LOS ANGELES, CA — The 10-16 St. Louis Cardinals began a three-game weekend series with the Dodgers tonight. The Birds were favorites to lead the NL Central Division this year but find themselves in last place, a full eight games behind the red-hot Pirates. Imagine how much better they would be if Pittsburgh had their 2022 National League LatinoMVP Rookie Award winner and MLB Rookie of the Year, Oneil Cruz, Nizao, Dominican Republic, who is out with a fractured ankle?
The Cardinals starter, Jack Flaherty, is 2-2, with a 3.29 ERA, and is now their most reliable starter because of injuries to future Hall of Fame and Allstar Adam Wainwright, who is rehabbing from a groin injury.
In the meantime, the Dodgers left LA with a record of 9-10 and returned eight days later at 13-13 from trips to Chicago and Pittsburgh, trailing the first-place Diamondbacks in the NL West by one game. They will begin this six-game homestand when they send out flame thrower Dustin May 2-1, 3.07 ERA.
Dustin May – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
May got off to a shaky start allowing two runs in the first with a walk, double, stolen base, and wild pitch. But LA answered back with two of their own that included a Mookie Betts leadoff home run, the thirty-eighth in his career and his eighteenth as a Dodger. They added two more in the third inning and coasted from there.
Leadoff Jack. pic.twitter.com/SWfsxnAx2t
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 29, 2023
Too many walks by May, who struggled with command on all his pitches, and his inability to hold runners are two things the young hurler needs to work on. In addition, the Dodgers, as a whole pitching staff, need to work on holding runners on better as they lead the majors with forty-one stolen bases allowed after their thirty-fourth game.
The Dodgers must be feeling good though about the return of the top of their order. Betts, who returned this week from paternity leave, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, back from the IL, Max Muncy, also back from paternity leave, and Jason Heyward, who is swinging the bat well. They accounted for the first five Dodger runs in this much needed 7-2 win.
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