Dodgers Game Recap: Gerardo Parra Rips The Dodgers Hearts Out Once Again
Well, that was a fun one, wasn’t it? Obviously my friends, sarcasm is needed at a time like this one. Indeed, the Dodgers were handed one of their toughest losses of the 2019 season on Saturday night.
This one goes into the history books as a 5-2 loss to the (right now) lowly Washington Nationals. The Dodgers bullpen spoiled an incredible outing from Walker Buehler in which he out-pitched his counterpart Max Scherzer with seven shutout innings.
Therefore, there’s still a story to be told with what unfolded. Without question, this is probably a game you will remember most of the season for all the wrong reasons.
The Offense
Los Angeles had a tough work order on this evening in the form of Scherzer. However, the Nationals entered the contest with just a 1-6 team record in his starts.
The Dodgers offense patiently waited out Scherzer, but didn’t have a ton of success. A positive was forcing him to throw 115 pitches in seven innings of work. They worked two walks and five hits.
Justin Turner has been heating up at the plate. While in a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning, Turner had the biggest swing of the night for Los Angeles.
.@redturn2 woke up like this. pic.twitter.com/oKM99of5sY
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 12, 2019
Turner’s sixth home run of the season gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, that’s all they would get all night long.
Gerardo Parra, and the 8th Inning Heard ‘Round The World
In the top of the 8th inning – Dave Roberts took the ball from Buehler – who finished his night with 97 pitches. From there, Pedro Baez entered and allowed a single to Wilmer Difo. Next, a Howie Kendrick ground ball became a throwing error by Turner at third. With one out and runners on second and third, Baez walked Victor Robles.
Still clinging to a 2-0 lead – Roberts brought in Scott Alexander to face the Nationals’ young phenom Juan Soto. Alexander left a breaking-ball high in the zone and Soto promptly banged it into left field for a single to make the score 2-1.
Then, Roberts opted for Dylan Floro. Floro battled Anthony Rendon for what appeared to be a crowning moment in the big spot of his Dodgers’ career. As we know, baseball can giveth and taketh away so quickly. And when I looked up and saw that Floro needed one more out to get out of the jam – and that man was Gerardo Parra. Well, I believe we all had the same feeling.
Everyone cover your eyes.
PARRA 4…
HOLE. IN. ONE.
TOP 8 // #Nats 5, Dodgers 2 pic.twitter.com/qCzAQ6qwXt
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 12, 2019
After that, the Nationals led 5-2; and for all intents and purposes, the ballgame was over.
Walker Buehler, and Final Thoughts
For the second straight start, Walker Buehler could be classified as dominant. In seven innings, Buehler struck out seven batters, allowed four hits, walked one, and there’s more. He profiled a 97 to 99 mile per hour fastball on the edges of the zone. His curveball bit hard and made hitters look silly. Buehler seemed to have confidence in his slider in any count.
Truly, if you’re going to take something away from this to feel good about (and you need to); let it be that the Dodgers have reclaimed ‘ace 1b’ in Buehler.
Moreover, there’s this that came up on twitter as Buehler exited:
Buehler has retired 18 of the last 19 batters.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) May 12, 2019
Literally – Buehler was mowing through hitters so quickly – I didn’t realize that he closed down his outing like this. His season ERA is down to 4.15, and he’s right in line to start turning his sophomore campaign into another dominant year on the back of his baseball card.
Look, this was a tough loss to swallow. It felt like the Dodgers were in command for a few hours and it went away in the blink of an eye. If you want to blow off some steam, the comments are a good place to do it. However, the Dodgers close this series out with Hyun-jin Ryu tomorrow and we all know how good he is at Dodger Stadium.
The Korean Monster has walked one hitter at home all season long. It could make for a pretty good day. It’s important to remember that no matter how it went down – this was just one game. The Dodgers are still a very good team at 26-16 on the season.
Yes, there are bullpen issues that need to be worked out. No one will deny that. Chances are that it will soon stabilize, and a new concern will arise. This, along with this game in general; can be summed up with a simple phrase.
That’s’ baseball for you.
Bad game but we can tie the series tomorrow with a win
And we are still 26-16! Korean Monster coming up!
It’s not just the players faults.its the new systems fault. When your staring pitcher is doing really well ( BUEHLER) yesterday leave him in the game he was great. Kershaw docent like being taken out so early & neither should Buehler. Let the manager &pitching coach know your not tired and can finish the game. DRYSDALE & KOUFAX would be furious—-fORGET THE ANALYTICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very uncharacteristic of Turner, he made another bad throw earlier in the game also. Baez deserves better, his first guy gets on and then Pedro induces a groundball for a double play that Turner screwed up. Could have been 2 outs nobody on, Pedro would look dominant. Yeah then he walked his next guy, probably thought that was better than screaming at Turner. Alexander couldn’t get the ball down in the strike zone, which is what he does best!?
Maybe the Big Dodger in the sky determines we should lose. Oh well, ya can’t win em all!
