NLCS Rematch: Brewers Best Dodgers In High-Drama Series Opener
On Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Milwaukee Brewers in one of baseball’s marquee early-season match-ups. Of course, it’s a rematch of the 2018 NLCS; and the Brewers played like they had a major chip on their shoulder.
While the Dodgers displayed a fighting spirit, the Brewers just had more in the tank. Let’s recap how the 8-5 loss unfolded below.
The Offense:
Corey Seager surprised a few folks by talking his way into the starting lineup. What’s more, Seager got the Dodgers on the board with his second home run of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.
.@coreyseager_5 only needed one pitch. pic.twitter.com/Yi1ZQNjimE
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2019
Of course, the Dodgers’ offense wasn’t done hitting long balls there. Cody Bellinger gave his team a 3-2 lead with his 8th home run of the young season – a 412 foot shot to Bellinger land in right off Corbin Burnes. Equally important, Bellinger added a single and steal to his impressive resume of stats thus far in 2019.
.@Cody_Bellinger, you are unreal. pic.twitter.com/I11hM0TeUd
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2019
The Brewers would reclaim the lead at 4-3 with a Hernan Perez home run. However, the Dodgers struck right back with another long ball of their own. Joc Pederson hit his fifth home run of the young season to give Los Angeles a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 4th.
.@yungjoc650 got all of that one. pic.twitter.com/mRJiBLykyP
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2019
Yasmani Grandal made his return to Dodger Stadium, and seemed to relish in torturing his old mates. First, he got the Brewers on the board with an infield single in the first inning. Then came the biggest turning point of Friday evening’s game. Grandal caught a Urias pitch and sent it into the left field pavilion.
Yaz seems to be seeing the ball well in his old haunt. #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/83i5rYuVJz
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) April 13, 2019
For Milwaukee, the bullpen served as a nice elixir for an ineffective Burnes; who allowed five runs to the Dodgers. Indeed, the guy everyone didn’t want to see in Josh Hader got the ball in the bottom of the 8th with the responsibility of closing out a 7-5 game. Typically, that means trouble for the opposition. However, on this night the Dodgers had more fight left in them.
Over the past 2 seasons, the Brewers are 53-7 in games where Josh Hader appears. He's in the game here in the 8th up by 2 runs #Dodgers
— Rick Krajewski (@Rick_K21) April 13, 2019
First, David Freese pinch-hit and doubled to left. Next – following an Austin Barnes pop out – Chris Taylor blooped a single to center. Then, Max Muncy pinch-hit and struck out on a full count pitch after an incredible at-bat. High-drama was set up with Seager, drew a full-count walk.
Los Angeles worked Hader hard – but after loading the bases – Justin Turner struck out on a slider to end the 8th.
Indeed, Hader retired Bellinger on a fly-out for the first out in the bottom of the ninth. Finally, Milwaukee turned things over to Alex Wilson for the final two outs.
The Pitching:
Julio Urias made his third start of the season – and for the second straight outing – the results were not spectacular. While Urias displayed a powerful fastball, he didn’t seem to be able to put away hitters. On 87 pitches, he surrendered six runs, five of which were earned within his five innings of work. Urias managed four strikeouts to one walk, but allowed game-swinging home runs to Hernan Perez and Grandal. He was pulled from the game with the Dodgers trailing 6-5, and seemingly no matter how many times his offense picked him up with a big swing; he could not hang a zero in the following frame.
Better work will be needed from Urias for him to remain in the Dodgers’ rotation.
Next, he was relieved by Joe Kelly who followed an initial scoreless inning of work by allowing an RBI double to Jesus Aguilar to make the score 7-5.
Scott Alexander entered in a tough spot in the top of the seventh in relief of Kelly. After allowing a single, he induced an inning-ending double play.
Dylan Floro was tasked with the 8th inning for Los Angeles. Floro continued his great work by firing a scoreless inning, and now hasn’t allowed a run in 9 and 1/3 innings this season.
Kenley Jansen took the top of the 9th for the Dodgers and allowed an earned run to bring the score to 8-5.
What’s Next?
The Dodgers continue game two of the series with the Brewers on Saturday night at 6:10. And let’s not forget, it’s Cody Bellinger bobblehead night! While the Brewers will use right-hander Zach Davies, the Dodgers have not announced a starter at press-time of this post. What this means is the Dodgers could elect to go with a bullpen game in game two of the series. Somehow – a Dodgers team that began the year 6-2 is now sitting at 8-7 on the year and risk falling to .500 with another loss.
Alternative Walk-Up Songs For Dodgers Players
Well our first slump is officially here and it underscores just how valuable Kershaw, Hill and Ryu are. He who scores first usually wins the game and our remaining starting pitchers just are not getting it done anymore. Couple that fact with a leaking bullpen…….bad things are going to happen. When the Dodgers failed to score in the 8th,after Freese/Taylor/Seager all reached, you knew it was over.
Lost in the box score………..Kenley Jansen……..his inability to hold runners on base has become a glaring deficiency! It’s an AAARRRGGGH! Instead of imitating Kershaw’s pause/hesitation during delivery, maybe he should try listening to Clayton and Urias about working on his pick off move. It’s tougher for right handers, I know, but he needs to work on it. Talk to him Honey!
Maybe Caleb will have a decent start………it should be interesting…….we are fortunate to have so many quality young pitchers, try ’em all I say……at this point we have nothing to lose.
On the bright side………..maybe Corey should get leg contusions more often (Grin!)………seemed to calm him down, he had a GREAT game!
Message to Dodgers, focus on tonights game. Get good at-bats, work the counts, play smart defensively, backing-up Caleb Ferguson(tonights starter).
Can someone here help me to figure what what year this is? I mean we are now seeing exactly what this team looks like and did for most of last year:
Right now NO reliable pitching from either starters or most of the relievers.
A batting order that’s striking out with regularity each game, 10+ per game
Leaving runners on 3rd with less than 2 outs and FAILING to score.
Now today is one of Robert’s specialties …a BP game.
No pitching? No October baseball and certainly NO WS appearance.
AZUL!!!!! Again, you have hit the nail right on the head. Or, to quote the song from m,any years ago, “We’ve got plenty of nothing”. As you succinctly state, we have no reliable SP, no BP of any type, situational hitting is again lacking, and it appears the FO is either unwilling or unable to make a key deal to improve the team, i.e. signing Keuchel or Kimbrel. October baseball, as you correctly state, at least for the Dodgers, is not something I would bet on. Go Blue!!!
Right on LOU! At least I have tried to make this day more enjoyable with it being the nationwide RECORD STORE DAY! And lots of very limited 1 time editions to be had!