True Blue LA - May 16: Marlins 6, Dodgers 5Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2018-05-16T19:13:22-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/171266392018-05-16T19:13:22-07:002018-05-16T19:13:22-07:00Dodgers’ best not enough to avoid last place
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Miami Marlins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QCGKpQkN033W_O0UANTPPavtv1A=/0x0:5568x3712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59761387/959315276.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="HfThg7">On a night when the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> made their largest comeback of the season, it wasn’t enough to avoid yet another loss, this time 6-5 to the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> in the second game of their three-game series in Miami.</p>
<p id="KmstUb">The Dodgers’ sixth straight loss assured them of a fourth straight series loss to a last place team, and moved Los Angeles into last place in the National League West. They are in a virtual tie with the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> (17-27) at the bottom of the division, but the Dodgers (16-26) have the worst winning percentage in the division.</p>
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<p id="C2wwbN"><span>Walker Buehler</span> struck out seven in his first four innings but still trailed thanks to a pair of scratch runs driven in on ground ball singles to center field, including one cashed-in error.</p>
<p id="F5Btzk">But Miami got to Buehler in the fifth with <span>Justin Bour</span> hitting an opposite field home run, and a two-run shot to boot, something the Dodgers haven’t been able to do themselves since May 1. Bour’s shot was the first home run allowed by Buehler this season. Two singles and a sacrifice fly followed to give the Marlins a 5-1 advantage.</p>
<p id="lqXbxr">In the top of the sixth the Dodgers offense showed life for the first time in a week, stringing together five hits in an inning, including three doubles. Three of those hits were with runners in scoring position, which knotted the game up at 5-5. The four-run deficit is the largest erased by the Dodgers this season.</p>
<p id="i8PQZK">With Buehler done after five innings and 97 pitches, the Dodgers were tasked to get 12 outs from a bullpen that has been the least reliable aspect of their team this season. <span>Pedro Baez</span> got the first two of those outs, in the bottom of the sixth, but then <span>J.T. Realmuto</span> followed with a solo home run to provide the winning margin.</p>
<p id="fyYYvJ">Rule 5 pick <span>Elieser Hernandez</span> made his first major league start on Wednesday, and proved Rule 1 against the Dodgers this season, that no matter who starts on the mound against them good things will happen.</p>
<p id="YSNVHE">The Dodgers scored a single run in five innings against Hernandez, the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/8DV3m">15th time in the last 16 games they have failed to score more than three times against a starting pitcher</a>. Opposing starters in that span have a 2.73 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 36 walks in 82⅓ innings.</p>
<h3 id="X6Sl7C">Up next</h3>
<p id="xKOSsC">It’s breakfast and baseball on Thursday with a 9:10 a.m. PT start on getaway day. <span>Kenta Maeda</span> starts for the Dodgers trying to avoid a sweep, with left-hander <span>Caleb Smith</span> starting for Miami.</p>
<h3 id="nsPOie">Wednesday particulars</h3>
<p id="ByNPt9"><strong>Home runs</strong>: <span>Yasmani Grandal</span> (7); Justin Bour (9), J.T. Realmuto (6)</p>
<p id="0jWXXb"><strong>WP - Drew Steckenrider (2-1)</strong>: 1⅔ IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p id="r6XB8C"><strong>LP - Pedro Baez (1-2)</strong>: 1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout</p>
<p id="8S2F4t"><strong>Sv - Brad Ziegler (7)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 hit</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/16/17361512/dodgers-last-place-nl-west-losing-streak-marlins-recapEric Stephen2018-05-16T13:18:47-07:002018-05-16T13:18:47-07:00Bellinger gets rare start in center field
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Miami Marlins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5aL8-EIvkbuFlKDCI01X1fBV0Uc=/6x0:3863x2571/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59758099/958982026.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="T7OcXR"><span>Cody Bellinger</span> gets a rare center field start on Wednesday against the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>, his first outfield start of the season.</p>
<p id="vX1JGm">Bellinger played eight innings in right field and two innings in left field this season, both in reserve. He made 43 outfield starts for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> in his rookie season, including three in center field.</p>
