True Blue LA - May 26: Padres 7, Dodgers 5Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2018-05-26T22:23:18-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/171631392018-05-26T22:23:18-07:002018-05-26T22:23:18-07:00Dodgers lose home run derby to Padres
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<img alt="San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4DZd4uMhtcBz-K30_W28lUuIagE=/0x35:3000x2035/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59865679/962856998.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="pt8zEo">The balls were flying out of Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, and the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> got the better of it with four home runs to the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>’ two in a 7-5 San Diego win.</p>
<p id="Usoo0H"><span>Christian Villanueva</span> hit two of the six long balls, including a game-tying shot in the sixth and an insurance shot in the eighth.</p>
<p id="nZ48f7"><span>Justin Turner</span> hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth inning. Old friend <span>A.J. Ellis</span> followed with his first home run of the year in the top of the fifth. That was one of two hits on the night for Ellis, who is 7-for-19 (.368) with a home run and three doubles against the Dodgers since getting traded in 2016.</p>
<p id="e1H55m">Neither starting pitcher was particularly good in this one. <span>Alex Wood</span> saw some rare run support but couldn’t do much with it, allowing three home runs. He had a 5-3 lead entering the sixth inning but Villanueva hit a two-run shot to tie things up and end Wood’s night.</p>
<p id="4k2l4Z">Wood allowed four home runs in his first 10 starts of the season before the Padres tagged him for three on Saturday.</p>
<p id="M5Nt56">The six home runs by both teams combined tied the most in a game at Dodger Stadium this year, matching a 12-inning game on May 8 when the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> (four homers) beat the Dodgers (two homers) 8-5.</p>
<p id="nCAfra">The Dodgers had that lead because <span>Jordan Lyles</span> gave up two home runs of his own, and he also walked four batters, including three in the fifth inning to force in a run. San Diego relievers recorded the final 13 outs of the game and permitted just one single and a walk. </p>
<h3 id="wjC1pS">Up next</h3>
<p id="M3GnIB">The Dodgers go for a series win on Sunday afternoon, with <span>Walker Buehler</span> on the mound in the 1:10 p.m. PT start. The Padres are going with a bullpen game.</p>
<h3 id="a9ivd8">Saturday particulars</h3>
<p id="fKD5hH"><strong>Home runs</strong>: <span>Chris Taylor</span> (7), Justin Turner (1); <span>Freddy Galvis</span> (2), A.J. Ellis (1), <span>Christian Villanueva</span> 2 (14)</p>
<p id="Razwtn"><strong>WP - </strong><span><strong>Craig Stammen</strong></span><strong> (2-0)</strong>: 1⅔ IP, 1 strikeout</p>
<p id="7JuQad"><strong>LP - </strong><span><strong>Daniel Hudson</strong></span><strong> (1-1)</strong>: ⅔ IP, 1 hit, 1 run</p>
<p id="E73jA0"><strong>Sv - </strong><span><strong>Brad Hand</strong></span><strong> (16)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 walk, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/26/17399618/dodgers-padres-home-runs-recapEric Stephen2018-05-26T13:17:59-07:002018-05-26T13:17:59-07:00Matt Kemp is off to a hot start again
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<img alt="MLB: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eLgqHpYBmBkOLhuPLi3Xjx_ekXE=/0x0:3956x2637/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59863577/usa_today_10853792.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="fgbXxE"><span>Matt Kemp</span> came into camp in spring training after dropping weight and started out hot, looking rejuvenated in the first two months of the season. </p>
<p id="uAvS8z">That’s exactly what happened with the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> in 2017. After <a href="https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/braves-kemp-get-better-shape/57hTj7nJTkA9iR12tbGg3O/">being called out of shape by then-Braves general manager John Coppolella in the offseason</a>, Kemp showed up to Braves camp 15 pounds lighter.</p>
<p id="KsAnvc">“When I saw him, I said, ‘You look like you did when you played center field for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>,’” Braves manager Brian Snitker said last spring, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-kemp-arrives-at-camp-in-great-shape/c-216113530">per MLB.com</a>. “He’s in great shape.”</p>
<p id="PBbhe9">Fast forward to this spring when Kemp, after getting unespectedly traded to his original team, showed up to Dodgers camp <em>40</em> pounds lighter.</p>
<p id="wKXx5O">“He came into camp in amazing shape,” <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/2/14/17010462/matt-kemp-dodgers-return-surprise">manager Dave Roberts said in February</a>. “This is the Matt Kemp I remember when he was having an MVP-type year with the Dodgers.”</p>
