Ross Stripling solid again in Dodger win

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers did what they have been doing during this stretch of winning series, hitting home runs and getting enough pitching to be the winner at the end. On Sunday, Ross Stripling, Logan Forsythe and Max Muncy starred in their 7-2 win over the Braves.

The win gave the Dodgers another series win. That extended their undefeated series streak to seven and this was their sixth series win during that stretch.

Stripling pitched 6⅔ innings and gave up two runs on two solo home runs. He struck out six against no walks. Erik Goeddel followed with 1⅓ scoreless innings of work. Adam Liberatore came in to pitch the ninth inning for the Dodgers.

Logan Forsythe started the Dodgers scoring with a leadoff home run in the third inning. Austin Barnes followed with a single and he went to second on Stripling’s sacrifice bunt. Chris Taylor got an infield single and Max Muncy drew a walk to load the bases.

Matt Kemp singled home Barnes as the Dodgers moved up a base and then Kiké Hernández singled in the third run with the bases remaining loaded. There would be no more runs that inning as both Yasiel Puig and Cody Bellinger struck out.

The Braves answered those runs with a pair of solo home runs from Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman. After retiring the first nine Braves in a row and throwing only 24 pitches to do that, Stripling had a 33-pitch fourth inning where along with the two home runs, he gave up two singles.

Muncy would increase the lead with a solo home run in the fifth. Then in the sixth, back-to-back doubles from Bellinger and Forsythe scored one run and later a bases-loaded walk was drawn by Muncy and that scored Forsythe to make it a four-run lead.

In the seventh inning, Kiké Hernández hit a solo home run to center to make it 7-2 and give their fans one last thrill of the day.

Other notes

Manager Dave Roberts said before the game that the starting pitcher for Tuesday’s game is not ready to be announced yet. “Obviously there are some guys in-house that I am sure you guys can think about in the organization that could potentially make it,” Roberts said, “but right now, we don’t have for starter for Tuesday.”

Roberts and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt watched Kenta Maeda throw a bullpen before today’s game. “Obviously if Kenta throws well,” Roberts said, “then there is an opportunity for Kenta on Wednesday.”

After the game, Roberts said he was meeting with Maeda to make a decision about Wednesday. “We’re still trying to talk through with Kenta, actually I have a meeting with him right now,” Roberts said, “and just to kind of give him clarity on if we are going to do that or not. Saw some good things in his pen today but just want the assurance that he can sustain a complete start and put himself and the team in a good situation. We are going to finalize that right now.”

Clayton Kershaw was out before the game throwing long toss at about 60 feet. Roberts could not give any specific timetables but he did think Kershaw was progressing.

“Clayton is on track, a timetable, I really don’t know what that means,” Roberts said, “the way he is moving, the way he is throwing the baseball, in talking to him, the way he feels, which is most important, all things that are very positive.”

“So what that means in terms of when he comes back, I really can’t speak to that,” Roberts said, “but knowing that we have close to four months left of the season and have Clayton feel really good about the ways things are going, I’m excited.”

“The next step will be obviously, [Kershaw] has done some long toss, some flat ground,” Roberts said, “he’ll do a pen here soon, I’m sure they’ll be a simulated game mixed in, so I don’t know when his pen going to be, probably ask [Honeycutt] when I get out there.”

Up next

The Dodgers have Monday off and they will use that day to figure out who will start against the Texas Rangers for a two-game series starting on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Logan Forsythe (2), Ozzie Albies (15), Freddie Freeman (12), Max Muncy (12), Kiké Hernández (8)

WP - Ross Stripling (5-1): 6⅔ IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts

LP - Sean Newcomb (7-2): 5⅓ IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts