True Blue LA - September 7: Dodgers 7, Giants 3Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2022-09-08T07:01:00-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/231051342022-09-08T07:01:00-07:002022-09-08T07:01:00-07:00Justin Turner and Max Muncy on fire
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<img alt="MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f3HqnVR9MLqIJBECU2NZPTGPVLQ=/0x0:4905x3270/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71338644/usa_today_19001948.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Both hit 3-run homers to lead the Dodgers over the Giants</p> <p id="KLhvUd">On Thursday’s <strong>Leading Off with True Blue LA podcast</strong>, we look back at the end of the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>-Giants series, including a pair of hitters back to their old forms.</p>
<p id="rig11S">Justin Turner and Max Muncy <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2022/9/7/23341918/max-muncy-justin-turner-home-runs-clayton-kershaw-dodgers-giants">each hit three-run home runs on Wednesday</a>, both in relative states of heating up. Muncy has surged since the beginning of August, and he hit three home runs in the final two games against the Giants. Turner’s hot streak dates back to June, and more recently he has a 16-game hit streak that ties his career high.</p>
<p id="suC8DA">Also on this episode, various magic numbers for the Dodgers, and Clayton Kershaw perfectly articulated what the team’s plans are this September (which is getting ready for October).</p>
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<h3 id="5tap9s">Podcast links</h3>
<p id="BpBweR"><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/podcasts/22758076/true-blue-la-podcast-dodgers">Ways to listen</a></p>
<p id="3GUVwf"><a href="https://feeds.megaphone.fm/true-blue-la">RSS feed</a></p>
<p id="tWc86y"><a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/true-blue-la?selected=VMP5824615038">Episode link</a> (time: 15:04)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2022/9/8/23342162/dodgers-podcast-justin-turner-max-muncy-home-runsEric Stephen2022-09-07T16:42:57-07:002022-09-07T16:42:57-07:003-run shots by Muncy, Turner pace Dodgers in finale
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<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2VEi3aieLTyJYAWpa5_yt7Qngl4=/0x0:4008x2672/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71336725/1421708921.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Dodgers win 3rd straight series over Giants</p> <p id="RDmcNj">Max Muncy and Justin Turner each hit three-run home runs to lead the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> over the Giants 7-3 in Wednesday’s series and homestand finale at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="d6ZwCm">After a great renewal of the rivalry in last year’s season series that extended to the first playoff matchup between these two storied franchises, this season things kind of took a step back which doesn’t necessarily mean these were just regular games by any means, but it hasn’t been exactly the same.</p>
<p id="qEqwUV">What pretty much everyone expected mostly happened. After a 107-win season, and a division title that ended the Dodgers reign over the West, the Giants have taken a step back in 2022, and simply haven’t been able to put up a real challenge for back-to-back division titles, while the Dodgers have mostly maintained their recent pace.</p>
<p id="TnjGGu">That isn’t to say that a below-.500 record was expected or that this team hasn’t underachieved, but it was within the realm of possibilities, and it’s their current reality. </p>
<p id="MdOgxY">After getting swept in San Francisco in the middle of June, the Dodgers have bounced back well against their bitter rivals, and won nine of their last ten meetings against the Giants. In fact, Monday's loss was the only Giants win in Los Angeles all year long.</p>
<h3 id="fJPqju">Muncy’s hot streak even entails a decisive bunt hit </h3>
<p id="qPCyGh">The Dodgers’ power-hitting left-hander has had a challenging year, but there’s nothing challenging about his current hot run with the bat, and despite the two homers he had Tuesday, Muncy came up to hit in the bottom of the fifth inning Wednesday with a chance to tie the game with a home run, and instead, he laid one down the vacated third base line, reaching safely on a bunt hit.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Max Muncy getting a shift bunting session in. <a href="https://t.co/ZMBp75rApi">pic.twitter.com/ZMBp75rApi</a></p>— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadMoriyama/status/1567628792541364224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a>
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<p id="IsS3gk">The Giants’ broadcast even made a point to acknowledge that it might not have been the worst thing for the visitors, given that Muncy had been red-hot with the bat, and came up as the tying run, but would you know, that Justin Turner came up next and gave the Dodgers the lead with a three-run shot.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justin Turner 11th Homerun of the Season <a href="https://t.co/F9CaTb9EmV">pic.twitter.com/F9CaTb9EmV</a></p>— Homeruns MLB (@homers_mlb) <a href="https://twitter.com/homers_mlb/status/1567629727342411776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a>
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<p id="CQDLgV">Justin Bruihl coughed up the lead, relieving Clayton Kershaw in the seventh inning, but it wasn’t long before the top of the lineup did its thing once again, with Trea Turner driving in the go-ahead run with a double off the wall in the eighth inning.</p>
<p id="O8hnYK">And to wrap it up, Muncy finalized his papers as new owner of the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">San Francisco Giants</a> completing his marvelous series with a three-run shot to put this one to bed, and guarantee the Dodgers another series victory.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Max Muncy has done it all today!! <a href="https://t.co/HC0ywlV1Jo">pic.twitter.com/HC0ywlV1Jo</a></p>— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsNetLA/status/1567651354797297664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a>
