Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Nine in a row. Getting production from every part of the lineup, the Dodgers were all over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night, scoring early and often en route to a 10-3 win at the Ravine. The Dodgers got a fantastic start from Julio Urias and scored in all but two innings of the ballgame to seal the first victory in this quick two-game midweek set. Every Dodger in the lineup got on base (most multiple times) in a blistering 15-hit attack that left the Twins in the dust pretty early in the ballgame. It was another convincing win for the Boys in Blue.
Smith starts the scoring, Twins tie it up
The Dodgers, as they have so often during this nine-game winning streak, got on the board first in this one. In the bottom of the first, hey got a two-out run-scoring double from catcher Will Smith, who is on a bit of a hot streak of his own. Smith would end up going 3-for-5 in this one with two RBI, and he is now hitting .429 over his last seven games. With the Dodgers’ big three at the top of the order, and that kind of production from Smitty in the cleanup spot, it’s no wonder the Dodgers’ offense is through the roof right now.
However, the Dodgers’ first lead in this one was short-lived. In the top of the 2nd, the Twins would knot the score when Gio Urshela banged a triple to the gap that bounced off the wall right between Joey Gallo and Cody Bellinger. The ball caromed away from the outfielders and Urshela had himself an easy triple. He would come home on a little nubber from Gilberto Celestino that Julio Urias really had no play on. So for a hot minute, the game looked like it might be a back and forth affair.
Dodgers pour it on in the second
However, the Dodgers were quick to put this thought out of everyone’s minds. Twins starter Joe Ryan had looked alright in the first inning, but the Dodgers were all over the young righty in the bottom of the second. With one out, Gavin Lux started the rally with a solid single to right. He took third when new Dodger Joey Gallo ripped a ball down the right field line for a double. It was Gallo’s best contact since joining the team at the trade deadline. And it was the team’s first of eight doubles on the evening, tying a season-high for the team.
Cody Bellinger followed up Gallo with a double of his own that scored two, and then Trea Turner brought Belli in with, you guessed it, a double. It was now 4-1 and the Dodgers were rolling.
Dodgers’ attack at the plate relentless
But they were just getting started in this one. The Dodgers scored another run in the third on a Max Muncy solo shot, and one more in the fourth on a tapper from Trea Turner to the pitcher that Mookie Betts at third perfectly read and scored on.
Then in the 7th and 8th, they score a pair of runs in each inning. In the 7th, they got an RBI double from Max Muncy and a fielder’s choice from Justin Turner (2-for-4 in his return from the IL). In the 8th, it was another double from Trea Turner and a single from Will Smith that led to the Dodgers’ 9th and 10th runs of the night. It was as complete an offensive performance as we’ve seen from this team. And given it’s the Dodgers, that’s saying something.
Urías continues to dominate
Meanwhile, Julio Urias just keeps getting better as the season progresses. There have been some gems from the rotation during this winning streak, but Urias’s performance on Tuesday was among the best of them all. He was attacking the zone all night, pitching with confidence in his stuff, getting a ton of first-pitch strikes. And this Twins’ lineup, Top-10 in baseball in hitting, couldn’t barrel Urias up all night. If not for the Urshela triple in the 2nd, it would have been nothing but zeroes on the scoreboard over seven frames for the lefty. In his last seven starts Urias is 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA. His line in this one: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K.
“It’s about focus. The focus is there,” Urías said after the game in Spanish. “I’ve been able to go deep the last few games and feel like I have the confidence from the manager. I’ve tried to make the most of it, and that’s what we did today.”
So while everyone is fapping over the return of Jacob deGrom and his 100-mph pitches, manager Dave Roberts feels pretty comfortable with his lefty. “There’s nothing else for him to prove on a Major League field, but be the guy,” he said. “When he has all three pitches going, I’ll take him against anyone. I really will. … If you’re talking about compilation of weapons, it’s hard to argue anyone is better.”
Phil Bickford came on in the 8th inning and gave up a fairly meaningless two-run home run to Twins All-Star Byron Buxton, and Caleb Ferguson pitched the ninth, extending his scoreless streak for 2022 to 16.2 innings.
It’s “Pepiot Day” on Wednesday
Now things get interesting. This will be the first game during this hot streak that Clayton Kershaw‘s spot in the rotation will come up without Clayton in it. And with usual spot starter Mitch White shipped off to Toronto, it falls to prospect Ryan Pepiot to fill that hole in the rotation. So far in 2022, Pepiot is 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA over four starts. He’s had command issues (12 BB in 16 IP), so I’m sure Mark Prior and Dave Roberts will be looking for improvement in that area. It’s going to be Sonny Gray, who the Dodgers saw a lot when he was a Cincinnati Red, making the start for the Twins, 7:10 first pitch.
Cans of Corn…
- Gotta give the love to Max Muncy in this one. Looked very good at the plate with two extra-base hits.
- Trayce Thompson came in off the bench in the 8th to hit a double, much to the delight of Steph Curry, who was capturing the moment on his cellphone. Basketball star Curry was in the house because he was in SoCal to open up a new gym that he funded with Snoop Dogg in the LBC.
- Seems like Ferguson might be ready to do a little more than just pitched garbage time in blowout games, especially now that Yency Almonte is out for a bit.
- A hot August is fantastic. Let’s just hope it doesn’t lead to a cool down in the fall.
