One blowout win can’t mask Dodgers’ very real issues with their bullpen and defense
The 1927 New York Yankees never lost 10 times in a 13-game stretch. Neither did the 1975 Cincinnati Reds.
Any talk of these Dodgers being the best team ever can be put on hold until next year or sometime after that.
Never mind their 16-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, which was only their fourth win in 14 games. The Dodgers have major league problems.
And if they don’t solve them in the coming months, there won’t be a second consecutive World Series championship.
Dodgers win, 16-4
MILWAUKEE — For the last two weeks, as their frustration mounted and the losses stacked, the Dodgers have looked around wondering when the tide would turn for longer than 24 hours. They’ve waited to catch the breaks and explode for runs and breathe not only a sigh of relief but replenish their lungs with a string of wins.
Sunday’s 16-4 thumping of the Milwaukee Brewers, an outburst that kept them from a demoralizing four-game series sweep, may be the spark.
Matt Beaty and AJ Pollock, the No. 6 and 7 hitters in the Dodgers’ lineup, fronted the offensive charge at American Family Field as the Dodgers avoided their first four-game losing streak since July 2019.
Both players clubbed grand slams in the first two innings. Pollock added a three-run home run and finished with eight RBIs. Beaty collected seven RBIs in the first four innings. They became the first Dodgers teammates to ever collect at least seven RBIs in a game.
AJ Pollock gets his eighth RBI of the game, Dodgers lead 16-4
Dodgers: Taylor, who has the very unusual, 2-4-2-0 batting line today, walked. He has been on base all five times today. Beaty singled to right. Pollock, who can set the Dodger single-game RBI record with a home run (no pressure), just missed a third home run, doubling off the wall in left, scoring Taylor, Beaty to third. Eight RBIs for Pollock. Lux singled to first, scoring Beaty, Pollock to third. Urías flied to right. Patrick Weigel replaces Zimmermann. Barnes was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Rios struck out looking.
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Pollock had eight RBIs Sunday (he had seven this season coming into the game), one short of the Dodger record, and Matt Beaty has seven. A lookIncluding Beaty, seven RBIs has been done 20 times, most recently by Yasiel Puig on Sept. 15, 2018 against St. Louis (3 for 6, three homers).
Nine RBIs
Gil Hodges, vs. Boston Braves, Aug. 31, 1950 (5 for 6, four homers)
James Loney, vs. Colorado, Sept. 28, 2006 (4 for 5, two homers)
Eight RBIs
Gil Hodges, vs. Cincinnati, June 12, 1949 (3 for 4, two homers)
Ron Cey, vs. San Diego, July 31, 1974 (3 for 5, two homers)
Yasmani Grandal, vs. Milwaukee, May 7, 2015 (4 for 4, two homers)
Adrian Gonzalez, vs. Cincinnati, Aug. 22, 2016 (3 for 6, three homers)
AJ Pollock, vs. Milwaukee, May 2, 2021 (3 for 5, two homers)
Seven RBIs
Including Beaty, seven RBIs has been done 20 times, most recently by Yasiel Puig on Sept. 15, 2018 against St. Louis (3 for 6, three homers).
Brewers: Newest Dodger Mike Kickham now pitching. Reyes singled to right-center. Nottingham homered to right, his second homer of the game. Rude greeting for Kickham. Billy McKinney doubled to right. Vogelbach walked. First and second, nobody out. Taylor flied to right, McKinney to third. Garcia singled to left-center, scoring McKinney, Vogelbach to second. Hiura grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Just what Kickham needed.
Score after eight: Dodgers 16, Brewers 4
Free Jumbo Jacks throughout the land! (and the Dodgers lead, 14-1)
Dodgers: Barnes grounded to third. Rios flied to left. Neuse lined to left.
Brewers: Hiura struck out swinging. Urias grounded to third. Bradley struck out swinging. That’s 10 strikeouts for Urías, meaning free Jumbo Jacks throughout the land! Through seven innings, Urías has given up one run, four hits and no walks. He made 90 pitches, 66 for strikes.
Score after seven: Dodgers 14, Brewers 1
AJ Pollock ties Matt Beaty with seven RBIs as Dodgers take 14-1 lead
Dodgers: Smith doubled to deep right-center. Taylor was hit by a pitch. RBI machine Matt Beaty lined to center. Time to bench him. AJ Pollock homered to left-center, and he now has seven RBIs. I think if someone reaches 10 RBIs, it should be free Jumbo Jacks for everyone! Lux grounded to second. Urías grounded to the pitcher.
Brewers: Austin Barnes in at second base, Neuse moves to third. Rios moves to first. Beaty moves to right. Betts out of the game. Vogelbach struck out swinging. Taylor flied to center. Garcia struck out swinging.
Score after six: Dodgers 14, Brewers 1
It’s 11-1 Dodgers after five innings
Dodgers: Jordan Zimmermann now pitching for the Brewers. Uriás grounded to first. Betts grounded to third. Rios walked. Neuse grounded to second.
