Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Game Recap: Cody Bellinger Saves Kenley Jansen and Joc Pederson’s Big Day

In a tale of two ball games, Cody Bellinger earned the save of Kenley Jansen with a late go-ahead shot off Josh Hader.

But first…



Game number one

In the “first game,” Joc Pederson was the star, going 4-5 with 2 homeruns — and he did it on his 27th birthday!

On the second pitch of the game, Pederson connected on a 93mph fastball for his 13th career leadoff homerun.

In the 4th inning, he took a belt high changeup out to right field in a hurry.

His second shot measured at 110mph off the bat with a 19° launch angle — a true epitome of a line drive shot.

With his 2 homeruns, Joc has 10 home runs on the season, good for third in the NL. Considering Pederson doesn’t start every game, I took the opportunity to dig into some numbers.

These numbers were after his first HR, so update that Joc stat to every 7.4 ABs by the end of his day.

On the pitching side, Clayton Kershaw held the Brewers hitless through the first 4 innings. However, in the 5th inning, number 8 hitter Orlando Arcia opened the inning with a triple to the right field corner. After a strikeout of the pitcher, Lorenzo Cain took Kershaw deep to left field for the 2-run shot, ending Kershaw’s shutout effort.

Kershaw came back to complete a perfect 6th inning and end his day with 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, and the 1 HR allowed. He sits with a 2.77 ERA in his 2 starts since coming off the IL.

Game Number Two

After a scoreless bottom of the 7th by Scott Alexander, Pedro Baez came in to face the heart of the Brewers order. Power v. power with Yelich facing Baez, this happened.

You really can’t write up baseball up any better than this. Just two early NL MVP candidates playing baseball.

Beyond that play, Baez struggled while allowing back-to-back singles before getting Jesus Aguilar to pop into a infield fly for out number 2.

With 2 on and 2 out, Dave Roberts went to the bullpen for — you guessed it — Kenley Jansen. His attempt at the 4-out save did not go according to plan…

Pinch hitter Eric Thames took a 93.7mph Jansen cutter deep to center for the game-tying, 3-run homerun.

With the power of positive thinking, we arrive at an opportunity for someone to play the part of the hero.

So while Joc was the star of the game, Cody was that hero. Belli absolutely tattooed a solo shot to RF to mercifully put the Dodgers back up 6-5. Oh, that shot was off of Josh Hader, btw.

Rob a homer, crush a homer.

Well done, @MLB.

Once again staked to a lead, Kenley Jansen’s season-long struggles with location continued as his missed his spots often. However, he endured and was able to get the Brewers 8-9-1 hitters in order to end the game.

With the win, the Dodgers take the season series over Milwaukee 4-3.

In other offensive news, Corey Seager recorded 3 hits — his second 3-hit game in the last week.

Final: LAD 6 – MIL 5, W: Jansen (2), L: Hader (2), Sv: Cody Bellinger (1) [not really]

Next up

The Dodgers have a much earned off-day on Monday before heading to Chicago for a 3-game set with the Cubs.


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Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

9 Comments

  1. Ok, with the Cubs starting two LHPs Mon. and Tues.(Quintana, Hammels) what do you think Roberts will do? He will Sit Pederson and wait until the LHP is out of the game. Flippin’ incredible, way to cool-down a hot hitter and then in the 3rd game(RHP – Hendricks) who has given the Dodgers fits in the past, Pederson will look clueless. Why don’t they look at Pederson’s stats against Quintana and Hammels and see which pitcher Joc has had better success or doesn’t strike-out as much. Place him down in the batting order, 6th or 7th.

    1. They’d be wise to play him at least one of those 2 games and bat him lower in the order. I’ve noticed lately they’ve given him chances against lefty relievers that come in later instead of substituting him out. Maybe, and that’s a big maybe, they’ll let him play against one of the lefties coming up

  2. Joc Peterson has been amazing in his lead off role. What a wonderful way to start game(s) and celebrate his birthday today. But I am absolutely loving the fact that, not once but, twice Dodgers hit homers against Brewers’ phenom reliever, Hader. I was still enjoying yesterday’s Kike Hernandez 3 run home run, when Bellinger managed a solo in the 9th this afternoon. Bring this energy to Chicago on Tuesday!

    1. Barbara…..you nailed it….I’m with you on that one. Joe Davis just gushing about “the games over” if they can get the ball to Hader was annoying me. When Kike got him I loved it. When Bellinger got him yesterday and the entire STADIUM went from delirium to silent in a split second…….yes folks, I’m gonna cliche…..the silence was golden!!!!!!

      1. I guess the Brewers may need to rethink that recipe of Hader-ade they tried to serve the Dodgers…..also may want to rethink over-celebrating at the bottom of the eighth when there is still a top of the ninth, that included Bellinger, to get through. Ready to move on to Chicago, but still amused by the deflated delirium.

        1. You noticed that too huh? Brewers acted like it was a walk off in the bottom of the 8th, which made Cody’s clutch HR from the “best reliever in baseball” that much sweeter and a little revenge from them taking 2-3 off of us last weekend.

  3. If any Dodger fan thinks we can win a World Series with our current bullpen, especially with the risk of Kenley not being able to keep the ball in the yard, you are sadly mistaking. Andrew, I implore you to sign Craig Kimbrel. He would make an okay bullpen into a great bullpen. Kimbrel and Jansen could both set-up or close depending on the situation, he could also be an insurance policy if Jansen has any health issues. Let’s not forget that Jansen can opt out of his contract at the end of the season, but we’d still have Kimbrel.

  4. 2nd correction by Robin Mosqueda. The Cubs will Now start 3-LHPs(Quintana,Hamels,Lester) against Dodgers. This means Pederson will Not bat lead-off and unless the Dodgers chase these starters, Pederson will not get into the game until a RHP appears. Pederson will cool-off again, but heck he hit two home-runs, got 4-hits on his birthday. Congrats Roberts, way to make a line-up.! WSS, I figure the Dodgers, after taking 3 of 4 AT Milwaukee, will now lose the series at Chicago.

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