The Dodgers concluded their quick series with the Houston Astros in dramatic fashion.
The boys in blue won Wednesday night’s game by a score of 4-2 in extra innings. 13 innings to be exact. This game went on longer than it probably should have, even with the new extra innings rule that MLB has implemented for this season.
This wasn’t a game full of offensive power either. Other than Corey Seager’s solo home run in the top of the second inning, the game was relatively quiet for the Dodgers until extra innings.
The main core of the Dodgers offense has yet to actually break out and do what we are familiar with. Betts, Bellinger and Turner have yet to hit a home run and although this is the case, they are at least putting together good at bats and squaring the ball up.
While the hero of the game last night could be the Dodgers bullpen, I think it could be pinch hitter, Edwin Rios, who crushed the go ahead 2-Run home run in the top of the 13th inning. Both served an extremely vital role in insuring the Dodgers victory.
After Dustin May was pulled from the game in the fourth inning, the Dodgers, without Manager Dave Roberts, went to the bullpen and used almost every pitcher they had available minus Joe Kelly and Brusdar Graterol, for obvious reasons.
Although Kelly and Graterol were technically available to pitch, I’m sure the Dodgers didn’t want to cause more issues than need be with the Astros. If anything, they might have sent out a starting pitcher just so they could avoid a potential brawl.
The Dodgers bullpen managed to give up only FOUR hits and one run with a combined 10 strikeouts. This bullpen is the best that we have seen in years and they are throwing filthy pitches and getting out of really big situations without giving up any runs.
So far in the 2020 season, albeit six games, there are pitchers in the bullpen that have yet to surrender a run. Some of those pitchers are: Caleb Ferguson, Blake Treinen, Kenley Jansen and Scott Alexander. Each pitcher pitched extremely effective last night and are able to get that big out.
Scott Alexander, in my opinion, had one of the biggest innings last night. Alexander entered the game in the 10th inning with a man on second base and was set to face Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Michael Brantley. He struck out Altuve on three pitches, intentionally walked Bregman and got Brantley to ground into a double play. Talk about ice in his veins.
After multiple innings of back and forth, Mookie Betts doubled to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the top of the 11th. The Astros would respond and tie the game in bottom half of the inning.
Two innings later, up comes Edwin Rios to hit an absolute missile to right field and give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead that would eventually be the final blow to the Astros.
Dennis Santana was credited with the win last night after pitching 2.1 scoreless innings and striking out four hitters.
The Dodgers head to Arizona for a four game series with the Diamondbacks. Ross Stripling is scheduled to start against Robbie Ray in game one.
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