L.A. has a modest three-game winning streak after 7-1 win Sunday.
Clayton Kershaw dominates in Dodgers’ series-clinching win over Cubs
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.
Clayton Kershaw hopped off the mound and took several steps toward the third base dugout, the Dodgers left-hander so sure he had struck out Chicago Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo to end the first inning Sunday that he didn’t bother looking for umpire Ryan Blakney’s call.
Kershaw, his eight teammates on the field and a crowd of 46,315 in Dodger Stadium were stunned when the belt-high slider on the inside corner was called a ball, but it only delayed the inevitable.
Two pitches later, Kershaw whiffed Rizzo with an 86-mph slider, setting the tone for a late-afternoon display of dominance in which Kershaw gave up one run and four hits, struck out a season-high 13 and walked one in eight innings of a 7-1 victory over the Cubs.
Kershaw induced 26 swings and misses during his 101-pitch, 70-strike gem, a season high and the fifth most in his 14-year career, 22 of them with a sharp-breaking slider that averaged 86.4 mph.
Dodgers extend winning streak to three with 7-1 victory over Cubs
Cubs: Right-hander Phil Bickford now pitching for the Dodgers. Souza in left. J.A. Happ fouled to the catcher. Alcantara struck out swinging. Baez struck out swinging.
Final score: Dodgers 7, Cubs 1
We go to the ninth, 8-1 Dodgers
Cubs: And Clayton Kershaw stays in the game. Wisdom struck out swinging. Sogard singled to left. Ortega flied to center. Lobaton grounded to short, forcing Sogard. Great outing by Kershaw.
Dodgers: Left-hander Rex Brothers now pitching for the Cubs. McKinstry struck out swinging. Barnes flied to right. Steven Souza Jr, batting for Kershaw, struck out swinging.
Score after eight: Dodgers 7, Cubs 1
It’s 7-1 Dodgers after seven
Cubs: Baez walked on six pitches. Pederson grounded to Turner, who was playing near second because of a shift. He fielded the ball, stepped on second for an out and threw to first to complete the double play. Marisnick grounded to short. Kershaw has made 89 pitches through seven. Will they let him pitch the eighth? Doubtful.
Dodgers: Lobaton now catching. Ortega now in right. Pujols grounded to third. Taylor struck out looking. Lux struck out looking.
Score after seven: Dodgers 7, Cubs 1
Dodgers extend lead to 7-1
Cubs: Contreras grounded to short. Bryant grounded to second. Alcantara struck out swinging. Kershaw has 12 strikeouts.
Dodgers: Kershaw struck out swinging. Betts triple to right. Bryant made a diving attempt, but once he did that and didn’t catch it, that guaranteed a triple. Bellinger flied to right, scoring Betts. Turner struck out swinging.
Score after six: Dodgers 7, Cubs 1
It’s 6-1 Dodgers after five
Cubs: Albert Pujols in at first. Wisdom struck out swinging. Sogard fouled to third. Nance struck out looking.
Dodgers: Chris Taylor beat out a slow roller to third. The play had to be reviewed and he was safe by an eyelash. Lux grounded to third, forcing Taylor at second. McKinstry struck out swinging. Lux stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Barnes struck out looking.
Score after five: Dodgers 6, Cubs 1
Cubs get on board thanks to Javy Baez’s homer
Cubs: Bryant struck out swinging. Rizzo flied to right. Baez homered to left. Pederson doubled to right. Marisnick struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Right-hander Tommy Nance now pitching for the Cubs. Alcantara in at second. Wisdom to first. Sogard to third. Betts struck out swinging. Bellinger grounded to short. Turner doubled to right-center. Beaty grounded to short.
Score after four: Dodgers 6, Cubs 1
It’s 6-0 Dodgers after three
Cubs: Brandon Wisdom singled to left. Eric Sogard struck out swinging. Wisdom went to second on a balk. Adbert Alzolay struck out looking. Contreras struck out looking on a nasty curveball.
Dodgers: Taylor struck out looking. Lux singled to right. McKinstry singled to right, Lux to second. Barnes lined the center. Kershaw struck out looking.
Score after three: Dodgers 6, Cubs 0
Dodgers take 6-0 lead on Zach McKinstry’s grand slam, Cody Bellinger’s two-run shot
Cubs: Javy Baez struck out swinging. Joc Pederson struck out looking. Jake Marisnick grounded to second.
Dodgers: Matt Beaty was hit by a pitch. Chris Taylor walked on six pitches. After falling behind 0-2, Gavin Lux walked on seven pitches. Zach McKinstry hit a grand slam to right. Alzolay just hung a slider. Austin Barnes struck out looking. Clayton Kershaw grounded to second. Betts grounded to short, but Baez bounced the throw and Rizzo couldn’t dig it out. Bellinger homered to right. It’s 6-0 Dodgers. Turner singled to left. Beaty grounded to first.
Score after two: Dodgers 6, Cubs 0
Scoreless first inning at Dodger Stadium
Cubs: Left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers. Willson Contreras struck out swinging. Kris Bryant flied to center. Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Right-hander Adbert Alzolay on the mound for the Cubs. Mookie Betts flied to center. Cody Bellinger walked on four pitches. Justin Turner grounded into a 1-4-3 double play.
Score after one: Dodgers 0, Cubs 0
Dodgers look to extend win streak after ‘embarrassment’ of Padres sweep, Cubs combined no-hitter
The Dodgers will look to win their third straight game over the Chicago Cubs when the teams meet Sunday in a game that will be nationally televised by ESPN.
The Dodgers began the week with a three-game sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres in Petco Park, and they were no-hit by Cubs starter Zach Davies and three relievers in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night.
But they responded with a 6-2 win over the Cubs on Friday night and a 3-2 win on Saturday in which Cody Bellinger homered in the ninth inning, giving the Dodgers their first walk-off win of the season.
“You could feel after getting swept in San Diego, then getting no-hit, our guys don’t spiral,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We have a way of regrouping to win a baseball game.
“I think that’s shown over the last six years, how we’ve responded to some adversity, and at the end of the year, we’re at the top of the division, so I don’t see that playing out any different this year, either.”
