True Blue LA - May 5: Cubs 6, Dodgers 5 (11)Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2021-05-05T22:06:15-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/221860332021-05-05T22:06:15-07:002021-05-05T22:06:15-07:00Dodgers skid is becoming extra annoying
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<figcaption>Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>LA loses 6 of 7 on the road trip</p> <p id="bj4uTC">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> ended their hellish stretch of 14 games in 14 days with a new low. A 6-5 loss to the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> in 11 innings on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field completed the sweep, and featured most of the same storylines from the last few weeks.</p>
<p id="12wKdA">The last time the Dodgers were swept in a series was April 8-11, 2019, a four-game set in St. Louis.</p>
<p id="r28HSO">The last two weeks weren’t just gruesome because of the Dodgers’ 3-11 record <a href="https://youtu.be/mjfT2joaJxs">in the beautiful disaster that was 14 games</a>. That was terrible, but since the stretch of games began the club lost five players to the injured list — not counting the three brief COVID-19-related stints — including Dustin May needing Tommy John surgery. The losses, on and off the field, are taking a toll.</p>
<p id="0MhsbF">“We’re absolutely frustrated,” said Max Muncy, who homered and doubled on Wednesday. “We’re way better than this. Period.”</p>
<p id="Q36SE3">After the first two losses of the series sweep, on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts said, “I think we put ourselves in position to play extra innings in games we probably shouldn’t have.”</p>
<p id="KeqBDm">Wednesday night was a slightly different song, but with many of the same notes.</p>
<h3 id="IiYGQm">Defensive woes</h3>
<p id="mRqC9J">Corey Seager’s play at shortstop has been a point of contention most of the season. He rates out below average in most publicly-available defensive metrics. Roberts has insisted that it’s a small sample size and that Seager will make the plays, but to this point in the season, for whatever reason, he hasn’t.</p>
<p id="gI36aM">The usual problem for Seager is fielding the ball, with balls going under, around, and just out of the reach of his glove with alarming frequency. So it was a welcome sight in the eighth inning on Wednesday to see Seager deftly backhand a Kris Bryant grounder in the hole, but before the streamers and fireworks could be deployed, Seager promptly threw errantly into right field, putting old friend Joc Pederson on third base instead of retired to the Cubs’ third base dugout.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Corey Seager had me fooled for a second <a href="https://t.co/x3ychLc5GJ">pic.twitter.com/x3ychLc5GJ</a></p>— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlakeHarrisTBLA/status/1390133453719412739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2021</a>
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<p id="Y3dUFg">One batter later, Pederson scored the tying run on a ground out.</p>
<p id="G2cevx">The Dodgers weren’t alone in receiving gifts on the defensive end, when a near inning-ending double play to Anthony Rizzo in the top of the 11th inning instead turned into only one out when he failed to step on first by mere inches.</p>
<p id="33J7m9">But Rizzo redeemed Chicago in the bottom of the inning, delivering an RBI single to score Matt Duffy with the winning run, giving the Cubs a second straight walk-off.</p>
<h3 id="DtnEQr">Bullpen roulette</h3>
<p id="LeeiGL">Rizzo’s walk-off single came against Garrett Cleavinger, who entered the 11th with a lead, the latest Dodger with a chance to become the fifth pitcher on the team to record a save this season. But like Jimmy Nelson, Mitch White (twice), and Alex Vesia before him, Cleavinger couldn’t convert.</p>
<p id="pGxiXa">The 11th inning started so promising for Cleavinger, who struck out his first two batters faced. But then a single by Duffy tied it, and then Duffy stole second to set up the winning hit, sending the rookie to his third extra-inning loss this season.</p>
<p id="gmAFWY">Kenley Jansen also blew a save in the 10th inning, and nearly took the loss. Pederson was front and center again in another play that would have normally fit right in to the usual script in so many of these Dodgers losses. Down a run with runners on second and third and nobody out in the 10th, Pederson crushed a ball that seemed destined for the right field seats, so much so that he threw his bat and begin celebrating what looked like a sure walk-off home run against his former team.</p>
<p id="Qr25o7">Only it died on the warning track, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/kenley-jansen-in-play-run-s-to-joc-pederson">so he had to settle for a sacrifice fly</a>.</p>
