Dodgers 0 Giants 4: Who Hid the Offense?

The Dodgers offense disappears as Matt Moore, and the Giants avoid the sweep.

Newly acquired Giants pitcher Matt Moore did his part tonight to avoid a sweep at the hands of the red-hot Dodgers.

Dodgers Starter

After his recent five-inning start against the Phillies last week, Ross Stripling made his way back into the rotation for tonight’s matchup. Stripling was recalled back to the Dodgers due to the recent injury of Brett Anderson.

Following a relatively smooth first inning where he only allowed a single, Stripling immediately ran into some trouble in the second. A leadoff double by Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford spelled trouble for Stripling, but he responded with perfection. After striking out Eduardo Nunez, Stripling got Brandon Belt to pop out and Moore to ground out.

Stripling ran into some trouble in the fourth. Following a RBI single by Belt, second basemen Joe Panik took Stripling deep for a two-run home run to increase the Giants lead to three. Stripling settled down in the fifth, not allowing a run, but that would be his last inning of the game. Five innings seem a bit early, but Stripling was around 90 pitches, so you have to think that this was a factor in his early exit.

Dodgers Offense

Well, if you watched you know the answer to this category. The Dodgers were held hitless for 8.2 innings, gaining just five base runners the whole game. Corey Seager successfully broke the no-hitter up in the ninth with a bloop single to right field.

Dodgers Bullpen

Replacing Stripling in the sixth was Grant Dayton. Dayton is still new to the Dodgers, only notching 12 innings so far this season in the MLB. Dayton did not get much help in the sixth from his defense. Following a two-out walk to Panik, Moore reached on a fielding error by Justin Turner to keep the inning alive. Denard Span followed with a RBI single to push the lead to 4-0.

The remainder of the game for the Dodgers pen was perfect, nine up, nine down. Jesse Chavez contributed two innings, striking out just one. J.P. Howell threw the ninth, also striking out one.

Other Stuff

Even with tonight’s loss, the Dodgers were still able to take the series versus the Giants and maintain a two-game lead in the NL West. Although, things do not get much easier for the Dodgers. The MLB’s only 80-game winners come to town for a series, the Chicago Cubs. Following the Cubs series, the Dodgers immediately hit the road to face the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers do not get an off day until next Thursday, which will conclude a string of 16 straight games.

Mike Montgomery of the Cubs will take on Bud Norris and the good guys for 7 p.m. tomorrow evening. The game will be televised SportsNetLA.