Cody Bellinger’s walk-off shot in the ninth inning, his second homer of a frustrating season, lifted the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Asked to pinpoint why he felt so encouraged his team would bounce back from the four straight losses, Roberts said, “I think embarrassment, probably. No one likes to lose, but to lose three in a row to a division rival and then to come home and [get no-hit], that doesn’t make anyone feel good. So I think the word ‘embarrassment’ pretty well sums it up.”
Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who is 6-4 with a 3.2 ERA in 12 career starts against the Cubs, will oppose Cubs right-hander Adbert Alzolay. Kershaw is 8-7 with a 3.43 ERA this season, striking out 111 and walking just 17 in 94 1/3 innings.
Max Muncy is not in the Dodgers lineup, a scheduled day off for the infielder, Roberts said.
DODGERS LINEUP: RF Mookie Betts, CF Cody Bellinger, 3B Justin Turner, 1B Matt Beaty, 2B Chris Taylor, SS Gavin Lux, LF Zach McKinstry, C Austin Barnes, LHP Clayton Kershaw.
CUBS LINEUP: C Willson Contreras, RF Kris Bryant, 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Pedro Baez, LF Joc Pederson, CF Jake Marisnick, 3B Patrick Wisdom, 2B Eric Sogard, RHP Adbert Alzolay.
Five Dodgers players advance to second phase of NL All-Star voting
Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, Chris Taylor, Justin Turner and Gavin Lux have advanced to the second phase of the National League All-Star voting process, as announced by Major League Baseball on Sunday morning.
The five Dodgers players will now enter a four-day social-media voting process — starting Monday and ending Thursday — in which starters will be chosen from among the top three vote-getters (and the top nine outfielders) at each position.
Voting, which is available at MLB.com, will close at 2 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, and the winners will be announced on ESPN’s starter reveal show at 6 p.m. PDT that night. The game will be played at Colorado’s Coors Field on July 13.
Two Dodgers co-owners buying minority ownership stakes in the Lakers could create new ways for the teams to partner in the rich, L.A. media landscape.
Muncy was the leading vote-getter among NL first basemen ahead of Freddie Freeman (Atlanta) and Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs). Betts and Taylor were rated fourth and fifth, respectively, among NL outfielders behind Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta), Nick Castellanos (Cincinnati) and Jesse Winker (Reds).
Justin Turner ranked third among NL third basemen behind Kris Bryant (Cubs) and Nolan Arenado (St. Louis), and Gavin Lux ranked third among NL second basemen behind Ozzie Albies (Braves) and Adam Frazier (Pittsburgh).
Blast from the past: Cody Bellinger’s homer gives Dodgers walk-off win over Cubs
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 3-2 over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Cody Bellinger crushed the pitch and everybody at Dodger Stadium knew where it was going, long over the wall in center field to give the Dodgers a 3-2 walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs, but Bellinger wasn’t totally convinced.
“I knew I hit it well,” Bellinger said. “But I haven’t hit too many this year, so I didn’t really know for sure. I knew it was my best bolt of the year, though.”
The bolt off Cubs right-hander Keegan Thompson — Bellinger’s second home run of a frustrating season — produced thunder from the 45,420 at Chavez Ravine. It improved the Dodgers (45-31) to 10-14 in one-run games and kept them having to further exhaust a bullpen that’s been heavily used over the last week. It was Bellinger’s third-career walk-off home run and first extra-base hit since June 2.
“Very satisfying,” Bellinger said. “Still a long way to go. Lot of season left, lot of baseball left. No matter what, it is always nice to see a ball go over the fence.”
Cody Bellinger hits a walk-off home run to lift Dodgers to 3-2 win
Cody Bellinger hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the ninth inning off Chicago Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson to lift the Dodgers to a 3-2 win Saturday.
It was Bellinger’s second home run of the season as the Dodgers improved to 46-31 on the season.
In the top of the inning, Phil Bickford struck out Patrick Wisdom to put a bow a solid 1 2/3 innings of relief. David Price came out of the bullpen and promptly retired Joc Pederson and Jason Heyward.
Bullpens frustrating batters as tied game heads into the ninth
Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford retired the side on just three pitches in the top of the inning. Kris Bryant lined out on a quick catch by Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez each grounded out.
Cubs reliever Rex Brothers struck out Will Smith, Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor to stymie the Dodgers’ hopes of taking the lead.
End of eighth: Cubs 2, Dodgers 2
Dodgers struggling to generate offense against Cubs’ bullpen
The Dodgers avoided falling behind in the top of the inning when a hit by Chicago’s Jason Heyward landed just outside the left-field foul pole. Umpires initiated a video review just to make sure the call was right, much to Dodgers pitcher Garrett Cleavinger’s relief.
Heyward then singled up the middle, but was out on the next at-bat when Sergio Alcantara hit into a perfectly executed 6-3 double play by Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux. Phil Bickford then relieved Cleavinger and got the final out.
Dan Winkler kept the Dodgers’ batters at bay, giving up a walk to Mookie Betts before striking out Max Muncy and Justin Turner to cap the inning.
End of seventh: Cubs 2, Dodgers 2
Dodgers and Cubs tied 2-2 heading into the seventh
Julio Urías opened the sixth by striking out Anthony Rizzo for his 12th strikeout of the game. He then allowed a single to Javier Baez that marked the end of his day on the mound.
Urías showed improvement over his previous starts, allowing five hits, two earned runs, a walk and 12 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Joe Kelly came on in relief and struck out Patrick Wisdom and Jake Marisnick.
AJ Pollock doubled to the wall in the right-center field gap in the bottom of the inning, but was left stranded when Cubs reliever Dan Winkler got Zach McKinstry to ground out to second.
End of sixth: Cubs 2, Dodgers 2
Cubs tie game on run-scoring double by Ian Happ
Chicago’s Ian Happ hit a run-scoring double off Dodgers starter Julio Urías to tie the game 2-2 in the fifth inning.
Jason Heyward, who picked up his second hit of the game on a sizzler down the left-field line for an easy double, scored on the play. Happ’s pinch-hit double went into the right-field corner.
