True Blue LA - September 24: Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 4Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2018-09-24T22:40:31-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/176631832018-09-24T22:40:31-07:002018-09-24T22:40:31-07:00Dodgers surge late to beat Arizona in opener
<figure>
<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qkDzNVISxaKl3z9Hc4Zn-Ygnf4U=/0x0:4111x2741/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61531185/usa_today_11313708.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="xvqDbo">With his team down by a run after six innings, <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>’ manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> decided to pull <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> in favor of a pinch hitter after just 84 pitches. Making the move even more difficult was the fact that Kershaw had mowed the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> down on six pitches in the bottom of the sixth.</p>
<p id="Tq4xNh">The move would pay off as <span>Yasiel Puig</span> came off the bench to single and eventually came around to score the go-ahead run. They tacked on three more in the ninth as the Dodgers came away with a 7-4 win over Arizona in the opener.</p>
<p id="NoVbex">Puig’s single put runners on first and second with nobody out for the top of the order, trailing 3-2. Roberts went to his deep bench again — this time to <span>Max Muncy</span> — when the Dbacks brought in right-hander <span>Brad Ziegler</span> to face <span>Chris Taylor</span>.</p>
<p id="xttu5j">Muncy reached out and slapped a 76-mph changeup to left field on the third pitch, bringing pinch-runner <span>Tim Locastro</span> home from second to tie the game. Three batters later, <span>Manny Machado</span> hit a ball to the hole at shortstop, allowing Puig to come in from third with no chance of a double play.</p>
<p id="NbKP0G">The clutch seventh inning allows the Dodgers lead in the NL West to remain at one and a half games, with Colorado handling their business at home over the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a>.</p>
<p id="wm92Lq">In a tight back-and-forth game, the Dodgers needed the insurance runs that came in the ninth inning. The first four hitters reached, including an RBI-double off the bat of Machado that was bookended by two run-scoring wild pitches.</p>
<p id="hQ9XSX">The Dodgers were 5-for-14 in the last three innings, something they’ve done really well recently. Coming into Monday, they were hitting .274/.367/.506 with 62 extra-base hits in the seventh, eighth and ninth combined since the start of August.</p>
<p id="O2mCEo">Outside of pitching to <span>Ketel Marte</span>, Kershaw had a relatively normal night. The lefty allowed six hits and a walk in his six innings of work, striking out six. Marte would be a thorn in Kershaw’s side all night.</p>
<p id="kmhStn">Given a 1-0 lead in the opening inning, Kershaw would immediately give it back in the bottom half of the first. Marte followed a one-out single from <span>Eduardo Escobar</span> with a triple to tie the game.</p>
<p id="tfOYJf">It would be Marte again in the third, this time with a solo homer that landed 455 feet away from home plate to give Arizona a 2-1 lead.</p>
<p id="SDStrT"><span>Robbie Ray</span> was cruising at that point for the Dbacks after a shaky first inning that saw a David Freese RBI-single and the Dodgers load the bases with one out. Ray would get the final two batters of the inning to prevent any further damage and went on to retire 14 of the last 17 batters he faced in five innings. But not before giving up the lead.</p>
<p id="RvVHoE">Freese muscled a solo home run to right field with two outs in the fifth to pull his team even. The 35-year-old is now 12-for-32 (.375) since joining the Dodgers September 1.</p>
<p id="QAHrdQ">Marte would get Kershaw one more time in the fifth inning, cashing in <span>Chris Owings</span> with a run-scoring single to center.</p>
