The Dodgers won their second straight against the team with the third best winning percentage in MLB. They have now won 8 out of their last 10, 9 out of 13 for July, and 16 out of their last 26. They are playing good baseball.
LAD was facing Tyler Wells, a Baltimore RHSP who had not allowed more than 2 earned runs for 8 consecutive games. That streak went out the window after the third hitter in the 2nd inning. With 2 on and no outs, Jason Heyward hit a HR over the CF wall for a 3-run HR. It was just the beginning of a 10 run 13 hit attack.
Just like Monday’s game, the leaders of the offense were Freddie and Will Smith. Mookie owned NYM in that 3 game series, while Freddie and Will struggled a bit. Smith was 1-11 and Freddie was 1-10 with 4 walks. Mookie was 7-13 with 2 BB.
With Baltimore, Mookie is 1-9 with a BB, while Freddie is 6-9 with a BB and HBP. He has 2 doubles and a triple. Will is also 6-9 with a BB and double. That is 12 hits, 2 BB, 4 XBH for the #2 and #3 hitters in the lineup.
That was important because the 7-9 hitters were 4-11 with 5 walks combined. They scored 4 of the 10 runs. James Outman reached base 4 times on 2 hits and 2 BB. For the series, Outman is 3-7 with 2 walks. Just like with Lux last year, hitting 9th just might agree with Outman. Since the All Star Break, James is 5-13 with 6 BB against only 4 K.
Miggy Rojas and James Outman actually pulled off a double steal that Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman threw into LF allowing Rojas to score and Outman to move to 3rd.
It wasn’t just the offense that was excellent, but so was the pitching. Michael Grove had a 6 pitch first inning but also a 29 pitch 2nd inning. He walked lead off hitter Ryan O’Hearn on 13 pitches. With one out, O’Hearn scored on an Aaron Hicks double. Grove struck out Colton Cowser and retired Adam Frazier on a 3-U ground ball. Over the next three innings, Grove shut out the O’s offense on three singles, a DP, and 3 Ks thanks to a recently discovered cutter he dominates LH batters with.
After a lead off double and BB in the 6th, Grove was sent to the showers. Yency Almonte came in with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out. He got three outs without the runners moving up much less scoring.
Phil Bickford retired the side in order in the 7th. With the score 10-1, Bickford came back out for the 8th. He walked the leadoff hitter on 4 pitches…or did he? Two of the four pitches were clearly strikes.. Bickford retired the next batter on a pop out. Doc came out and relieved Bickford with seldom used rookie RHRP Nick Robertson. It was clear by reading his lips, that Bickford did not agree with the decision.
Robertson quickly allowed a double and single before striking out Austin Hays. But Aaron Hicks got his second run scoring hit. Robertson got the third out, and retired the side in the 9th allowing only a single before striking out Adley Rutschman to end the game.
I acknowledge that pitcher’s wins are not as important as it used to be, but don’t tell the pitchers that. Grove got his 2nd consecutive win. This was his 6th consecutive game where his ERA has gone down. It still is not pretty, but Grove’s confidence has to be growing.
Because of the offense, the high leverage relievers were not needed in this game. Outside of Almonte, Bickford, and Robertson, the Dodgers should have 5 relievers ready to go if needed in Wednesday’s game.
Julio Urías will match up against Baltimore’s Dean Kremer in Wednesday’s finale. The Dodgers will have their brooms out for a sweep for the 2nd road series since the break. While NYM spoiled the sweep last Sunday, hopefully, the Dodgers can finish off the O’s for the sweep.
As many of you will remember, Kremer was one of 5 LAD players traded to Baltimore for Manny Machado in 2018. Kremer is the only player remaining with Baltimore.
Before Tuesday’s game, since June 1, Mookie has been putting up numbers that are reminiscent of his 2018 MVP season. Since 6/1, in 165 PA, Mookie is hitting .338/.430/.713/1.144, 9 doubles, 14 HR, 32 RBI, 22 BB against 23K.
For July, it is even more impressive. In 52 PA, Mookie is batting .405/.500/.881/1.381, 5 doubles, 5 HRs, 10 RBI, 9 BB vs only 4 K. That is domination.
Tuesday’s win was an important win as all NL West teams won on this night.
Bring out the brooms for the Wednesday AM game.
07-18-2023 – MiLB Game Summary Report
OKC Dodgers 7 – El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego) 6
Miguel Vargas led off the 9th with a double, moved to 3rd on a ground out, and scored on a Ryan Ward walk off single.
Gavin Stone started and went 6.0 innings. Not as good as last game. 4 runs, 7 hits, 1 BB, 5 K, and 1 HR (solo).