Before allowing Happ’s hit, Urías struck out Sergio Alcantara for his 10th punchout before notching strikeout No. 11 against Kris Bryant to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Cubs reliever Brad Wieck retired the Dodgers in order, striking out Max Muncy and Justin Turner along the way.
End of fifth: Cubs 2, Dodgers 2
Anthony Rizzo leads off fourth with home run for Cubs
Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo led off the fourth inning with a home run to right field off Julio Urías, making it 2-1 Dodgers in the fourth inning.
It was Rizzo’s 10th home run of the season and second hit allowed in the game by Urías, who responded by striking out the next three batters to up his strikeout total to nine.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers whiffed on another prime scoring opportunity. For the second time in three innings, Willson Contreras picked off Chris Taylor at third, this time when Taylor bit too much while leading off the bag on a bunt attempt by Urías. Just like when he picked off Taylor on a stolen-base attempt in the second, Contreras made a fast and perfect throw.
Although Urías singled a short time later on grounded that got found a hole past Rizzo at first and second baseman Sergio Alcantara, he and Zach McKinstry were left stranded when Mookie Betts grounded out to third.
End of fourth: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Dodgers lead 2-1 after three innings
The Dodgers miss out on a chance to grow their lead when Gavin Lux lined out to center field with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Justin Turner singled to left with two outs before Cubs pitcher Alec Mills walked Max Muncy and Will Smith.
Julio Urías finished the inning strong after allowing a leadoff single to Jason Heyward and walking Sergio Alcantara. He struck out pitcher Alec Mills and Willson Contreras before Kris Bryant flied out to center. Six strikeouts on 50 pitches for Urías so far.
End of fourth: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Dodgers-Lakers media bundle? Why Dodgers co-owners buying into Lakers is a big deal
Mark Walter and Todd Boehly made a deal destined to be remembered as the last great big deal in the local cable sports wars. In 2013, those two members of the Dodgers ownership group persuaded Time Warner Cable to launch a new cable channel for the Dodgers, grant the team ownership of the channel, and pay the team $8.35 billion for rights to broadcast the games.
Since then, tens of millions of viewers across America have canceled subscriptions to cable and satellite providers. Some of those providers have gone out of business, or have been consumed in mergers. As Dodgers fans without Time Warner Cable found out the hard way, other providers have cut back or eliminated sports offerings to avoid paying pricey fees.
New streaming services seem to pop up every day. You have more freedom to pay for what you want to watch, rather than to pay for dozens of channels that corporations tossed into the package you had to buy to get the three or four channels you really wanted. Amazon can make a movie and stream it to you, all without a Hollywood production company or a cable partner.
Dodgers hold onto a 2-0 lead over Cubs in the third
Chris Taylor led off the second with the Dodgers’ third double of the game — a leadoff laser into the left-field corner. Taylor, however, was picked off a short time later by Cubs catcher Willson Contreras while trying to steal third base. AJ Pollock struck out and Zach McKinstry grounded out to second to cap the inning.
Julio Urías stayed in control in the top of the inning, striking Patrick Wisdom and Jake Marisnick to give him four strikeouts for the day.
End of second: Dodgers 2, Cubs 0
Max Muncy and Justin Turner give Dodgers a 2-0 lead in first
Max Muncy hit a run-scoring double and Justin Turner singled in another run to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Muncy’s deep hit off Cubs starter Alec Mills bounced off the wall in center field, getting past jumping Cubs center fielder Jake Marisnick. Mookie Betts, who led off with a standup double into the left-field corner, scored on the play.
With Turner at the plate, Muncy took third on a wild pitch by Mills before scoring on a single to right field by Turner.
Julio Urías got off to a good start, striking out Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo as part of a 1-2-3 inning.
End of first: Dodgers 2, Cubs 0
Philip Anschutz set to sell Lakers shares to two of the Dodgers’ owners
Billionaire Philip Anschutz, the founder of AEG and owner of Staples Center, has agreed to sell his 27% stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter and Todd Boehly, two of the Dodgers’ owners, sources confirmed to The Times.
Sportico first reported the transaction, which valued the Lakers at about $5 billion, putting Walter’s and Boehly’s stake in the NBA franchise owned by the Buss family at $1.35 billion, the largest minority ownership with the team.
Anschutz is also the owner of the Kings and the Galaxy, and a source said the move with the Lakers shares won’t affect his relationship with either team.
The move is “part of some financial planning and redeployment of capital to other AEG projects and growth initiatives,” AEG Chief Executive Dan Beckerman told Sportico.
The sale needs approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, though approval doesn’t need to happen at a formal meeting and can be handled remotely, a source said.
Cody Bellinger gets Saturday off vs. Cubs
Cody Bellinger’s single in the second inning Friday against the Cubs was his only hit in three games since coming off the injured list from a hamstring injury Wednesday. He followed it by stealing second on the next pitch, advancing to third base on a groundout and scoring the Dodgers’ first run on a fielder’s choice en route to a 6-2 win.
It was an encouraging sign for Bellinger, whose last two regular seasons have been mired in frustration since being named the 2019 NL MVP. Last year, he batted .239 with 12 home runs and a .789 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 56 games. This season, two stints on the injured list have limited him to 83 plate appearances in 19 games. He’s batting .217 with one home run and a .654 OPS.
“I just want to help the team win, you know what I mean?” Bellinger said this week. “And I think, with that mentality, numbers will come. But at the end of the day, for myself, I just want to play good baseball and help the team win. That’s truly it.”
Bellinger’s presence in center field allows Roberts to move Chris Taylor to left field or the infield, further solidifying the defense with a plus defender in another spot. Taylor played center field Saturday as Bellinger was given a scheduled day off.
Offensively, Bellinger has batted fourth, but the Dodgers have shown a willingness to move him down in the order as they see fit over the years. For now, he’s working his way back, hoping to unearth his peak form for long stretches.
“I think he’s handling it extremely well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And he understands that his four at-bats a night is something that is certainly of value but so is the defense.
