True Blue LA - June 5: Dodgers 5, Pirates 0Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2018-06-05T20:02:05-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/171955392018-06-05T20:02:05-07:002018-06-05T20:02:05-07:00Dodgers blank the Pirates behind Ross Stripling
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<figcaption>Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="5c5U2O"><span>Ross Stripling</span> continued his dominance as a starter, delivering five scoreless innings to compliment a trio of home runs for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> in a 5-0 win over the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a>.</p>
<p id="ii0BdM">Coming off an excellent month of May that saw the right-hander give up just four runs over five starts, Stripling blanked Pittsburgh to lower his ERA to 1.52 on the year. It was the fourth time in the past five starts the 28-year-old didn’t allow a walk, striking out seven and scattering four hits.</p>
<p id="sxOFf6">Stripling has a 1.02 ERA since the start of May, allowing just four runs in 35 innings while striking out 48 and walking only four.</p>
<p id="JmCJQO">With the win, the Dodgers moved back to .500 for the first time since April 24 and have now won 14 of their last 18.</p>
<p id="4wpcM9"><span>Joc Pederson</span> had just one homer this season in 53 games heading into the weekend in Colorado. After two homers Saturday, the lefty has seemingly found his power, hitting a two-run homer in the second inning to give the Dodgers an early lead.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Getting it started! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> <a href="https://t.co/7vzwztnETo">pic.twitter.com/7vzwztnETo</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1004157736861356032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2018</a>
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<p id="rk7MQC">The homer Tuesday came off <span>Joe Musgrove</span>, who Pederson has hit well. It was the third homer in three at-bats against Musgrove including the two in the 2017 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>.</p>
<p id="VT4elI">Since April 25, Pederson is hitting .290/.354/.520 with eight doubles, three triples and three homers.</p>
<p id="V3iiig"><span>Yasiel Puig</span> chipped in a solo shot in the fourth inning and <span>Cody Bellinger</span> contributed one of his own in the sixth, making Tuesday their fourth straight game with three homers. That streak ties a franchise record set in 1954 and equaled in 2017.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">With their fourth straight game of at least three HR, the Dodgers have tied a franchise record (1954, 2017). <a href="https://t.co/weoMXGlq3k">https://t.co/weoMXGlq3k</a></p>— Jon Weisman (@jonweisman) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonweisman/status/1004181243305455616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2018</a>
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<h3 id="wuf4zA">Up next</h3>
<p id="t6UPQi">The Dodgers go for their fifth straight win as they send Caleb Ferguson to the mound in his major league debut. <span>Trevor Williams</span> (5-3, 3.84) will take the ball for Pittsburgh.</p>
<h3 id="C4gJTs">Tuesday particulars</h3>
<p id="Y0I2lb"><strong>Home runs</strong>: Joc Pederson (4), Yasiel Puig (7), <span>Cody Bellinger</span> (9)</p>
<p id="lJ3IgA"><strong>WP - </strong><span><strong>Ross Stripling</strong></span><strong> (4-1)</strong>: 5 IP, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts</p>
<p id="8QdDPK"><strong>LP - Joe Musgrove (2-1)</strong>: 5 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/5/17432202/dodgers-ross-stripling-trio-of-homers-pirates-500-recordRyan Walton2018-06-05T14:39:33-07:002018-06-05T14:39:33-07:00Caleb Ferguson to join Dodgers for major league debut
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<figcaption>Caleb Ferguson has a 1.53 ERA in 10 minor league starts this season, and will make his major league debut with the Dodgers on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. | <em>Photo credit: </em><a href="https://www.photo918.com/DRILLERS/"><em>Matthew Christensen | Tulsa Drillers</em></a></figcaption>
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<p id="O4vNia">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> plan to call up pitcher Caleb Ferguson to start against the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> on Wednesday, culminating a rise through the system for the club’s 38th-round draft pick in 2014.</p>
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<p id="ob8sOj">The left-handed Ferguson has been fantastic this season with a 1.53 ERA in 10 starts between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks in 47 innings. He was promoted to Oklahoma City on May 26 and has a 2.25 ERA in two Triple-A starts, including 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings in his OKC debut.</p>
