Dodgers 4 Blue Jays 2: Hold On, We’re Coming Home

Dodgers get the W and will head back to LA on a happy flight.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there! The Dodgers have a little two game winning streak going on and won the series against the Toronto Blue Jays, all while sporting pink today in honor of Mother’s Day and Breast Cancer Awareness.

Ross Stripling started the game and did great! He pitched six complete innings, allowed one hit and one earned run while striking out six batters. Stripling struggled with his control a little bit here and there, but Yasmani Grandal once again did a great job pitch framing behind the plate.

The first and only hit given up by Stripling came in the bottom of the third inning when Kevin Pillar doubled to deep center and then scored on a fielders choice later on in the inning. Stripling settled down again right after the doubled and seemed to cruise into the sixth inning.

The Dodgers first hit would not come until the top of the sixth inning when Trayce Thompson led off with a double to right, but with no outs and a runner in scoring position the Dodgers were not capable of capitalizing and getting Thompson back to home before the inning ended.

In the top of the seventh inning with two outs, Joc Pederson came up and hit a solo home run! Usually I would say it was a “Joc Jack”, but today with his Mother’s Day flow compression sleeves it was more of a “flower power” moment. With one swing of the bat it was suddenly a tie game! The Blue Jays would respond right back in the bottom of the seventh inning when Chris Hatcher became the new pitcher. After getting two quick outs, Hatcher gave up a single to Justin Smoak. Followed by a walk to Troy Tulowitzki and Pillar singled to right. Smoak was being held at third, but Thompson got to the ball fast, only to bobble it in right and the Blue Jays scored yet again. Hatcher got out of the inning when Russell Martin fouled out.

The Dodgers would score two more in the top of the eighth inning. After two walks and a double in the inning the Dodgers had the bases loaded as Grandal came up to the plate. Grandal tied the game with a deep sacrifice fly, which allowed Corey Seager and birthday boy Adrian Gonzalez to advance. Then Howie Kendrick came up and singled to right to score Seager.

Pedro Baez entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and got two outs, but with runners on, Dave Roberts called the pen and asked for Kenley Jansen to come to the mound. Jansen came in and got Jose Bautista to line out for the final out. In the top of the ninth the Dodgers would tack on one more insurance run when Seager doubled and Thompson scored.

Jansen entered back into the game for the bottom of the ninth and got save number 11 on the season. After a quick first out he allowed a ground rule double to Smoak. Tulo would fly out for the second out and Pillar would strike out.

Overall in this game there was some great defense and some poor defensive plays. Justin Turner was great as always at third. He was literally a little vacuum down there today, reacting instantly to any ball hit in his direction. Chase Utley made an amazing catch that he jumped and laid out for in the eighth inning that would save a run for the Dodgers. Thompson made a poor defensive play however by bobbling the ball which allowed the Blue Jays to score another run.

It was a pretty good game all around. Great starting pitching from Stripling, the Dodgers bats were awake (and cute all pink) ,  Jansen was again his reliable self as he got the final four outs. Here’s to a happy flight as the Dodgers prepare for a four game series against the New York Mets at home.