“We have a lot of good players around him and you can’t get it all back in one night or one week. So I think that he matures as a big-league ballplayer, he’s realized that and so you certainly do look at the stat sheet or the scoreboard and there’s just still a lot of baseball and we can look out here in a week and he puts together a good week and all the stat line lines up.”
AJ Pollock and Max Muncy power late surge in Dodgers’ victory over Cubs
The Dodgers’ best chance to defeat the Chicago Cubs on Friday, the previous three months suggested, was to pound Jake Arrieta before the gate to the Cubs’ vaunted bullpen opened.
Arrieta began the night with a 5.45 earned-run average in 14 starts. The Cubs’ bullpen is the best in the majors this season. The path to victory seemed obvious.
But the Dodgers bungled the game plan a night after getting no-hit in Thursday’s series opener. Arrieta surrendered two runs on five innings. The chances of snapping their four-game losing streak dwindled. Then the Dodgers’ bats woke up with two bangs in the eighth inning for a 6-2 win.
AJ Pollock and Max Muncy each supplied a two-run home run in a four-run eighth. Pollock’s home run — a sky-high fly ball off right-hander Ryan Tepera just over the left-field wall — broke a 2-2 tie. It was the third home run Tepera has surrendered this season.
Kenley Jansen stymies the Cubs in the ninth to seal the Dodgers’ 6-2 win
Kenley Jansen struck out former Dodgers teammate Joc Pederson on a 97-mph sinker to preserve a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers end their four-game losing streak and beat the Cubs for the first time this season.
Chicago’s Jason Heyward led off the ninth with a first-pitch single to right field before Jansen struck out Jake Marisnick and got Sergio Alcantara to ground out.
The Dodgers improved to 45-31 and the Cubs fell to 42-34.
AJ Pollock and Max Muncy hit home runs to give Dodgers 6-2 lead
AJ Pollock and Max Muncy hit a pair of two-run home runs in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead.
Pollock’s tie-breaking home run off Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera plated Gavin Lux, who led off with a walk. It was Pollock’s sixth homer of the season.
Later in the inning, Mookie Betts hit a two-out single to left off reliever Tommy Nance and stole second before Max Muncy crushed his 15th home run of 2021 into the right-field pavilion.
In the top of the inning, Blake Treinen allowed a single to Javier Baez but then struck out Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras before Eric Sogard lined out to center.
Kenley Jansen will pitch the ninth for the Dodgers.
End of eighth: Dodgers 6, Cubs 2
Former Dodger Joc Pederson ties game on sacrifice fly
Chicago Cubs left fielder Joc Pederson drove in a run on a sacrifice fly off Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning.
Pederson’s fly to right-center field scored Jason Heyward, who drew a walk against Dodgers reliever Jimmy Nelson to open the inning. Nelson then gave up a single to Jake Marisnick, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sergio Alcantara.
With Nelson struggling to find the strike zone, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts replaced him with Treinen. After Pederson’s flyball, Kris Bryant flied out to AJ Pollock in left to keep Marisnick stranded at third.
In the bottom half, Cubs reliever Andrew Chafin got Justin Turner and Will Smith to fly out and struck out Cody Bellinger.
End of seventh: Cubs 2, Dodgers 2
Dodgers hold onto 2-1 lead heading into the seventh
Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly got Javier Baez to groundout and struck out Anthony Rizzo before hitting Willson Contreras with a 98-mph pitch off the left hand.
Incredibly, Contreras managed to take first as Kelly was relieved by David Price. Patrick Wisdom grounded out to short to strand Contreras, who managed to stay in the game at catcher in the bottom of the inning.
At the plate, the Dodgers couldn’t generate much against Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson, who relieved starter Jake Arrieta. Mookie Betts drew a walk, but Max Muncy flied out on the next at-bat for the third out.
Arrieta allowed five hits, two earned runs, walked three and struck out four over five innings.
End of sixth: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Dodgers get out of a jam in the fifth to maintain 2-1 lead
Victor González and Joe Kelly defused a scoring opportunity for the Cubs in the fifth inning after the inning got off to a rocky start.
Jason Heyward singled to shallow left on a broken-bat flare off Gonzalez before Jake Marisnick drew a walk. Joc Pederson’s grounder to first forced out Marisnick at second and put runners on the corners with two outs as Joe Kelly entered to relieve Gonzalez.
Kelly then struck out Kris Bryant on four pitches, throwing a pair of 99-mph strikes before punching him out on an 89-mph changeup.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Dodgers couldn’t plate a run despite loading the bases. Max Muncy reached base on a head-scratcher of an error by Cubs second baseman Ian Happ on a routine fly ball, then Justin Turner singled to left. Jake Arrieta walked Will Smith, but got Gavin Lux to ground out to first to cap the inning.
End of fifth: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Tony Gonsolin retires 11 consecutive batters, will give way to Victor González in fifth
Tony Gonsolin continues to make amends for his first-inning home run, striking out Javier Baez and Willson Contreras as part of a 1-2-3 inning.
Since allowing a home run to Kris Bryant on the game’s second pitch, Gonsolin has retired 11 consecutive batters, striking out seven on 69 pitches. Victor González will come on in relief to start the fifth.
AJ Pollock looped a one-out hit into left field near the foul line, stretching it into a double with confident baserunning. But he was left stranded there when Jake Arrieta struck out Zach McKinstry and Steven Souza Jr. grounded out to short.
End of fourth: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Zach McKinstry hits solo home run to give Dodgers 2-1 lead
Zach McKinstry hit a first-pitch home run to straightaway center field off Chicago Cubs starter Jake Arrieta to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the third inning.
It was McKinstry’s first home run since April 14 and his fourth of the season.
On the next at-bat, Tony Gonsolin drew a walk and then moved to third two at-bats later when Justin Turner shoveled a pitch into the right-field corner for a standup double.
After falling behind 3-0 to Cody Bellinger, Arrieta intentionally walked the center fielder to load the bases. Cubs second baseman then grabbed a line drive by Will Smith to stymie a prime scoring chance for the Dodgers.
In the top half of the inning, Gonsolin retired the Cubs in order.
