Dodgers 2 Mets 4: Back to .500

The Dodgers dropped game one against the Mets behind another lackluster outing by Scott Kazmir and the offense.

The Dodgers’ homestand started off poorly, as they dropped their first game against the Mets. This has become something of a pattern, as this is the 11th series the Dodgers have played, and they’ve lost the first game of the series eight times. I don’t think this stat really means anything, but I thought it was sorta interesting.

Sometimes, a starter gives up five or six runs, but watching the game makes you feel like he should have given up one or two. Bad luck, bad calls, etc. This was not the case today, as Scott Kazmir gave up three earned runs, and probably should have given up at least five or six. Boy was he bad early on. His first pitch of the game was hit into the bleachers for a Curtis Granderson homer. Kevin Plawecki hit a homer in the second, and the Mets did more damage in the third. Granderson also led off that inning with a single, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. A hit-by-pitch, passed ball and walk put two on, and a single scored a third run. Another walk loaded the bases, and Juan Lagares blooped a popup to left center. Enrique Hernandez, who threw out Granderson to lead off the inning, made a running catch of on the blooper and fired to second, doubling up Yoenis Cespedes to end the threat.

The Dodgers bats were silent through three against Steven Matz, but Justin Turner blooped a single to right that just stayed fair. Trayce Thompson hit his third homer of the season to bring the score to 3-2 and end Matz’s scoreless streak at just under 17 innings.

After those first three innings, Kazmir cruised until the sixth. He gave up a two-out walk and got a very routine ground ball that Howie Kendrick dropped. The very next pitch was doubled down the line by Matz to score a fourth run. Kazmir was pulled for Adam Liberatore, who got the next batter.

Despite three horrible innings, Kazmir essentially went six and gave up three. It’s wasn’t pretty, but he did a solid job keeping the Dodgers in the game and went deep enough in the game to avoid having to overuse the bullpen, which is key as the Dodgers don’t have an off day until May 26th.

The main problem, again, was the Dodger offense. The bullpen did very well, Kazmir struggled early but got through six. The Dodgers won’t win many games in which they score two runs and fail to get a hit with runners in scoring position. The Mets’ pitching is very good and the next two nights will only be more difficult, so they need a spark offensively.