<div id="klb8Xe"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/kenley-jansen-in-play-run-s-to-joc-pederson" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Joc Pederson’s sac fly to the warning track in the bottom of the 10th for the Cubs was blown back 17 feet by the wind, keeping the Dodgers alive to go to the 11th.</p>— Ken Arneson (@kenarneson) <a href="https://twitter.com/kenarneson/status/1390148650936922114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2021</a>
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<p id="gcptdC">Jansen then helped get the game to the 11th, after a pair of intentional walks to load the bases, he induced a ground ball from Willson Contreras that the Dodgers managed to turn into a double play to keep the game tied.</p>
<p id="JRTQD8">LA’s bullpen finished the 14-game stretch with a 3.96 ERA, which might seem respectable on its surface but also includes 11 unearned runs, eight of which came thanks to the extra-inning free-runner rule.</p>
<p id="oGgGkL">The Dodgers fell to 1-6 in extra-inning games, including losses in each of their last five, all in the last 11 days.</p>
<p id="tIt86w">“The bottom line is that the little things across the board, we’re just not finishing, executing the way we’re capable of,” Roberts said. “It sounds like I’m on repeat, but we need to do a better job.”</p>
<h3 id="mVRlkH">Strong from the start</h3>
<p id="HrKxQX">Walker Buehler delivered the best start of the series for the Dodgers with six strong innings. While his eight strikeouts caught our eye, maybe his most impressive moments of the outing were both times he shattered Jason Heyward’s bat.</p>
<p id="Eqwhw0">Buehler had his fastball working in striking out five batters in the first two innings, and his only ball in play was a 63.9-mph grounder to second thanks to a broken bat.</p>
<p id="FTiP7w">Then, clinging to a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning, with runners at second and third base, after striking out Contreras for the second out of the frame, Buehler got inside on Heyward again, this time destroying lumber while producing a harmless 61.6-mph grounder to the same spot, this time fielded by a shifted Corey Seager to end the threat and preserve the lead.</p>
<p id="MgjBTA">“I thought Walker was outstanding. He left a pitch up to [Jake] Marisnick and he put a good swing on it, but outside of that, he was dominant,” Roberts said. “Up to that point, we were in a great spot.”</p>
<p id="Fpwk94">Starting pitching hasn’t been much of a problem for the Dodgers all season, and even in this disastrous two-week stretch the rotation was still effective. Even with short outings by Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer on Tuesday, Dodgers starters had a 3.51 ERA in the 14-game stretch. Buehler’s game on Wednesday was the eighth quality start in that span, and the ninth time a Dodgers starter allowed no more than two runs.</p>
<p id="DHcG2a">“It’s easy to make a big thing of what’s going on, but we’re playing fine. We’ve been in these games,” Buehler said. “We just need to keep plugging away, and we gotta expect some of things will turn for us. We have the people in this clubhouse to get the big hit and make the big pitch.”</p>
<h3 id="426fzy">Wednesday particulars</h3>
<p id="EciUh2"><strong>Home runs</strong>: Max Muncy (5); Jake Marisnick (4)</p>
<p id="N9Xk7j"><strong>WP — Alec Mills (2-0)</strong>: 2 IP, 3 hits, 2 unearned runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout</p>
<p id="O9WM18"><strong>LP — Garrett Cleavinger (0-3)</strong>: IP, 2 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts</p>
<h3 id="YdCDaz">Up next</h3>
<p id="wNlALl">The Dodgers finally have a real day off on Thursday, and some get to sleep in their own beds since the next series is in Anaheim. Julio Urías starts the opener of the Freeway Series on Friday night. The Angels haven’t yet announced their weekend rotation, but the opener figures to go to either Griffin Canning or Dylan Bundy.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/5/22422093/dodgers-extra-inning-losses-cubs-sweepEric Stephen2021-05-05T16:35:14-07:002021-05-05T16:35:14-07:00Dodgers vs. Cubs Game III chat
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v. Chicago Cubs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PQISVuvZOT9E8ZFh8lV4jTpiBpk=/0x0:5101x3401/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69243735/1139191008.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Buehler vs. Alzolay</p> <p id="737OfO">Walker Buehler and the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago.</p>
<h3 id="ws8Ufn">Pregame reading</h3>
<aside id="Qis6ic"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Ríos placed on IL with shoulder inflammation","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/5/22421610/edwin-rios-injured-list-right-shoulder-inflammation-dodgers-edwin-uceta-luke-raley"},{"title":"Dodgers offense isn’t doing the bullpen any favors","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/4/22420258/dodgers-losing-offense-quiet-bullpen-taxed-depth-chart-decimated-cubs-doubleheader-sweep"},{"title":"Triple-A rosters have added flexibility to deal with MLB taxi squads","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/5/22419497/aaa-rosters-flexibility-mlb-taxi-squads-dodgers-roster"}]}'></div></aside><div id="fh9EhH"><div data-anthem-component="table:10485196"></div></div>
