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It took until Sunday, the 30th game of the season, for the Dodgers to finally be at full strength in 2019. The return of Rich Hill from the injured list was one day after Russell Martin was activated, giving the Dodgers their planned rotation and position player set for the first time all year.
The Dodgers won four of their six games during the week against the Cubs and Pirates, getting the two losses out of the way first in Chicago before coming home for a weekend sweep of Pittsburgh. Last week ended a stretch of 20 consecutive games against the National League Central; the Dodgers won 11 of the 20, which is remarkable since the first six such games were losses.
Eleven wins in their last 14 games have the Dodgers two games ahead of Arizona and San Diego in the National League West, with a +31 run differential that leads the NL and ranks third in MLB.
Batter of the week
This might come as a surprise to you, but Cody Bellinger was magnificent yet again, hitting three more home runs while leading the team in runs scored, RBI and walks while also stealing the team’s only base of the week.
He’s putting together arguably the greatest month in franchise history and at the moment leads the majors in batting average (.427), on-base percentage (.500), slugging percentage (.913), hits (44), home runs (14), total bases (94), RBI (36), runs scored (30), wOBA (.556), wRC+ (256) and fWAR (2.8). The home runs and total bases before May 1 are MLB records. Bellinger is also the first Los Angeles Dodger to score 30 runs in a single “month” (with the caveat that March/April is treated as a single month in baseball parlance).
Pitcher of the week
Clayton Kershaw struck out eight while allowing just one run in seven innings to beat the Pirates on Saturday. He narrowly beats Hyun-jin Ryu, who allowed two runs in seven innings against Pittsburgh on Friday while fanning 10, his first double-digit strikeout game in five seasons.
Dodgers starters against Pittsburgh walked none in 20 innings, and struck out 24.
Week 5 results
4-2 record
26 runs scored (4.33 per game)
24 runs allowed (4.00 per game)
.537 pythagorean record
Season to date
19-11 record
162 runs scored (5.40 per game)
131 runs allowed (4.37 per game)
.596 pythagorean record (18-12)
Miscellany
No free passes: Hyun-jin Ryu has been stingy this season, with just two walks to go with his 33 strikeouts. At home he has yet to walk a batter in three starts. In fact, his last bases on balls issued at Dodger Stadium was Aug. 26, 2018. Since then, including the postseason, Ryu at home has faced 202 batters and struck out 58, with a 1.33 ERA in 54 innings.
Walking the plank: The Dodgers swept the Pirates at home for the third consecutive season. The composite score in those nine straight wins in Los Angeles is Dodgers 68, Pirates 23.
Transactions
Saturday: Russell Martin was activated from the injured list after missing 17 games, and catcher Rocky Gale was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Sunday: Rich Hill was activated from the injured list to start the series finale against the Pirates. One day after facing three batters and not recording an out, Caleb Ferguson was placed on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain.
Game results
- Tuesday: Cubs 7, Dodgers 2
- Wednesday: Cubs 7, Dodgers 6
- Thursday: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
- Friday: Dodgers 6, Pirates 2
- Saturday: Dodgers 3, Pirates 1
- Sunday: Dodgers 7, Pirates 6
Stats
Week 5 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 |
| Bellinger | 18 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 0.444 | 0.500 | 1.056 | 1.556 | 0.333 | Bellinger |
| Barnes | 13 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.231 | 0.333 | 0.538 | 0.872 | 0.222 | Barnes |
| Turner | 19 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.316 | 0.381 | 0.368 | 0.749 | 0.333 | Turner |
| Seager | 19 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.211 | 0.286 | 0.263 | 0.549 | 0.333 | Seager |
| Taylor | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0.167 | 0.267 | 0.167 | 0.433 | 0.222 | Taylor |
| Pederson | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.077 | 0.200 | 0.231 | 0.431 | 0.125 | Pederson |
| Hernandez | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.158 | 0.238 | 0.158 | 0.396 | 0.273 | Hernandez |
| Pollock | 19 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0.158 | 0.200 | 0.158 | 0.358 | 0.300 | Pollock |
| Starters | 132 | 20 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 152 | 0.227 | 0.309 | 0.371 | 0.680 | 0.283 | Starters |
| Verdugo | 15 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.667 | 1.000 | 0.308 | Verdugo |
| Muncy | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0.385 | 0.500 | 0.385 | 0.885 | 0.833 | Muncy |
| Martin | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.500 | 0.250 | Martin |
| Gale | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.500 | 1.000 | Gale |
| Freese | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | 0.182 | 0.000 | 0.182 | 0.000 | Freese |
| Bench | 45 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0.267 | 0.340 | 0.378 | 0.718 | 0.367 | Bench |
| Pitchers | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0.111 | 0.200 | 0.111 | 0.311 | 0.143 | Pitchers |
| Offense | 186 | 26 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 55 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 215 | 0.231 | 0.311 | 0.360 | 0.672 | 0.295 | Offense |
Week 5 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 |
| Stripling | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.286 | 1.27 | Stripling | |
| Kershaw | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1.29 | 0.571 | 0.91 | Kershaw | |
| Hill | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1.50 | 0.833 | 5.53 | Hill | |
| Ryu | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2.57 | 1.143 | 2.20 | Ryu | |
| Buehler | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.76 | 1.059 | 6.20 | Buehler | |
| Maeda | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 13.50 | 2.500 | 5.45 | Maeda | |
| Starters | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 34.3 | 33 | 17 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 3.41 | 1.136 | 3.43 | Starters |
| Garcia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.333 | 2.87 | Garcia | ||
| Baez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.429 | 1.06 | Baez | ||
| Floro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.000 | 3.20 | Floro | ||
| Urias | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2.25 | 1.250 | 1.20 | Urias | ||
| Jansen | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3.00 | 1.000 | 6.53 | Jansen | |
| Ferguson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.50 | 3.000 | 16.20 | Ferguson | ||
| Kelly | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4.50 | 1.000 | 2.70 | Kelly | ||
| Alexander | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27.00 | 4.000 | 16.20 | Alexander | ||
| Bullpen | 18 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17.7 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 3.57 | 1.245 | 5.12 | Bullpen |
| Totals | 24 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 52.0 | 45 | 24 | 20 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 55 | 2 | 3.46 | 1.173 | 4.01 | Totals |
The week ahead
The Dodgers will run the Chris Brown gauntlet, back within their own division after an odd 20 consecutive April games against the NL Central. This week the Dodgers are on the road in state, for three games in San Francisco followed by three more in San Diego, with an off day in between.
Week 6 schedule
| Mon, Apr 29 | Tue, Apr 30 | Wed, May 1 | Thu, May 2 | Fri, May 3 | Sat, May 4 | Sun, May 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Apr 29 | Tue, Apr 30 | Wed, May 1 | Thu, May 2 | Fri, May 3 | Sat, May 4 | Sun, May 5 |
| at Giants | at Giants | at Giants | Off | at Padres | at Padres | at Padres |
| 6:45 p.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 1:10 p.m. | |
| Maeda v. | Buehler v. | Ryu v. | Kershaw v. | Hill v. | Maeda v. | |
| Samardzija | Pomeranz (L) | Bumgarner (L) | Lauer (L) | Lucchesi (L) | Margevicius (L) | |
| SNLA | SNLA | SNLA | SNLA | SNLA | SNLA |