Game Recap: Dodgers Rout D’Backs 18-5 as Bats Stay Hot
The Dodgers headed into the rubber match with the Diamondbacks sending Kenta Maeda to oppose Zack Godley on the hill.
#ITFDB pic.twitter.com/eRKtUeEpE2
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2019
1st Inning:
So, the scoring started up early in this one. Jarrod Dyson, not typically known for his power, drove a solo homer over the right field wall on the fourth pitch of the game. Maeda came back and induced groundouts by Eduardo Escobar, David Peralta, and Adam Jones. Kenta Maeda looked solid outside of the one mistake to Jarrod Dyson and was routinely hitting 93 mph on the gun.
The D’Backs did not maintain the lead for long with Joc Pederson quickly driving an opposite field homer to tie the game at 1. It was Joc’s third homer in as many games. Corey Seager juuust got under one for the first out of the inning. A struggling Justin Turner struck out swinging on a 90 mph fastball at the letters. Cody Bellinger ended the inning with a weak fly to left.
You think @yungjoc650 knew? pic.twitter.com/Wl7t1dBZYb
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2019
1-1, tied.
2nd Inning:
Jake Lamb led the second inning off with a walk but Ketel Marte erased him with a double play. Nick Ahmed ended the half inning with a flyout.
The Dodgers went just as quietly in their portion of the second, with AJ Pollock flying out, Max Muncy striking out, and Chris Taylor grounding out.
1-1, tied.
3rd Inning:
Alex Avila flew out to left field to begin the third with Joc Pederson making an excellent catch against the railing. Maeda went on to strike out Zack Godley for the second out and Corey Seager made an excellent over-the-shoulder catch in short center field to take a possible double away from the speedy Jarrod Dyson.
The hot-hitting Austin Barnes led the third off with a line drive single to left and Kenta Maeda reached safely after a sacrifice bunt attempt was turned into a Zack Godley error due to the yips, a la Jon Lester. Joc Pederson, seeing the ball as well as he ever has, worked a 7-pitch walk to load the bases for Corey Seager with nobody out. Seager bounced back to the pitcher and after Godley flipped it to home for the out, the play was challenged by the Dodgers but the call was confirmed.
JT broke out of his slump, driving in two with a single. Belli followed up with an RBI single of his own to score Seager and move runners to the corners with one out. AJ Pollock also stayed scalding hot with another RBI single to put the Dodgers up 5-1. Godley and Avila got crossed up, moving the runners to second and third with one out for Max Muncy who saw three balls and was consequently intentionally walked. Chris Taylor killed the rally by grounding into a double play.
Well, that escalated quickly. pic.twitter.com/1PVbMyBJMv
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2019
5-1, Dodgers.
4th Inning:
Eduardo Escobar skied one to center for the first out of the fourth and David Peralta followed up by striking out. Adam Jones popped a two-out single to center field. Jake Lamb also struck out.
Austin Barnes drove a ball to deep left-center for the first out. Kenta Maeda lazily flew out to right field. Joc Pederson continued his hot streak and singled sharply. Corey Seager struck out to end the inning.
5-1, Dodgers.
5th Inning:
Ketel Marte led things off with a single. Nick Ahmed erased him by grounding into a 5-4-3 double play. Alex Avila barely cleared the left field wall with an excuse me type of swing to close the deficit to 3. Zack Godley ended the inning with a sharp liner to center.
JT flew out. Cody Bellinger came up and delivered a no-doubter into the right-field bullpen to match the Avila homer from the top half of the inning. Pollock grounded out. Muncy hit a ball hard but right into the shift.
Sheesh, @Cody_Bellinger. pic.twitter.com/F4Jc9fMnp2
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 31, 2019
6-2, Dodgers.
6th Inning:
Kenta Maeda entered the sixth inning at 74 pitches. He punched out Jarrod Dyson after 8 pitches with an absolutely filthy changeup. He got Eduardo Escobar to strike out with a similarly placed changeup. 89 pitches for Kenta Maeda after six when the Dodgers needed length is pretty ideal.