Brewers: Reyes grounded to third. Nottingham struck out swinging. Zimmermann struck out swinging. Urías has six strikeouts through five innings.
Score after five: Dodgers 11, Brewers 1
Matt Beaty and AJ Pollock are two short of tying Dodgers record for most RBIs in a game
Matt Beaty and AJ Pollock each have seven RBIs through six innings for the Dodgers, two short of the all-time team record. A look
Nine RBIs
Gil Hodges, vs. Boston Braves, Aug. 31, 1950 (5 for 6, four homers)
James Loney, vs. Colorado, Sept. 28, 2006 (4 for 5, two homers)
Eight RBIs
Gil Hodges, vs. Cincinnati, June 12, 1949 (3 for 4, two homers)
Ron Cey, vs. San Diego, July 31, 1974 (3 for 5, two homers)
Yasmani Grandal, vs. Milwaukee, May 7, 2015 (4 for 4, two homers)
Adrian Gonzalez, vs. Cincinnati, Aug. 22, 2016 (3 for 6, three homers)
Seven RBIs
Including Beaty and Pollock, seven RBIs has been done 22 times, most recently by Yasiel Puig on Sept. 15, 2018 against St. Louis (3 for 6, three homers).
Matt Beaty has seven RBIs, Dodgers lead 11-1
Dodgers: Vogelbach in at first base. Hiura moves to second. Turner lined to right. Smith singled to center. Taylor singled to short, Smith to second. With Beaty batting, the runners moved up on a wild pitch. Beaty singled to right-center, scoring both runners and giving him seven RBIs today. Pollock lined to short. Lux grounded to second. Bettinger line in his big-league debut: 4 innings, 11 hits, 11 runs (all earned), two walks, no strikeouts. He has thrown 89 pitches, 56 for strikes.
Brewers: Lux moves to short. Sheldon Neuse in at second. Edwin Rios in at third. Seager and Turner out of the game. Garcia singled to right. Hiura grounded to second, Garcia to second. Urias grounded to short. Bradley Jr. grounded to second.
Score after four: Dodgers 11, Brewers 1
Dodgers have 9-1 lead after three innings
Dodgers: Lux singled to right. Urías sacrificed Lux to second. Betts hit a hard grounded to third that Reyes stopped. He is putting on a clinic out there. Lux holds at second. Two out. Seager grounded to first.
Brewers: Jacob Nottingham, acquired from the Mariners a couple of hours before today’s game, homered to right-center. The Mariners got Nottingham when the Brewers designated him for assignment earlier this season. The Mariners designated him for assignment yesterday, and the Brewers traded for him today (for cash) because their main catcher, Omar Navarez, is injured. Only in baseball. Alec Bettinger struck out swinging. Daniel Vogelbach, batting for Wong, struck out looking. Taylor grounded to short.
Score after three: Dodgers 9, Brewers 1
Brandon Morrow unlikely to pitch for Dodgers this season
MILWAUKEE — A spate of recent injuries has forced the Dodgers to dig deeper into their pitching depth than anyone could’ve envisioned a month into the season.
On Sunday, the club added Mike Kickham, a journeyman and non-roster invite to spring training, to its 14-man pitching staff. Few other options remain. Ideally, Brandon Morrow would be one after re-signing with the team over the winter. But he isn’t and probably won’t be at all in 2021.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Morrow has been shut down for weeks because his arm hasn’t responded well to treatment.
“I don’t even know if he’s going to be a play this year,” Roberts said. “So, obviously, I’m hopeful. I hope it works itself out. But I just don’t know.”
Morrow was dominant as the Dodgers’ primary set-up man in 2017, but has since been ravaged by injuries. He signed with a two-year, $21 million contract to become the Chicago Cubs’ closer the winter after helping the Dodgers advance to within a win of a championship.
He appeared in 35 games the next season before landing on the injured list with an elbow injury in July. He hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since.
During that time, the 36-year-old right-hander has undergone arthroscopic surgery, a procedure to decompress the radial nerve in his right arm and nerve decompression surgery.
Morrow signed a minor league deal with the Cubs last year, but he was released in July and decided to pause his rehab. He then signed a minor-league with the Dodgers in December.
The Dodgers have four relievers expected to contribute this season on the injured list: Joe Kelly (shoulder), Corey Knebel (lat strain), David Price (hamstring) and Brusdar Graterol (forearm).
Matt Beaty’s grand slam makes it 9-0 Dodgers in top of the second
Dodgers: Betts hit a shot down the third-base line, but Pablo Reyes made a nice diving stop and threw him out. Seager singled to right. Turner singled to center. First and second, one out. Smith flied to shallow left-center. No advance by the runners. Taylor hit a shot down the third-base line that Reyes made another amazing play on, but this time he had to hold onto it. Bases loaded, two out. Matt Beaty hits a grand slam to right. It’s 9-0 Dodgers. Welcome back, Dodger offense! Pollock fouled to first.
