LOS ANGELES, CA — The slumping Dodgers were 5-10 in July and 3-7 in their last ten games before Tuesday night’s game vs. the Twins. With their series victory opening win Monday night, they are still in first place in the NL West, 3.5 games ahead of the Padres. Thank you, pitching ace and hitting monster, Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers stood 59-42 after a long losing streak yet are still considered, a beast in the eyes of the rest of the other 29 teams!
They sent out their other ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 8-7, 2.59 ERA, 116 strikeouts, to face the Twins in game two of this three-game series. Minnesota countered with 24-year-old Simeon Woods Richardson, a second-round pick of the Mets in 2018 who owns a record of 5-4, with an ERA of 3.95.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was seen long-tossing flat footed before his start on Tuesday night vs. the Twins (WATCH) – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
The Dodgers continued to look shaky on defense when, in the second inning, they committed an error, allowing three runs to score, with only one being earned. Meanwhile, Woods Richardson was holding the Dodgers to one hit through three innings until he walked Will Smith and Freddie Freeman with no one out. That brought up Andy Pages, Havana, Cuba, who promptly parked a 387-foot three-run home run into the left field pavilion, his nineteenth home run and RBI number 63, to tie the score at 3-3.
When Yamamoto left the game after 101 pitches, Ben Casparius relieved him and only lasted four batters, leaving with a right calf cramp and the bases loaded while walking in a run. 2023 NL LatinoMVP Reliever/Closer of the Year Alexis Díaz, Humacao, Puerto Rico, came in, and when he was finished, the Twins led 6-3.
Photo from 2024: Alexis Díaz and Elly De La Cruz receive their respective 2023 LatinoMVP awards from Latino Sports founder and president Julio Pabón at Great American Ball Park during Hispanic Heritage Month (2024) – Image Credit: Cincinnati Reds/MLB
After the Dodgers closed the gap to 6-5 in the sixth inning, it was time for Will Klein out of the pen to hold the Twins to six runs. After a strikeout, he walked the next three batters and was pulled. Next up to the circus was Edgardo Henriquez, Cumana, Venezuela, who fielded a slow roller in front of the mound and threw a 99 mph bullet down the right field line, allowing all three runners to score. Three runs on no hits and a 9-5 lead for the Twins. Minnesota would add one more run in the top of the ninth inning, and Ohtani would hit a 408-foot two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, number 36 on the year, giving him 69 RBI. It is the first time in his career that he has hit four home runs in four consecutive games.
The final score was 10-7, Minnesota, as Twins’ right-handed closer Jhoan Durán, Esperanza, Dominican Republic, appeared for two innings pitched, allowing two earned runs allowed on three hits. With a filthy arsenal, failing to execute in the zone at times, Duran threw 24 pitches overall, 16 for strikes.
A horrible defense and disappointing bullpen arms have led to another loss in July for a Dodger team that is not playing like a first-place team or a World Champion, exposing their weakness on defense and arms out of the bullpen.
The poor play in the field has been a problem of late but the biggest weakness for LA, is the bullpen.
LA’s biggest weakness this season has come from their putrid defense, resulting in the bullpen getting taxed sooner than usual – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The poor performance of Tanner Scott this season, who has seven blown saves, the most in all of baseball and the most blown saves in a single season in Dodger history, and the fact he is now on the 15-day IL, plus an awful showing by their bullpen right now, makes you wonder, who would the Dodgers be willing to part ways with at the trade deadline to get a quality closer like Emmanuel Clase (2022 AL LatinoMVP Reliever/Closer of the Year) if Cleveland becomes sellers? It is very clear, that they need arms.
Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content
Instagram: @latinosportsoficial
Facebook: Latino Sports
Twitter: @latinosports