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<h2 id="EQgA2z">Kershaw tuning up for October</h2>
<p id="O8BhIY">The Dodgers are gonna play in the postseason without Walker Buehler and regardless of what kind of year he was having, and the absurd level to which this whole staff has stepped up to in his absence, the simple truth is that he’ll be missed, and everyone is going to have to do a little more come October.</p>
<p id="4FMB04">One of the names this pitching staff will need to rely on is Kershaw. The three-time Cy Young winner is coming off his second injured list stint, and while Kershaw himself implied that his extended absence happened in part due to an abundance of caution, it is frankly understandable given his recurring back problems.</p>
<p id="J7biRP">So far, since his return, the Dodgers have been very cautious about limiting Kershaw’s pitch count, and ultimately making sure he is ready to go for the start of the NLDS.</p>
<p id="Zr4j5S">Kershaw ran into a bit of trouble in his first inning back at Citi Field struggling with command but has been razor sharp since, he ended that afternoon with 74 pitches over five innings in New York, and today he finished six innings on 86 pitches, managing eight strikeouts on 18 whiffs with no walks.</p>
<p id="ZLMVLK">The only blip on the radar was a two-run bomb to David Villar. Another opposite field homer for these Giant hitters on a series in which the ball has really carried.</p>
<h3 id="M954Z4">Wednesday particulars</h3>
<p id="yqeqdN"><strong>Home runs: </strong>Justin Turner (11), Max Muncy (19); David Villar 2 (4)</p>
<p id="DI1u9F"><strong>WP — Evan Phillips (6-3) </strong>1⅓ IP, 1 hit, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts</p>
<p id="kX1qId"><strong>LP — Zack Littell (2-3) </strong>1⅓ IP. 3 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts</p>
<h3 id="jvfDcT">Up next</h3>
<p id="AN4UAU">The Dodgers get an off-day before a three-game series in San Diego against the Padres. Dustin May and Mike Clevinger will face off for the opening game of the series on Friday night (6:40 p.m., SportsNet LA).</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2022/9/7/23341918/max-muncy-justin-turner-home-runs-clayton-kershaw-dodgers-giantsEstevão Maximo2022-09-07T12:43:00-07:002022-09-07T12:43:00-07:00Dodgers vs. Giants Game XVI chat
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<figcaption>Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Clayton Kershaw starts the series finale</p> <p id="oRcbaV">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> tied up the series on the back of Max Muncy’s two-homer night on Tuesday. With Clayton Kershaw’s first home start since his return from the injured list, they’ll look to take this three-game series from the San Francisco Giants.</p>
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<h3 id="EAXkjh">Game info</h3>
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<li id="wzUlJS">Teams: Dodgers (93-42) vs. Giants (65-69)</li>
<li id="O5ynJS">Pitchers: Clayton Kershaw vs Alex Cobb</li>
<li id="zF5ucl">Location: Dodger Stadium</li>
<li id="BYbLUY">Time: 1:10 p.m. PT</li>
<li id="hSimBv">TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)</li>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2022/9/7/23341166/los-angeles-dodgers-san-francisco-giants-game-threadEstevão Maximo2022-09-05T06:05:00-07:002022-09-05T06:05:00-07:00Dodgers vs. Giants series preview
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<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NTo7ZG4wOLUWiFAuhNhfAufqMGA=/0x0:8192x5461/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71325739/1411107393.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="BsorbD">Every <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>-Giants series in 2022 has ended in a sweep. That streak gets put on the line with the Dodgers hosting the Giants for three games beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="5ebRdM">The last two meetings went the Dodgers’ way, with four-game sweeps in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Dodgers’ first over the Giants since 1977 and 1995, respectively. That’s fueled a 10-3 mark for the Dodgers against their rivals, and a 37-13 record against the National League West, the latter LA’s best record against the National League West since divisional play began in 1969.</p>
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<p id="27ybGR">The Dodgers’ divisional mark to shoot for was the 1974 pennant-winning team, which went 63-27 (.700) against the NL West. To top that this year, the Dodgers need at least 54 divisional wins. Twenty six of the Dodgers’ final 29 games are within the division, with 17 wins needed to set a new club record.</p>
<p id="lOG59i">San Francisco after sweeping the Dodgers from June 10-12 was in a wild card position in a bunched-up National League, but since then is just 31-42 (.425), which dropped the Giants briefly into fourth place last week before sweeping the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> vaulted San Francisco back into third.</p>
<p id="OAyfMx">Using Ryan Pepiot for a spot start Sunday pushed the Dodgers starting rotation back a day, with all three starters this series pitching on five days rest. But it also taxed the bullpen with Pepiot needing 74 pitches to record only six outs, forcing seven relievers to account for the other seven innings.</p>
<p id="pOsjV5">For the Giants, old friend Alex Wood <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/Lefty-Alex-Wood-goes-on-Giants-IL-with-17417650.php">was placed on the injured list with a left shoulder impingement</a>, possibly ending his season. He was scheduled to start Tuesday night, but as of now that is to be determined for San Francisco, with a bullpen game possible, even likely.</p>
<h3 id="0trrBc">Dodgers-Giants pitching matchups</h3>
<p id="S1QK69">Monday: Andrew Heaney vs. Logan Webb<br><em>7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA</em></p>
<p id="J8nR0x">Tuesday: Tyler Anderson vs. TBD<br><em>7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network</em></p>
<p id="vDpSxc">Wednesday: Clayton Kershaw vs. Alex Cobb<br><em>1:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network</em></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2022/9/5/23337608/dodgers-vs-giants-series-preview-dodger-stadiumEric Stephen