End of third: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
Gavin Lux drives in a run and Dodgers end hitless streak
Gavin Lux drove in Cody Bellinger from third on a groundout to first to tie the game 1-1 in the second inning.
Cody Bellinger singled off Cubs starter Jake Arrieta to lead off the top of second, his first hit since returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. It also snapped the Dodgers’ 10-inning hitless streak.
Bellinger stole second and advanced to third on a groundout to short by Will Smith.
Tony Gonsolin, making his fourth start of the season, struck out Rafael Ortega to lead off the second before issuing a walk to Jason Heyward. Ian Happ followed with a pop out to right field before Gonsolin struck out out Willson Contreras.
End of second: Cubs 1, Dodgers 1
Kris Bryant hits home run to give Cubs 1-0 lead over Dodgers
Kris Bryant hit a solo home run off Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
The 414-foot blast to left field was Bryant’s 15th homer of the season and it came on the game’s second pitch. Former Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson popped out on the first at-bat.
The Dodgers’ aspirations to end their four-game losing streak is off to a poor start. Dodgers starters have given up first-inning home runs in five consecutive games.
In the top of the inning, Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta, who threw a no-hitter against the Dodgers in 2015, retired Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Justin Turner.
End of first: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
Dodgers top pitching prospect Josiah Gray faces hitters for first time since injury
Josiah Gray, the Dodgers’ top-ranked pitching prospect, threw a live batting practice session for triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. It was his first time facing hitters since he was shut down with a shoulder impingement in early May.
Roberts said he didn’t know Gray’s timetable for a return to games.
Gray started Oklahoma City’s first game and hasn’t pitched since. The 23-year-old right-hander’s unavailability hamstrung the Dodgers’ suddenly shallow starting pitching depth.
The club went over a month without a fifth starter when Dustin May tore the ulnar collateral ligament May 1. The Dodgers were left without viable healthy options to replace May and opted for bullpen games in the fifth starter’s spot until Gonsolin came off the injured list earlier this month.
David Price and Jimmy Nelson have extensive histories as starters – both veterans are full-time relievers for the first time this season – but Roberts said neither is currently an option to start games.
Price is the next choice on the depth chart, but the team prefers to stay away from converting him back to starter because it would take a considerable amount of time to stretch him out. The 35-year-old Price has given up 12 runs – 11 earned – in 24 2/3 innings over 20 games this season.
Roberts said Nelson’s role has recently shifted from multi-inning reliever to a one-inning option because he’s had trouble recovering from the heavier workloads. Nelson has been one of the Dodgers’ top relievers this season. The 32-year-old right-hander has a 1.90 ERA in 23 2/3 innings across 21 outings.
“We also take into consideration what he’s done in recency as far as the last couple of years,” Roberts said. “He’s been banged up so how can we get him from here through the end of the season impacting our club and that’s kind of right now where we see it and Jimmy’s on board, too.”
Dodgers tentatively scheduled to visit White House next week
In another sign that the country is inching towards pre-pandemic life, the Dodgers hope to resume the tradition of professional sports league champions visiting the White House during their upcoming trip to Washington D.C.
They would be the first professional sports team to go to the White House since the COVID-19 pandemic began and the first with President Joe Biden in office. The team is tentatively scheduled to visit Thursday before beginning a four-game series against the Nationals that night.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said “a smaller number” of people would be allowed to attend because of coronavirus protocols in place at the White House.
“We still don’t have complete finality, but I know that I’m personally excited if the opportunity presents itself,” Roberts said Friday. “I think our coaches and players are as well. I hope Vice President Kamala [Harris] is there. I’d love to meet her, as well as the president. But it’s an honor. …It’s something that I’ve always dreamt about.”
The Dodgers last visited the White House as champions in 1988 in Ronald Reagan’s final days in office. The team didn’t go after winning the 1981 World Series.
The Nationals visited President Donald Trump in the White House in November 2019, days after beating the Houston Astros in seven games to win the World Series. They were the last team to visit the White House.
The White House in February – shortly after President Biden took office -- said the Lakers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – the reigning NBA and Super Bowl champions – were invited to the White House once it was deemed safe. Neither team has gone.
Dodgers look to rebound after getting no-hit with Tony Gonsolin on the mound
Justin Turner is back in the lineup Friday after not starting Thursday in the Dodgers’ deflating loss to the Cubs. The Dodgers not only lost their fourth consecutive game, but they failed to record a hit by Zach Davies and three relievers.
It was the 20th time the Dodgers were no-hit in franchise history and the ninth time since moving to Los Angeles. It was the first no-hitter thrown against the Dodgers since Jake Arrieta pulled it off by himself for the Cubs in August 2015.
Arrieta won the National League Cy Young Award that season. Six years later, he’ll take the mound against the Dodgers again Friday with a 5.45 ERA in 14 starts in his first season back with the club after spending three with the Phillies.
Four Chicago Cubs pitchers combine for a historic no-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
Tony Gonsolin will counter Arrieta. The right-hander is expected to be limited to 60 pitches in his fourth start of the season as he continues to rebound from shoulder soreness. Gonsolin, who missed first first two months of the season with a shoulder injury, had his velocity drop considerably in his last start against the Diamondbacks on Sunday before he was pulled at 46 pitches.
“Was just some soreness,” Gonsolin said Thursday. “Overall, feeling a lot better going into this start.”
DODGERS (44-31, +92)
Mookie Betts RF
Max Muncy 1B
Justin Turner 3B
Cody Bellinger CF
Will Smith C
Gavin Lux SS
AJ Pollock LF
Zach McKinstry 2B
Tony Gonsolin P
Betting lines and odds for the Dodgers vs. Cubs on Friday
The Dodgers look to snap their four-game losing streak after being held hitless against the Chicago Cubs in Thursday’s series opener.
Tony Gonsolin will get get the start for the Dodgers, his fourth since returning from the injured list. Since his return, Gonsolin has yet to complete four innings in a game.
