Dodgers 0 Yankees 3: Left Behind

The Dodgers dropped game two against the Yankees.

The Dodgers are quite horrible against lefty pitching. Their pitching kept them in the game late, but it’s generally hard to win when you don’t score.

Dodgers Starter

Julio Urias got the start, most likely for the last time this season. Before the game, Dave Roberts said Urias would be headed for the bullpen.

Dave Vassegh tweeted the same thing a week ago, so who knows. Urias may have helped his case by not pitching very deep in today’s game.

Urias was inefficiently solid on Tuesday, as he threw 60 pitches in three innings. He nearly threw as many balls as strikes in that time, but he got through three scoreless. A pickoff helped him escape trouble in the second inning, but he was laboring through three.

His issues caught up to him in the fourth. Urias allowed a single to start the inning, but got a double play for two quick outs. This is where the wheels fell off a bit. He hit Brian McCann with a pitch and then gave up a single to Chase Headley. Aaron Judge walked to load the bases, and Roberts pulled Urias after only 3.2 innings.

He wasn’t giving up hard contact or getting lit up, he just wasn’t throwing efficiently. The Yankees were patient and made him work, and he failed to get out of the fourth for the first time since exactly one month ago.

In his 3.2 innings, Urias allowed eight baserunners (four hits, three walks and a hit batsman). He only struck out two, so it was a very uncharacteristic start for him. His short start means he’s sitting at 117 innings this season, which is still under his supposed 120-130 inning limit this season.

Dodgers Offense

To make Urias’ struggles loom larger, the Dodgers were facing a lefty. They have been awful offensively against left handed pitching, and C.C. Sabathia made sure that trend continued today.

Howie Kendrick led off the game with a walk and advanced to third on a pair of groundouts. He did not score. Enrique Hernandez doubled in the second and moved to third on a passed ball, and he was also stranded there.

Those were the Dodgers’ best chances to score against Sabathia, who tossed 6.1 shutout innings. He allowed four baserunners and struck out seven, and had the Dodgers guessing all night. He was pulled in the seventh at 93 pitches after getting Adrian Gonzalez to ground out, and Adam Warren finished off the inning.

Kendrick got the Dodgers’ fourth hit of the game in the eighth, but Dellin Betances was called in and got Justin Turner to end the inning. Betances stayed in for the ninth and allowed a leadoff single, but got the next three to end the game.

Really bad showing by the offense all around. This team should have a potent offense, but it’s terrifying to think what this offense will do in the postseason against tough lefties.

Dodgers Bullpen

Urias was pulled with the bases loaded and two outs. Louis Coleman was the lucky soul to inherit that situation, but he got a ground out to end the threat in the fourth.

He got one out, and J.P. Howell came in to get one out in the fifth. He did that, and then was pulled for Ross Stripling. Stripling probably figures to take Urias’ spot if the Dodgers do move him to the pen, so he was in the long relief role today.

Stripling allowed a single in the sixth, but got a double play to erase it. His night unfolded in the seventh, when Jacoby Ellsbury battled him on a full count, and hit the ninth pitch of the AB into the right field upper deck. Didi Gregorius hit the very next pitch out to right to make it 2-0. He finished off the inning without more damage being done, but the tie was broken.

Jesse Chavez got the ninth and gave up a homer in the same area to Gary Sanchez. That short porch was a lot more fun last night. Chavez walked a batter, but finished the ninth with no more damage.

Other Stuff

The loss gives the Giants a chance to get back within three games. Albert Suarez starts for the Giants, Clayton Richard for the Padres.

Next: Previewing the Playoff Roster

Tomorrow’s game has a 10:10 AM PST start time, with the Dodgers flying to Arizona for a four game weekend series. Clayton Kershaw will make his second start back from the DL for the Dodgers, and Michael Pineda will start for the Yankees.

Thankfully, Pineda is a righty.