Key Performers:
- Michael Busch – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR (13)
- Miguel Vargas – 4-5, 1 run, double (1)
- Ryan Ward – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (10)
- Devin Mann – 2-4
- Steven Duggar – 2-4, 2 runs
- Justin Yurchak – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
Box Score
NW Arkansas (KC) 5 – Tulsa Drillers 2
Tulsa scored their 2 runs on solo HRs by Kody Hoese (6) and Imanol Vargas (13)
Kyle Hurt started and completed 5.0 innings – 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 BB, 6 K
Ben Harris surrendered a 2-run HR in his 1.0 IP
Key Performer:
- Brandon Lewis – 2-3, double (7)
Box Score
Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 2 – Great Lakes Loons 0
Lansing shutout the Loons on 4 hits. Justin Wrobleski started and completed 6.0 strong innings, allowing 2 runs (1 earned). Great Lakes had 4 hits, with Damon Keith’s double the only XBH.
Box Score
Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 9 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8
Lake Elsinore scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 10th with 2 outs for the walk off win against RC.
Key Performers – A 20 year old and 2 19 year olds led the offense:
- Luis Rodriguez (20 – CF) – 3-5, 2 runs, 6 RBI, double (6), HR (2)
- Wilman Diaz (19 – 2B) – 3-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, triple (1)
- Luis Guerra (19 – LF) – 2-5, 1 RBI, 2 doubles (3)
For the month of July, Rodriguez is hitting .389/.433/.537/.970. For the last 4 games Luis is 14-21 with 3 doubles, 1 HR, 13 RBI, no BB against 2 K. Luis is on an excellent run.
Box Score
Love Dodger Chronicles. I don’t sleep well these days and am usually up at 2 or 3AM. Dodger Chronicles is the first thing I read each morning with my first cup of coffee. I had to laugh at this mornings article as 3 times you referred to today’s game finale with the Orioles as Sunday’s game. You, like me Jeff must be retired or you’re just plain tired. Today is Wednesday my friend. Also, I don’t always pay as close attention to detail as you, and I’m assuming it was an error, but I’ve been trying to figure out what you meant when you said ” he retired Adam Frasier on a 3-U ground ball?” Don’t mean to be so picky. You must have been in a hurry or tired or both when you typed this.
2 things that really stood out to me in yesterday’s game was the double steal and Peralta’s bunt attempt. Would like to see both of those concepts occur more often.
Good stuff Jeff. I think you need some sleep. It is Wednesday. Sunday is a few days away. But that’s cool. I lose track myself sometimes. Heyward crushed that ball. It was his longest homer of the year. Baltimore needs to find a happy medium with that left field wall. It costs’ their hitters some knocks as well as the opposition.
Looks like Marisnick is going to be heading to the IL. He strained his hammy. Beat my prediction of him being off of the roster by a couple of weeks.
When we slug, we win.
Grove may indeed be growing into the role. If he and Sheehan can continually go 5, with ERAs around 4, it will certainly help. Sure would be nice to see pitchers go 6-7 with ERAs around 3. I guess that may be asking too much in today’s game.
This is a challenging road trip. So far the team has played well. That said, S.F. is 8-2 and 1.5 back. Are they this good?
I noticed Jimmy Nelson pitched an inning. He could help.
Yep. Ump hosed Bick on the first hitter in the 7th. Usually when they miss calls it is balls called strikes. Haven’t seen as many true strikes called balls. Maybe that is just me.
How long do we have to endure Muncy batting 4th? This blind devotion by Doc has gotten ridiculous. Sit him down for a couple of games and then bat him 6th or 7th. If he heats up, move him back up.
Hope we are going for a sweep on Sunday in Texas.
Are the Dodgers using the cutter as their new “sweeper”?
I read that Grove has started using one, and it’s also the pitch that Brasier credits for his recent success.
Anyone read or hear anything on this?
I apologize for any confusion on the day of the week. I have no idea why, but I kept thinking it was the weekend all day yesterday. When I retired, I seemed to lose all sense of the day of the week. I am sure this will not be the last time. 😄
Urias did not look like an Ace today. Every time he pitches like this he knocks a few mil off of his asking price this winter.
Tyler O’Neill anyone?
I always enjoy your posts at this time of year, Jeff, because I love to see who you come up with as possibilities for us to get at the deadline.
Jim Callis had an article on MLB.com today mentioning a prospect on every team who might be traded, for whatever reason (need for other positions, blocked by someone else, etc).
If you haven’t seen it, please take a look and comment on any of the 30 guys mentioned here whom you think might be of interest to us. We can probably eliminate pitchers (we have plenty of young pitchers already) and catchers, but there are a number of infielders and outfielders mentioned.
Look forward to hearing your response and anyone else who cares to comment.
Here’s the link:
https://www.mlb.com/news/trade-candidate-prospects-to-watch?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
By the way, the Dodger prospect he mentioned was Sheehan. I don’t consider a Sheehan trade very likely at all, but I definitely wouldn’t call him untouchable for the right return.