Brewers: Keston Hiura popped to second. Luis Urias singled to third. Jackie Bradley Jr. flied to center. Pablo Reyes struck out swinging.
Score after two: Dodgers 9, Brewers 0
Dodgers take 5-0 lead on AJ Pollock’s grand slam
Dodgers: Alec Bettinger pitching for the Brewers. Mookie Betts popped the first pitch to second. After falling behind 1-2, Corey Seager walked. Justin Turner singled to left, Seager to second. Man, Turner can hit. He’s in the top 10 in several offensive categories this season. Will Smith fouled to shallow right. No advance by the runners. Chris Taylor is hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Got him square in the back. Matt Beaty hit a slow roller between first and second. Bettinger covered first, but missed the bag, so Beaty gets a hit, an RBI and everyone moves up a base.
Listening to Joe Davis and Nomar Garciaparra on TV is interesting. While Joe and Orel are like two buddies talking about game and delivering insights, Davis and Nomar are more of a traditional play-by-play/analyst relationship. Both are very effective. Whichever duo you like the best is just a matter of taste.
AJ Pollock hit a grand slam to deep center. It’s 5-0 Dodgers. Gavin Lux walked. Julio Urías fouled to third.
Brewers: Kolten Wong struck out swinging. Tyrone Taylor singled to left. Avisail Garcia grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
Score after one: Dodgers 5, Brewers 0
A closer look at the Julio Urías vs. Alec Bettinger pitching matchup
A closer look at today’s matchup between Julio Urías of the Dodgers and Alec Bettinger of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Julio Urías, LHP
2021: 3-0, 3.23 ERA, 0.978 WHIP
Career: 15-7, 3.20 ERA, 1.220 WHIP
Career vs. Brewers: 2-1, 2.86 ERA in four starts
Career at Miller Park: 2-0, 1.50 ERA in two starts
Current Brewers are two for 18 against Urías with no extra-base hits and five strikeouts.
Alec Bettinger, RHP
This is Bettinger’s big league debut
Hideo Nomo debuted 26 years ago today
On May 2, 1995, Hideo Nomo made his major league debut with the Dodgers. Bob Nightengale, our Dodgers reporter back then, wrote it this way:
They rose as one from their seats, and with tears streaming down their faces, unfurled the Japanese flag in Section 12 at Candlestick Park, waving it proudly.
They erupted with cheers the moment Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo emerged from the Dodger dugout, and as Nomo slowly walked to the mound, Section 12 truly realized the significance of every step.
“This is a very, very special day for our country,” said Mitsuko Iwama, who took her son out of school for the event. “I wanted my son to see this because young people see him as a symbol of excellence.
“I’m a Giant fan, and always will be a Giant fan, but like a lot of people here today, I’m a Nomo fan.
“And that makes me proud.”
Nomo, the first Japanese-born player to pitch in the major leagues in 30 years, had the folks dancing in the aisles in Section 12, and perhaps all of Japan.
Nomo was absolutely brilliant in his major league debut, pitching five shutout innings of the eventual 4-3 loss while yielding one hit and striking out seven. The most difficult aspect of Nomo’s day simply was waiting for the game to end. After 5 hours, 16 minutes, the San Francisco Giants wound up with a zany, 15-inning victory.
The game was televised live in Japan at 4:30 in the morning, but the viewers never got the chance to see the Dodgers end their 25-inning scoreless streak with three runs in the top of the 15th, only to give up four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Dustin May placed on injured list with ‘right arm injury’; Gonsolin to be built up as starter
MILWAUKEE — As expected, the Dodgers placed right-hander Dustin May on the 10-day injured list Sunday after he exited his start Saturday in the second inning with an injury. The Dodgers officially designated it a “right arm injury.”
In May’s place, the team selected left-hander Mike Kickham’s contract. The Dodgers transferred Corey Knebel to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t have any further updates on May’s injury. He said May will undergo an MRI exam Monday in Chicago. The sliver of silver lining in this brutal turn of events is that the Dodgers have three off-days in the next 11 days. Roberts confirmed that the club could proceed with a four-man rotation for the stretch.
In a sign that May will miss a significant amount of time, Roberts said that Tony Gonsolin will be built up as a starter. He would presumably replace May in the rotation, but Roberts said it should take another three or four weeks to build him up to five innings and 75 pitches.
Gonsolin has been on the injured list since April 4 with shoulder inflammation. He recently threw a 20-pitch bullpen session.
David Price, meanwhile, will return from his Grade 2 hamstring strain as a reliever. Roberts said he’ll end up missing four to six weeks after suffering the injury a week ago.
The Dodgers move forward Sunday looking to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Brewers. The bullpen is taxed after logging 17 1/3 innings over the last two days because of two bullpen games (one planned and one not planned). The Dodgers used all 10 of their relievers Saturday after using six Friday.
Kickham, a former starter, gives them a fresh arm Sunday, but Julio Urías will be challenged to shoulder a heavy load to avoid placing another big burden on the relief corps, which gave up just eight runs over the last two days despite the unexpected toll.