<h3 id="p9bIYI">Game info</h3>
<p id="wtrLzg">Teams: Dodgers at Cubs</p>
<p id="UEXJVO">Location: Wrigley Field</p>
<p id="bvEEr2">Time: 4:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="bagne7">TV: SportsNet LA, ESPN (out of market)</p>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/5/22421941/dodgers-cubs-game-threadEric Stephen2021-05-05T15:54:37-07:002021-05-05T15:54:37-07:00Ríos placed on IL with shoulder inflammation
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Oakland Athletics" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JvX2LPyAaQ_YzWnPWQijrcl8EBk=/0x616:3000x2616/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69243576/1311151842.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Edwin Uceta recalled, giving LA 14 pitchers on the active roster</p> <p id="E8wKzp">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> placed struggling infielder Edwin Ríos on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation that might have contributed to his recent woes at the plate.</p>
<p id="hvnimi">“It’s something that over time has kind of bothered him and impeded his swing,” manager Dave Roberts said before Wednesday’s game against the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>. “He’ll never use it as an excuse, but I certainly believe that the shoulder affected his performance.”</p>
<p id="U26TV1">Ríos has struggled mightily this season, with just four hits in 51 at-bats, hitting .078/.217/.137 and a paltry 17 wRC+. In his first two major league seasons, Ríos hit .260/.338/.634, a 152 wRC+ with 12 home runs, averaging one every 11.6 plate appearances. This year, Ríos has one home run in 60 plate appearances.</p>
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<p id="9D04vK">He’s also hitless in his last 32 at-bats, dating back to April 13. </p>
<p id="SmbZTe">“To get away from this hotbox, and not seeing what the scoreboard says, or hear about things,” Roberts said. ”Just to take a breath, I think it will good for him mentally, physically, and emotionally.”</p>
<p id="wdmNbq">With Ríos off the roster, and outfielder Luke Raley returned to the taxi squad after serving as the 27th player in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, the Dodgers also recalled Edwin Uceta, giving them 14 pitchers on the active roster in the series finale against the Cubs, including 10 relievers.</p>
<p id="e4GLCM">The Dodgers used eight of their nine active relief pitchers in Tuesday’s doubleheader, with only Scott Alexander getting a rest while dealing with shoulder soreness. The left-hander, who is tied for the team lead with 13 appearances this season, is feeling better Wednesday and is available against Chicago in the series finale.</p>
<h3 id="GlYLa8">Notes</h3>
<p id="1eOWRQ">Joe Kelly threw on back-to-back days and been stretched to more than one inning this week at Camelback Ranch, and will join the Dodgers perhaps as early as this weekend’s series in Anaheim. “If all things check out over the next couple of days, I would anticipate Joe being with us soon,” Roberts said. </p>
<p id="x5Sr0x">Cody Bellinger (fractured left fibula) and Zach McKinstry (right oblique strain) are still rehabbing at Camelback Ranch and playing the waiting game until they heel. Bellinger isn’t yet running at full strength. Both are expected to join a minor league affiliate for rehab assignments before returning to the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="uQi9qS">David Price has pitched off of a mound in Arizona, still rehabbing from his Grade 2 hamstring strain. His return time is still unclear.</p>
<p id="BtC1zv">ESPN will also televised Wednesday’s Dodgers-Cubs game, with Karl Ravech and Jessica Mendoza on the call, though the broadcast will be blacked out locally in the Dodgers’ television market.</p>
<h3 id="fh9EhH">Game info</h3>
<p id="wtrLzg">Teams: Dodgers at Cubs</p>
<p id="UEXJVO">Location: Wrigley Field</p>
<p id="bvEEr2">Time: 4:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="bagne7">TV: SportsNet LA, ESPN (out of market)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/5/22421610/edwin-rios-injured-list-right-shoulder-inflammation-dodgers-edwin-uceta-luke-raleyEric Stephen2021-05-04T09:13:19-07:002021-05-04T09:13:19-07:00A segmented schedule coming up for the Dodgers
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q8OVnjEcWgRQDKLU-t_VlurYBa0=/0x0:5865x3910/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69235079/usa_today_16007857.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Banks-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Catcher Keibert Ruiz was recalled before Tuesday’s doubleheader</p> <p id="MhwGKV">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> embark on a busy day of baseball, with Tuesday’s split doubleheader against the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>, but are also at the beginning of a unique, segmented run on the schedule.</p>
