Los Angeles, California. One of the things that sticks out like an elephant in a phone booth is the difference the Dodger pitchers get in run support compared to the Padres. Padres starters have a 4.75 run support average, ranking them 15th in the Majors, while the Dodgers starting staff have the 3rd highest run support average at 5.38. Last nights starter for San Diego Blake Snell’s total of 8 runs of support this year are the fewest of any starter in baseball.
The Padres were hoping that Yu Darvish would be the one today who would finally stop the Dodgers. It looked promising after he struck out lead-off hitter Trea Turner. But then Freddie Freeman deposited a bomb into the Padres bullpen followed by Will Smith’s HR into the right field pavilion and a batter later Justin Turner parked the third HR of the inning in left field. And just like that, the Dodgers were up by three in the first inning. Not a good start for San Diego.
Dodger starter Tyler Anderson went about his business like the true pro he is and showed why he should be an All Star in two weeks. The great pitching coach Billy Connors told me that he always said to his pitchers, “Your job is to get out of the inning and get your team off the field.” That is exactly what Anderson did again today. His line was 6.1 innings, 6 hits, 1run, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches 62 for strikes. That doesn’t sound overwhelming but he gives his club the best chance to win every time he goes out to the mound. He is now 9-1 on the season and could pick up his 10th win before the All Star break.
San Diego has very good pitching. Darvish just had a bad day. It happens. But outside of Manny Machado who is batting .324, their hitting is below par. Unless they make a trade for some bats they will never overtake the Dodgers.
After todays 7-2 win the boys in blue will go for the sweep in this 4 game series. It would give them a 5.5 game lead over the Padres as we inch closer to the halfway point of the season. If San Diego can somehow win tomorrow they will be 3.5 games behind. The Padres will send out lefty MacKenzie Gore 4-3, 3.34 ERA. The Dodgers counter with Clayton Kershaw, 5-2, 2.94 ERA.
