Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — The Dodgers got shut out on Monday night. Bummer. But, it was like they decided “enough of this nonsense” and just pounded the Brewers’ pitching staff on Tuesday and Wednesday night. On Wednesday, it was a 13-hit attack that led to 12 runs for your LA Dodgers. By the time the game was over and the wounded had been carried from the field, it was a 12-6 victory for the Boys in Blue. And with that, they finish the home stand at 5-1 and head into the road trip with an absolute head of steam.
Heaney gives up gopher ball in first
Believe it or not, there was a time in this game that the Dodgers were behind. In fact, the game was only two pitches old when the Brewers took the lead. Willy Adames measured up a center cut fastball from starter Andrew Heaney and sent it deep to right for an opposite field home run. It’s the fourth home run that Heaney has given up this season, but the third in his last two starts. We’ll have to keep an eye on that stat going forward.
Dodgers score early and often
By the time the Dodgers finished their at-bats in the bottom of the first inning, the game was pretty much over. They sent nine men to the plate in the inning and scored four times, which will win you a lot of ball games. The big hits in the first were an RBI single from Freddie Freeman, another from Justin Turner and a two-run double off the bat of Cody Bellinger. It was the start of what would turn out to be a very good night for the Dodgers’ offense.
Dodgers tack on in the third, then blow the game wide open in the 4th
After a Hunter Renfroe double in the third made it only 4-2, the Dodgers put the game away in the next couple of innings. They got one in the bottom of the third on an RBI ground out from Austin Barnes, and then put up another four-spot in the fourth to make the score 9-2. In that key inning, the Dodgers started things off with a pair of back-to-back singles from Trea and Freddie to put runners on the corners with nobody out.
Max Muncy was hitting in the 4-hole on Wednesday, and he came through with an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 5-2 Dodgers. Back-to-back doubles from Justin Turner and Joey Gallo scored two more runs. Then after an out and a walk, Austin Barnes ripped an opposite field single to plate the Dodgers’ 9th run of the game. It was now 9-2 Dodgers and the death march of the Brewers was now in full swing.
Heaney pitches a full six innings
The biggest thing about Andrew Heaney so far this season is trying to extend him a bit so that he can give the bullpen a bit of a breather. Good progress was made on that front. Getting good life on his high heater, Heaney managed to take the game into the 6th inning for the first time since returning from the IL in late June. Plus, he kept up his fairly insane number of strikeouts per inning, notching 10 K’s on the night. In his last two starts, Heaney has struck out 20 batters in just ten innings of work. Which is pretty good. The final line for the Heandog on Wednesday: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K.
Barnes homer tacks on a couple more
Just for fun, Max Muncy hit another sac fly in the 5th and Austin Barnes pulled a two-run jack in the 6th to make it an official rout. The Dodgers didn’t do much else the final couple innings of the ball game, but by then, it hardly mattered. In addition reliever Caleb Ferguson got dinged for a couple of runs on a two-out Adames double and Hanser Alberto gave up a two-run homer during garbage duty in the 9th to make the game look a lot closer than it actually was. Final score 12-6 Dodgers.
On to South Beach!
Having finished the home stand at 5-1, the Dodgers try to pack up those hot bats and take the show on the road. First stop will be Miami and the recently swept Marlins. It’s a four-gamer this time. Looks like the best pitching match up will be the filth fest on Saturday featuring both Sandy Alcantara and Dustin May. After the Fish, it’s on to Queens for a three-game set with the high-flying Mets. The road trip gets underway on Friday evening, with a 3:40 PDT start. Tyler Anderson on the mound for the Boys in Blue. See ya in South Beach…
Cans of Corn…
- We all knew that if Muncy and Belli ever got going, this team would be unstoppable. Welcome to the Future.
- Heaney’s high K rate will be a great weapon in the postseason.
- Look for a sim game from Kersh in Miami and then activation a few days after that. No rehab start being planned.
- Dodgers’ run differential is now an MLB-leading 275 runs. Second place Yankees are nearly 100 behind at 188. Yeesh.
- This team, when they’re rolling, is scary good. Like historically good.