The Cubs will counter with starter Jake Arrieta, who prior to the team’s combined no-hitter on Thursday, was the last pitcher to no-hit the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Opponents are hitting .285 off Arrieta in his eight starts away from Wrigley Field. He enters the game with a 6.51 ERA and 2.2 home runs allowed per nine innings.
The Dodgers have scored three or fewer runs in four straight games. The Cubs have scored four runs or fewer in 10 of their last 11 games.
The Cubs have the second-best record on the run line in the National League at 42-33, behind only the San Francisco Giants. Chicago is 14-12 in its last nine road games after starting the year 2-8 away from Wrigley Field.
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Cubs no-hit the Dodgers and win, 4-0
As dominant as Walker Buehler has been throughout much of a 23-game unbeaten streak dating back to September 2019, the Dodgers right-hander knows his franchise record-tying mark was hardly a solo performance.
“To me,” Buehler said, “that’s a team number that doesn’t happen unless the offense has saved me a bunch of times, which they have.”
There was no life-preserver tossed Buehler’s way Thursday night. Buehler delivered a quality start, but his teammates delivered nothing, failing to notch a hit against Chicago Cubs starter Zach Davies and three relievers in a 4-0 loss before 52,175 in Dodger Stadium.
Davies walked five and struck out four in six no-hit innings and, with his pitch count already at a season-high 95, was pulled by manager David Ross for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.
Right-hander Ryan Tepera walked one in a hitless seventh, left-hander Andrew Chafin walked one in a hitless eighth, and closer Craig Kimbrel, after walking Chris Taylor to open the ninth, struck out Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols and pinch-hitter Will Smith to end the game.
It marked the 10th time in Los Angeles history and 20th time in franchise history that the Dodgers were no-hit, the last one tossed by Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta in Dodger Stadium on Aug. 30, 2015.
Ninth inning
Cubs: Sogard popped to second. Marisnick walked. Sergio Alcantara, batting for the pitcher, grounded to third, Marisnick to second. Bryant struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Right-hander Craig Kimbrel now pitching for the Cubs. Taylor walked on four pitches. They have no hits, but the Dodgers have had plenty of baserunners tonight. Eight walks. Bellinger struck out swinging. Pujols struck out swinging. Will Smith, batting for Cleavinger, struck out swinging. The Dodgers get no hits.
Final score: Cubs 4, Dodgers 0
No-hitters that were thrown at Dodger Stadium
No-hitters that have been thrown at Dodger Stadium:
1. Bo Belinsky, Angels
May 5, 1962
Angels 2, Baltimore Orioles 0
2. Sandy Koufax, Dodgers
June 30, 1962
Dodgers 5, New York Mets 0
3. Sandy Koufax, Dodgers
May 11, 1963
Dodgers 8, San Francisco Giants 0
4. Sandy Koufax, Dodgers
September 9, 1965
Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0
(Perfect game)
5. Bill Singer, Dodgers
July 20, 1970
Dodgers 5, Philadelphia Phillies 0
6. Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers
June 29, 1990
Dodgers 6, St. Louis Cardinals 0
7. Dennis Martinez, Montreal
July 28, 1991
Montreal Expos 2, Dodgers 0
(Perfect game)
8. Kevin Gross
August 17, 1992
Dodgers 2, San Francisco Giants 0
9. Kent Mercker, Atlanta
April 8, 1994
Atlanta Braves 6, Dodgers 0
10. Ramon Martinez, Dodgers
July 14, 1995
Dodgers 7, Florida Marlins 0
11. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
June 18, 2014
Dodgers 8, Colorado Rockies 0
12. Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
August 30, 2015
Chicago Cubs 2, Dodgers 0
13. Zach Davies (six innings), Ryan Tepera (one inning), Andrew Chafin (one inning), Craig Kimbrel (one inning)
June 24, 2021
Chicago 4, Dodgers 0
Dodgers have no hits through eight innings
Cubs: Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger now pitching for the Dodgers. Steven Souza Jr. in left field. Rizzo was hit by a pitch. Contreras grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Brandon Wisdom, batting for Ortega, walked on six pitches. Heyward lined to center.
Dodgers: Left-hander Andrew Chafin, who looks like he walked on an 1860s “Wanted: Dead or Alive” poster, now pitching for the Cubs. Wisdom in at third. Bryant moves to left. Souza flied to left. Betts walked on eight pitches. Muncy grounded to first. Rizzo stepped on the bag and threw to second, where Betts was tagged out.
Score after eight innings: Cubs 4, Dodgers 0
Dodgers have no hits through seven innings
Cubs: Left-hander David Price now pitching for the Dodgers. Heyward reached on an infield single and took second on a throwing error by Taylor, who tried to make a play when there was no play to make. Sogard singled to short, Heyward to third. Jake Marisnick, batting for Davies, who has a no-hitter through six, singled to right, scoring Heyward, Sogard to second. Pederson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Bryant struck out looking. Right-hander Phil Bickford replaced Price. Baez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. It’s 4-0 Cubs.
Dodgers: Right-hander Ryan Tepera now pitching for the Cubs. Marisnick in at center. Ortega to left. Pujols flied to center. Pollock grounded to third. Lux walked on four pitches. Dodgers have six walks, no hits. Barnes lined to second.
