Dodgers 2 Padres 4: All the Hits, None of the Runs

The Dodgers let game one against the Padres slip away as they couldn’t cash in on 13 hits.

The Dodgers had a lot of good news early on in the day. Players are nearing return from injury, a new fun rookie is starting Saturday and their right fielder is back in the majors. However, they ruined a promising day by dropping game one to the Padres, 4-2.

Dodgers Starter

Julio Urias got what could be one of the few remaining starts for the season. He battled through some trouble, but overall pitched a very good game.

His first two innings were rough. He needed 19 pitches to get out of the first and another 24 pitches to get out of the second. Urias hit two Padres in the first and had a steal+throwing error by Yasmani Grandal put runners on the corners, but he escaped the inning unscathed. In the second, he allowed a walk and a single, but was bailed out when opposing pitcher Clayton Richard TOOTBLAN’d the Padres out of the inning.

Urias settled down rather nicely, as he retired the next 10 batters before allowing a single in the sixth. Urias hit another batter, then threw a ball and was removed with one out.

Both runners ended up scoring to close the book on Urias. He needed 90 pitches to finish 5.1 innings and gave up the two runs. He only allowed three hits, but a walk and three hit batsmen hurt him. Urias did strike out six and showed some more of his nasty arsenal. He’s up to 68.1 innings in the majors and 45 innings in the minors this season. His supposed innings limit is in the 120-130 range, so at 113, his next move could be a start or he could add innings in relief.

Dodgers Offense

Despite having a lefty on the hill, the Dodgers trotted out a pretty normal, non-platoony lineup. However, their offensive woes continues against Richard.

It wasn’t for lack of baserunners, as the Dodgers had at least one runner on in every inning until the eighth. Their best early chance came in the third, as the Dodgers loaded the bases for Yasiel Puig. In a very un-Hollywood fashion, Puig grounded out to end the threat.

The Dodgers did strike in the fourth, as their rally began with an Enrique Hernandez one-out double. Joc Pederson singled to right and Kiké ran a stop sign, but Wil Myers cut off the throw from right to allow Hernandez to score. Howie Kendrick singled to put two on with two outs, but Corey Seager flew out to end the inning.

The Dodgers momentarily lost the lead, but gained it back after Richard was taken out of the game. New pitcher Brandon Morrow gave up a solo shot to Pederson in the sixth to tie the game. Josh Reddick pinch hit and nubbed a shift-beating single and Kendrick singled (his fourth hit of the game) to chase Morrow.

Brad Hand relieved Morrow and got Seager and Justin Turner to end the threat. The Dodgers didn’t do much of anything on offense in the final two innings.

Seager went 0-4 with a walk. He was the only Dodger starter to not record a hit, and is now 0-13 since being hit on the wrist in Colorado. If he’s hurting, that could spell trouble.

The Dodgers had 13 hits and a walk. That’s usually very good. However, they only managed to turn that into two runs, which might be equally impressive and annoying. The Padres had four runs on six hits. They just timed their hits better. Baseball is dumb.

Dodgers Bullpen

Urias was throwing a gem, but it was undone in the sixth. Jesse Chavez came in to a two on, one out situation. He got an out, but threw a fastball right down the middle to Derek Norris, who did not miss it. His double off the wall plated two and cost Urias the decision. Chavez issued an intentional walk, but got pinch hitter Hector Sanchez to end the frame.

Grant Dayton got the seventh inning and struck out two in a perfect frame. Adam Liberatore came in for the eighth and his struggles continues. It’s obviously a very small sample size, but Liberatore hasn’t been the same since returning from his injury. He began the eighth by allowing a go-ahead homer to Yangervis Solarte. He followed that up with a walk and a strikeout before being pulled for Louis Coleman.

Coleman also issued a walk and got a strikeout before being pulled for J.P. Howell. Howell allowed a full-count single with two on to score a run. Turner made a nice play on a slow roller to get Howell out of the inning, but the damage was done. Josh Fields struck out two in a perfect ninth.

Other Stuff

The Dodgers dropped another very winnable game and failed to distance themselves from the Giants, who lost earlier today. Their offense went dormant once again. The last couple days have been great, with Toles’ heroics in Colorado, Puig’s return and a date for Clayton Kershaw‘s rehab start (tomorrow). Add in Rich Hill starting tomorrow and Jose De Leon starting Sunday, and it’s been fun. This game definitely brought that hype down.

Hill will get the start tomorrow against Luis Perdomo. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10.