Steve Webb
KANSAS CITY, MO — Sometimes, you just gotta tip your cap to the other guy. The day after the Dodgers were all over the Kansas City pitching staff, this time Brady Singer and a couple of Royals relievers were nasty. They shut down the high-powered bats of the Dodger lineup, allowing just two hits all afternoon. Dodger starter Tyler Anderson, on the other hand, wasn’t his usual sharp self and suffered his second defeat of the year. The final score in this one: 4-0 Royals.
Royals get to Anderson in three separate innings
Tyler Anderson, who had been so brilliant last Sunday against the Padres, wasn’t nearly as efficient as he had been in LA. And, right out of the gate, the Royals scored off the Dodgers lefty. In the bottom of the first, he gave up a seeing-eye single to Michael A. Taylor and then a two-out double to Salavor Perez for the Royals first run of the game.
Then, in the Anderson was in a mess of trouble when the Royals loaded up the bases. Kansas City got one run out of the chance on a single from Vinnie Pasquantino, but Anderson was able to avoid further damage with a double play ball.
Finally, as Anderson’s outing was coming to a close in the bottom of the sixth, Pasquantino hit a double and came home to score on Kyle Isbel‘s two-out single. And that was it for the Royals off Anderson. But on a day when the Dodger bats were quiet, it was enough to hang the L on TA. His final line for the day: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Singer brilliant, Royals pen holds
The simple fact is that the Dodgers just had no answer for Brady Singer on Sunday. The former first-round draft pick brought the good stuff to the park in this one, getting a lot of swing and miss on his running fast ball. Singer gave up three walks, but the Dodgers could only manage one hit against him, a single from Chris Taylor in the top of the 5th. Still, the single gave the Dodgers their first scoring chance of the day. It put runners at first and second with nobody out. However, the Dodgers just couldn’t convert. Cody Bellinger struck out. Catcher Tony Wolters struck out. And Mookie Betts popped out to the first baseman. The inning that had started so promisingly turned out to be a dud.
The only other real scoring opportunity came in the top of the 8th against reliever Dylan Coleman. Mookie Betts belted a one-out double to start the wheels turning. After Trea Turner flew out for the second out of the inning, Freddie Freeman was able to beat out a grounder to short when rookie Bobby Witt Jr. bobbled the ball a little on the exchange. The Dodgers had some life. Two men on and the tying run coming to the plate in the person of hot-hitting Max Muncy. Royals manager Mike Matheny went to his pen for righthander Scott Barlow, setting up the key at-bat of the entire game.
The Royals had been careful with Muncy all afternoon, already walking him twice. After getting a bad call for strike one, Muncy swung and missed and was quickly in an 0-2 hole. He took a couple of pitches and fouled off another to even up the count at 2-2, and then Barlow gave him a curveball over the middle of the plate. Muncy mistimed his swing and came up empty. Out number three. Inning over. And the Dodgers would go quietly in the ninth.
Oh well, nothing lasts forever.
On to Milwaukee
The Dodgers’ little Midwest tour continues on Monday, with the start of a four-game set against the second-place Brewers. After a strong start to the season, the Brew Crew is just 29-31 since June 1st, and are really reeling since their All-Star closer Josh Hader was dealt to the Padres. In fact, Hader’s replacement Taylor Rogers just gave up four runs in the 8th inning to cough up the game to the Cardinals on Sunday. We’ll see if the Dodgers can shake this one off quickly and get back on the right track in Milwaukee. It’s going to be Julio Urias against Freddy Peralta on Monday. Though he isn’t scheduled to start, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dustin May at some point during this series. We shall see. New winning streak starts on Monday!
Cans of Corn…
- The Dodgers couldn’t match the LA-era record for consecutive wins, set in both ’62 and ’65. Still a great two weeks of baseball.
- Craig Kimbrel gave up a home run in the bottom of the 8th. Blake Treinen, keep your phone on vibrate!
- Cody Bellinger went a long way to track one down in center in this one. With Gallo playing left, that’s three Gold Gloves across the outfield.
- Alex Vesia had a nice inning.
- Brady Singer is starting to look like who the Royals were always hoping he’d be.
- We’ll get a look at both Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff in Milwaukee. Hopefully, the hot hitting will be back for those games.