Dodger nation..wake up wake up.. wake up…. demand DEMAND!!! That front office goes..along with Dave Roberts!!!!
Last night’s game was one to remember as a positive for Buehler’s start. After that, I have selectively erased the remainder of the game. Clint’s right about the bull pen, it will sort itself out, hopefully before November. Today’s a new game and anything’s possible. I’ll keep the Hamms cold to either celebrate or dull the memories. It works great either way ; )
whenever the manager starts making decisions……the team falls apart……same players, same results…….musical batters, musical relievers…….if they know they have problems, then fix them……doesn’t mean that they will win every game but with the payroll they have, fans shouldn’t have to hold their breath every time the manager makes a decision and it blows up……….Dodger fans deserve better than this
Let me just say, this gets old. The bullpen has lost 9 of 16 games. Alexander, what scrap heap did he come from. Floro the same. I realize Friedman likes to take bullpen pieces off the scrap heap and make like they can be made great.
There’s a reason most pitchers are in the bullpen (Urias and Maeda excluded). It’s because they can’t pitch with any consistency. No one starts out as a youngster wanting to be a reliever. No! Somewhere along the line, usually in college or the minors it’s decided they don’t have what it takes to be a starter and are regulated to the bullpen. Yet you all keep patting them on the back. Wake up Clint, you’re doing what the coaches/managers do.
I watched the Braves a couple of weeks ago in Atlanta. Tie ballgame till the late innings, reliever gives up a hit, then walks 3 batters, forcing in a run, which turns out to be the winning run. Snitker finally goes out to get him and he “pats him on the back” Enough of this. Maybe the first two weeks of spring training should be like military boot camp. Ballplayers need to be toughened up, not patted on the back.
This was “not” an aberration last night, but will continue all season.
Why why why doesn’t Roberts let starters start in longer?
Ouch…..on a good note, this loss was not about the bull pen last night. But for JT’s throwing error, there would have been (what appeared to be) a relatively routine double play. This reminds us that the Dodgers’ are comprised of mere mortals with extraordinary talent and mistakes happen. Unfortunately, this was a costly one. So, this afternoon Dodgers need to turn it up a notch or two or three and win. GO DODGERS!
Perhaps somebody can inform me, how many times has Parra gotten a hit/homerun, etc. to drive in run(s) to defeat the Dodgers. I know Goldschmidt while with Arizona is a Dodger-killer. The situation would never have come to pass IF Turner had gotten that double-play. Hershisher even stated that the inning should have ended when Anthony Rondon struck-out.
What a WASTE of a great effort by Buehler…………our starters are GREAT! But our bullpen is horrible…………yea, I know Turner caused this mess………..but Baez and Floro are two of our best……….if they can’t handle the job at this point you are pretty much in no mans land as a manager. 20/20 hindsight I guess Urias could have been used to pitch to Parra, but Dylan had been pitching well………Now, other than Urias, I am not sure who you can trust in our bullpen when you need a crucial bridge to Kenley.
Mike’s words above deserve repeating:
“Let me just say, this gets old. The bullpen has lost 9 of 16 games. Alexander, what scrap heap did he come from. Floro the same. I realize Friedman likes to take bullpen pieces off the scrap heap and make like they can be made great.
There’s a reason most pitchers are in the bullpen (Urias and Maeda excluded). It’s because they can’t pitch with any consistency. No one starts out as a youngster wanting to be a reliever. No! Somewhere along the line, usually in college or the minors it’s decided they don’t have what it takes to be a starter and are regulated to the bullpen.”
But the stupid management team continues to use these losers, no matter how many times they fail!
When will the Dodgers stop getting beat by game winning grand slams and the like byt his BP? NO excuses for allowing an HR to Parra, who has hurt Dodgers more than he has against any other team. In all my years of following Dodger baseball, I never have seen or witnessed such a problem with giving up HR’s the way this staff does.. Come on! 2 Grand Slams to let games get away from us in less than a week’s time. I will say it again, if it weren’t for the HR’s this team hits themselves, we would be flirting with the cellar in the division.
2 Grand Slams in less than a week’s time to lose games we should have won. I cannot recall in the past how our pitching has served up more HR’s (Mainly by the BP but a few guilty starters as well) than in the last few years, and I have been a fan since 1965. And to allow Parra to beat us, is inexcusable
2 Grand slams that cost us games in less than a week’s time. And to allow Parra to beat us is unacceptable. he has more HR’s 8 in his career against Dodgers than he has hit against any other team.
2 grand slams in less than a week, unbelievable.
2 grand slams that cost Dodgers games in less than a week. amazing. This staff continues to struggle with keeping the baseball in the yard and it’s a good thing Dodgers hit as many as they do themselves or we would be flirting with last place in the division.
Last night’s game brought tears to my eyes!!!!! Buehler threw one heck of a game only to have Parra put tears in the eyes of the Dodger faithful. As a team, our BP has cost us more games than our starters. Even Floro gave up a big dinger!!!!! Hopefully, we will right the wrongs and get on with our winning ways.Go Blue!!!