True Blue LA - NLDS Game 3: Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2017-10-10T01:02:47-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/162131232017-10-10T01:02:47-07:002017-10-10T01:02:47-07:00Dodgers NLDS execution was a sweeping success
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<img alt="Divisional Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks - Game Three" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ae805ZlODsbsS0eWVIzEVZ8Xrss=/0x0:4221x2814/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57078867/859599168.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="zWX8Ev">PHOENIX — Though longtime fan Mary Hart was at the entrance to the visitors clubhouse at Chase Field late Monday night, she wasn’t the only entertainment tonight. The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> provided a thrill themselves, finishing off an NLDS sweep of the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in three games that couldn’t have gone much better.</p>
<p id="SwdULE">“You look at the three games in the series, and they're all team wins,” said <span>Dave Roberts</span>, who joined Tommy Lasorda and Joe Torre as the only managers in club history to guide the Dodgers to the NLCS in consecutive years (coincidentally, all three did this in their <em>first</em> two years on the job).</p>
<p id="2i1Agb">“From the first pitch there was a plan in place, and we executed,” Roberts said. “Our guys, the hitting coaches did a great job preparing the guys, and we were relentless every single pitch, and really made <span>Zack [Greinke]</span> labor.”</p>
<p id="DOvEcF">Diamondbacks pitchers threw 175 pitches in nine innings in Game 3, and in the series averaged over 21 pitches per frame. Arizona starters pitched just 10⅓ innings in the series, with the bullpen tossing 14⅔ innings.</p>
<p id="muq4m9">“It was sticking with the plan at the plate, making their pitchers throw as many pitches as possible, and get to that bullpen,” said third baseman <span>Justin Turner</span>, who was 6-for-13 (.462) with a home run and five RBI in the three games.</p>
<p id="Syu0ck">The Dodgers outscored the Diamondbacks 20-6 in the NLDS. LA <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451310/nlcs-schedule-2017-los-angeles-dodgers">advances to its third NLCS in five years</a>.</p>
<p id="mQZO4Q">“This team feels a little different. This is a group of 25 guys who understand what it takes to win games. The unselfishness of every guy in this room is incredible.”</p>
<p id="QXaeHB">Looking at the Game 3 win, a few things stood out to Turner’s point:</p>
<ul>
<li id="vSw3Gm">The first run was scored by <span>Chris Taylor</span>, a career infielder who started the year in the minors and is now the club’s starting center fielder.</li>
<li id="uvFY9k">The winning pitcher was <span>Yu Darvish</span>, a pending free agent this offseason who completely bought in to changes in his delivery, mechanics and repertoire after getting acquired on July 31.</li>
<li id="LsuOkN">
<span>Cody Bellinger</span>, who also homered off Greinke, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/10/10/16451592/cody-bellinger-catch-dodgers-diamondbacks-nlds-playoffs-postseason?_ga=2.26046580.871787738.1504035385-1772367832.1495072224">made a fantastic catch as he tumbled into the Dodgers first base dugout</a>. “I should have been a little quicker to save him, but it was a heck of a play going the rail,” Roberts said.</li>
<li id="ccLLBg">The eighth-inning was dominated by <span>Kenta Maeda</span>, who late in September accepted a shift to the bullpen despite <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/8/5/16101678/dodgers-payroll-roster-service-time">a team-friendly contract with incentives based on innings pitched and starts</a>, and not on relief appearances. He struck out two.</li>
</ul>
<p id="mJnlBr">“I don’t think anyone in this room would have thought Kenta would have gotten the ball in the eighth inning in a two-run game to pass the baton over to Kenley,” Turner said. “Outstanding job by him and all of our guys in the bullpen.”</p>
<p id="QaY53N">Dodgers relief pitchers had a 2.31 ERA in the three-game sweep, with 10 strikeouts and one walk in 11⅔ innings. The walk was issued by <span>Kenley Jansen</span>, who walked all of seven people during the regular season.</p>
<h3 id="cjtA8F">Horse play</h3>
<p id="xXhIsw">At 12:10 a.m., these horses and their accompanying policemen <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451776/dodgers-dbacks-pool-guarded-salty-much">finally abandoned their post, guarding the pool at Chase Field</a>:</p>