Score after seven innings: Cubs 4, Dodgers 0
Here are the 20 no-hitters thrown against the Dodgers
Zach Davies of the Cubs has thrown six no-hit innings against the Dodgers. He was pinch-hit for in the top of the seventh. Can the Dodgers be no-hit for only the 20th time in their existence? Here are the first 19:
1. Amos Rusie, New York Giants
July 31, 1891
at New York 6, Brooklyn Bridegrooms 0
2. Jack Stivetts, Boston Beaneaters
August 6, 1892
Boston 11, at Brooklyn Bridegrooms 0
3. Walter Thornton, Chicago Orphans
August 21, 1898 (Second game of doubleheader)
at Chicago 2, Brooklyn Bridegrooms 0
4. Johnny Lush, Philadelphia Phillies
May 1, 1906
Philadelphia Phillies 6, at Brooklyn Superbas 0
5. Nick Maddox, Pittsburgh Pirates
September 20, 1907
at Pittsburgh 2, Brooklyn Superbas 1
6. Rube Marquard, New York Giants
April 15, 1915
at New York 2, Brooklyn Robins 0
7. Paul Dean, St. Louis Cardinals
September 21, 1934 (Second game of doubleheader)
St. Louis 3, at Brooklyn 0
8. Johnny Vander Meer, Cincinnati Reds
June 15, 1938
Cincinnati 6, at Brooklyn
(His second of two consecutive no-hitters)
9. Jim Tobin, Boston Braves
April 27, 1944
at Boston 2, Brooklyn 0
10. Vern Bickford, Boston Braves
August 11, 1950
at Boston 7, Brooklyn 0
11. Don Larsen, New York Yankees
October 8, 1956 (World Series Game 5)
at New York 2, Brooklyn 0
(Perfect game)
12. John Candelaria, Pittsburgh Pirates
August 9, 1976
at Pittsburgh 2, Dodgers 0
13. Nolan Ryan, Houston Astros
September 26, 1981
at Houston 5, Dodgers 0
(Fifth no-hitter for Ryan, breaking Sandy Koufax’s record)
14. Tom Browning, Cincinnati Reds
September 16, 1988
at Cincinnati 1, Dodgers 0
(Perfect game)
15. Dennis Martinez, Montreal Expos
July 28, 1991
Montreal 2, at Dodgers 0
(Perfect game)
16. Kent Mercker, Atlanta Braves
April 8, 1994
Atlanta 6, at Dodgers 0
17. Kevin Millwood (six innings), Charlie Furbush (2/3 inning), Stephen Pryor (1/3 inning), Lucas Luetge (1/3 innings), Brandon League (2/3 inning), Tom Wilhelmsen (1 innings), Seattle Mariners
June 8, 2012
at Seattle 1, Dodgers 0
18. Mike Fiers, Houston Astros
August 21, 2015
at Houston 3, Dodgers 0
19. Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
August 30, 2015
Chicago 2, at Dodgers 0
20. Zach Davies (six innings), Ryan Tepera (one inning), Andrew Chafin (one inning), Craig Kimbrel (one inning)
June 24, 2021
Chicago 4, at Dodgers 0
Zach Davies has no-hit the Dodgers through six innings
Cubs: Bryant walked on six pitches. Baez flied to left. Rizzo struck out swinging. Bryant stole second. Contreras homered to left. Buehler is not locating his fastball well, and the Cubs have made him pay twice for that. Roberts came out to talk to Buehler, which is unusual because he almost always pulls the pitcher when he comes out. Ortega flied to right.
Dodgers: Muncy grounded to third. Taylor grounded to third. Bellinger struck out swinging.
Score after six: Cubs 3, Dodgers 0
It’s 1-0 Cubs after five
Cubs: Ortega struck out looking. Heyward singled to first, barely beating Buehler to the bag. Buehler was a step behind because had to make sure Heyward’s bat, which broke, didn’t hit him. Sogard struck out swinging. Davies singled to center, Heyward to third. Pederson popped to third.
Dodgers: Barnes fouled to first. Buehler grounded to short. Betts flied to left.
Score after five: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
Nothing doing in fourth, still 1-0 Cubs
Cubs: Baez struck out swinging. Rizzo hit a sinker to right that sank under Betts’ glove for a single. Contreras grounded to third, forcing Rizzo at second. During these two at-bats, Dave Vassegh interviewed Andre Ethier, who was sitting in the home runs seats in left field. Unfortunately, Vassegh tried to turn it into the Dave Vassegh comedy hour and made a lot of inside references that ruined what could have been a good interview. Contreras was caught stealing.
Dodgers: Ethier is signing autographs and taking selfies with fans. What a treat for fans out there. Bellinger walked on nine pitches. Pujols lined to short. Pollock lined to third. Lux grounded to first.
Score after four: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
Cubs lead 1-0 after three
Cubs: Zach Davies popped to second. Pederson struck out swinging. Bryant struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Betts walked on seven pitches. Betts was picked off first. My dream no-hitter one day is a guy walks 27 batters and they all get picked off first. Muncy flied to right-center. Taylor struck out swinging.
Score after three: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
It’s 1-0 Cubs after two innings
Cubs: Willson Contreras flied to right. Rafael Ortega flied to center. Jason Heyward walked on six pitches. Eric Sogard flied to right-center. Bellinger had to run a long way to make the catch.
Dodgers: AJ Pollock grounded to third. Gavin Lux walked on seven pitches. Austin Barnes struck out swinging. Walker Buehler struck out looking.
Score after two: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
Joc Pederson, aka Mr. Joctober, revels in World Series ring presentation
Chicago Cubs outfielder Joc Pederson received a roaring standing ovation Thursday night when the former Dodgers slugger was presented with his 2020 World Series ring in an on-field ceremony about 15 minutes before the game.
A highlight video of Pederson played on the stadium video boards as Pederson approached the plate, where he exchanged hugs with former teammates Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger and AJ Pollock and Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
Pederson took the ring out of the box, placed it on his finger and raised his fist to salute the fans.
While similar presentations have taken place during batting practice, Pederson, a fixture in the Dodgers outfield and a fan favorite in Chavez Ravine, preferred a public setting.
“I think it’s cool to incorporate the fans,” Pederson said. “We didn’t get to celebrate with them after the World Series. We didn’t get a parade. They were there along the way, so I just want to embrace all the memories we had.”
Pederson, who signed a one-year, $7-million deal with the Cubs last winter, hit .230 with an .806 OPS, 130 homers and 330 RBIs in seven years with the Dodgers.
He hit three homers in the 2017 World Series against Houston and two in last year’s World Series against Tampa Bay. He hit .272 with an .852 OPS, nine homers and 20 RBIs in 64 career playoff games.
“Joc has meant a lot to the organization,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The relationships he’s had, playing well on the biggest of stages and helping us win a championship … I know he made our club better, and the fans really related to Joc, what he did on the field, the energy he brought and the things he did off the field.”
