Dodgers 0 Rockies 1: Dodgers Should Draft Offense

Dodgers offense continues to struggle as they fall in the series finale to the Rockies, but the MLB Draft is tomorrow, so can we just draft some offense?

Enrique Hernandez led off the game with a single to left and it looked like the Dodgers offense was coming out of their little slump. However, that was not the case at all. The Dodgers would not get their second hit until the bottom of the fifth inning when A.J Ellis hit a single to left. It is clearly still a struggle for Dodgers hitters to string together multiple hits back to back.

Kenta Maeda was on the mound and turned in another quality start. He went 6.2 innings, gave up five hits, allowed one earned run and struck out nine batters. Maeda struck out nine, but he also struck out Carlos Gonzalez three times out of those nine. He shut down one of the most dangerous bats in the Rockie lineup tonight. Gonzalez would strike out another time and become the first player in Rockies history to have back-to-back four strike out games.

The Dodgers put together what looked like a promising fifth inning. Ellis singled and Austin Barnes walked with one out. Maeda came to the plate to put down a bunt and advance the runners, but the Rockies made a huge mental error. They had two men covering first base so when Nolan Arenado threw the ball he did not know who to throw it to. D.J LeMahieu caught the ball but he was off the bag. Daniel Descalso was on the bag and had he been the one to catch the ball, Maeda would have been out. So, the Dodgers got a gift in the fifth and with the bases loaded and one out Hernandez came to the plate. Unfortunately, they still could not wake up those bats as Hernandez and Justin Turner both struck out to end the inning.

The Rockies would score their first and only run in the top of the seventh inning. Gerardo Parra hit a one out double. The ball went flying into deep center field and Trayce Thompson over ran it slightly. He missed it and took out part of the center field wall. It would have been a pretty good catch if he caught it. It is tough to expect Thompson to adjust and play center perfectly when he has not had much time there this season. Vin Scully on the broadcast even stated that he believes Thompson plays a better right field than center. Then with two outs, Descalso came up and hit a single. After that Dave Roberts pulled Maeda for the evening.

Once again the bullpen did great! Adam Liberatore came in to take over for Maeda and quickly got the last out. Casey Fien pitched a scoreless eighth inning after allowing a lead off single. Fien is proving to be a great and reliable guy out of the pen.

Pedro Baez put together a beautiful 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Howie Kendrick grounded out on a full count (which would have been ball four) for the first out. Chase Utely followed him up by doing the same thing and Corey Seager flied out.

Dodgers lost to a struggling Rockies team tonight and only got three hits all evening. It is clear that the offense took the day off one day early. The Dodgers do not play tomorrow as it is a travel day, but they will be back on Friday to face the San Francisco Giants.