Roger Arrieta
Stripling Continues to Shine as Dodgers Beat Giants, 3-2
Ross Stripling churned out another stellar performance from the mound Friday night as the Dodgers took the first game of the series from the Giants. Stripling went six innings, giving up no walks and striking out six. He hasn’t given up any walks in six of his last seven starts. Not bad for a guy that, at the beginning of the season, was intended to connect relief innings from the bullpen.
Stripling is currently 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA.
With the Dodgers starting pitching rotation laden with injuries, Stripling’s performance has been a welcome surprise. When informed of his first start earlier in the season, Stripling said he figured he would be “piggybacking, go a couple innings and someone else would go a couple,” much like the Dodgers have done on their “bullpen” days. Stripling went 6 2/3 innings Friday night, giving up four hits and two runs (both on a 2-run HR from Pablo Sandoval in the sixth, which ended Stripling’s night.)
The Dodgers beat San Francisco 3-2.
Enrique Hernandez started things off for L.A. with a line drive homer in the first. Matt Kemp (currently appealing his one game suspension) banged a solo home run and Yasiel Puig drove Yasmani Grandal in to score on a double to center, both in the fourth inning.
The Dodgers are still 2.5 games behind 1st place Arizona.
Alex Wood faces Madison Bumgarner tonight in Los Angeles for the second game of the series. Game time is 5:15 pm, PST.