The problem, as Roberts said Sunday, is the team isn’t hitting enough. The offense caught a break, though, when Corbin Burnes, one of the best pitchers in the majors this season and Sunday’s scheduled starter for Milwaukee, was placed on the injured list Thursday without an injury designation.
Instead, right-hander Alec Bettinger will make his major-league debut as the Dodgers look for their fourth win in 14 games.
DODGERS (16-12)
Mookie Betts RF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Will Smith C
Chris Taylor CF
Matt Beaty 1B
AJ Pollock LF
Gavin Lux 2B
Julio Urías P
BREWERS (17-10)
Kolten Wong 2B
Tyrone Taylor LF
Avisaíl García RF
Keston Hiura 1B
Luis Urías SS
Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
Pablo Reyes 3B
Jacob Nottingham C
Alec Bettinger P
Dodgers call up reliever Mike Kickham
So, it’s come to this.
The Dodger have reached down to a layer of depth to which they have rarely resorted under Andrew Friedman, calling up well-traveled 32-year-old left-hander Mike Kickham on Sunday to replace Dustin May on the active roster.
May was officially moved to the 10-day disabled list with an arm injury he suffered the previous night. Right-hander Corey Knebel was transferred to the 60-day injured list to clear a place on the 40-man roster for Kickham.
Manager Dave Roberts described Kickham as a “90-92 command guy.”
Kickham figures to give the Dodgers length in relief at a time when their bullpen is depleted. The Dodgers have three days off over the next 11 days, so they won’t have to find an immediate replacement for May in the rotation.
“He’s a strike-thrower,” Roberts said.
However, pitches that are hit are typically strikes, which could explain why Kickham has a 9.95 earned-run average in 20 career major league appearances.
Kickham pitched in six major league games for the Boston Red Sox last year in the pandemic-shortened season. He made the two starts, the first in which he lasted four innings and struck out eight. He gave up six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in the other.
Before that, Kickham’s major league experience was limited to 14 appearances he made for the San Francisco Giants in 2013 and 2014.
While Kickham’s promotion to the major-league roster could be a disconcerting sign for the Dodgers, the move is a mark of the veteran pitcher’s perseverance.
A former sixth-round pick of the San Francisco Giants, Kickham spent part of the 2016 with the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association.
He’s pitched in the Dominican and Mexican winter leagues. He performed particularly well in Mexico, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.92 ERA in seven starts with Hermosillo in the 2019-2020 season.
Betting lines and odds for Dodgers vs. Brewers on Sunday
The Dodgers are in the midst of their second three-game losing streak in a span of seven games. Julio Urías will try to help put an end to the team’s latest woes on Sunday.
After the Dodgers had a bullpen game on Friday and had to go to the bullpen for nine innings on Saturday because of Dustin May’s arm injury, length will be key for Urías, who has pitched at least five innings in all five of his starts this season.
The Brewers had to dive deep into their bullpen on Friday with five different relievers entering Saturday’s extra-inning affair which the Brewers won 6-5. Alec Bettinger will be making his major league debut on the mound for Milwaukee.
With Omar Narváez and Christian Yelich both injured, Milwaukee has only one starter with a batting average above .234. The Dodgers used a lineup Saturday in which six of eight players had an on-base percentage of at least .344.
The Dodgers have played seven of their last nine games over the total and covered the run line in just one of their last 13 games while the Brewers are 12-3 on the run line as an underdog.
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Dodgers fall to Brewers 6-5 on walk-off single in the 11th
Dustin May turned his back toward home plate and winced in pain after his 27th pitch of the game Saturday night, a 94-mph fastball that the Dodgers can only hope isn’t the 23-year-old flame thrower’s final pitch of the season.
May immediately summoned manager Dave Roberts and athletic trainer Yosuke Nakajima to the mound in the second inning of a crushing 6-5, 11-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, who erased a two-run deficit with three 11th-inning runs for the walk-off win in American Family Field.
After a brief discussion, May headed for the clubhouse, his injury adding to the sting of a grueling loss in a 4-hour, 48-minute game in which the Dodgers emptied both their bullpen and bench.
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 6-5, 11-inning loss to the host Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.
“He said he felt a shooting sensation through his arm on one of those curves he threw in the [Billy] McKinney at-bat,” Roberts said. “We’re gonna get an MRI when we get to Chicago [on Monday]. We remain hopeful, but we won’t know until we get the MRI.”
May has not had a serious arm injury in his six-year professional career.
Asked whether he feared this could be serious, Roberts said, “Yeah, I think so. Any time a pitcher comes out of a game and starts talking about the elbow, you’re concerned.”
Mitch White becomes 10th pitcher of the game for Dodgers in 11th
Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia walked Luke Maile and Mario Feliciano to load the bases and prompt Dave Roberts to go to his 10th pitcher of the game.
Mitch White took over on the mound with no outs in the 11th and Dodgers up 5-3.