Chris Taylor got plunked in the ribs to start the bottom half of the sixth. Austin Barnes grounded into a fielder’s choice. Kenta Maeda batted for himself and drove a weak double to left field to chase Zack Godley from the game for Matt Koch. Godley finished the game allowing six runs (five earned) along with eight hits and two walks while striking out three. He was entirely lacking control and the Dodgers capitalized.
Matt Koch hit Joc Pederson in the foot to load the bases for Corey Seager who singled to center for a run after getting a 3-0 green light. Matt Koch lacked control also and walked in a run with Justin Turner. Truly sad for Koch, who threw 4 1/3 innings and 62 pitches just two days ago. Cody Bellinger drove into two with a single and was thrown out at second. Bellinger had four RBIs. AJ Pollock was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners. Max Muncy singled with a jam shot to score yet another run to turn the score to 11-2. Taylor struck out to end it but not before the Dodgers put up a five-spot in the sixth.
11-2, Dodgers.
7th Inning:
Maeda came out for a seventh inning of work. Adam Jones led it off with a solo homer to dead center. Jake Lamb grounded out. Maeda got Marte on a changeup. Nick Ahmed walked and chased Kenta Maeda from the game after 106 pitches. Through 6 2/3 innings of work, Maeda surrendered three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six. Brock Stewart came on in relief to face Alex Avila who walked. Ildemaro Vargas flew out to end the inning.
Backup catcher John Ryan Murphy came on to pitch for the Diamondbacks and tossed fastballs in the mid-50s. Austin Barnes walked. Brock Stewart struck out. Joc Pederson singled on a 58 mph pitch. Alex Verdugo just got under a ball and flew out to right. Turner singled into left to load the bases for Cody Bellinger who just missed a pitch for a fly out.
11-3, Dodgers.
8th Inning:
Brock Stewart surrendered a single to Jarrod Dyson. Carson Kelly grounded out. David Peralta crushed a two-run bomb. Adam Jones struck out. Jake Lamb flew out deep.
Murphy walked Freese. Muncy flew out. CT3 flew out. Austin Barnes homered to left field for his second bomb of the season. He’s hot folks. Everyone in the Dodgers lineup now has a hit. Brock Stewart doubled. Joc Pederson walked. Alex Verdugo doubled in a run. Justin Turner singled in two runs. 5 RBIS for JT. Cody Bellinger then decided to drill a 2-run homer. His second of the day, 6 RBIs for him. Freese singled. Muncy popped out to end the bloodbath.
18-5, Dodgers.
9th Inning:
Russell Martin came on to pitch, which is fun. He got two groundouts and a flyout. Best ERA in baseball.
Russell Martin with a perfect 1-2-3 inning pic.twitter.com/QYvbBxnWkH
— Tyler Hawk (@tylerahawk) March 31, 2019
Results
W: Kenta Maeda (1-0)
L: Zack Godley (0-1)
Tomorrow’s Game
Walker Buehler (8-5, 2.62) makes his season debut opposite Luke Weaver (7-11, 4.95).
Come back at 12:10pm PT for more fun!
Btw, a rubber match is the 3rd game of a 3 game series when it is all tied up at 1-1.
I like these inning by inning recaps. Thanks.
me too
The new “Esquite street corn” as a new offering was a total failure. Nothing more than a can of Green Giant corn, in a black plastic holder. Nothing street about it. Not even in a small helmet. The $21, gigantic hot dog was good. The Dodger Sausage with pineapple in the sausage was nowhere to be found. So far the new menu is 1-3. Not a good average.
I used to post this on the Dodger’s MLB sight. The Home Run Tracker. So far in the first 3 games:
Dodgers 13
Dbacks 7
First and foremost is that we cannot expect the Dodgers to hit 4 HR’s every game., nor can we survive with a pitching staff who themselves gives up 4 HR’s a game.. Again, it’s a good thing we had that Opening Day record of 8 HR’s because so far in the first 3 games our pitching is up to its old tricks by having served up 7 in 3 games. If Maeda wants to remain in the starting rotation he cannot survive in it by issuing those 4 he gave up yesterday.