<p id="CT4vMD">Monday’s rainout at Wrigley Field in Chicago created a scenario for the Dodgers such that each of their next three series are surrounded by off days:</p>
<ul>
<li id="1V4xVz">May 3: rainout</li>
<li id="k6vf6l">May 4-5: 3 games at Cubs</li>
<li id="Q0hnVI">May 6: off day</li>
<li id="VXOBNW">May 7-9: 3 games at Angels</li>
<li id="EeReDM">May 10: off day</li>
<li id="4oC2Fc">May 11-12: 2 games vs. Mariners</li>
<li id="zpZ0Ah">May 13: off day</li>
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<p id="xAboZf">For a team with an overly taxed bullpen and a rotation missing a starter, it’s as favorable a stretch as possible, at least from a scheduling standpoint. Coupled with Mike Kickham absorbing the only two relief innings on Sunday before getting designated for assignment, the Dodgers enter Tuesday with at least nine relievers, all with at least two days rest, and that’s before replacing Kickham on the active roster.</p>
<p id="DDcPwd">Dave Roberts on Monday mentioned left-handed pitcher James Pazos as one who would be called up, though that move wasn’t yet made as of Thursday morning. The Dodgers instead opted to call up Keibert Ruiz to take Kickham’s spot, giving them 13 position players and a full bench, something Roberts over the weekend said was coming soon.</p>
<p id="FUgLDa">“With Keibert, it’s more of having another left-handed/right-handed batter off the bench,” Roberts said.</p>
<p id="P8py4T">The Dodgers and Cubs also get to add a 27th player because of the doubleheader, which eases the roster burden for both teams, though that hasn’t been announced yet. Because the doubleheader is the result of a postponed game within the same series, the teams get the extra player for only one of the two games. The Dodgers and Cubs are both opting for an extra player in the second game of the doubleheader, to be determined after usage in the first game.</p>
<p id="i0s8bo">Roberts said Tuesday that Pazos isn’t under consideration to be added to the roster today.</p>
<p id="NRZlVF">This is the seventh career start for Clayton Kershaw at Wrigley Field, but his first since the pennant-clinching Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS. He’s split the previous six starts, with a 2.75 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 36 innings.</p>
<p id="3AyJyp">Joc Pederson is back for the Cubs, activated off the injured list on Monday after missing 12 games with left wrist tendinitis. It’s been a rough start for Pederson in Chicago, just 7-for-51 (.137/.262/.235) with one home run, and a 32.8-percent strikeout rate that would be the worst of his career if it lasts. In the last four seasons with the Dodgers, Pederson’s strikeout rate was 21 percent, for instance.</p>
<p id="yQAZs9">“His personality, his makeup, he shows up, he’s the same guy all the time. Always laughing and smiling, pretty lighthearted. Just a good guy to have around and keep everybody loose,” said Justin Turner, was with the Dodgers since Pederson’s first call up in 2014. “No one enjoys hitting a homer more than Joc.”</p>
<p id="PbKVct">Before getting placed on the injured list, Pederson started 15 of 16 games for the Cubs, including two of three games against left-handed starting pitchers, <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/joc-pederson-los-angeles-dodgers-mlb-baseball">keeping with David Ross’ pledge to him during the free agent courting process</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What’s up, Joc? <a href="https://t.co/gQ0MgwUjBd">pic.twitter.com/gQ0MgwUjBd</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1389360881662844931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2021</a>
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<p id="quh8s3">“My entire life, I’ve wanted to be seen as the kind of player who just gets punched into the lineup card, every day, rightie or leftie, no questions asked,” <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/joc-pederson-los-angeles-dodgers-mlb-baseball">Pederson wrote in The Players’ Tribune in February</a>. “The kind of player who gets left in for the whole game, regardless of what matchups the other team is trying to exploit.”</p>
<p id="rYuaLb">Pederson from 2018-20 started just nine total games against a left-handed pitcher for instance. He’s 1-for-13 with five strikeouts against southpaws this season, and in his career has hit .187/.262/.302 against left-handers, a 56 wRC+ compared to his destructive career 127 wRC+ against righties. Though he isn’t starting in the opener of the doubleheader against Kershaw, with the Cubs opting for seven right-handed bats and switch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas along with lefty Anthony Rizzo for the first game.</p>
<h3 id="fh9EhH">Doubleheader info</h3>
<p id="wtrLzg">Teams: Dodgers at Cubs</p>
<p id="UEXJVO">Location: Wrigley Field</p>
<p id="bvEEr2">Game 1: 11:20 a.m. PT<br>Game 2: 4:40 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="bagne7">TV: SportsNet LA (both games), MLB Network (Game 1, out of market)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2021/5/4/22419139/dodgers-segmented-schedule-off-days-keibert-ruiz-recalledEric Stephen