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<cite>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<h3 id="CvFDf3">Up next</h3>
<p id="BzpJT4">The Dodgers will probably hold workouts at Dodger Stadium later this week, but don’t have another game until Saturday, when <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451310/nlcs-schedule-2017-los-angeles-dodgers">they will host either the Cubs or Nationals in the NLCS</a>.</p>
<p id="oymvOm">The sweep not only avoided the annual question of whether to start <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> on short rest in Game 4 — for the record, it felt like this year they really were going to stick with <span>Alex Wood</span>, and avoid Kershaw until Game 5 — it also gave the Dodgers a luxury they didn’t have in either 2013 or 2016, their last two trips to the NLCS.</p>
<p id="WfmxUx">Starting Kershaw in Game 1.</p>
<p id="31e358">“Now we have a little time to reset and line the names up how we want them, depending on the opponent,” general manager Farhan Zaidi said.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/10/16451846/dodgers-nlds-sweep-diamondbacks-reactionEric Stephen2017-10-09T23:33:20-07:002017-10-09T23:33:20-07:00Diamondbacks pool was guarded to stop Dodgers
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<p id="vhRNKn">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> finished off the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in a 3-0 series sweep to secure their spot in the 2017 NLCS. With the image of the 2013 Dodgers jumping into the pool at Chase Field after clinching, the Dbacks apparently felt it necessary to guard the pool with security on horseback.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The D-backs made sure the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> didn't jump into the pool at Chase Field. <a href="https://t.co/HVAfL1KsCj">pic.twitter.com/HVAfL1KsCj</a></p>— Joshua Thornton (@JoshuaThornton_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaThornton_/status/917630467129479168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2017</a>
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<p id="x3Yspe">The Dodgers had no plan on taking a dip but guard your territory, I guess. At this point, it has to be a salt water pool, right?</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Police horses are protecting the pool. <a href="https://t.co/XEBlnaF1dw">pic.twitter.com/XEBlnaF1dw</a></p>— AZ SnakePit (@AZSnakepit) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZSnakepit/status/917627644803297280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2017</a>
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<p id="GoemoJ">Arizona will now have the offseason to think of better ways to guard their home plate against the Dodgers scoring runs.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It is 12:09am and the horses and police are still guarding the Chase Field pool <a href="https://t.co/WQffbUtxyc">pic.twitter.com/WQffbUtxyc</a></p>— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) <a href="https://twitter.com/truebluela/status/917648282972598272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2017</a>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451776/dodgers-diamondbacks-pool-guarded-salty-muchRyan Walton2017-10-09T22:45:22-07:002017-10-09T22:45:22-07:00Dodgers stifle Diamondbacks to complete NLDS sweep
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<img alt="MLB: NLDS-Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/64zt0XVvCVNTY5Fj4xhuuihEk1w=/0x0:2436x1624/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57078465/usa_today_10338560.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>LA outscored Arizona 20-6 in three games</p> <p id="iUmqoA">PHOENIX — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> got a pair of home runs, made the opposing starter work for every pitch, and finished off the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> with excellent pitching by <span>Yu Darvish</span> and the bullpen to sweep the NLDS with a 3-1 win in Game 3 on Monday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.</p>
<p id="UXfrxS">The Dodgers now <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451310/nlcs-schedule-2017-los-angeles-dodgers">advance to the National League Championship Series</a>, which begins on Saturday in Los Angeles against either the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> or <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>.</p>
<p id="Q3CbYb">The Dodgers bullpen retired 11 of 12 batters they faced, and <em>even one they didn’t</em>, the latter thanks to <span>Tony Cingrani</span> erasing his inherited runner with a double play ground ball.</p>
