Jim Cella
LOS ANGELES—The Dodgers’ offensive has shown no signs of slowing down in 2020 after leading the National League in runs scored in 2019. Los Angeles scored in seven of the eight innings they batted and rolled over the rebuilding Giants 9-1. The Dodgers had at least one hit in all eight innings, put up five multiple-hit frames and finished with a season-high 13 base knocks. Los Angeles is now 2-0 on the year.
GAME REWIND: Max Muncy made the most of returning to a more familiar No.2 spot in the batting order as he hammered a pair of home runs, went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs. While Muncy was sparking the offense, veteran pitcher Ross Stripling used a 4-pitch mix to keep the Giants’ offense guessing during his 7-inning start. The Boss went 7.0 innings, gave up only four hits, conceded a single run off of a home run and struck out seven.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
A SLOW DEATH: The Dodgers seized control of the game by putting up single runs in five of the first six innings. LA led 5-1 after six innings but it could have been worse as the Dodgers stranded eight base runners in the first six innings. Los Angeles then added 2-run frames in the seventh and eighth to blow the game wide open but finished the game by leaving 13 runners on base.
GIANT SLAYERS: The Dodgers have now won six straight against the Giants. During that stretch they have outscored San Francisco by a combined margin of 42-4. The LA pitching staff has only allowed more than one run in one game vs. the Giants in the last six outings.
DID I HEAR A NINER?: The Dodgers have recorded nine straight wins against the NL West. Since the beginning of last September, Los Angeles owns a 15-3 mark against the West and have outscored their opponents 112-48. The Dodgers have a 315-220 (.558) against West Division opponents since 2013.
THE BIG O: Los Angeles has been on an offensive tear since coming back to action after the lengthy Covid layoff. In the five games (3 exhibition and 2 regular season) in July the Dodgers have scored at least six runs in every game, have scored at least eight runs in four of the five contests and have piled up a healthy 44 runs (8.8 rpg).
YOU CAN GET IT OUT OF THE BLEACHERS: Max Muncy’s two long balls marks the fifth time in his career he has left the yard on multiple occasions in a single game. Muncy’s last multiple-HR game was last June against the Rockies when the Dodgers posted a 12-8 victory. Muncy had two multiple-home run games last season. Muncy is tied with Kiké Hernández for the team lead in hitting this year. Both players are hitting .500 in the two games played.
STRIP SEARCH: Ross Stripling’s 7-inning outing was his longest since April of last year when he went 8.0 innings in a 7-1 win at home against Milwaukee. It is only the fifth time in his career that he has gone at least 7.0 innings in a start.
MAKE MINE A DOUBLE: Shortstop Corey Seager continues to be the King of the Double. He had a 2-bagger to center field in the third inning and now has a pair of doubles in the first two games of the year. Last year he led the National League with 44 doubles. Seager is hitting .444 on the year (4-for-9).
HE SAID IT: “Sandoval (Giants’ first baseman Pablo Sandoval) is built like a fire hydrant.” — Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts commenting on a huge collision between Chris Taylor and Sandoval after Sandoval tried to jump after an errant throw to first base in the fifth inning. Taylor remained in the game and was thrown out trying to steal second later in the frame.
HE GOT THE FIRST STOLEN BASE OF THE YEAR?: Congrats to any fan who went out on a limb and had Joc Pederson as the first Dodger player to steal a base in 2020. Pederson swiped third in the seventh inning. Pederson’s theft matches his season total in all of 2019. His lone steal last year came on July 15 in a 16-2 win at Philadelphia.
ON DECK: The Dodgers will host San Francisco in an afternoon matinee game on Saturday. Opening pitch is slated for 1:10 p.m. with the game being televised nationally on Fox. Alex Wood is scheduled to make the start for Los Angeles. It will be his first start in Dodger blue since Sept. 27 of the 2018 season when he went 3.2 innings against Cincinnati. Wood is 4-3 in his nine career starts vs. the Giants and has a 3.90 ERA. The Giants have yet to announce a starter but the betting favorite is veteran right hander Jeff Samardzija who is 2-5 with a 3.83 ERA in all games against the Dodgers.
