Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Complete Sweep of Pirates In A Wild Sunday Affair

The Los Angeles Dodgers improved to 19-11 with a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Of course – things were interesting at Chavez Ravine – but in the end a 7-6 final was the result.

Surely, Cody Bellinger will grab more headlines as he has all year long. However, the Dodgers needed more than just their offensive MVP to win this game.



Indeed, the supporting cast loomed large in this one; which was billed as the return of Dick Mountain.

The Offense

Bellinger got the Dodgers on the board with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score 1-1. Then, he did what he’s done a lot of since the season began.

With the Dodgers trailing 5-1, Bellinger answered the bell in the bottom of the fourth inning with his 14th home run of the season. Furthermore, the blast gives Bellinger another share of a big league record.

From there the offense began to chip away. Corey Seager doubled home Kiké Hernandez and Russell Martin to cut the deficit to 5-4 (don’t worry, how the Pirates got there is coming up). Then Max Muncy scored Seager with a drawn in infield on an RBI single to tie the game.

The final breakthrough would come in the seventh inning when Muncy singled in Chris Taylor. After that, Bellinger had a great at-bat against Francisco Liriano to single through the shifted infield and make the score 7-5. As things unfolded, the Dodgers would need the insurance run.

Muncy, Bellinger, and Hernandez all finished with multiple hit efforts in a 10-hit attack for Los Angeles.

The Pitching

Rich Hill’s triumphant return started rough, but he competed and kept his team in the game. It was his efforts toward the end of his outing that allowed the Dodgers to win this ballgame. In any event – it’s great to see Dick Mountain back on the mound in a Dodgers uniform.

Hill allowed a pair of homers to Melky Cabrera early in the ballgame which allowed the Pirates to build a 5-1 lead. However, Hill settled in nicely an completed six innings, and was charged with just one earned run. Aside from the two home runs allowed, Hill recorded six strikeouts and no walks. Equally important, he was mostly spotless after that second inning and his day ended with 85 pitches, 62 for strikes. Surely, a positive sign is that Hill had good command on Sunday.

Los Angeles gave the ball to Julio Urias in the seventh, and the Teenager was solid. In two innings of work, Urias struck out three, walked one, and allowed just one hit. This was Urias’ second win of the season, as he was the pitcher in charge of things when the Dodgers took the lead.

Kenley Jansen made things interesting in the ninth inning. With two outs, Adam Frazier worked a long at-bat for a walk. Next, Melky Cabrera doubled down the left field line. Jansen recorded a strikeout of Gregory Polanco for the 27th out of the game and his tenth save of the season.

Final: LAD 7 – PIT 6, W: Urias (2), L: Rodriguez (2), Sv: Jansen (10).

Looking Ahead

Los Angeles heads to play their division rival, the San Francisco Giants in the Bay Area for the first time in 2019 tomorrow. In that game, Kenta Maeda will oppose Jeff Samardzija.

The Dodgers handled things in a business-like fashion this weekend. Pittsburgh isn’t a team that should give them a ton of trouble – and Los Angeles now has a two game lead in the division to show for it. It’s interesting to note that the Dodgers hold a 12-4 record in the early going at Chavez Ravine.

If you were a fan that wanted a quick start to the 2019 season, the Dodgers have mostly delivered. It’s been a tale of streaks for the boys in blue thus far.

 

Dodgers: The Bittersweetness of Rich Hill’s Return

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10 Comments

  1. Your last statement concerns me about the Dodgers. “It’s been a tale of streaks for the boys in blue thus far.” After starting the season 3-2, won 5-in-a-row, lost 6, won 6, lost 3-of-4, won 4 to get to 19-11. As other posters have stated this Dodgers team lack of consistent RH-hitting, paging Kike, Pollack, Turner will hurt them. After Samardzjia(RHP) tonight, The Dodgers will face Pomeranz,Bumgarner, off-day, Lucchesi,Margevicius all LHPs(4-in-5 days no Pederson). Paddack who I think is the Padres best pitcher, can shut down the Dodgers.

  2. All very true, Robin. The lack of any real run producers from the RH hitter’s box could be this team’s undoing when games matter the most, such as in the PS and or WS should they get there. Reason is simple because the opposing PS team or AL team in the WS will have a better balanced lineup that wasn’t as subject to these excessive L-R-L-R match ups and platooning as much as the Dodgers do these things all year long.

  3. I also tend to believe that had the Pirates had an available LHP to start in these games that most likely Dodgers don’t sweep . Also, Bellinger has a chance to set a new MLB record for most HR’s before May 1 if he can connect for one in SF. However, that park is not an ideal place at all for HR’s so I would not be surprised or disappointed at all if Bellinger is kept in the yard the next 2 games.

    1. Paul……….Right now NOBODY can keep Bellinger in the yard (Grin!)……….I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2. You are counting on the Giants pitching to him. What if the Giants do the “unintentional-intentional” walk or if Bellinger gets frustrated and starts swinging at pitches he hasn’t swung at this year. He has been selective at what he swings at, that is why he’s hitting over .400. You’re correct that the Giants home park(forgot what it called, Oracle is it) is Not conducive for home-runs especially LHH and what they call “triples-alley.” I’ve read the Giants are thinking about putting the bull-pens where “triples-alley” exist(in essence removing the alleys). But that is for another season.

  4. It was an impressive comeback by the Dodgers. Rich Hill righted himself after his rough early inning start, the Muncy throwing error (why does Dave keep putting him there?) and Russ’s stupid move to pick up the rolling bunt………this game could easily have gone sideways on the Dodgers. Nice game fellas!

  5. Better win tonight because a losing streak is coming with all the lefties they’ll be facing. Turner and Pollock blow and Taylor will start instead of Verdugo who can hit lefties but apparently that’s still not good enough to get starts vs them. Pederson will be even more rusty after all of this than he is right now after the recent Chicago series

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