Dodgers 5 Reds 3: Adrian Gonzalez can hit the ball well

The Dodgers took game 2 of the 4 game set vs the Cincinnati Reds largely because Justin Turner cares not for the regression gremlins haunting all of the other lame baseball players nor does Adrian Gonzalez care very much for the natural process of aging.

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Remember when people questioned the Nick Punto trade? Well here’s AGon, all 33 years old of him, bopping his 23rd dinger on August 14th and looking great doing it. Enough words have been written about Justin Turner, I mean imagine Alberto Callaspo or Alexander Guerrero over Justin for any length of time in the lineup? hahahah that sounds awful. I. Oh.

Also just chugging along is Enrique Hernandez who collected 3 singles and brought his wRC+ to an absurd 142. I dunno what his realistic contribution point is, but I sure as hell am willing to find out what it is during Howie Kendrick‘s absence (and maybe beyond that).

Perhaps less encouraging is that Alex Wood looked again, pretty mediocre, walking 3 and giving up a home run to Joey Votto, ending with 3 earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched, the control has left a lot to be desired, especially from a guy who had a 2.82 BB/9 and a 0.84 HR/9 innings as recently as last year. At this point, without looking at the context of all the other pitchers the team could have brought in, Wood is the 4th starter and pitching like one. Perhaps they should have gotten someone better, but he deserves more than 3 starts to even begin criticism on him, his history suggests that he’ll be at least a solid mid rotation option, and his history says that he deserves the chance to figure it out.

[Don’t look now but national tire fire Jim Johnson pitched a clean 2/3rds of an inning with a strikeout and a groundball] If the bar you set for him is “okay, useful reliever” then could very well clear that going forward. Pedro Baez also came in to redeem himself from last night’s underwhelming performance with a clean frame, and then he handed the ball off to Kenley Jansen who looks fixed (1 IP 2 K’s 0R’s).

Aug 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (right) after the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Yay bullpen yay offense, the Dodgers take on some dude named David Holmberg tomorrow and hold a 2.5 game lead on the division.