Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Let’s play two! The first doubleheader in decades at Dodger Stadium went very, very well for the home team. After winning a squeaker in the first game of the day, the Dodgers went medieval on D-backs pitching in the nightcap, hitting a season high for runs scored and completely burying the Snakes by a score of 12-3. So, yeah, it was a pretty good day at Dodger Stadium.
Anderson shaky early, but settles down
Actually, it looked like this one might go Arizona’s way in the early going. After getting two quick outs in the top of the first, starter Tyler Anderson ran into a couple of boppers in the D-back lineup. Jordan Luplow and Christian Walker went back to back with the long ball, hitting a pair of solo shots off Anderson that staked the D-backs to a quick 2-0 lead. It looked for a short time like the night might have the same fate in store for Anderson as his last outing, when he got shelled by the Phillies.
However, he settled down, real quick. After those two runs in the first, Anderson shut the door. He scattered a few bloop hits here and there, but attacked the zone all night, and cruised through a season-high seven innings on just 82 pitches. His line for the evening: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 7 K.
Offense on fire all night
It’s hard to know where to begin to describe the offense in this one. The Dodgers scored early and often. Trea Turner erased the two home runs in the bottom of the first with a two-run single, and then the Dodgers exploded for six runs in the second. The big strikes in the inning were a two-run double from Gavin Lux, and a three-run homer from Edwin Rios, who continues to shine in his bench role.
In the sixth inning, the Dodgers poured it on, scoring a couple more on a Freddie Freeman double (one of three on the night), and another on a D-backs error. The Diamondbacks defense was particularly sloppy in this one, with three miscues on the night. That certainly didn’t help their cause, not that it mattered much with the way the Dodgers were bringing the lumber.
Finally, the home team got their twelfth run in the bottom of the eighth on yet another Freddie Freeman double. It was total domination from soup to nuts on this one. And after the frustration of the weekend, it felt good. Like, really good.
One more game in the homestand
The Dodgers finish up this crazy homestand with a second day game in a row, this one a single dip that begins at 1:10 on Thursday afternoon. Walker Buehler hopes to erase the bad memories of his start against the Phillies with a bounce back against the D-backs. Let’s get out the brooms, boys.
Cans of Corn…
- The Dodgers have scored 49 runs on this homestand, an average of 7 runs a night.
- Anderson had a gutsy performance. Those two homers could have shaken him, but he just kept attacking and rode the wave to the win.
- This one was such a laugher that Hanser Alberto came in to pitch the ninth. He gave up a run, but didn’t embarrass himself.
- David Price rejoined the team, but wasn’t used in this game. Look to see him get in the game manana if needed.
- Technically, this was the Dodgers’ fourth straight come-from-behind win.
- Christian Walker slays the Dodgers; two home runs today, one in each game.
- The Dodgers are taking out every frustration from the Phillies series on the poor D-backs. Hopefully, they can take this momentum into the city of brotherly love this weekend.
