Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Vs. Tigers Recap: Greinke Struggles Early, Offense Sputters

[new_royalslider id=”219″] After scoring five runs in the first inning in Tuesday’s game, the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to allow 14 unanswered runs and fall 14-5. An early matchup between Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke took place at Comerica Park.

The Dodgers wasted no time at the plate, as Yasiel Puig laced a 3-1 fastball from Scherzer into the right field gap for a one-out triple. They would quickly squander the early scoring opportunity when Puig was picked at third base by Tigers shortstop Eugenio Suarez on a ground ball hit by Hanley Ramirez. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez flied out to end the inning.



Tigers’ center fielder Austin Jackson led off the bottom of the first with a triple in the right-field gap off Greinke. Ian Kinsler promptly singled on a hanging breaking ball and the Tigers took the lead, 1-0. Kinsler come around to score two batters later off the bat of Don Kelly, increasing their lead to 2-0.

Both pitchers would toss scoreless innings in the second. Dodgers’ catcher A.J. Ellis led off the third inning with a four-pitch walk. Gordon singled to left field a batter later, setting up runners on first and third with one out for Puig. Scherzer got Puig to ground into a double play to end the inning. Greinke set down the Tigers in order in the third.

The Dodgers got a leadoff walk from Ramirez to start the fourth, but he was left there with a pair of fly outs and a groundout. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Greinke settled in and retired seven in a row. Designated hitter J.D. Martinez broke that streak with a shallow single up the middle. Kelly followed with his second single of the game, setting up runners on first and second with Castellanos at the plate. Castellanos came through with a single of his own, as Martinez came around to score and pushed the lead to 3-0. Greinke would respond by getting catcher Alex Avila to ground into a double play, where he made a nice stretch at first base to complete the turn from Rojas at second.

After Scherzer fanned third baseman Juan Uribe and Ellis to start the fifth inning, Rojas connected for his first-career major league home run to put the Dodgers on the board at 3-1. Gordon would ground out to Suarez at short to end the inning.

Greinke would start the bottom of the fifth inning by giving up a high, chopping double down the left field line to Davis. He promptly stole third a couple pitches later, but the Tigers would spoil the scoring opportunity, as Greinke would wiggle his way out of the jam.

Puig led off the top of the sixth with a scorching double to the wall in left field. The Dodgers left Puig stranded once again, as Scherzer struck out Hanley Ramirez on a 3-2 fastball at the knees, got Gonzalez to ground out to Kinsler at second, and got Matt Kemp swinging on a 1-2 slider to end the inning.

Scherzer continued his solid pitching, retiring the next six Dodger batters in a row after giving up a the double to Puig in the sixth inning. Greinke also retired six Tiger hitters in a row of his own, four being by strikeout.

In the top of the eighth, Joba Chamberlain took over on the mound and retired the Dodgers in order. Brandon League came in to relieve Greinke and allowed a ground-rule double on the first pitch of the inning. An ill-advised attempt by Gonzalez to get Jackson at third on a ground ball put runners on the corners. Torii Hunter hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. League was able to escape the inning without any more damage to send the game into the ninth inning.

Joe Nathan came in to close things out for the Tigers in the ninth and got Ramirez to ground out. Gonzalez and Kemp both struck out to end the game.

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