Will Smith hits a two-run triple to give Dodgers a 5-3 lead in the 11th
Will Smith hit a two-run triple off Brewers reliever Drew Rasmussen in the 11th inning to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead.
It was the first triple of Smith’s career. The hit, blasted into the right-field corner, scored AJ Pollock from second and Austin Barnes, who reached base on a walk.
The Dodgers’ hopes of padding the score fizzled when Mookie Betts was caught stealing at second and Corey Seager failed to check up in time on a pitch outside the zone.
The Dodgers have scored three runs off triples in the game. Corey Seager hit an RBI triple in the third.
Alex Vesia will be on the mound in the bottom of the 11th.
Dodgers and Brewers each score a run to remain tied after 10 innings
A sacrifice fly by Milwaukee’s Luis Urías drove in Keston Hiura from third to tie the game 3-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Reliever Alex Vesia, making his Dodgers debut, walked Avisaíl Garcia and Travis Shaw to load the bases. He froze Jackie Bradley Jr. on a third strike for the first out before Urías sent a pop fly to left field to bring in Hiura. AJ Pollock’s throw ventured wide of home plate, preventing Austin Barnes any chance of tagging out Hiura.
Vesia then struck out Billy McKinney to defuse the situation.
In the top half of the inning, the Dodgers took a temporary lead when Justin Turner singled off Brewers reliever Drew Rasmussen to score Will Smith from second. The hit also moved Corey Seager, who walked in the previous at-bat, to third.
After intentionally walking Max Muncy to load the bases, Rasmussen struck out pinch hitter Clayton Kershaw. AJ Pollock then hit a bouncer to the mound that Rasmussen tosses to first for the final out.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ pitching situation is approaching DEFCON 1.
End of 10th: Dodgers 3, Brewers 3
Dodgers and Brewers head into the 10th tied 2-2
Blake Treinen retired the Milwaukee Brewers in order, striking out Kolten Wong and Keston Hiura to send the game into extras.
In the top of the inning, Chris Taylor drew a walk from Josh Hader. He then managed to steal second but was left stranded there after Austin Barnes and pinch hitter Will Smith popped out.
The Dodgers haven’t recorded a hit since the fifth inning.
End of ninth: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Dodgers and Brewers tied 2-2 heading into the ninth
Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless eighth to send the game into the ninth inning tied, 2-2.
Jansen struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. before walking Luis Urias. Billy McKinney and Luke Maile then grounded out to end the inning.
End of eighth: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Dodgers and Brewers remain tied heading into eighth inning
Victor González became the fifth pitcher to take the mound for the Dodgers in the game, and he got a little help from Austin Barnes to get out of the inning. Barnes made a nice-looking sidearm throw to pick off Kolten Wong on a stolen-base attempt at second. The play underwent review and the call on the field was upheld, much to the chagrin of the Brewers fans at American Life Field.
In the top half, the Dodgers went down in order against Milwaukee reliever Brent Suter.
End of seventh: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Dodgers squander another scoring chance in sixth
Matt Beaty continues to find ways to get on base, but he’s not getting much support.
After Beaty drew the first walk of the game for Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, he moved to second on a AJ Pollock groundout before taking third on a wild pitch by Woodruff. But that’s as far as he made it after Gavin Lux struck out to dissolve the scoring chance.
Dodgers reliever Dennis Santana got out of a jam in the bottom half of the inning after pinch hitter Tyrone Taylor lined out to second for the final out with runners on second and third.
End of sixth: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Dodgers leave runners stranded on the corners in the fifth
The Dodgers are finding a bit more success at the plate, but they’re still struggling to plate runners.
After getting off to a shaky start in the inning Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff struck out Corey Seager and Justin Turner to leave corner runners stranded for the Dodgers.
Sheldon Neuse singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw. He then moved to third on a single to shallow left by Mookie Betts before Woodruff shut the door.
In the bottom half, Scott Alexander became the fourth Dodgers pitcher of the game, but got out of the inning quickly after walking Avisail Garcia.
End of fifth: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Jimmy Nelson takes over on mound for Dodgers in 2-2 tie
Dustin May’s early exit has made it another bullpen game for the Dodgers, with former Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson taking over for Garrett Cleavinger in the fourth.
After giving up a single to Billy McKinney, Nelson struck out Luke Maile and Brandon Woodruff to end the inning.
Matt Beaty picked up his second single of the game in the top half, but the Dodgers couldn’t generate much else.
End of fourth: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Brewers’ Travis Shaw hits a solo home run to tie game in third
Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw clobbers a pitch from Dodgers reliever Garrett Cleavinger 443 feet to tie the game 2-2 in the third inning.
Cleavinger then struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. to end the inning.
End of third: Dodgers 2, Brewers 2
Dodgers take lead on run-scoring triple by Corey Seager
Corey Seager drove in Mookie Betts on a run-scoring triple off the wall in center field to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the third inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr. misjudged where he was on the field, jumping as if he thought he was going to impact the wall while tracking the ball. That allowed Seager just a bit more time to make it to third.