Cubs take early 1-0 lead
Cubs: Right-hander Walker Buehler on the mound for the Dodgers. Joc Pederson popped to second. Kris Bryant grounded to third. Javy Baez homered to left-center. Anthony Rizzo grounded to short.
Dodgers: Right-hander Zach Davies on the mound for the Cubs. Mookie Betts flied to center. Max Muncy walked on seven pitches. Chris Taylor lined to deep center. Cody Bellinger walked on eight pitches. Albert Pujols grounded to short.
Score after one: Cubs 1, Dodgers 0
Corey Seager’s rehab from right-hand fracture moved to slower track
Corey Seager was originally scheduled to begin a minor league rehabilitation stint this weekend, the final step in the Dodgers shortstop’s return from a right-hand fracture that has sidelined him since May 16.
Instead, the reigning National League Championship Series and World Series most valuable player is still taking at-bats and working out at the team’s spring-training site in Phoenix, his rehab moved to a slower track out of an abundance of caution.
“Everything is where it needs to be as far as the body,” manager Dave Roberts said before Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs in Dodger Stadium. “We’re just being very mindful of not having any setbacks, because until it is completely healed, we’ve learned that you could have a setback.
“So, I think for us, where we’re at in the season, we have time to make sure he’s 100% ready so he doesn’t have a setback.”
The left-handed-hitting Seager broke the fifth metacarpal when he was hit on the back of the right hand by a fastball from Miami’s Ross Detwiler on May 15, an injury that was expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.
Roberts remains confident that Seager, who hit .265 (39 for 147) with a .783 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, four homers, seven doubles, two triples, 22 RBIs and 20 runs in 37 games, “will be back with us in early July,” whether he needs a minor league stint or not.
Seager didn’t necessarily have a setback, Roberts said, but a recent bone scan revealed that the fracture hasn’t completely healed.
“Each time, there’s less and less soreness in the swing,” Roberts said. “But there’s still soreness, and if there’s some soreness, then we know it’s not 100% healed.”
Mookie Betts returns to Dodgers lineup; Joc Pederson to lead off for Cubs
Right fielder Mookie Betts, who left Tuesday night’s game in San Diego because of flu-like symptoms and did not play in Wednesday night’s series finale against the Padres, is back in the Dodgers lineup for Thursday night’s opener of a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs in Chavez Ravine.
The leadoff man received several bags of intravenous fluids in Petco Park Wednesday afternoon but was sent back to Los Angeles before the game started to get some more rest.
Justin Turner is not in the Dodgers lineup after playing in the past six games, manager Dave Roberts saying it is a scheduled day off for the veteran third baseman.
Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of last Saturday night’s game in Arizona, will oppose Cubs right-hander Zach Davies in the 7 p.m. game.
Buehler, who is 7-0 with a 2.38 ERA this season, is unbeaten in 23 consecutive regular-season starts, a streak dating back to Sept. 21, 2019, when he lost a game to the Colorado Rockies.
Buehler’s streak tied a franchise record set by Kirby Higbe, a right-hander who pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1941-43 and in 1946.
Former Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson will play left field and lead off for the Cubs in his first game in Chavez Ravine since signing a one-year, $7-million deal with Chicago over the winter.
The Dodgers will present Pederson with his 2020 World Series championship ring before the game. Roberts said Turner, Clayton Kershaw and Cody Bellinger will take part in the presentation, but he didn’t know if it would be private or take place on the field closer to game time so fans can witness it.
Pederson hit .230 with an .806 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 130 homers and 330 RBIs in seven years with the Dodgers and hit several memorable post-season homers, including two in the team’s run to the 2020 title.
“Joc has meant a lot to the organization,” Roberts said. “The relationships that he’s had, playing well on the biggest of stages and helping us win a championship. I know that he made our club better, and the fans really related to Joc, to the stuff he did on the field, the energy he brought on the field, and the things he did off the field. Some were documented. A lot of them weren’t. He is one of the really, really good Dodgers.”
DODGERS LINEUP: RF Mookie Betts, 2B Max Muncy, 3B Chris Taylor, CF Cody Bellinger, 1B Albert Pujols, LF AJ Pollock, SS Gavin Lux, C Austin Barnes, RHP Walker Buehler.
CUBS LINEUP: LF Joc Pederson, 3B Kris Bryant, SS Javier Baez, 1B Anthony Rizzo, C Willson Contreras, CF Rafael Ortega, RF Jason Heyward, 2B Eric Sogard, RHP Zach Davies.
An update on Andrew Toles
Although baseball and the Dodgers are great ways to distract ourselves from the day-to-day struggles of the real world, sometimes we have to take a step back and remember that major league players have their struggles, too. Case in point: Andrew Toles.
If you remember, Toles was arrested last year after he was discovered sleeping behind a building at Key West International Airport in Florida. He was homeless and taken to a mental health facility.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently caught up with Toles’ family, and you can read his column about that here. Some of the highlights:
—Toles is in the care of his father, Alvin, who says Andrew, 29, is in a “zombie-like” condition.
—Toles is unaware that the Dodgers won the World Series last year.
ICYMI: Dodgers are swept by the Padres
SAN DIEGO — As the National League standings currently stand, the Dodgers would have to beat the San Diego Padres in the wild-card game to keep their hopes of repeating as World Series champions alive.
That would be the consolation prize for not winning the division for the ninth consecutive season. It’s an uneasy possibility. One mistake, one bad night, one dominant start on the other side and it’s all over. The good news is there are 87 games left on the Dodgers’ regular-season schedule to avoid that scenario. The bad news is the Padres have had their way with them and aren’t going away.
The Padres competed a three-game sweep of the Dodgers with a 5-3 win at a sold-out Petco Park on Wednesday. The Dodgers (44-30) have dropped seven of eight games to the Padres (45-32) after winning the season’s first two meetings. The Padres moved within a half-game of the second-place Dodgers with the first-place San Francisco Giants are four games ahead of them. The clubs don’t meet again until late August.
“They absolutely kicked our ass from an intensity standpoint,” Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer said. “They came to play, we didn’t. That’s what happens in baseball. You try to attack the other team and win and when you don’t have that mindset, you get rolled. And we got rolled.”