<p id="jCuXlh">Kemp through May 31 last season with Atlanta was hitting .345/.381/.608 with 10 home runs and 15 doubles in 181 plate appearances.</p>
<p id="e1KCtE">Kemp so far this season with the Dodgers is hitting .338/.370/.536 with six home runs and 12 doubles in 162 plate appearances.</p>
<p id="TV612s">In 2017, Kemp hit just .232/.277/.371 over the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">final four</a> months, a period marred by injuries including a 19-game stint on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Is there reason for concern that history will repeat itself? Sure, which is a big reason why the Dodgers tried to trade Kemp and his contract in the offseason. </p>
<p id="kgJhFp">But for now Kemp is healthy and producing, which is really all the Dodgers could have hoped for at this point.</p>
<p id="vMimzb">“He’s been fantastic,” Roberts said Friday night, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/matt-kemp-homers-against-padres/c-278300764">per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com</a>. “Every at-bat, he’s just grinding. Really, a tough out and he’s getting big hits for us, taking the walk when he needs to. Defensively, he’s considerably better than the past few years. Just a staple in the middle of the order is what he’s been for us.”</p>
<p id="KJl8qj">Kemp has been phenomenal with runners in scoring position, 17-for-35 (.486) with three home runs, two doubles and two walks. That included his three-run home run on Friday, the Dodgers’ first since April 16, when he hit one. Kemp’s reaction to that fact was funny.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Matt Kemp when told <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> had gone over a month between 3run HRs: " “Oh, really? Wow. That’s not good. Maybe we need to hit some more. I’ll remember that. I’m going to tell the guys tomorrow.”</p>— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) <a href="https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1000251548046258176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2018</a>
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<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="1obYqn">Kemp is also hitting the ball harder this season, with an <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/matt-kemp-461314?stats=career-r-hitting-mlb">average exit velocity of 91.1 mph per Statcast</a> after failing to top 89 mph since 2015. His exit velo was <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=&hfAB=&hfBBT=&hfPR=&hfZ=&stadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfGT=R%7C&hfC=&hfSea=2017%7C&hfSit=&player_type=batter&hfOuts=&opponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&game_date_gt=2017-04-02&game_date_lt=2017-05-31&hfInfield=&team=ATL&position=&hfOutfield=&hfRO=&home_road=&hfFlag=&hfPull=&metric_1=&hfInn=&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&group_by=name&sort_col=launch_speed&player_event_sort=h_launch_speed&sort_order=desc&min_pas=100#results">90.2 mph in the first two months of 2017</a>, and 87.2 mph after.</p>
<p id="73ez4s">Hot starts are nothing new for Kemp, whose career .934 OPS in April is the best month by far. July is next best at .847.</p>
<p id="DAz6Rh">Kemp’s expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) this season per Statcast is .414, above his .382 actual wOBA, which suggests that based on how Kemp has been hitting the ball his results should be even better. Since leaving the Dodgers after 2014 Kemp’s best xwOBA was .353 in 2017, and his best actual wOBA .333 in 2016.</p>
<p id="d85Wxg">He is 7-for-19 (.368) with two doubles and a walk against pitches at least 94 mph this season. Versus all four-seam fastballs this season Kemp is hitting .404 (23-for-57) with a .702 slugging percentage, <a href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/h_tabs.php?player=461314&gFilt=&time=month&minmax=ci&var=ra&s_type=16&startDate=03/29/2018&endDate=05/26/2018&balls=-1&strikes=-1&b_hand=-1">per Brooks Baseball</a>.</p>
<p id="uCxmV1">Kemp has destroyed the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> this season (.577/.566/1.077), with at least one hit in all seven games against them, and multiple hits in five of them. He had three hits on Friday night, his third straight three-hit game against San Diego.</p>
<h3 id="vdYzrW">Game info</h3>
<p id="1X50WV">Time: 7:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="3MqM8K">TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/26/17398934/matt-kemp-hot-start-deja-vu-dodgers-padres-previewEric Stephen2018-05-24T22:51:23-07:002018-05-24T22:51:23-07:00Series Preview: Dodgers welcome Padres
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<img alt="Colorado Rockies v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-AaO5ULMRwiUGgq4PwdKRUvj72Q=/0x84:3000x2084/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59848593/962138982.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="AxJdmK">The last time the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> played the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>, the series was viewed as a possible springboard to a season that had sputtered out of the gate. The Dodgers had just taken two of three from the first-place <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> and easily swept San Diego earlier in the year.</p>
