Steve Webb
MILWAUKEE, WI — Turnabout is fair play. The day after getting shut out 4-0, the Dodgers turned around and did the same exact thing to the Milwaukee Brewers. In this one, the team got home runs from Freddie Freeman and Wisconsin native Gavin Lux and got another shutout performance from Julio Urias to give the team its 80th win of the season. After the hiccup in Kansas City, the team is back to its winning ways.
Freeman goes deep in the 1st
Freddie Freeman came into the game having been held hitless in two straight games. He decided to put an end to that real quick on Monday night. In the top of the first, Freeman jacked a 2-1 fastball from Brewers starter Freddy Peralta over the right field fence for a no-doubt solo shot to put the Dodgers on the scoreboard. The game was just five minutes old, and already they had gotten all the offense they would need in this one.
Dodgers take advantage of error in 5th
While Julio Urias was busy holding the Brewers at bay, the Dodgers managed to scratch an unearned run across in the top of the 5th to double their lead. Mookie Betts led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error from the usually reliable shortstop Willy Adames. On the play, Betts took second, and then easily moved to third on a base hit from Trea Turner.
After a Freddie Freeman K, Will Smith dug in with a couple of ducks on the pond. He got in a 1-2 hole against reliever Peter Strzelecki and fouled off a good slider before he got a pitch he could handle. He didn’t get a great swing on a high and tight fastball but got enough of it to loft a flyball to left. The ball was just deep enough to score Mookie Betts from third and put the Dodgers up 2-0.
Lux thrills Grandma and Grandpa
The biggest blow of the game for the Dodgers came in the the top of the sixth. After Justin Turner had been plunked by a pitch, Gavin Lux, pride of Kenosha, Wisconsin came up to bat with his usual retinue of friends and family watching from the stands. In fact, his grandparents were watching from a prime spot right next to the Dodger dugout. Luxy decided to give the hometown crowd a bit of excitement. On an 2-2 pitch, he put a sweet swing on sinker up in the zone. He went the other way with the pitch and sent it just over the left centerfield fence.
After not having a great series the last time the Dodgers were in Milwaukee, I’m sure it felt good for Lux to have a big moment in front of the whole Lux clan. No doubt there’ll be an extra brat or two waiting for him at home next time.
Urías pitches around traffic, goes five
Julio Urias was having trouble getting the leadoff man out in this one, but somehow, he managed to escape unscathed every time. In the first three innings, the leadoff man got on base, but Urias came through with the pitches when he needed to. Probably the closest the Brewers got to scoring off him was in the first, when they had men on first and second with nobody out. But, Urias got a strikeout and a couple of flyballs to get out of the jam.
Then, in Urias’s last inning of work, he was aided by a couple of nice defensive plays from Justin Turner, one at third and the other on the second base side as part of a shift. It wasn’t a perfect outing, but it was five innings and a W. And after the hard luck he was having at the beginning of the year, he’ll take it. This puts El Culichi’s record for the year at 13-6, and his ERA drops to 2.40.
Pepiot to try his luck on Tuesday
In Ryan Pepiot‘s last start against the Twins, he fell behind on a couple of longballs but was aided by a nice comeback to avoid the L. This time, he locks horns with one of the Brewers’ best arms, righty Brandon Woodruff. He isn’t having quite the superlative year that he put together last season, but Woodruff’s numbers are still solid in 2022. On paper, if you were going to pick a game that might be tough for the Dodgers to win, it might be this one. Let’s see what happens….
Cans of Corn…
- With their win on Monday, the Dodgers become the first team to reach 80 wins in 2022. For comparison, the 106-win team of last year reached their 80th win 14 games later. There could be something historic brewing with this team.
- Weird stat of the day: Dodger reliever Chris Martin got a rare FOUR strikeout inning, thanks to a a passed ball. First time for the team Kersh in June of last year.
- Evan Phillips took a hot shot off the knee in the 8th inning. He stayed in the game to finish out the frame. Hope there is no lingering problem.
- Don’t look now, but David Price just pitched his 10th straight scoreless appearance.
- Speaking of scoreless, Ferguson is up to 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings since his return.
- Walker Buehler thing is a drag, but the team wasn’t really counting on him for much this year after the injury. Hopefully, May can fill that hole.
- Dustin May rejoined the ballclub in Milwaukee, the site of the nasty injury from May of last year that cost the Dodgers a year of his services. Good news. He’s rested and ready and will join the rotation back home on Saturday night.