<p id="EylhqO"><span>Brandon Morrow</span> recorded four outs, including getting through <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span>, <span>J.D. Martinez</span> and <span>Jake Lamb</span> on just seven pitches in the seventh. <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16407816/dodgers-nlds-2017-kenta-maeda-luis-avilan-no-pool-party">Newly minted relief weapon Kenta Maeda</a> breezed through the eighth, and <span>Kenley Jansen</span> finished things off in the ninth, striking out Goldschmidt to end it.</p>
<p id="mJVGsL">Dodgers pitchers on Monday allowed only three hits, and no walks.</p>
<p id="fLhoa8">The Dodgers offense ran <span>Zack Greinke</span> through the grinder on Saturday, just as they did in each of the first two games of the series. Greinke walked five batters on the night, a number he <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/96gy6">has only topped twice in his 392 career starts</a>, including the postseason.</p>
<p id="Bl6a2G">But none of those walks were cashed in. After <span>Chris Taylor</span> doubled to open the game, and scored thanks to a pair of outs, Greinke held the Dodgers at bay despite walking a tightrope, at least for a little while. Through four innings, the Dodgers were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.</p>
<p id="opLwzO"><span>Cody Bellinger</span> was in scoring position in the batters box in the fifth inning, snapping out of <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/10/10/16451592/cody-bellinger-catch-dodgers-diamondbacks-nlds-playoffs-postseason">his recent slump</a> with an opposite-field home run, his third extra-base hit in 12 at-bats against Greinke this season.</p>
<p id="uSCtf8">That wasn’t all Bellinger did. He showed off his range on a few plays at first base, most notably <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2017/10/10/16451592/cody-bellinger-catch-dodgers-diamondbacks-nlds-playoffs-postseason">falling over the dugout rail to make a spectacular catch in the fifth inning</a>.</p>
<p id="4UKr19">Greinke seemed done after throwing 103 pitches in his five innings, but was back out on the mound to open the sixth inning. Two pitches later <span>Austin Barnes</span>, <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16435804/austin-barnes-starts-catcher-dodgers-diamondbacks-nlds">inserted into the lineup because of the superior quality of his at-bats of late</a>, ended Greinke’s night for him with a solo home run, widening the Dodgers’ advantage to two runs.</p>
<p id="5f64D5">That was enough for Darvish, who retired 13 straight at one point and allowed only a home run to <span>Daniel Descalso</span> in his five innings.</p>
<p id="FkuzvL">Darvish was cruising through five innings, striking out seven with. no walks, and threw just 74 pitches on the night, though it was two at the end that hastened his exit. Darvish nearly hit pinch-hitter <span>Christian Walker</span> with one pitch, but the pitch hit the knob of Walker’s bat for a foul ball, confirmed on replay. But then Darvish <em>did</em> hit Walker, this time in the helmet on a scary pitch that Walker basically strode into. It looked like it could have been much worse.</p>
<p id="Gf8Tht">Diamondbacks starting pitchers in the three-game series lasted just 10⅓ innings total, allowing 11 runs on 12 hits and 11 walks, throwing 241 pitches. That’ll get you swept.</p>
<h3 id="mjeAyv">Game 3 particulars</h3>
<p id="1XTnGn"><strong>Home runs</strong>: Cody Bellinger (1), Austin Barnes (1); Daniel Descalso (1)</p>
<p id="ikswNV"><strong>WP - Yu Darvish (1-0)</strong>: 5+ IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 7 strikeouts</p>
<p id="n5scgG"><strong>LP - Zack Greinke (0-1)</strong>: 5+ IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p id="Anx2jV"><strong>Sv - Kenley Jansen (2)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16447392/dodgers-pitching-yu-darvish-bullpen-home-runs-cody-bellinger-austin-barnes-nlds-sweepEric Stephen2017-10-09T21:21:29-07:002017-10-09T21:21:29-07:00NLDS Game 3 chat - Part 2
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<img alt="Divisional Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks - Game Three" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3O0Tj_mpUGaTLMdjfeSL_rbD30Y=/0x0:5160x3440/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57077755/859570368.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Darvish dealing. | Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="9SHDTG">The Dodgers lead 3-1 going to the bottom of the 6th inning in Phoenix, Arizona. Keep the conversation going here...</p>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16451418/nlds-game-3-chat-part-2David Young2017-10-09T18:07:11-07:002017-10-09T18:07:11-07:00Barnes behind the plate in Game 3