<p id="hg4NVA">Sure, the Dodgers started that weekend with their first combined no-hitter in franchise history. The fact they were within two games of .500 and were now winners of three in a row was enough to think they had righted the ship.</p>
<p id="YnnIoJ">But then Saturday happened.</p>
<p id="628Usg">It wasn’t as much the game that day, even though they had a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth before the bullpen gave up four runs in three innings to eventually lose 7-4. It was the chain of events that started that day.</p>
<p id="iYF14v">The Dodgers learned two days prior Hyun-jin Ryu was going on the DL with a groin injury that will keep him out until after the All-Star break. They would get even worse news when <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> left Mexico on Saturday to meet with team doctors, where it was determined the lefty would miss significant time with biceps tendinitis.</p>
<p id="HLGFdb">All this right after it was announced earlier in the week that <span>Corey Seager</span> would miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John Surgery.</p>
<p id="DVcWY7">That Saturday started a run of nine losses in 10 games. That meant they had now lost 16 of 21, had a rotation in shambles and were still missing <span>Justin Turner</span>.</p>
<p id="1VXHub">Even with all that, this series has a different flavor to it. The Dodgers are coming off two series wins in a row where they swept the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> on the road and took two of three from the first-place <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a>.</p>
<p id="Eyj8pQ">Kershaw finished up a successful bullpen Wednesday that carries him to the next step, a simulated game Saturday at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="WORU3Z">There is now just a 3.5-game gap in the standings between them and first place, the closest they’ve been since 10 games into the season back on April 10.</p>
<p id="BUUOGM">There is hope again.</p>
<p id="QeuRXR">Part of that hope has been Turner making his season debut and adding a presence to the lineup it was lacking. But another part has been the solid work on the mound by <span>Ross Stripling</span> and <span>Walker Buehler</span>.</p>
<p id="kE8uKt"><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Flos-angeles-dodgers-tickets%2Fperformer%2F1061%2F%3Fgcid%3DchDIG-_-geoUS-_-genAllTix-_-dt170314-_-cmpEvergreenVoxOrganic-_-mktgrBRAND-_-partVox&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.truebluela.com%2F2018%2F5%2F24%2F17392988%2Fseries-preview-dodgers-padres-momentum-keep-winning-walker-buehler-ross-stripling" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em><strong>Both right-handers will start a game this weekend against the Padres. If you want to grab tickets to see these guys this weekend, make sure to visit our partners over at StubHub.</strong></em></a></p>
<h3 id="IOIvxl">Friday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)</h3>
<p id="z2yBMc">The do-it-all swiss army style pitcher on the staff, <span>Stripling</span> is coming off six shutout innings in his last start in Washington. In three starts, the 28-year-old has surrendered only three runs while striking out 21 with only two walks.</p>
<p id="9TAJX3"><span>Clayton Richard</span> will make his 24th career start against the Dodgers and the first this season. The left-hander has allowed three or fewer runs and pitched into the eighth inning in each of his last three starts.</p>
<h3 id="KfOf5Y">Saturday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)</h3>
<p id="ph18MG"><span>Alex Wood</span> has been charged with two or fewer earned runs in seven of his 10 starts in 2018. The lefty has struck out 51 batters with only nine walks, the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career.</p>
<p id="5Arquh"><span>Jordan Lyles</span> will make his fourth start of the year after he appeared in 13 games as a reliever for the Padres early on. Lyles has struggled against the Dodgers over 15 career games (six starts), giving up 34 runs in 41 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings.</p>
<h3 id="lbm6ry">Sunday, 1:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)</h3>
<p id="Oz4FSk">Buehler has given up two or fewer runs in five of his six starts this year and lasted seven innings his last time out. Sunday will be the first time an opponent gets a second look at Buehler in 2018 but the Padres have still yet to get a hit against him.</p>
<p id="fs0d0u">San Diego has yet to announce who will start Sunday’s game.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/24/17392988/series-preview-dodgers-padres-momentum-keep-winning-walker-buehler-ross-striplingRyan Walton