Stripling’s performance carries Dodgers out of slump

The Los Angeles Dodgers were not having a particularly stellar series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Their main point of concern? Pitching.

The Dodgers offense started off so dominant that it was able to support its pitching struggles. With Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill (and more recently, Hyun-Jin Ryu) on the injured list, the starting rotation and bullpen were not living up to their fullest potential. This became obvious when the bats slowed down.

The Dodgers were one game away from being swept for the second series in a row. Someone needed to step up. Quick.

Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

That person was Ross Stripling. Stripling got the Sunday afternoon start and provided the team with a pitching performance they desperately needed to get them going. He went eight innings and only allowed the Brewers to reach home plate once, leading the Dodgers to snap their six-game losing streak and avoid the sweep. This got Stripling to be named TBLA’s player of the series.

Here is Stripling’s final line:

He didn’t do it all on his own, though. His lights-out pitching performance was backed by seven runs of support, with Alex Verdugo and Joc Pederson each hitting a home run.

Additionally, Stripling said he had an extra kick of motivation.

“To get through eight today, definitely proud of that,” Stripling said. “And [the] biggest thing is just proud that I could just get home in time for ‘Game of Thrones.’ That was priority.”