Betts reached based after Brandon Woodruff hit him with a pitch. Seager was left on third after Justin Turner filed out to right.
Dustin May leaves game with right arm injury
MILWAUKEE — Dustin May was dominant for 1 2/3 innings at American Family Field on Saturday. He had no-hit stuff. The Brewers stood little chance.
Then Luis Urías smashed a home run. Seven pitches later, he walked off the field in pain with two outs in the second inning. May winced and signaled to the dugout immediately after throwing a 94-mph fastball to Billy McKinney.
Manager Dave Roberts and trainer Yosuke Nakajima jogged out to check on the 23-year-old right-hander. He left the game with the apparent arm injury after a brief discussion, adding to the growing list of injured Dodgers and unexpectedly forcing the team into its second bullpen game in two days.
The Dodgers later announced May sustained a right arm injury.
Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger replaced May with a 3-2 count on McKinney. He issued a walk that was charged to May.
May had three strikeouts and threw 27 pitches in his 1 2/3 innings. He entered Saturday on his best stretch as a major leaguer. He posted at least six strikeouts in each of his four starts. He held the San Diego Padres to one run on two hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts and one walk across six innings in his previous outing.
The Dodgers began the season with a starting pitching surplus, but that has diminished in recent weeks with Tony Gonsolin (shoulder) and David Price (hamstring) landing on the injured list. Other possible replacements on the 40-man roster include Dennis Santana, Jimmy Nelson, Mitch White, and Edwin Uceta.
End of second: Dodgers 1, Brewers 1
Brewers tie it in the second inning on solo home run by Luis Urías
Luis Urías hit a solo home run off Dodgers pitcher Dustin May in the second inning to tie the game 1-1.
Matt Beaty led off the second with a single before AJ Pollock grounded into a double play and Gavin Lux flied out to center to halt any momentum.
Mookie Betts hits home run to give Dodgers 1-0 lead
Mookie Betts, fresh off taking a rest day on Friday, hit a leadoff home run on the first pitch of the game from Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Dodgers starter Dustin May struck out Kolten Wong and Daniel Vogelbach as part of a 1-2-3 inning.
End of first: Dodgers 1, Brewers 0
Cleanup man Max Muncy feeling the effects of Cody Bellinger’s absence
The threat of a booming bat in the middle of the lineup can be almost as important as the actual bat, a baseball axiom that the Dodgers are reminded of with every walk to cleanup man Max Muncy.
Muncy is mired in a two-for-35 slump entering Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers in American Family Field, but he has a .353 on-base-percentage during that 12-game span, thanks to his 14 walks, 13 of the free passes coming in the last seven games.
“I think teams are pitching around him,” manager Dave Roberts said this week.
Opponents might not be as careful with Muncy if Cody Bellinger, who has been out since April 6 because of a hairline fracture of his left fibula, were in the lineup.
The left-handed-hitting Bellinger was slowed by a right-shoulder injury in 2020, when he hit .239 with a .789 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 12 homers and 30 RBIs in 56 games, but he won National League most valuable player honors in 2019, when he hit .305 with a 1.035 OPS, 47 homers and 115 RBIs.
“Absolutely,” Roberts said Saturday, when asked if the Dodgers miss Bellinger’s presence as much as his bat. “We’re not one to make excuses but you’re missing an MVP. As an opponent, when you’re facing the Dodgers, to not let Max beat you and to not have an MVP behind you, it certainly changes the dynamics.”
Matt Beaty will bat behind Muncy on Saturday night. Bellinger is continuing his lengthy rehabilitation at the team’s alternate training site in Phoenix but has not yet progressed to facing live pitching.
“I talked to Cody last night, and he’s in a good place,” Roberts said. “He’s getting antsy, but he’s still a ways away, too, because he’s not running at full speed or [on his] full body weight or facing live pitching. Once we get there it will be a different conversation.”
Struggling Dodgers offense to face difficult foe in Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff
The degree of difficulty for a struggling Dodgers offense will remain high when the team faces Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff at American Family Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Dodgers have lost nine of 12 games, are batting .177 with a .593 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and have scored 41 runs (a 3.2 average) in their last 13 games. They are hitting .200 with runners in scoring position.
Woodruff, a 28-year-old right-hander, is 2-0 with a 1.55 ERA in five starts this season, striking out 34 and walking eight in 29 innings.
His five-pitch arsenal features a lively four-seam fastball, which averages 96.8 mph, and a sinking two-seam fastball, which averages 96.7 mph. He also has an 86.7-mph slider that he throws primarily to right-handed hitters, an 86.5-mph changeup he throws mainly to left-handed hitters, and an 84.6-mph curve.
Having two distinct fastballs, Woodruff said, is the foundation for his success.
“I’ve seen comments and heard comments from guys about the difficulty of the one that rides a little more and the one that runs,” Woodruff said Friday. “The difficult part for the hitters is they can’t typically sit on the four-seam fastball or the two-seam fastball.”