<div id="QEgoKF">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Through 6 innings and 3 runs allowed tonight, Clayton Kershaw has an ERA of 2.53 (3rd in the NL, though he’s 2 outs shy of qualifiying). <br><br>His streak of lowering his career ERA will end at 9 years unless he somehow pitches 11⅓ innings with zero earned runs the rest of the way.</p>— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericstephen/status/1044434168623427585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="Mu9HT8"><span>Kenley Jansen</span> came in to nail down the win with the Dodgers on top by four. The big man gave up a home run to <span>A.J. Pollock</span> but struck out two of the next three to secure the victory.</p>
<h3 id="WWGudW">Up Next</h3>
<p id="NqykfJ">The Dodgers and Dbacks play the middle game of the series with <span>Walker Buehler</span> (7-5, 2.74) getting the call against <span>Matt Koch</span> (5-5, 4.26).</p>
<h3 id="HRgHBl">Monday Particulars</h3>
<p id="CL8MlC">Home Runs: Freese (11), Marte (13), Pollock (20)</p>
<p id="3c1x6g"><strong>WP: </strong><span><strong>Clayton Kershaw</strong></span><strong> (9-5)</strong>: 6 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts</p>
<p id="GKkymA"><strong>LP: </strong><span><strong>Andrew Chafin</strong></span><strong> (1-6)</strong>: 0 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 walk</p>
<p id="8vsNM5"></p>
<p id="rzY7lZ"></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/24/17899666/dodgers-diamondbacks-late-rally-clayton-kershaw-nl-west-playoff-raceRyan Walton2018-09-24T18:30:01-07:002018-09-24T18:30:01-07:00Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Game XVII
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jACD4jbSXJ6ugRCJYygWvZRWiuM=/9x0:1770x1174/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61528821/Screen_Shot_2018_09_24_at_6.12.39_PM.0.png" />
<figcaption>Dodgers Twitter</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OjudTXbLfjhN_wG8q2neRZauKLc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13150139/Screen_Shot_2018_09_24_at_6.24.01_PM.png">
</figure>
<div id="3wgrkZ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Score 14 runs on Sunday, repeat on Monday (with a new battery). Here’s how the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> stack up for game one in Arizona on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KershawDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KershawDay</a>: <a href="https://t.co/M1qg4FUgwl">pic.twitter.com/M1qg4FUgwl</a></p>— True Blue LA (@truebluela) <a href="https://twitter.com/truebluela/status/1044349472635940864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<h3 id="BXpcR7">Game info</h3>
<p id="WZ23uq">Time: 6:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="irJACG">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/24/17899068/dodgers-vs-diamondbacks-game-xviiRyan Walton2018-09-24T14:56:08-07:002018-09-24T14:56:08-07:00Dodgers head to Arizona in good shape
<figure>
<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g9-J48j4AbrcF2qatmwr18Jrslk=/0x0:4126x2751/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61526829/usa_today_10816612.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="G8tXa3">The final week of the regular season is upon us and the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> are closing in on their sixth consecutive National League West title. They finish up with the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> and <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, a pair of teams that would love nothing more than to spoil the Dodgers playoff goals.</p>
<p id="7xXitz">Arizona enters the three-game set Monday having lost 17 of their last 22 games. After spending over 110 days of the season in first place in 2018, the Dbacks were dethroned for good when the Dodgers took three of four from Arizona at Dodger Stadium as the season moved into September.</p>
<p id="DxWK0W">Just three weeks later, the Snakes are eight games back and have been eliminated from the playoff race. It may be asking too much, but the Dodgers could finish the year with a record better than .500 against all NL West opponents if they sweep the final six games.</p>
<p id="pOmpGb">Both the Dbacks and Giants have taken nine of the 16 games to this point.</p>
<p id="zGCYVZ">The Dodgers obviously need to take care of business this week to secure a playoff spot, but they could start the opening round at home if the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> cooperate. Atlanta is only ahead of the Dodgers by one game and would lose a tie between the clubs since Los Angeles won five of the seven meetings this season.</p>
