Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — After the rough and frustrating series with the hot-hitting Phillies, the Arizona Diamondbacks were just what the doctor ordered this week. Not only did the Dodgers salvage the last game of the Philadelphia series in dramatic fashion, but they also put the beat-down on the D-backs in this 4-game series, sweeping all four games and scoring nearly six runs a game along the way. The cherry on the top was Wednesday’s matinee win. The Dodgers got another big inning, and powered by a Justin Turner three-run blast, prevailed over the Diamondbacks 5-3.
Mookie and Freddie stake the Dodgers to an early lead
After starter Walker Buehler pitched a scoreless first inning the Dodger hitters went right to work in the bottom of the frame. Facing Zach Davies (he of no-hitter fame from last year), Mookie Betts led off by smacking a solid opposite field double to put the pressure on Arizona from the start. Freddie Freeman followed it up with single to center that easily scored Betts, and the Dodgers found themselves with a lead just two batters into the inning. However, Davies cooled down the Dodger bats after that and got out of the inning with no further damage.
Buehler not sharp, but battles for five
After the promising start to his day, Walker Buehler struggled through much of the day, not really having his full arsenal working in this one. The D-backs weren’t ripping the cover off the ball, but they were finding the grass with a lot of hits, and managed to score a run in the both the second and the third on infield grounders. Walker just had too much traffic on the bases in this one, and even though he made the pitches he needed to, it cost him a couple of runs early.
The big moment for Buehler came in his last inning of work, when he found himself in a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the top of the fifth. Buehler needed to bear down fast, and he did just that. He got back-to-back punch-outs on Jordan Luplow and Pavin Smith, setting up a match-up with Christian Walker, who has been torching the Dodgers the entire series. However, Buehler got a swing on the the first pitch he threw, and got Walker to ground into an inning-ending force to Max Muncy at third. He walked off the mound frustrated to be sure, but he walked off having pitched well enough for his fifth win of the year. The line of Buehler in this one: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 K.
JT flips the script
The game turned on the crucial bottom of the fourth inning. With the Dodgers trailing 2-1, they put together a nice rally to take the lead. It started with a one-out Will Smith double to the opposite field, which was quickly followed up with a Max Muncy single to put runners on the corners. Then, the suddenly hot Justin Turner stepped up to the plate. JT has been raking on this home stand, and today was no different. He walloped a 3-2 change-up from Davies down the left field line. The ball cleared the fence and finally landed in the Dodgers’ bullpen for a three-run homer. The score was now 4-2, and the Dodgers would never trail again.
However, the good thing about this game was that the Dodgers weren’t content with just the three-run jack. In the same inning, Cody Bellinger hit a nice double down the line, and then scored a two-out RBI single from Gavin Lux. So good to see the bottom part of the lineup contributing. It makes the Dodgers that much more lethal.
Price returns to save the day
Now ahead 5-2, the Dodgers’ bullpen was charged with the final four innings of the day. Justin Bruihl looked very good in his inning of work, but Brusar Graterol ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh. The Diamondbacks scored a run on a handful of weak contact to make the score 5-3, and the Bazooka found himself with two men on and just one out. He got slugger Christian Walker on an infield pop, but Dave Roberts went to the bullpen for the left-handed Josh Rojas. And who did he call on but David Price, fresh off the Covid IL, who hadn’t pitched a game in nearly a month.
But man, Price had his stuff working in this one. He struck out Rojas on three pitches and then threw a 1-2-3 eighth for good measure. It was easily Price’s best appearance of the year. More of this, please. After Price calmed the waters, Daniel Hudson came on for a rather easy ninth inning to get his second save of the season. And with that, the sweep was complete.
Did someone say rematch?
Now 25-12, the Dodgers finished up the home stand with five straight wins, and seem to be rolling once again. They have a travel day tomorrow, and then it’s off to the City of Brotherly Love for a three-game weekend set with those nasty Phillies. Hopefully, there a little less out of their minds by now. The Philadelphia series starts off the Dodgers’ longest road trip of the year. After Philly, there are stops in Washington and Phoenix before the Dodgers return home at the end of the month. The Dodgers will throw Julio Urias against Ranger Suarez on Friday night. The game is on the East Coast, so it will be a 4:05 start time. Let’s hope this momentum can carry us through the rest of this month and into the summer.
Cans of Corn
- Clayton Kershaw was supposed to throw a bullpen yesterday, but it didn’t happen. He won’t be joining the team in Philly. Not great news.
- Loved what Price did in this one. Let’s hope it’s sustainable.
- Hudson seems to be back on track after a rough opening to the homestand.
- I feel like what we saw this week is what the Dodgers offense should be.
