After their first losing streak of the season, the Dodgers hope to salvage a series split on the road against the Seattle Mariners. The Dodgers dropped the first game of the brief two-game series Monday night by a score of 4-3. The loss was their second straight defeat.
The Dodgers managed to get to the go-ahead run on base in the ninth inning, but a game-ending double play by Corey Seager shut that down quickly.
Dodger fans held their breath in that ninth, not just because of the game itself, but because star outfielder Mookie Betts was hit by a pitch on the forearm. Betts did stay in the game, but like expected, he is out of the lineup on Tuesday.
Manager Dave Roberts said bruising and swelling are expected but was expecting to know more today. As the day goes on, we will know more.
The Dodgers and Royals are the only two teams that still have not lost a series. For the Dodgers, that streak is on the line today. Although it is a two-game series, the last team to beat the Dodgers in a series was the Colorado Rockies, who took two out of three games in Dodger Stadium last season.
Dustin May gave up a couple of early homers which let the Mariners take early control. May pitched five innings and gave up three runs on four hits, although he did strike out eight batters,
The Dodgers did leave multiple runners in scoring position, as they were 2-for-9 in those situations.
Several at-bats by the Dodgers could have been RBIs if it wasn’t for the outstanding defense of the Mariners.
Julio Urias will get the start Tuesday for the Dodgers. Urias in his last outing went six innings, allowing four earned runs against the Colorado Rockies. So far in the early campaign, he’s posted a record of 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 18 ⅔ innings pitched.
Urias will face Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales. He has not fared well so far this season, having given up seven runs in one start and five runs in another. Gonzales has an ERA of 8.22 in the early season with a record of 1-1.
After Tuesday’s game, the Dodgers will have a day off before starting a four-game home series against the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
The first pitch for Tuesday’s game is at 1:10 p.m. Pacific.
We’re definitely in a funk offensively. That’s going to happen during the course of a long season. Luckily the Pads have been cooperating by losing also.
The Giants are in second place, but I don’t think any of us are particularly worried about them, although I do think that they will be spending a lot of money on free agents this winter and next year we might very well have to take them seriously.
I’m not really worried about any of the competition. I am somewhat concerned why the Dodgers have become less disciplined with the strike zone.
Or maybe the strike zone has become less disciplined with the Dodgers.
That’s true.
Missed the game,, 1-0 gem it looks like, but made it to California
Welcome Bear. I’ve put it to a vote and by a narrow majority, California has decided that you can stay for a while. Have a great visit with the family. Hope you’ll have a chance to get out to a ballgame, at RC if not DS.
We will most likely go see the Quakes
Ok I’ve analyzed what it is the Dodgers need to do to score more runs.
There’s nothing you can do by strikes 1 and 2 being called outside the zone but there are two things you can do to keep from being called out on a ball. The first thing is to step into the box being prepared to punish strike 1 down the middle. Seager used to do it, Muncy looks at a lot of them. The second thing is don’t get to a 2 strike count, but if you do put an aggressive pepper swing on anything close with what comes next. If an ump is calling a 23” plate you need to protect. . I know there were several old time players who could deliberately foul those pitches off. Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn were the best I ever saw. George Brett and Wade Boggs could do it. It’s a skill I never developed, but I could take an outside pitch the other way. Appears to be a lost art these days as swing for the fences no matter the situation is being taught. Anyway, you got a bad ump, which seems to be every day now, you have to adjust to him.
Scoop, you are wise beyond your years, which is saying something because you got a lotta years my friend. You aren’t too much younger than LaRussa so I’m offering you the first managerial vacancy to come up this year. Age is no barrier and I think you play the game the right way. How would you like to move to Denver?
Do you know my family history in Denver Jefe?
Does it have something to do with your stepson? Not sure I ever knew where that took place. If so, sorry to bring up bad memories.
Yes. All the sewers in Denver can fail at the same time and it would be fine with me.
That said, if the Rockies offered me job managing that bunch I’d take the money. They can finish last no matter who runs the show. With the dough I’d buy two properties, a summer home and a winter home. Not sure where though. The wife is allergic to both juniper and manzanita and everywhere in the west is going to continue to burn for the next decade. Maybe Thailand and Canada.
I’ve been to Thailand many times. The people are wonderful but the heat and humidity are unbearable (at least for me). Spent most of my time in Bangkok and in the north though and never got down south where all the fun and beautiful beaches are. And they have no winter. It’s hot and hotter.
I had a buddy from Wisconsin that spent winters there. He rode a bike all over the country. Said he absolutely loved it there. Temps in the 80s. I could also do Northern Wisconsin and Costa Rica.
Never been to either of those spots but have heard good things about both.