After a taxing couple of days from the Dodgers bullpen, Julio Urias went seven innings in LA’s 6-1 victory over the Marlins. After losing three straight games in Miami, the Dodgers will have a happy flight back to Los Angeles after a 5-3 road trip.
With Friday being another bullpen game for the Dodgers, it was going to be crucial for him to try and eat as many innings as possible. Well, he did just that. For the fifth time this season, Urias went seven innings. His 101 pitches were a season-high, so he really gave LA everything he had.
For the game, Urias had nine strikeouts and was essentially in control all game. The lone run he allowed came in the first inning off a solo home run, but that was it. The only other time the Marlins had any kind of potential rally was in the sixth inning. They had two runners on with one out, but Urias escaped the inning without allowing a run.
“That first inning was difficult getting through it,” Urias said following the game. “I knew going into the game I had to give a lot of innings. To calm down and give the length was something I was very happy with.”
It was the fifth time Urias has struck out at least nine this season, but this was a nice bounce back outing after he struck out only three last week in Washington. Urias picks up his 11th win of the season, which leads all of baseball.
“The name of the game is to win baseball games,” Dave Roberts said following the game. “It shows when he takes the mound, we win a majority of his games so he should be proud of that.”
“It’s truly a blessing to pitch in a season as a full-time starter,” Urias said. “Obviously I’m more happy about my healthy and what’s going on there.”
He enters the All-Star break with a 3.64 ERA and a career-high 119 strikeouts and career-high 106 1⁄3 innings pitched.
After Urias was done after seven innings, the Dodgers turned to Blake Treinen in the eighth and then Garrett Cleavinger in the ninth. They combined to throw two scoreless innings.
Meanwhile, most of the offense came from the Dodgers in one inning. They scored five of their six runs in the fifth inning. If it feels like you’ve seen the Dodgers score 5+ runs in an inning a lot this season, well it’s because you have.
Per Sarah Langs, this was the 19th time the Dodgers have scored at least five runs in an inning which leads all of baseball by a solid margin.
This is the 19th time the Dodgers have scored 5+ runs in an inning this season
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 8, 2021
No other team has more than 13 such innings
The Dodgers began the fifth inning with four consecutive singles. The fourth from Matt Beaty gave the Dodgers the 2-1 lead. A sacrifice fly from Will Smith extended LA’s lead to two. Chris Taylor then doubled off the third base bag to bring in two runs. Taylor had three RBI on the afternoon and has been hot at the plate for the Dodgers since he was named an All-Star.
Zach McKinstry then drove in two runs after a fielders choice, giving the Dodgers a 6-1 lead.
After losing three straight heartbreakers to the Marlins, the Dodgers salvage a win and head back to Los Angeles. They’ll host the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks for three games this weekend at Dodger Stadium before the All-Star break.
Thursday particulars
WP: Julio Urias (11-3) 7 IP, 1 ER, 9 SO
LP: Sandy Alcantara (5-8) 4 IP, 3 ER, 5 SO
HR: Jazz Chisholm (10)