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XuIkbTJTj54IaFg6Z71ksg1HFUU=/0x0:4583x3055/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57075669/usa_today_10216083.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="eU96sp">PHOENIX — <span>Austin Barnes</span> gets the start at catcher for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> against <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> right-hander <span>Zack Greinke</span> in Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday night at Chase Field.</p>
<p id="Lx4YOt">“I think with Austin it’s just more that I’ve liked the at-bat quality,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said. “Just to be able to get a hit, spoil pitches, and with Zack who obviously is a tactician on the mound.”</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="0TA05W"><div data-anthem-component="table:695237"></div></div></div>
<p id="XrPF0F"><span>Barnes</span> has never faced Greinke in his career. <span>Yasmani Grandal</span> is 7-for-28 (.250) with two home runs, a double and a walk against Greinke, including 5-for-12 (.417) with a home run this season.</p>
<p id="KZzblr">Barnes, who hit .289/.408/.486 in 262 plate appearances this season, is 3-for-4 in. double and a walk so far in this series. He got the start in Game 2 against left-hander <span>Robbie Ray</span>.</p>
<p id="4SUq1I">Barnes earned more playing time down the stretch, and started nine of the final 22 games behind the plate, including six starts against right-handers. Barnes hit .321/.444/.459 against righties this season.</p>
<p id="1px0C9">“I think that Austin has a great way of being selective, grinding at-bats, and also just the comfort level of he and <span>Yu [Darvish]</span>,” Roberts said. “I feel comfortable with both of our catchers in that battery.”</p>
<p id="EBitKr"><span>Corey Seager</span> is 6-for-11 (.545) with two home runs, a double and five walks against Zack Greinke, for a cool .688 on-base percentage and 1.182 slugging percentage. That includes 1-for-3 with three walks this season.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16435804/austin-barnes-starts-catcher-dodgers-diamondbacks-nldsEric Stephen2017-10-09T11:00:02-07:002017-10-09T11:00:02-07:00Yu Darvish seeing his adjustments pay off
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<img alt="MLB: Game Two-Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vjs1y9LEXTR6NE21LufN0Xi6fMA=/0x0:3318x2212/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57066639/usa_today_10262375.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="1oQihm">PHOENIX — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> try to sweep away the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> on Monday night in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, and look for <span>Yu Darvish</span> to continue his late-season resurgence.</p>
<p id="YjWBvb">In his final three starts of the season Darvish allowed two total runs, and just one earned run, with 21 strikeouts and one walk in 17⅓ innings. Now it’s time to see if those results were due to adjustments Darvish made, or from <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2017-standard-batting.shtml">facing three of the four or five worst offenses in baseball</a> — the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>, <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> and <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> — depending on your metric of choice.</p>
<p id="Z73JVh">It’s probably a little bit of both.</p>
<p id="e93X45">Darvish has made <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/2/16247886/yu-darvish-delivery-dodgers-padres-preview">several adjustments</a> to <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/2/16248286/yu-darvish-bad-dodgers-padres-recap-game-2-doubleheader-sweep">his delivery</a> since the Dodgers acquired him on July 31, trying to regain his form from before his Tommy John surgery in 2015.</p>
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<p id="Ix69St">“I think that for him it was more of coming over here and trying to figure out why he can't be consistent,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said. “He's a guy that came off surgery a couple years ago, and so to get that consistency back and a lot of the data that we had that we kind of dug into made things pretty clear for us, and to present it to him was very clear.</p>
