GAME RECAP by @giantschattereric
Game 6: Giants at Dodgers
The Giants lost 5-4 to the Dodgers on Tuesday night in a hard fought battle between the rivals in LA. It was a good matchup of what looked like the 2 best teams in the division. I think we can look forward to more of these close games with LA this season. Tonight was just not the night for the Giants as they came up short.
Instead of the Logan Webb vs Tyler Glasnow matchup we expected, LA went with a bullpen game. Ryan Brasier got the start for the smurfs in blue.
Mookie Betts is just red hot right now. He worked a full count against Webb to start the bottom of the first and then dumped a ball into CF for a base hit. It was a dying quail at best as it came off the bat at 68 mph, but his hits are just finding holes. Webb then struck out Shohei Ohtani on a beautiful sinker but Betts stole second on the pitch. Freddie Freeman did what he was supposed to do and laced a 1-1 changeup into RF to drive in Betts and give the Dodgers the early 1-0 lead. Webb’s pitches were nasty early with tons of movement and he struck out Will Smith and Max Muncy to end the inning.
The bullpen game was in full swing early for the Dodgers as Ryan Yarborough took over for Brasier. Wilmer FLores greeted the lefty with a double down the left field line. Thairo Estrada grounded out to move FLores to third and Mike Yasztremski walked to set up 1st and 3rd with only 1 out. Patrick Bailey struck out but once again newcomer Nick Ahmed came through with a base hit to left to score Flores and tie the game. Ahmed clearly wants to stay on this team as long as possible.
Matt Chapman led off the top of the 3rd with a solid double to the gap in right center field that will play nicely when the Giants start playing home games. It looked like Jorge Soler finally got a hold of one when he drove one to deep left center, but it turned into just a sacrifice fly as the ball died at the warning track. Michael Conforto laced a single to center field to continue his hot start and give the Giants a 2-1 lead but then got picked off before Flores flew out to left to end the threat.
Someone grab a fire extinguisher because Mookie Betts needs to be stopped. He deposited a Webb changeup into the left field seats for a solo home run with 1 out in the bottom of the third. Folks, we are in for a battle tonight. Freddie Freeman also is locked in as he laced a double down the left field line with 2 outs, thankfully he was stranded there when Webb struck out Will Smith.
The Dodgers have scored 5+ runs in every game this season and tonight they got there in the bottom of the 4th inning. Max Muncy doubled to lead it off and Teoscar Hernandez walked. Gavin Lux had a great at bat against Webb and dumped one to center field for a double to score a run. Enrique Hernandez then doubled them both in to make it a 5-2 Dodger lead. This lineup is so freaking deep.
Webb was pulled after he walked Ohtani with 2 outs. His line was an ugly 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 K’s. Landen Roup came in and got the fila out on another rocket by Freeman that Jung Hoo Lee was able to track down.
Jorge Soler! Welcome to the season my friend. He hit a homer to left to lead off the top of the 6th inning to make it 5-3. It was an impressive swing because he was fooled on the pitch but kept his hands back long enough to knock it out. That’s his first of what I presume will be 35 home runs for Soler.
The homer started a rally as Conforto reached on an infield hit and Flores singled to set up 1st and 3rd with nobody out. Thairo Estrada smoked one to third but the Dodgers couldn’t turn 2 and Conforto scored from 3rd base to cut the deficit to 1 run. This finally got Ryan Yarbrough out of the game as the Dodgers went to the pen and Vesia got them out of the inning without another run.
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Landen Roupp’s pitches have nasty bite on them. It’s fun to watch him work. He gave up a hit and a run in the bottom of the 6th before striking out Mookie Betts on a beautiful curveball that dropped into the zone on a 3-2 pitch. He should get the Cy Young right now for being able to retire Betts. Taylor Rogers came in and got Ohtani to ground out and end the rally.
The Giants put together their own rally in the top of the 8th inning. Soler led off with a single and then Flores walked with one out. But Thairo Estrada has been struggling at the plate and it showed as he struck out. The Dodgers changed pitchers to Evan Phillips and he got pinch hitter Lamonte Wade Jr grounded out on the first pitch. Guess they’ll have to get em in the 9th.
They didn’t get em in the 9th. Lee singled with 2 outs but the Giants were unable to move him around and they lost the game 5-4.
Last game of the series is tomorrow night at Dodger Stadium as LHP Kyle Harrison takes on RHP Tyler Glasnow with first pitch at 7:10pt. Maybe they can salvage one of these games.
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