<p id="1Wzc7G">As it stands now, the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> would play whoever wins the wild card game between the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> and <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a>. There are still a <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2018/9/24/17892998/mlb-playoffs-tiebreaker-scenario-brewers-cardinals-dodgers-and-rockies">good amount of scenarios</a> that can happen, as outlined by Eric Stephen if you’re in favor of complete chaos.</p>
<p id="NgWMg3">All the Dodgers can do is handle the game in front of them, which they’ve been doing for more than three weeks now, going 20-8 since St. Louis swept them in August.</p>
<p id="zUOYwG"><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> and <span>Walker Buehler</span> could get the ball in four of the remaining six games if necessary to extend the season into October. With only a 1.5-game lead, the possibility remains high for that scenario to play out.</p>
<h3 id="YMkT98">Monday, 6:40 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)</h3>
<p id="frB8wy">Kershaw had struggled at times at Chase Field before this season, carrying a career 3.75 ERA in 12 starts. But the lefty has done well in two starts earlier this year, allowing exactly two runs in six innings in each game. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost both of those games.</p>
<p id="vYk3V7">In four total starts against Arizona this season, Kershaw has allowed just seven runs over 26 innings.</p>
<p id="Jhxebr"><span>Robbie Ray</span> has been good since the start of August, posting a 2.40 ERA (13 ER/48.2 IP) in nine starts. Ray started the only game the Dodgers lost in the most recent four-game series, allowing just one run in 5 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings.</p>
<h3 id="oTt8XD">Tuesday, 6:40 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, ESPN)</h3>
<p id="FAPQOp"><span>Walker Buehler</span> looks to maintain his exceptional second half, owning a 1.58 ERA in his last 10 starts. The Dodgers have won four of the last five when Buehler is on the mound.</p>
<p id="RHZKPb"><span>Matt Koch</span> makes just his second start in the last two months. The right-hander has given up 32 runs (30 earned) over his previous eight starts, allowing five or more runs in half of those games.</p>
<h3 id="i3Q8ue">Wednesday, 6:40 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, ESPN*)</h3>
<p id="6h1Sx2"><span>Ross Stripling</span> makes his final start of the regular season and maybe the season altogether. The 28-year-old hasn’t made it out of the fourth inning in any of his three starts in September.</p>
<p id="pvPBD9">With Zack Greinke, it’s usually about how many starts he has allowed two or less runs in. Recently, the almost 35-year-old has allowed at least three in all but one of his last eight starts. Greinke has given up a total of 26 runs (24 earned) in 52 innings over that time, to the tune of a 4.15 ERA.</p>
<p id="fLDoA2">*=blacked out in local market</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/24/17897832/dodgers-diamondbacks-playoff-position-final-week-clayton-kershaw-walker-buehlerRyan Walton2018-09-24T06:00:02-07:002018-09-24T06:00:02-07:00Dodgers Week 26: Assuming the reins
<figure>
<img alt="MLB: Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NNqDk3OBlyW-E6tsz6hEweaiyKo=/0x8:2480x1661/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61515277/usa_today_11283441.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="NMzpJ7">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> regained control of the National League West last week by sweeping the team that was ahead of them (<a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a>) and then winning a weekend series against the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> to finish a 5-1 week.</p>
<p id="34CdfY"><span>Chris Taylor</span> provided the fireworks on Tuesday night with the first walk-off home run of his career, then <span>Yasiel Puig</span> continued his power surge with a pinch-hit three-run shot in the seventh inning on Wednesday to break a tie. Those two blasts helped swing what began as a half-game deficit in the division into a 1½-game lead over Colorado to end the week.</p>
<p id="AvBO4p">The Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the National League West is six.</p>
