Hyun-jin Ryu Injured in Loss to Braves on National Left-handers Day

The Dodgers lost to the Braves on Wednesday evening and lost Hyun-jin Ryu with a right gluteus maximus strain for an unknown length of time (he’s listed as day-today). Ryu pitched well until he grimaced in pain on ball four to B.J. Upton in the sixth inning. The Braves scored once in each of the second, fourth and fifth innings. That was all Atlanta needed to edge out the Dodgers 3-2 in Game 3 of the four-game series.

The only two Dodger runs came in the second inning on five base hits against Ervin Santana who picked up the win over Ryu. Carl Crawford and Miguel Rojas both had RBI singles in the inning. The Dodger offense was silenced the rest of the night despite a late ninth inning bases loaded rally against super closer Craig Kimbrel which came to a fateful end thanks to a Matt Kemp double play.

Kemp and Puig combined for 7 strikeouts throughout the night. The Dodgers were 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and they left 11 men on base. It wasn’t the pitching which doomed the Dodgers during the loss to the Braves, and Jamey Wright came in to relieve the injured Ryu and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out three batters.

Dodgers 2 11 0

Braves 3 8 1

WP- Santana (12-6)

LP- Ryu (13-6)

S- Kimbrel (35)

Golden Sombrero- Puig

Ervin Santana strikes out the side in the top of the first. Dee Gordon strikes out looking, and Puig and Gonzo strike out swinging.

Freddie Freeman is the first base runner of the game after he singles to left with two outs in the home half of the first. No worries as Hyun-jin Ryu strikes out two in the scoreless inning. Phil Gosselin and Justin Upton go down on strikes against the lefty.

The Dodgers strike first in the second. Matt Kemp leads off with a line drive double off the right field, and a Carl Crawford RBI single

Aug 13, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp (27) reacts to a called strike by the umpire in the fifth inning of their game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

drops in front of B.J. Upton in center field. Crawford, in a healthy spurt, is now 9 for his last 12 at-bats. Juan Uribe follows with a single to left for the Dodgers’ third consecutive base hit against Santana. A.J. Ellis lines into a 5-4-3 double play. Miguel Rojas sneaks a ground ball single through to center, and Crawford brings in the second Dodger run of the game. Hyun-jin Ryu joins the hit parade, and he also singles to center allowing Rojas to reach third base. Gordon grounds out to end the rally, but not before the Dodgers score two runs on five hits.

Yasiel Puig misreads a ball hit to center by Evan Gattis in the bottom of the third, and it ends up over his head for a lead-off double. Chris Johnson lays down a sacrifice bunt to move Gattis over to third. A run scores on an Andrelton Simmons grounder to second. 2-1 Dodgers. B.J. Upton is called out on strikes to end the inning.

Santana settles down in the third and sends the Dodgers down 1-2-3 while striking out Puig and Kemp.

Ryu counters with a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the bottom of the third.

In the fourth, A.J. Ellis legs out a double, and Rojas walks. The Dodgers end up stranding both runners in the scoreless frame.

The Braves tie it up 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Yasiel Puig catches up to a deep fly ball to center hit by Freeman for the first out. That athletic catch sort of made up for the misplayed ball the previous inning. Ryu walks Justin Upton which proves to be costly. Evan Gattis strikes out swinging for the second out. Chris Johnson and Andrelton Simmons hit consecutive singles, and J. Upton brings in the tying run.

In the fifth, Gordon’s speed outduels Simmons’ fantastic throw to first for an infield single. That’s Gordon’s 40th infield single of the season. Puig strikes out swinging on that down and away Santana slider for his third whiff of the game. With Gonzo at the plate, Santana throw to first around nine times to take a step away from Dee. Gonzo ends up flying out to right. With Kemp at the plate, Dee steals second for his 52nd stolen base of the season. Kemp ends up striking out anyways.

Atlanta takes the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Heyward singles with one out, and Ryu brushes Freeman with a pitch. Justin Upton comes up with a RBI single to right, and the Braves take a 3-2 lead.

Carl Crawford leads off the sixth with a single, his second hit of the night. Uribe pops out to Simmons who looks like he tried to intentionally drop the ball to make a double play, but the umps aren’t having it. With A.J. at bat, CC steals second and takes third on an error by second baseman Gosselin who missed the catch and let the ball go into center field. A.J. ends up striking out. Santana intentionally walks Rojas to get to Ryu who strikes out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ryu comes out of the game with a right gluteus strain. The southpaw gets the first two outs on grounders, but Ryu walks B.J. Upton and is in noticeable discomfort as he lands his leg on ball 4. Jamey Wright will take over for the injured Ryu with a runner at first and two outs. He strikes out pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit.

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks on 97 pitches.

Aug 13, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu (99) reacts after injuring himself in the sixth inning of their game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Ervin Santana pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 8 hits with 9 strikeouts and 2 walks on 103 pitches.

David Carpenter will take over for Ervin Santana in the seventh. Puig draws a one-out walk, but Gonzo flies out and Kemp strikes out.

Jamey Wright is back on the mound for the bottom of the seventh, and the veteran makes a nice play to take care of Heyward’s comebacker himself for the first out. Gosselin manages an infield single along the third base line. Freeman singles to right. J. Upton hits a fly ball to the warning track in right field, and Gosselin tags up and advances to third on the out. Jamey Wright rears back to strike out Gattis!

Jordan Walden is the next Atlanta pitcher for the eighth. The Braves challenged a safe call on a ball hit by Uribe to second. Uribe was called safe originally, but the video replay showed Gosselin’s throw got him. A.J. Ellis singles with two outs, and that’s the second hit of the night for the struggling catcher which is a good sign. Justin Turner, pinch-hitting for Rojas, can’t come up clutch this time and grounds out to first.

Justin Turner will remain in the game at shortstop. Wright is still on the mound to begin the bottom of the eighth who pitches a nice 1-2-3 inning.

Craig Kimbrel will be in to shut down the Dodgers in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Andre Ethier draws a walk after Kimbrel goes 3-2. Gordon drops down a bunt, and he beats out Kimbrel’s throw for a single! Puig strikes out on a foul tip for his fourth whiff and Golden Sombrero. Adrian Gonzalez gets on top of a 99-mph fastball and strokes it into center field for a base hit. The bases are loaded for Matt Kemp who proceeds to ground into a heartbreaking double play.

The Dodgers drop to 69-53, and the Giants gain a game in the standings (5 back) after beating the White Sox earlier in the day. The Dodgers will go for the series win on Thursday morning. Roberto Hernandez will face old friend Aaron Harang.