June 21, 2017

Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer and Yasmani Grandal hit a pair of homers as the Dodgers crushed the Mets 8-2 on Wednesday night at Chavez Ravine.

Rich Hill (4-3) got the win after pitching five strong innings.  Hill gave up just one run on four hits, while striking out eight Mets.  His 98-pitch performance was one of his best of the season.

The Dodgers have won six in a row, and twelve of their last thirteen games.  They also moved into 1st place by .5 games over Colorado, who lost to Arizona.

Puig’s 4th inning homer came off of Tyler Pill.  When Puig rounded first base, he angered Mets 1st baseman Wilmer Flores,  The two exchanged words, and Puig looked back at him while heading toward second base, continuing the verbal exchange.

“I don’t think he knows what having respect for the game is,” Flores said. “We’re playing horrible right now. He disrespected us.”

Hill’s only blemish was a leadoff solo homer by Curtis Granderson.  The Mets loaded the based on the 4th inning with nobody out, but Hill struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.

The Dodgers have hit 12 home runs in the first three games of this four-game series.  They’ve also outscored the Mets 30-8 over that three-game stretch.

Pill (0-3) yielded six runs and five hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out six in his third career start.

The Dodgers will go for the sweep tomorrow night at the Ravine.  Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-6, 4.35 ERA) will be on the mound for LA looking for his 2nd straight win.  Steve Matz (1-1, 3.21 ERA) makes this third start of the season for New York.

June 20, 2017

Corey Seager hit three homers as the Dodgers defeated the Mets 12-0 on Tuesday night at Chavez Ravine.

It was the second time in Seager’s career that he’s hit three homers in a game.  The Dodgers hit five home runs against the Mets on Tuesday night.

Cody Bellinger and Yasmani Grandal also hit homers for the Boys in Blue.  Bellinger now leads the NL with 22 homers.  He has 10 homers in his last 10 games.  Seager finished the night with 6 RBI.

“We’re having a great time,” Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said. “As much as we’re excited for Cody, we’re playing very good baseball and ready to go tomorrow.”

Brandon McCarthy started for LA, improving to 6-3 on the season.  He pitched six shutout innings, allowing just four hits.  Brock Stewart earned his first career save with three hitless innings.

“Hitting is contagious,” Seager said. “Everyone’s starting to roll. When one guy starts going — a guy like Bellinger comes in — everyone’s excited, everyone wants to get on base, everyone wants to be the guy.”

Rookie Robert Gsellman (5-5) gave up four homers and eight runs over 4 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers have won nine of their last 10 games, but still trail the 1st place Rockies by .5 games in the NL West.  LA also has the best run differential in baseball at +114.

The Dodgers and Mets will go at it again tomorrow at the Ravine.  Rich Hill (3-3, 5.14 ERA) will try to rebound from last week’s poor start for LA.  Tyler Pill (0-2, 3.75 ERA) gets his third career start for the Mets.

June 19, 2017

Cody Bellinger hit two homers and Clayton Kershaw became the MLB’s first 10-game winner this season as the Dodgers defeated the Mets 10-6 on Monday night at Chavez Ravine.

Bellinger connected on a three-run homer in the 1st inning, and a solo blast in the 2nd, which opened up a 7-0 lead for the Dodgers.  He had four RBI on the night.

The Dodgers rookie now has 21 homers in his first 51 games, which is the best mark of all-time in the first 51 games for any MLB player.  He now leads the league in home runs.

Justin Turner had an RBI single in the 1st inning inning, and had a solo blast in the 2nd inning.  Turner and Bellinger’s 2nd inning long balls were back-to-back.  Turner had four hits and four RBI.

Kershaw improved to 10-2 on the season, but had an unusually rough outing.  He gave up six runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.  He gave up four home runs on the night.

The Mets got two home runs from Jose Reyes, and one from Jay Bruce and Gavin Cecchini.

The Dodgers would add two more runs in the 7th inning on an RBI single from Chase Utley, and a solo homer from Chris Taylor.

Grant Dayton and Chris Hatcher pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits over that stretch.

Zack Wheeler (3-5) took the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits.  He lasted just two innings, allowing the three homers to Bellinger and Turner.

The Dodgers and Mets will be back at it on Tuesday night at the Ravine.  Brandon McCarthy (5-3, 3.14 ERA) will be on the mound for LA.  Robert Gsellman (5-4, 5.50 ERA) goes for New York.

June 18, 2017

Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner homered as the Dodgers held on to beat the Reds 8-7 on Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.  The win gave LA a 3-game sweep over Cincinnati.

Kenta Maeda (5-3) got the win after pitching five strong innings, and driving in two runs.  Kike Hernandez also made a game-saving catch in the 8th inning to help LA get the win.

