Dodgers News: Mattingly Explains Why The Team Is Coming Together
According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, manager Don Mattingly thinks the recent consistency started over the Dodgers last road trip:
The whole last road trip, I feel the energy was good,” Mattingly said. “The energy’s been good this homestand, even in the game we lost. You could feel that mentality, that fight. It feels pretty good right now. Just being able to pick up a little bit of ground makes you feel a little better. Hopefully, we’re at the point where we’ll be consistent now.”
In the past eight games, the Dodgers have a team batting average of .288, an on-base percentage of .356 and a .398 slugging percentage. As for pitching, the Dodgers have a 3.21 team ERA. The pitching staff also has 59 strikeouts to just 17 walks in the past eight contests. They have been receiving help from all over the lineup and the bench, highlighted by Carlos Triunfel’s insurance home run last night in place of Hanley Ramirez late in the game.
Mattingly thinks everything is coming together for his club:
We’re swinging the bats good, we’re pitching good and we’ve been playing pretty good defense,” he said. “Other than the other day, we’ve been solid catching the ball and not hurting ourselves. What it really comes down to is they’re playing well.”
The Dodgers go for the three-game sweep against the Rockies on Wednesday night with their ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound. It is possible for the team to be just four games back after tonight and in position to take over the division in the coming weeks.
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Dodgers Update: Don Mattingly Uses Expletive To Describe Team’s Play
