Editorials

Recap: Dodgers Can’t Catch A Break, 7-Game Winning Streak Snapped

Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

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Lincecum worked a full count against Anderson but came up short in the at-bat as he was caught looking for called strike three on a breaking ball. On the verge of getting out of the jam, Aoki added to Anderson’s frustrating evening with a slow roller up the first base line.



Gonzalez fielded the ball but his toss to Anderson was off target, which allowed Aoki to reach and two runners to score on the error. Uribe gave the Dodgers some sense of hope with a one-out double to the left-center gap in the fifth. After Pederson struck out Alex Guerrero pinch-hit for Anderson.

Guerrero got the Dodgers on the board with a double down the left field line to pull them within three at 4-1. Juan Nicascio took over in the bottom of the fifth and picked up one strikeout as part of retiring the Giants in order.

Puig led off the sixth with a base hit to left, but the Dodgers again squandered an opportunity to cut into their deficit. After Lincecum got Gonzalez to strikeout on a pitch out of the zone, Brandon Crawford made a diving stop and glove toss to Panik for a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.

Susac singled in the bottom of the sixth and Nicasio walked Justin Maxwell to put two on with no outs. Gregor Blanco pinch-hit for Lincecum and Mattingly countered by calling on Adam Liberatore out of the bullpen.

Liberatore did his job by getting Matt Duffy, who replaced Blanco, to ground into a double play. Jeremy Affeldt pitched the seventh inning and quickly retired the three batters he faced to keep the Giants ahead, 4-1.

Pagan hit a two-out single up the middle against Liberatore in the seventh and it prompted Mattingly to remove Liberatore as part of a double switch with Posey due up. Justin Turner replaced Uribe and Pedro Baez relieved Liberatore.

The hard-thrower promptly gave up a single to Posey that left runners on the corners with two outs. Baez ended the threat by striking out McGehee. Affeldt walked Pederson to open the eighth and it spelled the end of his night.

Sergio Romo fell behind 2-0 to Turner, but got the Dodgers’ utility man to ground into a force out on the third pitch of the at-bat. Romo continued to battle location issues and walked Rollins.

Representing the tying run at the plate, Puig fouled out to right on the first pitch. It took a sliding catch from Maxwell, who remained down for a minute after his slide carried him into the wall off the right field line.

Both runners tagged on the play and Giants manager Bruce Bochy went to his bullpen once more in the inning, calling on Javier Lopez. The left-hander got the better of Gonzalez, who grounded right into a shift to end the inning.

Baez issued a leadoff walk to Susac in the bottom of the eighth. The Dodgers reliever was then called for a balk, which allowed Susac to move into scoring position with no outs. A half inning after making the sliding catch, Maxwell hit a two-run home run that extended the Giants lead to 6-1.

Paco Rodriguez took over for the Dodgers after Baez struck out Crawford for the first out of the inning. Rodriguez recorded the final two outs of the inning without issue and the Dodgers threatened to make a game of it against Jean Machi in the ninth.

Kendrick hit a leadoff single and Van Slyke reached on an infield single. After pinch-hitter Andre Ethier was retired on a fielder’s choice, Machi walked Pederson to load the bases with two outs.

Santiago Casilla took over and his first pitch to Turner was a wild pitch, which allowed a run to score and others on base to advance. However, Casilla’s next pitch was a grounded to Panik and ended the Dodgers’ comeback bid.

The Dodgers’ 6-2 loss snapped their seven-game winning streak and dropped them into a tie with the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West standings.

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One Comment

  1. Ugly game yesterday. Our guys were all nervous. Chippy hits all going Giants way, and all our hits barely caught by Giants. They still play great defense, so that’s why they will always be in the mix, 5-10 record not withstanding.

    It felt like a Game 1 road playoff game with all the energy in the stadium. You could see fear in our eyes and our swagger in the first few innings. Collective hopelessness. Fortunately, by the time we settled down halfway through the game, we actually got some hits and runners on base, but too little too late.

    Brett Anderson was not the best pitcher to start one of these, but there’s not much you could do with the rotation set. Hopefully it was a big learning experience for him and everyone else, and that we’ll settle down and win with Kershaw and Greinke next.

    Go Doyers!

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