The Dodgers will counter with Dustin May, a young right-hander who has one of baseball’s most lively two-seam fastballs, a pitch that averages 97.8 mph and an 86.5-mph curve that opposing hitters are 0 for 21 against when they put it in play.
May is coming off last Sunday night’s dominant six-inning start against the San Diego Padres, when he gave up one run and two hits, struck out 10 and walked one. He is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA in four starts on the season.
The Dodgers lineup:
CF Mookie Betts
SS Corey Seager
3B Justin Turner
1B Max Muncy
RF Matt Beaty
LF AJ Pollock
2B Gavin Lux
C Austin Barnes
RHP Dustin May
The Brewers lineup:
2B Kolten Wong
1B Daniel Vogelbach
RF Avisail Garcia
3B Travis Shaw
CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
SS Luis Urias
LF Billy McKinley
C Luke Maile
RHP Brandon Woodruff
Betting lines and odds for Dodgers vs. Brewers on Saturday
The Dodgers are in unfamiliar territory, having lost five of their last six games and nine of their last 12 as they look to young flamethrower Dustin May on Saturday to get going in the right direction.
May’s strikeout numbers have surged from 7.1 per nine innings in 2020 to 13.5 this season while issuing just 2.1 walks per nine innings. He has a 2.53 ERA and a 1-1 record to show for it.
Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, another emerging star, has allowed just four hits per nine innings this season — the best mark in MLB among qualifying pitchers. He’s posted a 2-0 record and a 1.55 ERA. He’s been worse at home than on the road in his career, however, with a 3.79 ERA at home compared to a 3.08 ERA on the road. He’s also allowed 1.15 home runs per nine innings at home as compared to 0.55 on the road.
The Dodgers have struggled without the injured Cody Bellinger, scoring three runs or fewer in nine of their last 13 games. Still, they’ve had six of their last eight games go over the total.
The Brewers will look to feast on the underdog role again, going 11-3 on the run line as an underdog while the Dodgers have covered the run line in just two of their past 12 games.
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Dodgers are unable to brew up any offense in Milwaukee
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 3-1 road loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
MILWAUKEE — At a time when starting pitchers across the majors are logging fewer innings every year, the Dodgers have proudly bucked the trend. Dodgers starters average more innings per start than any other group in the majors this season. The team’s success is built on starting pitching.
At the same time, the Dodgers are also particularly careful with their starters, making sure to give them extra rest whenever possible. “Regular rest” for five-man rotations — four days — has become irregular for the Dodgers.
So on Friday, despite having Dustin May available on four days’ rest, the Dodgers opted for a bullpen game against the Milwaukee Brewers during a stretch of 14 straight days of games, placing the burden on a relief corps bulldozed by injuries in the last week.
Dodgers’ anemic offense continues to be issue in 3-1 loss to Brewers
The Dodgers lost for the ninth time in 12 games after being shutdown by Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader in the ninth inning of a 3-1 loss Friday at American Family Field.
Hader struck out Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Max Muncy to preserve the win. The Dodgers were held to just two hits.
The Dodgers fall to 16-11 on the season while Milwaukee improves to 16-10.
Dustin May will be on the mound for the Dodgers on Saturday.
Brewers take 3-1 lead over Dodgers in the eighth
Luke Maile drives in Kolten Wong from third on an infield dribbler off Blake Treinen to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning.
Treinen gave up a leadoff double to Wong, and he moved to third on an fielder’s choice to short by Daniel Vogelbach. Treinen struck out Avisail Garcia to end the inning.
Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Max Muncy will be tasked with trying to mount a Dodgers comeback against All-Star closer Josh Hader in the ninth.
End of eighth: Brewers 3, Dodgers 1
Dave Roberts ejected after arguing check swing with Angel Hernandez
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected from a game for the first time in 2021 after arguing a check-swing call on Chris Taylor in the eighth inning.
Replays showed Taylor managed to check his swing, but first base umpire Angel Hernandez called it a strike, prompting Roberts to give Hernandez an earful, albeit while wearing a mask and keeping his distance.
Roberts’ frustration didn’t translate into any offense for the Dodgers — Taylor flied out to the warning track in right to make it a 1-2-3 inning for Brewers reliever J.P. Feyereisen.
Brewers holding onto 2-1 lead heading into the eighth inning
The Dodgers got their second hit of the game when Will Smith singled to left off reliever Brad Boxberger, but that was it. The former USC pitcher benefited from a very questionable third-strike call on Max Muncy and then got AJ Pollock and Matt Beaty to pop out.
Jimmy Nelson took over for Victor González in the seventh, walking Jackie Bradley Jr. to lead off the inning. Nelson was then called for a balk on a pick-off throw to first, moving Bradley to second before getting two Luis Urías and Billy McKinney to pop out. Blake Treinen then became the fifth reliever to take the mound for the Dodgers, and he promptly got pinch hitter Keston Hiura to ground out to short.