The victory was the Dodgers’ ninth in the last ten games.  It also completed a six game road trip in which they went 5-1 against the Indians and Reds.

“It got a little close for us,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “Our bullpen has been lights out all year. They put some good at-bats against us. Like I’ve said, that’s a very good offensive club. To get out of here with three (wins) is huge.”

Maeda, in his first appearance since June 9 and first start since June 4, allowed just three hits and one run in five innings.

Kenley Jansen came in to record the last three outs for his fifteenth save of the season.

The Reds rallied for six runs against the Dodger bullpen, including three home runs by Scooter Gennett, Adam Duvall, and Eugenio Suarez.  They came against Grant Dayton, Josh Fields, and Pedro Baez.

Bronson Arroyo took the loss, falling to 3-6 on the season.  He gave up five runs on seven hits in just three innings of work.

The Dodgers now return home to begin a four-game series with the Mets beginning Monday night at Chavez Ravine.  Clayton Kershaw (9-2, 2.23 ERA) gets the ball for LA.  Zack Wheeler (3-4, 4.48 ERA) goes for New York.

June 17, 2017

Yasiel Puig hit a pair of homers, as the Dodgers defeated the Reds 10-2 on Saturday afternoon at Great American ballpark.

Cody Bellinger hit his 19th homer of the season as well, and Joc Pederson also homered for the 2nd straight day.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-6) got the win after pitching 5 innings.  He gave up 2 runs on 8 hits.

Bellinger had three hits and three RBI.  He also tied Gary Sanchez for the most homers in a major league players first 49 games.

”The offense today was the star – team offense,” manager Dave Roberts said. ”It’s an offense that’s relentless and pretty constant at putting pressure on you.”

Asher Wojciechowski (1-1) took the loss after yielding six runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings of work.

The Reds have lost eight straight games, and seven straight to LA.

Pete Rose unveiled a bronze sculpture of his headfirst slide in front of Great American Ball Park before the game. That was the only enjoyable part of the night for the Reds’ fans.

Justin Turner had the day off.  He has hit safely in 12 straight games.  Logan Forsythe started at 3rd base.

The Dodgers will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon.  Kenta Maeda (4-3, 4.95 ERA) will be on the hill for the Boys In Blue.  Bronson Arroyo (3-5, 7.01 ERA) goes for the Reds.

June 16, 2017

Alex Wood was dominant  in eight spectacular innings on Friday night, improving to 7-0, as the Dodgers defeated the Reds 3-1 at Great American Ball Park.

Wood gave up just one right on four hits, while striking out five batters during an efficient 89-pitch performance.

Wood is the first Dodgers’ pitcher to get so deep into a season without a loss since 1985, when Orel Hershiser made his first 11 starts without a loss.  He has been using a fastball, breaking ball, and change up to get hitters out.

“That’s always the way I’ve pitched,” Wood said. “I like to try to attack. But all three pitches have been as sharp together as they’ve ever been.”

The Reds only run came on a solo homer from Devin Mesoraco in the 8th inning, ending Wood’s shutout bid.

Kenley Jansen came in for the 9th inning to record his 14th save, despite giving up a double.

Joc Pederson hit a solo homer off of Tim Adleman (4-3), who took the loss.  That gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.  Adeleman gave up two runs in six innings of work.

Chris Taylor had an RBI double, and Wood added a run-scoring single in the 8th, as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Justin Turner also singled twice, extending his hit streak to twelve games.

Game 2 of the series will be Saturday afternoon at Great American Park.  Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-6; 4.42 ERA) will be on the mound for LA.  Asher Wojciechowski (1-0, 5.21 ERA) gets the ball for the Reds.

June 15, 2017

Rich Hill got trashed for seven runs on eight hits in only four innings of work, and the Indians roughed up the Dodgers 12-5 on Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.

Hill fell to 3-3 after making an exhausting 105 pitches, in what was a career-worst performance.  The Dodgers fell behind 4-0 by the 2nd inning.  The Indians got a pair of run-scoring singles in the 1st from Jose Ramirez and Bradley Zimmer, as well as a bases-loaded walk.  Ramirez added an RBI double in the 2nd, while Edwin Encarnacion hit a solo shot.

The Dodgers rallied behind home runs by Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor.  Yasiel Puig would add an RBI double as well.  However, 5-4 was as close as they would get.

Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a pinch-hit three-run homer in the 5th off of Ross Stripling, which opened up a four-run lead.

Josh Tomlin (4-8) got the win for the Tribe, but struggled after the early 5-0 lead.

Chisenhall added a two-run single in the sixth, making him just the third Cleveland player since 1913 to come off the bench and record five RBIs or more.

Stripling gave up four runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

The Dodgers head over to Cincinnati on Friday to open a three-game series with the Reds.  Alex Wood (6-0; 2.01 ERA) puts his undefeated record in the line for the Dodgers.  Tim Adleman (4-2, 4.34 ERA) gets the ball for the Cincy.

June 14, 2017

Kike Hernandez hit a solo homer during a four-run 8th inning, as the Dodgers got by the Indians 6-4 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

Hernandez was pinch-hitting for Chase Utley, and drove a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall off of Andrew Miller (3-2), who took the loss.  That gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.

The Dodgers would add three more runs in the inning on an RBI groundout from Yasmani Grandal, followed by a 2-run single from Chris Taylor.

The Indians would come up with a pair of runs in the 8th inning against Luis Avilan.  Michael Brantley  had an RBI double, and Edwin Encarnacion singled home Brantley to pull the Tribe to within 6-4.

However, Kenley Jansen came in for the 9th inning to slam the door and record his 13th save.  Josh Fields (3-0) got credit for the win, despite allowing Jose Ramirez’s game-tying homer in the 7th.

Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy was charged with one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Corey Kluber started for the Indians, giving up four hits and struck out 10 in seven innings but allowed two runs in the second.

In that second inning, the Dodgers got a walk, a double, two infield hits, then a double steal that allowed Taylor to steal home.

Yasiel Puig was in the lineup after appealing his one-game suspension by Major League Baseball for making an obscene gesture to Indians fans on Tuesday night.

Rich Hill (3-2, 3.77 ERA) will try and help the Dodgers complete the sweep on Thursday.  Josh Tomlin (3-8, 5.73 ERA) will go for the Tribe.

June 13, 2017

Cody Bellinger hit a pair of home runs and Clayton Kershaw pitched seven strong innings as the Dodgers topped the Indians 7-5 on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Bellinger’s 2nd homer of the game was a three-run shot in the 9th inning, and came off of Andrew Miller (3-1), who took the loss.  It also came with Justin Turner and Corey Seager aboard, and was the 17th homer of the season for the LA rookie.  That put LA up 7-2, and gave them much needed insurance.

Kershaw (9-2) got the win after giving up two runs on six hits in his seven innings of work.  The Dodger ace struck out four, walked two, and departed after 101 pitches.

The only runs the Indians scored off Kershaw came from an RBI single from Michael Brantley, and a solo homer from Roberto Perez.

Yasiel Puig delivered a 2-run bomb in the 2nd inning with Chris Taylor aboard, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.  Puig directed a pair of obscene gestures at a fan in a dugout suite as he crossed home plate following his homer.

Bellinger’s first homer of the night was a solo shot that gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the 8th inning.

After Pedro Baez pitched a scoreless 8th inning, Chris Hatcher gave up a 3-run homer in the 9th to Daniel Robertson.  However, Kenley Jansen came in to record the final out of the game.

Kershaw has not lost in his last eight starts.   He is 5-0 with a 1.94 ERA since his most recent defeat on May 1.

Trevor Bauer allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.  He was removed in the 6th with the bases loaded.

Game 2 of the series will be on Wednesday evening.  Brandon McCarthy (5-3, 3.28 ERA) will be on the hill for LA.  Corey Kluber (5-2, 4.38 ERA) gets the call for the Tribe.

June 11, 2017

Corey Seager’s hit his first career grand slam in the 8th inning as the Dodgers rallied to beat the Reds 9-7 on Sunday afternoon at the Ravine.  The win completed a 3-game sweep for LA over the Reds.

The grand slam was the 9th homer of the season for Seager and capped a six-run rally in the 8th.

The rally started with one out when Cody Bellinger hit a solo homer off of Austin Brice.  After a Yasmani Grandal single, Raisel Iglesias came in to replace Brice.

Iglesias (2-1), who ended up taking the loss, walked three straight batters which forced in a run, pulling the Dodgers within 7-5.  That set the stage for Seager’s big blast to right center field.

Cody Bellinger hit another homer earlier in the game, and Chase Utley also connected on a long ball for the Boys in Blue in the 5th.

The Reds had leads of 3-0 and 7-3 behind four home runs. Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, Joey Votto, and Devin Mesoraco all went deep for Cincinnati.

Hyun-Jin Ryu received a no-decision but was roughed up early for LA.  He gave up four runs on six hits in only four innings of work.  Ross Stripling gave up three more runs in two innings of relief.

However, Chris Hatcher, Luis Avilan, and Kenley Jansen combined for three shutout innings.  Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth for his 11th save.

The bad news for LA was that first baseman Adrian Gonzales left the game in the 7th after complaining that his back locked up.  He was diagnosed a herniated disc and will undergo an MRI on Monday.

The Dodgers will have Monday off before traveling to Cleveland on Tuesday to open a 3-game series with the Indians.  Clayton Kershaw (8-2, 2.20 ERA) will be on the hill for LA.   The Indians will counter with Trevor Bauer (5-5, 6.10 ERA).