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Dodgers Week 14: Another perfect week

Kansas City Royals v Los Angeles Dodgers Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

The Dodgers head into the All-Star break on the highest of high notes, after their second undefeated week in the last three. The club faced the second hottest team in the National League (Diamondbacks), then the hottest team in the American League (Royals), both winners of 18 of their last 24 games heading into Los Angeles.

Both were swept.

This was not a week of beat-downs, like when the Mets and Rockies came to town and got outscored by 40 runs in seven days two weeks ago. All three wins over Arizona were by one run, as was one of the three wins against Kansas City. This week, the Dodgers won a pair of games with four no-out walks in their final time to bat, including a walk-off walk on Saturday.

But wins are wins, and the Dodgers head into the break at 61-29, a half-game ahead of the Astros for best record in baseball.

The Dodgers’ run differential of +163 is the best at the All-Star break in National League history. Only three American League teams have beaten that mark — the 1939 Yankees (+217), the 1969 Orioles (+168) and 1936 Yankees (+167). All three went to the World Series.

Winners of 26 of their last 30 games, it would be natural for the Dodgers to want to keep playing rather than have four days in between games. But after a hard-charging first half, rest is good, too.

“The All-Star Game is coming at a great time. We all are looking forward to the four days, all of us except for six guys, which is great for them,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re not concerned. It’s time we’re looking forward to, but once the second half starts we’ll be ready to play.”

Batter of the week

Justin Turner was initially left off the National League All-Star team, but responded by hitting .313/.478/.938 with three home runs, a double, and six walks, driving in six. He did win the Final Vote, announced Thursday, so the Dodgers’ .377/.473/.583-hitting third baseman is in fact in Miami.

Pitcher of the week

Clayton Kershaw celebrated getting named to his seventh straight All-Star team with a pair of vintage starts. He struck out 24 in two wins, including the Dodgers’ first complete game of the season on Sunday, a 13-strikeout gem to end the “first half” in style.

That Sunday start opened up an All-Star spot for the deserving Alex Wood, who gets honorable mention for heading into the break on a high note, striking out 10 in seven scoreless frames against Arizona on Wednesday. Dodgers starters had a 1.10 ERA for the week, allowing six total runs in six games.

Week 14 results

Record: 6-0
24 runs scored (4.00 per game)
14 runs allowed (2.33 per game)
.728 pythagorean record

Year to date

Record: 61-29
463 runs scored (5.14 per game)
300 runs allowed (3.33 per game)
.689 pythagorean record (62-28)

The Dodgers’ .678 winning percentage is their four-best before the All-Star break, behind only 1942 (52-21), 1952 (51-21), and 1955 (58-26).

Transactions

Tuesday: Starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu was placed on the disabled list with a left foot contusion, and pitcher Ross Stripling was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Thursday: Relief pitcher Grant Dayton was placed on the disabled list with neck stiffness, and outfielder/first baseman Scott Van Slyke was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Saturday: Brandon McCarthy was activated from the disabled list to start against the Royals, and Scott Van Slyke was optioned to Triple-A.

Game results

Tuesday: Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3

Wednesday: Dodgers 1, Diamondbacks 0

Thursday: Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4

Friday: Dodgers 4, Royals 1

Saturday: Dodgers 5, Royals 4 (10)

Sunday: Dodgers 5, Royals 2

The week ahead

The Dodgers run the Jeff Conine gauntlet, focusing solely on Miami. First there is the All-Star Game and all that comes with it, then the Dodgers open up their post-break schedule against old friend Don Mattingly and his Marlins squad.

Week 15 schedule

Mon, Jul 10 Tue, Jul 11 Wed, Jul 12 Thu, Jul 13 Fri, Jul 14 Sat, Jul 15 Sun, Jul 16
Mon, Jul 10 Tue, Jul 11 Wed, Jul 12 Thu, Jul 13 Fri, Jul 14 Sat, Jul 15 Sun, Jul 16
HR Derby All-Star Game Off Off at Marlins at Marlins at Marlins
5 p.m. 5 p.m. 4:10 p.m. 4:10 p.m. 10:10 a.m.
Bellinger v. Scherzer v. McCarthy v. Wood v. Hill v.
Bellinger Sale (L) Straily Urena Volquez
ESPN Fox SNLA SNLA SNLA