<p id="5P97nQ">Ferguson last pitched on Friday, pulled after three innings and 63 pitches, and putting him in line to pitch on Wednesday. </p>
<p id="FseDcx">The Dodgers plan to start <span>Dennis Santana</span> on Thursday, making his first major league start and second appearance since getting called up last week.</p>
<p id="dtJy32">The Dodgers drafted Ferguson in the 38th round in 2014 out of high school, where he had Tommy John surgery in his senior season. He made his professional debut in June 2015 and has made the steady climb since, culminating in Wednesday’s call up.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Caleb Ferguson said he grew up about 3 hours from Pittsburgh as a Reds fan in Ohio. Parents are already here. Expecting 40 or more friends and relatives to drive down "after work" for his MLB debut with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> Wednesday</p>— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) <a href="https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1004111780698869766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2018</a>
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<p id="kcNPMW">The Dodgers will need to make a corresponding move to make room for Ferguson on the 40-man roster.</p>
<p id="1Lhymd">Ferguson was <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/12/29/16830392/dodgers-prospects-2018-caleb-ferguson-connor-wong">ranked the Dodgers’ 20th prospect heading into the season by David Hood</a>.</p>
<h3 id="NmcRXb">Turner sits</h3>
<p id="npCtHh"><span>Justin Turner</span> gets a day off in Tuesday’s opener, dealing with soreness in his left wrist.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justin Turner is dealing with soreness in his previously fractured left wrist. He used a stim machine on the area this afternoon.</p>— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughTimes/status/1004107524545634305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2018</a>
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<p id="astWJa">Turner missed the first 40 games of the season after fracturing his left wrist. <span>Max Muncy</span> starts at third base in place of Turner on Tuesday, with <span>Cody Bellinger</span> back at first base.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/5/17430206/caleb-ferguson-dodgers-major-league-debutEric Stephen2018-06-05T12:00:02-07:002018-06-05T12:00:02-07:00Dodgers and Pirates catching up to each other
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<figcaption>Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="kHDX2X">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open a series against the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, a three-game set between two teams diverging after unexpected starts to their 2018 seasons.</p>
<p id="wOnEnx">Before the season <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds?date=2018-03-28&dateDelta=">FanGraphs projected the Dodgers to win 95 games</a>, and their <a href="http://www.bovada.lv/">over/under win total at Bovada was 96½</a>. They started out 16-26. Pittsburgh, after trading <span>Gerrit Cole</span> and <span>Andrew McCutchen</span>, was tabbed by FanGraphs to win 76 games this season, and Bovada pegged them at 73 wins. They started 26-17.</p>
<p id="Bpb9CW">Now the Dodgers are 29-30 and the Pirates are 30-29, heading in different directions. LA has 13 wins in their last 17 games, and Pittsburgh is 4-12 over the last three or so weeks.</p>
<p id="XIrI14">A common theme between the two teams has been great production from catchers. <span>Francisco Cervelli</span> is hitting .278/.399/.535, leading all major league catchers in on-base percentage, slugging, wRC+ (155), fWAR (2.2) and bWAR (1.9).</p>
<p id="b07S2q"><span>Yasmani Grandal</span> is hitting .251/.353/.462, fifth in wRC+ (128) and fWAR (1.4). Factoring in backups <span>Austin Barnes</span> and <span>Elias Diaz</span>, the Pirates and Dodgers have the top two catching crews in the National League. They are first and third, respectively, in the majors in OPS from the catching position, with the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> (.263/.357/.550) in between.</p>
<h3 id="FlZWX5">Pitching matchups</h3>
<p id="a8Crvb"><span>Ross Stripling</span> starts the opener for the Dodgers, having allowed five total runs in his last four starts, with 35 strikeouts and two walks.</p>
<p id="NpLXVQ"><span>Joe Musgrove</span> missed nearly two months with a right shoulder strain, but has been great in his two starts since returning. Musgrove, who was part of the return for Cole from Houston this offseason, has allowed one run in 14 innings with the Pirates, with 12 strikeouts and four walks, winning both games.</p>
<h3 id="De6AH0">Game info</h3>
<p id="odMUDk">Time: 4:05 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="KvorOV">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/5/17429604/dodgers-pirates-catcher-production-yasmani-grandal-francisco-cervelli-previewEric Stephen