Strikeout Sunday Gives Dodgers Series Win Against San Diego

Even though things got very sketchy in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers held on to win their second consecutive game against the San Diego Padres with a score of 1-0. Behind a dominant Hyun-jin Ryu start, the Dodgers picked up their lone run in the sixth inning off a RBI single by All-Star Yasiel Puig. That would be all the scoring in the game for either side. There were 22 strikeouts between both teams, and Ryu whiffed 10 Padres and collected his 10th victory of the season.

Tyson Ross pitched very well, but the San Diego offense was in more of a slumber than the Dodgers’ offense this Sunday afternoon. The Pads only mustered 4 hits, and they failed to bring in the tying run in the top of the ninth which was at third base with enemy combatant Carlos Quentin. The Dodger bullpen held on to pitch 3 scoreless innings, and the Dodgers took the series win in order to safe keep their first place spot going into the All-Star Break.

The Giants hit two grand slams off the D-backs in their final game before the break as battery mates Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner both hit grannys. The Dodgers have yet to hit a grand slam this season. The Dodgers remain 1 game ahead of the Giants in the N.L. West.

Dodgers 1 7 1

Padres 0 4 0

WP- Ryu (10-5)

LP- Ross (7-10)

S- Jansen (27)

Hyun-jin Ryu opens the game by striking out Chris Denorfia. Chase Headley hits a liner off Ryu, but Dee Gordon is there to pick it up and throw it to Adrian Gonzalez at first base in time to get him out. Carlos Quentin swings and misses, and Ryu strikes out two of three.

All-Star Tyson Ross starts off the home half of the first with a strikeout of All-Star Dee Gordon. Carl Crawford, who has been successful against Ross in the past, promptly singles to left field. With Puig at bat, Crawford steals second base. Puig also swings and misses as Ross strikes him out. Adrian Gonzalez follows suit and strikes out. Ross ends up striking out the side as the Dodgers waste the Crawford base hit and stolen base.

Ryu strikes out another two Padres in the second as Yasmani Grandal and Cameron Maybin both whiff in the scoreless frame.

Andre Ethier leads off the bottom of the second with a double to left field. Juan Uribe follows with a single to right, and Ethier

Jul 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu (99) throws in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

moves to third. A.J. Ellis strikes out, and the catcher who was the hero last night with the walk-off sacrifice fly, is angry after he goes down on strikes against Ross. Miguel Rojas lines into a double play as Headley snares the line drive and steps on third to finish off the frame. That’s just another missed opportunity for the Dodgers.

It must be Strikeout Sunday at Dodger Stadium again, and Ryu strikes out two more in the third as he sets the Pads down in order.

The Dodgers can’t muster anything off Tyson Ross in the bottom of the third as Crawford strikes out to end the frame. There’s now been 11 strikeouts through 3 innings.

More strikeouts. Ryu whiffs Headley for his seventh strikeout of the game. Quentin singles with one out, and the Padres finally notch a hit against Ryu. Grandal grounds into a force out to end the inning.

Ross strikes out Puig to start off the bottom of the fourth. Gonzo grounds out. Ethier grounds out.

Ryu strikes out another two batters in yet another scoreless inning in the fifth.

The Dodgers go down in order again in the bottom of the fifth, and Ross has now retired 11 in a row.

Alexi Amarista leads off the sixth with a single to center. Ross attempts to lay down a sacrifice bunt, and A.J. Ellis makes a great heads up play to throw out the lead man Amarista at second on a force. That was a great stretched catch by Miguel Rojas at second as well. Ryu blows away Denorfia as he picks up his tenth strikeout with a great slider.

The Dodgers finally get a run in on Ross in the bottom of the sixth. Dee Gordon singles with one out, and the lightning fast second baseman steals his 43rd base of the season on a pitch out to Crawford. Crawford draws a walk, and the Dodgers have runners on first and second with one out with Puig coming up. Puig finally comes up with the clutch hit the Dodgers were looking for, and his RBI single up the middle brings home Dee, 1-0 Dodgers. Gonzo strikes out for the second out. Ethier flies out to end the inning, and the Dodgers settle for one run.

Brandon League will take over for Ryu in the seventh. Grandal draws a one-out walk. Pinch-hitter Jake Goebbert grounds into what looks like a double play, but Brandon League’s foot can’t seem to find the first base bag while covering. Goebbert is called safe, and Don Mattingly will challenge the play which is upheld. Maybin singles to right, and that misstep by League proves to be a possible costly mistake. Mattingly will bring in J.P. Howell to get the last out. Brooks Conrad flies out to left field where Crawford makes a nice play to pick off the ball as he fights the sun.

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 6 innings and allowed just 2 hits while striking out 10 and walking none on 92 pitches.

Jul 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (72) forces out San Diego Padres third baseman Alexi Amarista (5) on an attempted sacrifice bunt by San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross (38) in the 5th inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers strand another two runners in the seventh. Uribe leads off with a single, and Ellis sacrifice bunts him over to second. Rojas is hit by a pitch as Ross flies one by hitting his jersey. Scott Van Slyke and Gordon both strikeout to end the inning.

Tyson Ross pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 run on 6 hits with 9 strikeouts and 1 walk on 114 pitches

J.P. Howell will begin the eighth inning for the Dodgers as they look to hold on to this razor thin one-run lead. Chris Denorfia reaches safely on a missed catch by Gonzo at first, but luckily the error isn’t cashed in as J.P. Howell picks off Headley trying to steal second!

Blaine Boyer will come out of the San Diego bullpen for the bottom of the eighth inning as Kenley Jansen warms up for the ninth. Puig doubles to the left field gap with one out. Bud Black will bring in his left-hander, Alex Torres to pitch to Gonzo who flies out and ends up going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. The Padres will make yet another pitching change before Matt Kemp comes in to pinch-hit for Howell. Dale Thayer will try to keep the game within one run for the Pads. Kemp strikes out like a statue to end the inning.

“Enter Kenley Jansen.”- Vin Scully

Puig makes a nice running catch on a fly ball by Headley which was tailing off quickly. Puig can really cover a lot of ground, and he would be great in center field. Carlos Quentin draws a one-out walk, and the tying run is aboard. Grandal singles to right, and Puig sort of bobbles the ball allowing Quentin to advance to third. Kenley rears back to strikeout Goebbert. Don Mattingly goes out to talk to Jansen before he has to face notorious Dodger killer Seth Smith. Smith strikes out on high heat, and the Dodgers win!

The Dodgers improve to 54-43 as they remain in first place ahead of San Francisco and wrap up the first half of the season. The Dodgers resume the 2014 season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Friday, July 18th. The Dodgers will reshuffle their rotation, and Dan Haren will open the second half versus the Cardinals. Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Minnesota will feature four Dodgers including Clayton Kershaw, Yasiel Puig, Dee Gordon, and Zack Greinke. Yasiel Puig will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday.