Steve Webb
PITTSBURGH, PA — The Dodgers’ bullpen has been a little cobbled together this year, with injuries keeping some of the key pieces off of the roster. However, it’s usually been up to the task. On Wednesday, however, it was not. Three different relievers gave up runs in the late innings and the Pirates took the rubber game of this series, 5-3.
Pepiot wild, but goes three scoreless
Rookie Ryan Pepiot made his MLB debut today, and it was a bit of a mixed bag. But, it was pretty much what the scouting report had advertised: good stuff, command issues. He gave up only one hit to the Pirates, but invited them on base far too much. Pepiot walked five guys and hit another, so every inning had multiple runners on base.
However, somehow, the big righty was able to make the pitches when he needed to and was able to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard for the entirety of his outing. He went 77 pitches, but only threw 41 strikes. The final line of the day: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K. And, Pepiot is now the proud owner of a 0.00 lifetime ERA. Enjoy it while you can, young man.
Bucs go deep in sixth
Meanwhile, the Dodgers weren’t having any luck against the Pirates’ opener, Dillon Peters. They barely made a dent in the scorebook the first time through the batting order, so the game went into the middle innings still deadlocked in a scoreless tie.
Tommy Kahnle came on to pitch the bottom of the sixth, and to be honest, it could have gone a whole lot better. He was rudely greeted by the Pirates Jack Suwinski, who homered on the first pitch of the inning. Kahnle then plunked Diego Castillo in the back and promptly surrendered another long ball, this one to Josh VanMeter. Kahnle got the next three hitters, but now the Dodgers were heading into the late innings in an 0-3 hole.
Rios clears the bases to tie the game
However, your Los Angeles Dodgers were not about to roll over in this one. They got right to work in the top of the seventh, aided by some walks and poor defense. The Dodgers loaded up the bases on a walk, an error and another walk with nobody out. That brought up slugger Edwin Rios and he did not disappoint. After watching a curveball sail wide, he barreled up a changeup and drilled it into the right centerfield gap. It was a bases-clearing double, and just like that the game was tied.
When Rios took third on a Gavin Lux flyout, it looked like the Dodgers might be primed to take the lead. However, a game-saving leaping catch from shortstop Diego Castillo recorded an out on a screaming liner off the bat of Will Smith, and Rios ended the inning still parked at third.
Vogelbach breaks the tie
The tie didn’t last long, unfortunately. After new reliever Daniel Hudson struck out Ke’Bryan Hayes to start the bottom of the ninth, things went south on him. Daniel Vogelbach demolished a pitch for a solo home run, and the Pirates were back on top 4-3.
More bad news in the eighth. Josh VanMeter led off with a triple to left center off Brusdar Graterol. Graterol got one ground out to keep VanMeter at third, but VanMeter was able to score on a groundball off the bat of Ben Gamel. The Bazooka was able to get out of the inning on a nice double play started by Freddie Freeman, but the damage had been done. The Dodgers went quietly in the ninth to drop the game.
Back home for the Phillies and D-backs
The Dodgers head home after a 4-2 road trip, which was about the minimum that they expected going into this week. They did what they needed to do, but there were too many empty stretches at the plate in Pittsburgh for the team to get the series win. No off day, so the Dodgers fly home to face the team from the other side of Pennsylvania on Thursday. The Phillies are playing well below expectations this season, so they are sure to want to come into Dodger Stadium and make a statement. We’ll just have to see about that. Tyler Anderson vs. Zack Wheeler on Thursday, 7:10 start at the Ravine. Let’s start the homestand off right.
Cans of Corn…
- Ryan Pepiot had his moments in this one, but really needs to work on his control.
- Other than Edwin Rios, I can barely remember the last time a Dodger hit a home run.
- Chris Taylor was just awful on this road trip.
- Max Muncy continues to get walks, but at a certain point, I just want that big boy to start bopping.
- This was a winnable game, if the pen had been a little more careful with their first pitch strikes. Suwinski and VanMeter both homered on a meaty fastball from Kahnle on the first pitch of the at-bat.
- Tyler Anderson will be on regular rest on Thursday. Kershaw will be pitching on five days rest on Friday. Both men pitched in Chicago on Saturday.
