It was Demon Slayer Night time at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
And never simply because the group was working a stadium-wide promotion for an anime tv present of the identical title.
By beating the San Diego Padres 3-2 within the opener of a pivotal three-game rivalry sequence, the Dodgers slayed some not too long ago troublesome demons of their very own.
They moved again right into a tie with the Padres for first place within the Nationwide League West.
They received six sturdy innings from Clayton Kershaw; plus, in a refreshing change of tempo, loads of crisp, clear protection behind him.
And although a lineup that misplaced Max Muncy to the injured checklist with an indirect pressure earlier than the sport was largely contained by the Padres (who needed to go along with a bullpen sport after scheduled starter Michael King was shelved with a shoulder damage), the bullpen lastly managed to guard a late, slender lead for what felt like the primary time in a number of weeks.
“Only a actually well-played ball sport,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “We wanted it.”
Certainly, the Dodgers got here into this weekend’s rivalry sequence reeling in a approach that after appeared inconceivable for this yr’s $400-million group.
Going again to July 4, they had been simply 12-21. What was a nine-game division lead then had since been remodeled right into a one-game deficit by the Padres, who got here to Los Angeles driving excessive due to a monster commerce deadline and a latest 14-3 streak.
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Extra darkish clouds arrived just a few hours earlier than first pitch, as effectively, when Muncy, who missed Wednesday’s sport with facet soreness, was positioned on the injured checklist with a Grade 1 indirect pressure, sidelining him for no less than the subsequent a number of weeks.
It didn’t imply the Dodgers had been panicking. Earlier than the sport, Roberts quipped that, no, really, “tonight’s not Recreation 7 of the World Collection.” His gamers had echoed that very same message this week, preaching the necessity to stay level-headed and keep in mind the calendar nonetheless had loads of baseball forward.
“It’s August,” Kershaw stated. “It’s not the tip of the world.”
Nonetheless, the season was beginning to really feel nonetheless on the brink, with the Dodgers looking for solutions to their not too long ago inconsistent offense, unsound fundamentals and untrustworthy bullpen (which had squandered 5 video games within the final two weeks).
“I don’t prefer to be embarrassed. I don’t assume our gamers do [either],” Roberts stated earlier than the sport. “So this sequence, I’m anticipating excessive depth and excessive efficiency.”
The Dodgers delivered on each.
Kershaw set the tone, displaying a classic demeanor even together with his ever-diminished stuff. Earlier than the sport, he marched via the clubhouse and hunched over his locker, leafing via a scouting report whereas teammates rigorously tip-toed round him. Between innings, he quietly paced within the dugout whereas avoiding nearly any human contact. And when he was atop the mound, he pounded the strike zone and executed pitch after pitch, yielding his solely run within the second inning when Ramón Laureano (certainly one of a number of scorching San Diego deadline acquisitions) clipped the surface of the left-field foul pole to open the scoring.
“There’s simply no another intense or centered than Clayton,” Roberts stated of Kershaw, who has now given up simply two runs in 18 innings this month, decreasing his season ERA to three.01. “He has a approach of elevating individuals’s focus and play.”
1. Teoscar Hernández celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo dwelling run towards the Padres within the seventh inning Friday. 2. San Diego’s Manny Machado reacts after placing out within the first inning. 3. Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws to first base to finish the double play after forcing out San Diego’s Freddy Fermin at second base. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
It definitely appeared that approach. Defensively, the Dodgers (69-53) helped Kershaw out by turning a number of powerful performs across the infield — from Freddie Freeman choosing a ball within the dust within the second inning, to Alex Freeland after which Kershaw himself making powerful performs within the third and fifth, respectively.
On the plate, the Dodgers additionally managed to capitalize on a bases-loaded, no-out alternative within the third, after singles from Michael Conforto and Freeland had been adopted by a popped-up Miguel Rojas bunt that Padres third baseman Manny Machado couldn’t catch with a dive.
“Manny’s a Gold Glover over there,” Roberts stated. “We caught a break proper there.”
The Dodgers didn’t get one other hit within the inning, however Shohei Ohtani drove in a single run by beating out a possible double-play ball. Mookie Betts then added a go-ahead sacrifice fly.
The lead grew to become 3-1 within the seventh, when Teoscar Hernández belted an opposite-field homer for a massively essential run.
“I’ve been in a little bit little bit of a wrestle,” Hernández stated. “Attempting to not assume an excessive amount of and attempting to place an excellent swing on the pitch that I can get within the strike zone.”
From there, it was as much as the bullpen, which was requested to navigate the sort of slim late-game margin that had usually spelled catastrophe throughout the group’s latest season-altering skid.
“We’ve different guys [in the bullpen],” stated Roberts, who pulled Kershaw after solely 76 pitches, “that must do their job too.”
On this evening, they did — regardless of a pair late scares.
Dodgers reduction pitcher Jack Dreyer celebrates after the ultimate out of a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
Ben Casparius pitched a scoreless seventh inning, however needed to strand a two-out double from Jackson Merrill to take action.
Alex Vesia created a jam within the eighth by hitting two batters and loading the bases on a stroll. However the Padres (69-53) solely managed one run, with Vesia getting Luis Arraez to hit a sacrifice fly earlier than Blake Treinen got here on and retired Manny Machado on a first-pitch pop-up.
Within the ninth inning, surprisingly, Roberts didn’t stick to Treinen — whom the group has been cautious of utilizing for a number of innings as he continues to work his approach again from an early-season elbow damage.
“It wasn’t Recreation 7,” Roberts reiterated. “And we’re steadfast on not utilizing him for an up-down.”
But, in the end, the outcome didn’t backfire.
Within the ninth, Alexis Díaz and Jack Dreyer pitched round a single from Merrill to complete issues. The Dodgers celebrated with a long-awaited high-five line, having lastly made a late lead arise. And after spending the final 48 hours in second place, the group climbed again to the highest of the standings, exorcising the close-game demons that had so dauntingly haunted them over their latest midseason stoop.
“I believe that’s simply the best way it goes typically,” Kershaw stated. “Baseball is difficult. Whenever you play day-after-day, issues can spiral fairly fast. … So I don’t need to say that, you realize, ‘Hey, we’re reset now.’ I believe we had been superb. I believe we simply performed some unhealthy video games. And I believe we’re superb shifting ahead.”
