Recap: Dodgers Drop a Tough One to Oakland in Series Finale
If you were one of the many in attendance at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night, then I sincerely apologize. You certainly did not get the game that you deserved after braving Los Angeles traffic. Here is a quick recap of the Dodgers unfortunate blowout.
Alex Wood got the start for Los Angeles and it went poorly from the start. Wood allowed seven earned runs in 3.2 innings of work. He gave up just one home run, a two-run shot from Khris Davis in the very first inning. Perhaps the only upside to his start was that he did not allow a single walk and struck out five Athletics.
Offensively, at lest the Dodgers managed to score some runs. Yasmani Grandal hit a home run, and Yasiel Puig got robbed of one by old friend Trayce Thompson. Other than that, the Dodgers managed to chip away a few runs here and there, but ultimately the game got too far out of reach. Especially considering the Athletics could not be stopped at any point throughout the game. They put up runs in six different innings.
Despite it being a particularly forgettable night for Dodger fans, there were a few highlights.
Matt Kemp keeps hitting
The old Matt Kemp that was worshipped by all of Los Angeles may be gone, but this mature Matt Kemp is still hitting. Kemp went 3 for 5 with a double and is now hitting 355 on the year. What a time to be alive.
Yasmani is hitting too!
The hottest hitter on the team keeps doing his thing. Grandal went 3 for 4 as well, with a home run. That puts Yas at 375 on the year as he continues his offensive tear.
Analysis
Sure, it was a game to forget. But the offense is coming around. It’s just a matter of time before the Dodgers shake off the rust.
Wilmer Font couldn’t get anyone out in spring training and yet here he is still coming out of the bullpen and getting hammered. Unless a miracle happens this team will be lucky to play .500 ball. In case nobody’s noticed Adrian Gonzalez has twice as many R.B.I. as any Dodger. When Matt Kemp and Yasmani Grandal are your two best hitters so far there’s a major problem.
Yeah Font has been horrible just like Pederson and Utley and Forsyth. Utley threw a slow ball on a turn the other night and his cute flip last night was horrible. Then there’s Baez loading the bases and luckily getting out of the inning. Meanwhile watching teams like the Phillies and even Padres bringing in youth and live young arms are way more interesting and on a clear upward scale of players. I am afraid the Dodgers are going to be in real trouble with these poor roster decisions retreads all over the lineup. It’s like they don’t want the best players on the field. Oh well there’s a real good team in Anaheim now.
“Unless a miracle happens this team will be lucky to play .500 ball.”
I agree with this writer, and I don’t believe in miracles. I also don’t understand the Dodger “braintrust” – which I keep labeling them sarcastically – and their obsession to save money when they have it (You’re not in Tampa anymore , Andrew) and keeping loser relievers (Wilmer Font) and letting Brandon Morrow go to a rival for the pennant.