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<p id="teVejm">The Marlins switched things up a bit, bumping scheduled starter <span>Caleb Smith</span>, a left-hander, to Thursday morning. On Wednesday, right-hander <span>Elieser Hernandez</span> will make his first major league start. Hernandez has allowed a run in three innings in his two relief appearances this season. He was a Rule 5 pick from the <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a> in December.</p>
<p id="awIdjQ">With the right-hander on the mound the Dodgers went with the left-handed <span>Max Muncy</span> at first base. Muncy is hitting .232/.328/.446 in 22 games this season, including .220/.316/.460 against right-handed pitchers.</p>
<p id="VLDMbN">Counting the switch-hitting <span>Yasmani Grandal</span> at catcher, the Dodgers have five left-handed batters in the starting lineup against Hernandez.</p>
<p id="43U7k6"><span>Matt Kemp</span> sits after starting the Dodgers’ last 13 games. He has two hits in his last 22 at-bats. Kemp started 18 of the Dodgers’ first 26 games against right-handed pitchers this season.</p>
<p id="kvJ2sA"><span>Kiké Hernandez</span> also sits but that’s less of a surprise since he has only started four of the last (now) 17 games against righties. He is 7-for-46 (.152/.235/.326) over his last 18 games.</p>
<p id="HY5k3g">The Dodgers are hitting .216/.304/.357 and averaging 3.08 runs per game in May. </p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/16/17362342/cody-bellinger-center-field-dodgers-lineup-max-muncyEric Stephen2018-05-16T11:00:02-07:002018-05-16T11:00:02-07:00Buehler on the mound in Miami middle game
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nGtiSY5utL1Sy7MKX1iapKyEp7A=/4x0:4924x3280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59754751/954795066.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="8uIdV9">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> continue their series with the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> on Wednesday night but in reality their opponent doesn’t matter too much these days. The Dodgers are playing so poorly that it hasn’t made a difference how low the other team is in the standings nor how poorly the other starting pitcher has performed. </p>
<p id="OWxQj1">Tuesday night was the Dodgers’ seventh consecutive loss to a last place team and ninth in their last 10 games to the Marlins, <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> and <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a>.</p>
<p id="0m4RnO">A loss on Wednesday coupled with a Padres win would mean the Dodgers would be a last place team themselves. Just once in the last 112 seasons have the Dodgers finished in last place, and that was the 99-loss team in 1992. </p>
<p id="JahYtK">At 16-25 this year’s Dodgers are on pace for 99 losses.</p>
<p id="WbXRfR">The Dodgers have lost 15 of their last 20 games. Since moving to Los Angeles, only five of their previous 60 seasons have included a worse 20-game stretch:</p>
<ul>
<li id="zo1LXk">1968: worst 4-16, finish 75-87</li>
<li id="GXYQDo">1979: worst 4-16, finish 79-83</li>
<li id="iwTTbo">1986: worst 4-16, finish 73-89</li>
<li id="vmGrtS">1992: worst 4-16, finish 63-99</li>
<li id="1JPejm">2017: worst 3-17, finish 104-58</li>
</ul>
<p id="3rPdB4">Yes, 2017 will forever be weird.</p>
<p id="LZ0dHS">Given the piss poor start, it’s hard not to look past 2018 and think about the future. On Wednesday we get to combine both worlds, with <span>Walker Buehler</span> on the mound.</p>
<p id="V5D5CP">Buehler has been excellent in his four starts, posing a 1.64 ERA and 1.65 in 22 innings against the Marlins, <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, Padres and Reds. Twenty of his 22 innings have been scoreless, and he has yet to allow a home run this season.</p>
<p id="zy2PcJ">Buehler didn’t allow an extra-base hit until the sixth inning of his last start, a two-run double by <span>Scooter Gennett</span>.</p>
<h3 id="UbNNIb">Game info</h3>
<p id="BVnADp">Time: 4:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="Unc8UM">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/16/17361006/dodgers-still-have-a-schedule-to-play-walker-buehler-marlins-previewEric Stephen2018-05-14T16:00:02-07:002018-05-14T16:00:02-07:00Dodgers-Marlins probable pitchers
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<img alt="MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pWf6AcvNq9xwsuBIxVL8MfEKCxw=/22x0:3856x2556/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59720139/usa_today_10828464.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="Gik38Y">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> hit the road beginning with a three-game series against the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> in Miami on Tuesday night. Here is a look at the schedule for the series, including an early morning start in the finale, plus the pitching matchups for the three-game set.</p>
