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The Dodgers recorded only three hits on the night. Luckily for them, that was more than enough. Will Smith and Chris Taylor each hit a home run, as LA took down the Phillies, 3-1.
Through the first 3 2⁄3 innings, the Dodgers had failed to record a hit off Spencer Howard. Mookie Betts walked to begin the inning, but the offense hadn’t been able to do anything up to that point. With two outs, Smith stepped up to the plate. On a 2-1 count, Smith connected on a fastball and sent it into the left field bleachers, putting the Dodgers ahead, 2-1. They wouldn’t look back the rest of the way.
An inning later, Taylor hit a solo homer to put the Dodgers up 3-1. Oh, by the way... MAKE SURE TO VOTE FOR YOUR DODGERS PLAYERS AND GET THEM INTO THE ALL-STAR GAME!
But yeah, that’s essentially all we got from the offense on the night. They only left one runner on base all night. Luckily for the offense, the pitching was excellent. However, it didn’t look like that would be the case early on.
Tony Gonsolin made his second start of the season, and it was shaky yet again. Luckily it went a little better than his last outing in Pittsburgh, but he still struggled. The Phillies were attacking early, as a Bryce Harper single brought in the first run of the game in the first. They had runners on the corners with one out and the bases loaded with two outs. Gonsolin struck out Alec Bohm to end the inning, leaving the inning with only a run on the scoreboard.
There was trouble yet again in the fourth. Gonsolin allowed the first two runners to reach and there were runners on first and second with no outs. He got back-to-back strikeouts, needing only one out to escape the jam. David Price relieved him, ending his night. After an error from Taylor at second base, the bases were loaded for Jean Segura. Price got him to ground out to end the inning, avoiding yet another jam.
For the game, the Phillies were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners on base.
The bullpen was solid the rest of the way for the Dodgers. Price, Joe Kelly, Victor Gonzalez, Blake Treinen, Jimmy Nelson and Kenley Jansen combined to throw 5 1⁄3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and zero walks.
Monday particulars
WP: David Price (2-0) 2⁄3 IP, 0 ER
LP: Spencer Howard (0-2) 4 IP, 3 ER
SV: Kenley Jansen (16) 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 SO
HR: Will Smith (7) Chris Taylor (9)