Previous weeks in review: Apr. 3-9 | Apr. 10-16 | Apr. 17-23 | Apr. 24-30 | May 1-7 | May 8-14| May 15-21 | May 22-28 | May 29-Jun 4 | June 5-11 | June 12-18 | June 19-25 | June 26-July 2

Stats

Week 14 batting

Player AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO HBP SH SF PA BA OBP SLG OPS BABIP Player
Player AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO HBP SH SF PA BA OBP SLG OPS BABIP Player
Turner 16 3 5 1 0 3 6 0 0 6 4 0 0 1 23 0.313 0.478 0.938 1.416 0.200 Turner
Pederson 10 3 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 11 0.300 0.364 0.700 1.064 0.250 Pederson
Bellinger 15 3 4 1 0 1 2 0 0 6 4 0 0 0 21 0.267 0.476 0.533 1.010 0.300 Bellinger
Forsythe 18 4 5 1 0 1 4 0 1 4 6 0 0 0 22 0.278 0.409 0.500 0.909 0.364 Forsythe
Grandal 15 0 5 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 15 0.333 0.333 0.533 0.867 0.556 Grandal
Taylor 24 3 8 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 7 0 0 0 24 0.333 0.333 0.458 0.792 0.471 Taylor
Puig 19 2 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 19 0.211 0.211 0.368 0.579 0.231 Puig
Seager 20 0 4 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 10 0 0 0 22 0.200 0.273 0.250 0.523 0.400 Seager
Starters 137 18 38 11 0 7 22 1 1 19 43 0 0 1 157 0.277 0.363 0.511 0.874 0.352 Starters
Van Slyke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 ----- 1.000 ------ 1.000 ------ Van Slyke
Barnes 6 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 7 0.167 0.286 0.667 0.952 0.000 Barnes
Utley 12 3 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 14 0.250 0.357 0.333 0.690 0.300 Utley
Thompson 7 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 7 0.143 0.143 0.429 0.571 0.333 Thompson
Hernandez 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 14 0.091 0.286 0.091 0.377 0.143 Hernandez
Bench 36 5 6 1 1 1 2 1 0 6 13 1 0 0 43 0.167 0.302 0.333 0.636 0.227 Bench
Pitchers 14 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 14 0.071 0.071 0.071 0.143 0.143 Pitchers
Offense 187 24 45 12 1 8 24 2 1 25 63 1 0 1 214 0.241 0.332 0.444 0.776 0.316 Offense

Week 14 pitching

Pitcher G GS W L Sv IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP ERA WHIP FIP Pitcher
Pitcher G GS W L Sv IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP ERA WHIP FIP Pitcher
Wood 1 1 1 0 7.0 3 0 0 0 2 0 10 0 0.00 0.714 1.20 Wood
Kershaw 2 2 2 0 16.0 8 2 2 1 2 0 24 0 1.13 0.625 1.39 Kershaw
Hill 1 1 0 0 7.0 2 1 1 1 0 0 9 1 1.29 0.286 2.91 Hill
McCarthy 1 1 0 0 6.0 6 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 1.50 1.333 3.87 McCarthy
Maeda 1 1 1 0 5.0 4 1 1 0 2 0 5 0 1.80 1.200 2.40 Maeda
Starters 6 6 4 0 0 41.0 23 6 5 2 8 0 49 1 1.10 0.756 2.10 Starters
Stewart 1 0 0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 0.000 2.20 Stewart
Stripling 1 1 0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 0.000 1.20 Stripling
Romo 1 0 0 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 0.000 -2.80 Romo
Jansen 4 0 0 3 3.7 2 1 1 1 1 0 4 0 2.45 0.818 5.38 Jansen
Baez 3 0 0 2.3 3 1 1 1 1 0 3 0 3.86 1.714 7.49 Baez
Fields 2 1 0 2.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 4.50 1.500 1.20 Fields
Avilan 3 0 0 1.3 2 2 2 2 0 0 2 0 13.50 1.500 19.70 Avilan
Morrow 3 0 0 1.3 7 3 3 0 1 0 2 0 20.25 6.000 2.45 Morrow
Bullpen 18 0 2 0 3 14.0 16 8 8 4 4 1 16 0 5.14 1.429 5.27 Bullpen
Totals 24 6 6 0 3 55.0 39 14 13 6 12 1 65 1 2.13 0.927 2.91 Totals