<h3 id="zFTdDW">Batter of the week</h3>
<p id="MXqTmu"><span><strong>Joc Pederson</strong></span> didn’t have one single last week but he was still quite productive, with three home runs and three doubles, driving in five and scoring a team-best six runs despite totaling just 13 at-bats.</p>
<h3 id="Q5LLdx">Pitcher of the week</h3>
<p id="cU76zA"><strong>Hyun-jin Ryu</strong> was stellar, pitching 13 scoreless innings in his two starts. He didn’t allow a run, he didn’t walk anyone, and he struck out 13. Ryu on the season has a 2.00 ERA in his 14 starts, with 86 strikeouts against only 13 walks.</p>
<p id="MnDl4d">Ryu was great at the plate too, going 3-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored.</p>
<h3 id="mxWJVL">Week 26 results</h3>
<p id="x1wOX9">5-1 record<br>40 runs scored (6.67 per game)<br>13 runs allowed (2.17 per game)<br>.887 pythagorean record</p>
<h3 id="Rq9eFH">Season to date</h3>
<p id="d1keDx">87-69 record<br>759 runs scored (4.87 per game)<br>586 runs allowed (3.76 per game)<br>.616 pythagorean record (96-60)</p>
<h3 id="GVbTMy">Miscellany</h3>
<p id="w7xKGT"><strong>National League history</strong>: <span>Matt Kemp</span> ‘s solo shot on Wednesday against the Rockies was his 20th home run of the season, the seventh to hit 20 home runs with the Dodgers this season. They are <a href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/BwE0V">the first National League team ever to have seven players with 20 home runs</a>, and joined six American League teams in sharing the major league record.</p>
<p id="rWUEY0"><strong>Grand birthday</strong>: Kemp on Sunday homered, doubled and singled on his 34th birthday, and drove in three runs. His solo home run in the second inning gave him 1,000 career runs batted in, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/RBI_career.shtml">the 287th player in MLB history to reach that milestone</a>.</p>
<p id="w2xMmC"><strong>Max Power</strong>: <span>Yasmani Grandal</span> smashed a solo shot on Saturday against San Diego, giving the Dodgers 222 home runs on the season to break the franchise record set last year. The Dodgers finished the week with an NL-best 225 home runs, 19 more than the next-best team. This will be the ninth time in 61 years since moving to Los Angeles the Dodgers have led the NL in homers, joining 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983 and 2015.</p>
<p id="ZW30ww"><strong>Start me up</strong>: Joc Pederson homered twice and doubles on Monday against the Rockies, including a tater to start the game in the bottom of the first inning. He homered agains to start Saturday’s game. Pederson now has seven leadoff home runs (in just 55 games batting first), matching the Dodgers franchise record set by Davey Lopes in 1979.</p>
<p id="ssSxsd"><strong>Home, sweet home</strong>: Hyun-jin Ryu’s two gems last week lowered his ERA at home this season to a ridiculous 1.15, the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/FTXhc">fifth-lowest in Dodger Stadium history</a> (minimum 50 innings). Ryu allowed no runs in five of his nine starts at Chavez Ravine in 2018.</p>
<h3 id="wZZNBc">Transactions</h3>
<p id="tBJsz6"><strong>Monday</strong>: A trio of relievers <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/17/17872662/dodgers-activate-relievers-tony-cingrani-john-axford-yimi-garcia">were activated for the final two weeks</a>. <span>Tony Cingrani</span> came off the 60-day disabled list, <span>John Axford</span> was activated off the 10-day DL, and <span>Yimi Garcia</span> was recalled from the minors. To make room for <span>Cingrani</span> on the 40-man roster, <span>Daniel Hudson</span> was transferred to the 60-day DL, ending his season.</p>
<p id="YbtHoe">There are 39 players on the active roster.</p>
<h3 id="Bzz9O7">Game results</h3>
<ul>
<li id="ttxw84">Monday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/17/17872916/dodgers-rockies-september-17-results">Dodgers 8, Rockies 2</a>
</li>
<li id="KmHEfQ">Tuesday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/18/17877062/dodgers-rockies-september-18-results">Dodgers 3, Rockies 2</a>
</li>
<li id="mqT9P0">Wednesday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/19/17880884/dodgers-rockies-results-september-19">Dodgers 5, Rockies 2</a>
</li>
