Recap: Dodgers Offense Explodes to Defeat Pirates

Things are looking up in Los Angeles this month. The Lakers just got Lebron James and an excess of established veterans, and the Dodgers got a great start to the month against Colorado.

The Dodgers and Pirates squared off for their first game of a three-game series in Los Angeles on Monday night. Alex Wood got the start in this one, facing off against the Pirates’ Nick Kingham. And to say it went well would be an understatement for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers are winning 17-1. The offense has 21 hits. It is the sixth inning.

This is the most boat-racing boat race I've ever covered, I think.

— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) July 3, 2018

The Offense

If you were a Pirates fan at the game, chances are you grabbed a beer and chugged it on your way out in the 4th innings. The Dodgers offense was relentless almost all game long. Even working against an expanded strike zone that comes with a sizable lead. The team finished with a season-high 17 runs on 21 hits.

Matt Kemp, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, and Joc Pederson all went deep in this onslaught. Six Dodgers had a multi-hit night, including Matt Kemp’s 5 for 5 performance.

Speaking of Matt Kemp, he is tearing up the league the past few days. After a season worst slump, Kemp is now eight for his last eight dating back to Sunday’s game.  He has hit two home runs and driven in eight in that span.

The Defense

Alex Wood got the start in this one, and he was looking to continue his run of good pitching from his previous three starts. He went six innings and gave up just one earned run before handing the ball over to Caleb Ferguson.  Over his past four starts now, Wood has tossed 24.2 innings with a 2.19 earned run average. After starting off the season giving up 16 earned runs in five starts, Wood has worked his way back.

Ferguson ended up finishing the game for the Dodgers, saving the bullpen and pitching three scoreless innings. He struck out three Pirates and gave up just three hits to a very defeated lineup. Ferguson has now given up just one earned run over his last three appearances, tossing nine innings.

Los Angeles sits now just 1.5 games back of Arizona in the NL West.

Looking Ahead

Clayton Kershaw will get the ball in game two of the series tomorrow evening back at The Ravine. Kershaw will look to build off of his last outing, when he tossed five innings of one-run ball against the Cubs. He will face off against Ivan Nova, who is in the middle of his best month of the season.