<h3 id="0REeGR">Tuesday, 4:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)</h3>
<p id="SY2BRW"><span>Alex Wood</span> has 55 career starts with the Dodgers, after he started 55 games for the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>. Tuesday breaks the tie. Wood has allowed one run in five innings in both of his May starts, both no-decisions and both eventual Dodgers wins.</p>
<p id="OCQ2U7">Wei-Yin Chen has allowed six home runs in his three starts, and with nine runs given up in only three innings last Wednesday at Wrigley Field now has a 10.22 ERA, and more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six).</p>
<h3 id="jv70Ji">Wednesday, 4:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</h3>
<p id="j3u6kr"><span>Walker Buehler</span> has pitched 22 major league innings this season, and 20 of them have been scoreless. He has 27 strikeouts and seven walks in his four starts, including eight whiffs and no walks last Thursday against Cincinnati.</p>
<p id="5MCFK1"><span>Caleb Smith</span> has more strikeouts (53) than any pitcher on either staff in this series, and has a 3.63 ERA in eight starts this season. At home the 26-year-ols has been even better, with a 2.38 ERA in four starts and 29 strikeouts in 22⅔ innings in Miami.</p>
<aside id="3daH98"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Dodgers-Marlins series snapshot","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/14/17325988/dodgers-marlins-series-statistics-schedule"}]}'></div></aside><h3 id="HVzUi4">Thursday, 9:10 a.m. (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)</h3>
<p id="CJhfzv"><span>Kenta Maeda</span> allowed season highs in runs (five) and hits (nine) in his last start, and the Dodgers have lost his last four starts. He allowed a run in six innings to the Marlins on April 24 at Dodger Stadium, with seven strikeouts and a walk.</p>
<p id="2OKuHZ"><span>Dan Straily</span> missed the first four weeks of the season with a right forearm strain, and since his return has a 5.54 ERA in three starts, with more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight).</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/14/17326002/dodgers-marlins-starting-pitchers-game-times-tv-scheduleEric Stephen2018-05-14T15:59:02-07:002018-05-14T15:59:02-07:00Dodgers-Marlins series snapshot
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Miami Marlins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QVPMVGTlwG6FY4M8VAgHFCWvd38=/0x0:3627x2418/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59728341/usa_today_10162351.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="WCWg8f">The Dodgers start a road trip on Tuesday night with three games against the Marlins in Miami. Here is a look at both teams before the three-game set.</p>
<p id="tO1x3i">Teams: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> (16-24) vs. <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> (14-26)</p>
<p id="rdEjzE">Split records: Dodgers 8-11 on the road, Marlins 8-14 at home</p>
<p id="SUvT5k">Run differential: Dodgers -1 (9th in NL), Marlins -78 (15th in NL)</p>
<p id="sJapKI">Runs scored: Dodgers 4.28 per game (7th), Marlins 3.45 (15th)</p>
<p id="W9alNy">OPS+: Dodgers 95 (6th), Marlins 80 (15th)</p>
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<p id="TiHBXi">wRC+: Dodgers 96 (7th), Marlins 76 (15th)</p>
<p id="af8OfR">Runs allowed: Dodgers 4.30 (8th), Marlins 5.40 (15th)</p>
<p id="BKqXf1">ERA+: Dodgers 97 (9th), Marlins 72 (15th)</p>
<p id="emNSnK">Last 10 games: Dodgers 3-7, Marlins 3-7</p>
<p id="RTHrnk">2018 head-to-head record: 2-1 Marlins</p>
<p id="xXqiza">2017 head-to-head: 6-1 Dodgers (3-0 in Mia)</p>
<p id="wMfvsd">Marlins SB Nation site: <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Fish Stripes</a></p>
<h3 id="GLdZxv">Series schedule</h3>
<p id="KtafLA">Tuesday, 4:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)<br>Wednesday, 4:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)<br>Thursday, 9:10 a.m. (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)</p>
<h3 id="U8Y9se">Pitching matchups</h3>
<p id="mtnMbm"><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/14/17326002/dodgers-marlins-starting-pitchers-game-times-tv-schedule"><em>More details</em></a></p>
<p id="NKTrrn">Tuesday: <span>Alex Wood</span> vs. Wei-Yin Chen (L)<br>Wednesday: <span>Walker Buehler</span> vs. <span>Caleb Smith</span> (L)<br>Thursday: <span>Kenta Maeda</span> vs. <span>Dan Straily</span></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/14/17325988/dodgers-marlins-series-statistics-scheduleEric Stephen