<li id="j54Q0G">Friday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/21/17889214/dodgers-padres-september-21-results">Padres 5, Dodgers 3</a>
</li>
<li id="eKHfjn">Saturday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/22/17890522/dodgers-padres-september-22-results">Dodgers 7, Padres 2</a>
</li>
<li id="QeqXDi">Sunday: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/23/17892194/dodgers-padres-results-september-23">Dodgers 14, Padres 0</a>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="c1YwsZ">The week ahead</h3>
<p id="wYdpZQ">The Dodgers finish off the regular season by running the <span>Matt Williams</span> gauntlet, ending on the road in Arizona and San Francisco all while wiping their mouth on their sleeve. The pitching matchups for the final weekend are my guesses.</p>
<div id="BDT2wQ"><div data-anthem-component="table:1864619"></div></div>
<p id="yKEQA4"><strong>Previous weeks in review</strong>: <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/4/2/17188118/dodgers-week-1-review-shutouts-splits">Mar. 29-Apr. 1</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/4/9/17205050/dodgers-week-2-extra-inning-losses">Apr. 2-8</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/4/16/17236108/dodgers-week-3">Apr. 9-15</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/4/23/17269664/hyun-jin-ryu-dodgers-week-4">Apr. 16-22</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/4/30/17299850/dodgers-week-5-walker-buehler-joc-pederson">Apr. 23-29</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/7/17324536/dodgers-week-6-everybody-hurts-but-still-a-no-hitter-i-guess">Apr. 30-May 6</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/14/17348412/dodgers-week-7-new-lows-my-god-make-it-stop?_ga=2.53971944.1384734778.1525987211-345566866.1525061445">May 7-13</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/21/17374076/dodgers-week-8-winning-streak-justin-turner-back">May 14-20</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/5/28/17400080/dodgers-week-9-walker-buehler-chris-taylor">May 21-27</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/4/17420786/dodgers-week-10-matt-kemp-yasiel-puig-offense-coors-field">May 28-Jun 3</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/11/17445378/dodgers-week-11-home-runs-and-my-god-all-those-bullpen-innings">Jun 4-10</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/18/17469086/dodgers-week-12">June 11-17</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/6/25/17496334/dodgers-week-13-home-runs">June 18-24</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/7/2/17524636/dodgers-mediocrity-pitching-not-great-mistakes">June 25-July 1</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/7/9/17540826/dodgers-week-15-first-place-yasmani-grandal-matt-kemp">July 2-8</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/7/16/17552090/dodgers-week-16-first-place-all-star-break">July 9-15</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/7/23/17590856/dodgers-week-17-omg-manny-machado">July 16-22</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/7/30/17617636/dodgers-week-18-yasmani-grandal-rich-hill">July 23-29</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/8/6/17637906/dodgers-week-19-brian-dozier-walker-buehler">July 30-Aug. 5</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/8/13/17663266/dodgers-week-20-kenley-jansen-irregular-heartbeat-bullpen-shambles">Aug. 6-12</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/8/20/17695080/dodgers-week-21-justin-turner-cody-bellinger-clayton-kershaw-hyun-jin-ryu">Aug. 13-19</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/8/27/17775452/dodgers-week-22-kenley-jansen-home-runs-two-sweeps-split-week">Aug. 20-26</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/3/17798644/dodgers-week-23-matt-kemp-clutch-first-place">Aug. 27-Sep. 2</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/10/17818286/dodgers-week-24-roller-coaster-national-league-west">Sept. 3-9</a> | <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/17/17846750/dodgers-week-25-yasiel-puig-home-runs">Sep. 10-16</a></p>
<h3 id="cOaMc1">Stats</h3>
<div id="sr0rLf"><div data-anthem-component="table:1873438"></div></div>
<div id="wLHyNd"><div data-anthem-component="table:1873443"></div></div>
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/9/24/17874174/dodgers-week-26-dodgers-first-placeEric Stephen