Dodgers 1 Cubs 2: Time to Be Buffaloes

After scoring five runs and getting the W  yesterday, the Dodgers offense goes quiet as they fall to the Cubs.

Enrique Hernandez knows how to start a game! Hernandez led off tonight and hit a solo home run into the bleachers. After the first batter of the game the Dodgers already were off to a great start and a 1-0 lead. Corey Seager would hit a one out single, but the Dodgers would only score one. Jon Lester settled down a lot after that and did not allow another Dodger hit until the top of the fourth. With two outs, Trayce Thompson doubled into center, but Joc Pederson would end the inning on a ground out.

Mike Bolsinger did pretty well. He struggled with control in the first inning when Dexter Folwer was hit by a pitch (barely) and then Jason Heyward would walk. After that though, Bolsinger settled down. The Cubs two runs came off of one swing of the bat. In the bottom of the third inning, Kris Bryant launched a home run into center, which also scored Fowler who reached base on a walk. Bolsinger would go five innings, allow two hits and two earned runs, while striking out six and walking two.

Pedro Baez pitched two great shutout innings of relief and Casey Fien came in and pitched a great inning as well. Pitching this entire series has been fantastic. The bullpen has been reliable and Dodger starters have stepped up. Scott Kazmir was exceptional, Bolsinger tonight really only made one key mistake on that pitch to Bryant for the home run.While the pitching has been great, the offense has struggled. The Dodgers only scored one run on a solo home run all night. You cannot expect to win a game scoring one run.

Jon Lester was just lights out and really only made a mistake on the pitch Hernandez sent to the bleachers. Lester pitched a complete game and struck out the Dodgers ten times. He only allowed four hits and one earned run.

On another note, Alex Wood’s MRI results are in and revealed that he has a posterior impingement in his elbow and that it will require four weeks of rest. After those four weeks the team will re-evaluate him. Yesterday Wood was placed on a 15 day DL, but after these results in looks like he is going to have to double that at least.

It is time for the Dodgers to be buffaloes. Alanna Rizzo told a story about Thompson’s motivation during tonight’s game.  Thompson wears a shirt that says “be a buffalo not a cow”. Rizzo then explained that Thompson uses it as motivation since buffaloes run towards storms and not away from them like cows do. Buffaloes charge the storm, cows run away from it. In the game of baseball, Thompson says he tries to do the same. When storms come, or you are in a slump, be a buffalo not a cow. With all these injuries and offensive struggles, it is time for the Dodgers to buckle down and be buffaloes.

On the bright side, the Giants lost today. That makes it 11 straight times when both the Dodgers and Giants have played, they have either both won or both lost. The Dodgers still remain in second place and 4.5 games back.

The series finale with the Cubs is tomorrow and first pitch is scheduled for 11:20 AM.