<p id="rWsxiQ">“So I think that buy-in was huge for him. You look at the small sample of three starts or whatever, but I think progressively it's continued to get better.”</p>
<p id="QyQgEo">Darvish faced the Diamondbacks once this season, on Aug. 10 at Chase Field, his second start with the Dodgers. He struck out 10 and got the win, allowing just two runs, but was also pulled after 106 pitches in five innings.</p>
<p id="MIX8Sb">That seems like ages ago.</p>
<p id="hKGkhE">“I think it will benefit me because they haven't seen me pitch like I do now, like the last time we faced them, and then now how I pitch is different,” Darvish said. “So I think that's going to benefit me. Of course the pitches, like certain pitches were different, and then my approach is different too.”</p>
<h3 id="3Yff1A">Hindsight is 2-0/2-0</h3>
<p id="7OXqfj">This is the fifth time the Dodgers have led a best-of-five series two games to none. They needed four games to finish off the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> in the 1974 NLCS and the Phillies in the 1978 NLCS, and completed the sweep in both 2008 against the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> in the NLDS and in the 2009 NLDS against the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a>.</p>
<h3 id="D31pRA">Game 3 info</h3>
<p id="BlelM4">Time: 7:08 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="Hj3ju6">TV: TBS (Brian Anderson, Dennis Eckersley, Joe Simpson, Lauren Shehadi) </p>
<p id="yPFn80">Online: <a href="http://www.tbs.com">TBScom and the Watch TBS app</a></p>
<p id="9rI2R4">Local radio: AM 570 (Charley Steiner, Rick Monday)</p>
<p id="HXN25M">National radio: ESPN Radio (Dan Shulman, Aaron Boone)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16407818/yu-darvish-delivery-changes-dodgers-diamondbacks-nlds-game-3-previewEric Stephen2017-10-09T09:00:04-07:002017-10-09T09:00:04-07:00Bellinger working through slump at the plate
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<img alt="Divisional Round - Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yqvDUOn83Rdr5gIHtM36Ejhr3tE=/0x0:4332x2888/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57065657/858823330.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="NpHT0j">PHOENIX — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> have scored 17 runs in the first two games of the NLDS against the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>, but first baseman <span>Cody Bellinger</span> is fighting through a slump at the plate.</p>
<p id="UwiHXR">Bellinger is 1-for-10 with six strikeouts in the first two games of the series, and dating back to the regular season is 4-for-34 (.118) with two doubles, five walks and 16 strikeouts in his last 10 games.</p>
<p id="ck4DUH">His current streak of 10 games without a home run is his second-longest drought of the year. He went homerless for 11 games and 47 plate appearances from June 26 to July 7. His current streak without a home run is 42 PA.</p>
<p id="yoTAUO">“I think with Cody it's a little bit mechanics, it's a little bit approach,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said on Sunday. “Obviously a <span>Zack Greinke</span> is very aware of his aggressiveness outside of the strike zone, and to expect him to challenge him in the strike zone is unrealistic.</p>
<p id="DHAVkr">“So it just boils down to Cody trying to stay bullish in the strike zone. I think it's not like he's trying to swing at balls out of the strike zone, and that's obvious.”</p>
<p id="CHCAi3">Bellinger has seen 49 pitches in his 10 plate appearances in the NLDS, including three three-ball counts. During the season, he led the Dodgers and was 15th in the National League averaging 4.10 pitches per plate appearance.</p>
<p id="BrSdXp">“From the defensive side, he's really been plus-plus for us. Baserunning, he's been very good,” Roberts said. “I think just in the box, he needs to be a little bit more patient, and I think that he's a little overaggressive.”</p>
<p id="wlNJVO">In three games against Greinke this season, Bellinger was 3-for-9 with a home run and a double, with both extra-base hits coming at Chase Field on Aug. 9.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="d90v59">
<p id="rTU2A3">On Monday, Bellinger was named the Dodgers’ finalist for the Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the top offensive performer in each league. The award is determined by a combination of <a href="https://msecurea.mlb.com/bam-forms/2017-hank-aaron-award-voting">fan voting</a> and a panel of Hall of Famers, including Aaron himself as well as Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/9/16446306/cody-bellinger-slump-strike-zone-zack-greinke-dodgers-diamondbacks-nldsEric Stephen