Steve Webb
Game 12, 4/7/2024: Dodgers 1, Cubs 8
CHICAGO, IL — I’m sure every one of the Dodgers will be thrilled to get on the plane to… Minnesota? Well, maybe not, but they are certainly glad to see the tail end of this game, where the rain came down hard, and nearly nothing went right for the Boys in Blue.
It was going to be a tall task to begin with, facing Japanese import Shota Imanaga, who was coming off a terrific performance in his debut with the Cubs. They managed a couple of hits off him early, but couldn’t do a whole lot more. In the end Imanaga got a no-decision in this one, as the game was delayed by rain before he could log the requisite five innings of work.
Meanwhile, Gavin Stone had the start for the Dodgers, and though he didn’t pitch badly given the conditions, he was undone by some poor defense behind him. A Freddie Freeman error in the first extended the inning and led to a bases-clearing double from our old buddy Michael Busch, who continued to pound his former employer. A Seiya Suzuki sac fly in the next inning made it 4-0 Cubs, and then a Mookie Betts error and a wild pitch led to another run in the third. When Stone finally left the mound after three innings, he had surrendered five runs, but only one of them earned. Kind of a hard-luck start for the young righty.
The game was delayed just in time for everybody to watch most of the the NCAA women’s championship game, but when it resumed things were no better. The ball was given to Ryan Yarbrough when play resumed and the goal at that point was just to get on the plane with nobody getting injured. And they did manage that. Shohei Ohtani had a triple and a run-scoring double to avoid the shutout, but that was the extent of the highlights in this one.
The Dodgers (8-4) will roll into Minnesota on Monday to take on the Twins, who are off to a so-so start at best, only scoring 21 runs in their seven games to open the season at 3-4. It’s going to be back to the top of the rotation on Monday, with James Paxton taking the mound for the Dodgers. It’s another early start, this one at 4:30 PST. See you in the Land of 10,000 Lakes!
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