. Not to mention, that run didn’t come until the fifth inning of the game. Before that, Hill was mowing down the batters with his signature curveball and unexpected fast ball.
After Rich Hill left the game in the seventh inning, the Dodgers still hadn’t scored yet. So either Hill gets the loss or he takes a No Decision. To replace Hill, Scott Alexander came in to finish the seventh inning. Getting one more out of the inning should be a cakewalk except Alexander had to face Nolan Arenado. Arenado would punish the Dodgers and hit a Solo Home Run for his twentieth of the year. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt have been the thorn in the Dodgers side for years! You really can’t hate on them because they’re just that good. It’s like the complete opposite of Javy Baez on the Cubs and Jose Altuve on the Astros.
On to the ninth inning, Yimi Garcia gave up a Solo Home Run to Chris Ianetta. Ianetta is another player that has always been a pain for Dodger fans and the Dodgers. Whether it be with the Angels or the Rockies. He’s played with Seattle and the Dbacks but ehhh those teams don’t count. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers were still scoreless. Until Justin Turner came up and hit a Solo Home Run. At least the Dodgers didn’t go down without a fight. Dodgers would lose 3-1 on Friday night.
Saturday night would basically be a repeat of the night before. Kenta Maeda pitched a total of seven innings and struck out nine. Along with that, Maeda gave up five hits, two walks and three runs but only two earned.
The first run came in the top of the fourth inning when Nolan Arenado struck out and DJ LeMahieu came in to score from third. This is one of those tricky plays where the ball got past catcher, Yasmani Grandal, which ultimately gave Arenado enough time to get to first. After the fourth inning concluded, Maeda gave up a Solo Home Run to Ian Desmond, his seventeenth of the year.
Down 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Kiké Hernandez cut that lead to just one when he hit his fourteenth Home Run of the season. If only someone had been on base but oh no, the Dodgers don’t hit home runs with men on base. The Dodgers only hit Solo Home Run’s if you didn’t know. As I mentioned earlier, Chris Ianetta would continue to be a pain as he singled to bring in Trevor Story in the top of the seventh inning. That would be good enough for the Rockies to win. And they did, Rockies win, 3-1….again.
Sunday was the highlight of the series, although it didn’t look good early on. Stripling was the starter for the day and he wasn’t his usual self. He was and he wasn’t, actually. Stripling went six innings, gave up four earned runs on nine hits but struck out seven batters.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Matt Kemp grounded out but drove in Chris Taylor in the process. That lead would evaporate as Ian Desmond grounded out in the top of the second inning, scoring was Carlos Gonzalez. Then, the Rockies would start to pack on their own lead in the top of the third when Nolan Arenado grounded out to score DJ LeMahieu from third base. After that, Trevor Story hit a ground rule double to score Gerardo Parra. Sidenote: Trevor Story is flying under the radar while racking up RBI’s, it is wild. Story has something like 58-60 RBI’s now! Back to the game.
In the bottom of the third, Matt Kemp would double to score Max Muncy! Rockies lead now cut down to just one run. Until the top of the fifth when Nolan Arenado hit another Solo Home Run to give the rockies another two run lead. Just when you thought the Dodgers had given up, Matt Kemp came up and singled to bring home Max Muncy. After that, Cody Bellinger grounded out to score Justin Turner from third. TIE GAME!!
From that point on it was all Dodgers. Who would be better to break the tie other than Matt Kemp? Matt Kemp homered to break the tie in the eighth inning and was his fourteenth Home Run of the season. Shortly after, Joc Pederson singled to bring home Yasiel Puig on an insane hustle play. If you know, you know. Kenley Jansen came into the game and recorded his 22nd save of the season. Dodgers win 6-4.
My dad and I will be at the game tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I’m curious to see how Alex Wood does and I’m curious to see if the offense will show up or only hit one home run then leave. Either way, fun times at Chavez Ravine!
This isn’t Dodger news or baseball news for that matter but, Lebron James has signed a deal to play with the Los Angeles Lakers. I’m not a basketball fan by any means but it’s cool that the best all around player in basketball is coming to play in LA.
Leadoff Dodgers 