Dodgers 3 Pirates 4: Bolsinger Didn’t Have It

September 20, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher

(46) is unable to throw to first to force out Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder

(25) in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Bolsinger just didn’t really have it today as the Dodgers fell 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bolsinger doesn’t have great raw stuff, we know that, and perhaps the Dodgers are even lucky that they got 60 stellar innings out of him in the first place, but his command was all over the place tonight, he gave up 2 home runs, 3 walks and 4 runs in 4.1 innings.

Early in the year I said that the inning totals he was putting up weren’t sustainable for a starting rotation member, and it doesn’t really matter now that the division is all but locked up, however his ceiling for starting is probably really limited considering his significant issues with stuff, stamina, and his command goes in and out pretty easily.

The Dodgers’ offense was okay against a Wild Card level starter, in Gerrit Cole. Carl Crawford tripled home Andre Ethier in the first inning and Scott Van Slyke dingered in the 7th inning to hang 3 on the ace, but couldn’t do anything against a pretty alright Pirates bullpen. Ultimately you just shake your head that Cole was starting because he is good at throwing a baseball. In playoff level baseball, , 3 runs against Cole with one of Kershaw or Greinke pitching might be enough so just keep that in mind.

The magic number finally stays put at 7 and the Dodgers lose a series against a playoff caliber team, i’m a bit annoyed, but really just get to October with everybody’s hamstring intact and i’m cool.