End of seventh: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1
Dodgers continue to struggle at the plate
Freddy Peralta continued to have the Dodgers’ number — even if he has teased them with a few juicy pitches inside the zone. Chris Taylor popped out to center and Corey Seager grounded out to third before Justin Turner struck out on a full count, 94-mph four-seamer.
The Dodgers bullpen put together another scoreless inning after Victor González took over for Mitch White on the mound. Victor González gave up a two-out single to Omar Narváez and walked Avisail Garcia before getting Travis Shaw to fly out to shallow center.
Narváez suffered an apparent injury to his right leg while running to first and immediately left the game.
Brad Boxberger (RHP, 2.25 ERA) will take over for Peralta in the seventh. Peralta gave up one hit (a home run to AJ Pollock), struck out seven and walked one in six innings of work.
Will the Dodgers have better luck against Boxberger?
End of sixth: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1
Dodgers’ AJ Pollock homers to make it 2-1 Brewers in the fifth
Dodgers left fielder AJ Pollock led off the fifth inning with a solo home run off Freddy Peralta to make it 2-1 Brewers.
Peralta had given up no hits and retired 10 consecutive batters before Pollock sent a sixth-pitch fastball 412 feet to left field for his second home run of 2021.
The Dodgers were stymied in their next three at-bats, with Matt Beaty fouling out, Gavin Lux taking a called third strike that was clearly outside the zone and Mitch White also striking out.
In the top half of the inning, White once again retired the Brewers in order, striking out Luis Urías before Billy McKinney and Peralta grounded out.
End of fifth: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1
Freddy Peralta holds Dodgers hitless through four innings
Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta hasn’t allowed a hit so far. He struck out Justin Turner and got Max Muncy and Will Smith to hit into groundouts.
In the bottom half of the inning, reliever Mitch White retired the Brewers on eight pitches after taking over for Scott Alexander.
End of fourth: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Scott Alexander takes over for Edwin Uceta in the third inning
It’s officially a bullpen game for the Dodgers, with Scott Alexander replacing Edwin Uceta in the third inning. Alexander looked comfortable, retiring the Brewers 1-2-3.
Uceta gave up four hits and a two-run home run in his first major league appearance.
Brewers starter Freddy Peralta once again put down the offensively challenged Dodgers in order — he has retired seven consecutive batters since walking Max Muncy in the first.
End of third: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Brewers take 2-0 lead off a two-run home run by Jackie Bradley Jr.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run home run off Edwin Uceta to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 2-0 lead in the second inning. It was Bradley’s 100th career home run.
Avasail Garcia led off the inning with a single to left before Bradley hit a 391-foot blast to right field for his second home run of the season.
A baserunning gamble by Luis Urías allowed AJ Pollock to gun him out at third before Uceta struck out Freddy Peralta to end the inning.
In the top half of the inning, Pollock, Matt Beaty and Gavin Lux were retired in order.
End of second: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Edwin Uceta benefits from miscue in his first major league inning
A minor miscue by Edwin Uceta allowed the right-hander to quickly get through his first inning in the majors.
With Daniel Vogelbach on first, Milwaukee’s Omar Narváez hit a chopper toward first that Max Muncy quickly relayed to second for the force out. Corey Seager tried to turn it into a double play, but Uceta wasn’t properly covering the bag, and Seager’s throw went into foul territory.
Uceta quickly retrieved the ball after it bounced off the wall and threw it to Justin Turner, who tagged out Narvaez at first as he tried to retreat back to the bag from the overrun.
In the top half of the inning, Brewers starter Freddy Peralta hit Corey Seager with a pitch and walked Max Muncy, but both runners were left stranded after Will Smith popped out to center for the third out.
End of first: Dodgers 0, Brewers 0
Injury updates on Tony Gonsolin and Brusdar Graterol
MILWAUKEE — Tony Gonsolin began the season in the Dodgers’ bullpen, but he was placed on the 10-day injured list April 4 with shoulder inflammation before appearing in a game.
The recovery process has been slow. Roberts on Friday said Gonsolin threw his first bullpen session since the injury Thursday. Roberts said he threw 20 pitches in Arizona and “came out of it good.”
“My guess is that it’ll be another three or four days,” Roberts said, “and we’ll get him back on the mound and it’ll be an up and down or a 35-pitch ‘pen or something like that.”
Gonsolin is one of five Dodgers relievers on the injured list, not counting the two relievers (Caleb Ferguson and Tommy Kahnle) who were ruled out for the year before the season started. Joe Kelly (shoulder), Corey Knebel (lat), David Price (hamstring) and Brusdar Graterol (forearm) are also out.
Roberts said Kelly, who revealed Friday that he underwent shoulder surgery in November, could return the second week of May. Knebel is out for at least a few months and Price is out for at least another two weeks.
Graterol is the newest addition to the injured list, landing there Thursday. Roberts said the right-hander hasn’t undergone an MRI because the Dodgers don’t “have the resources” in Milwaukee.
“He’s going to stay with us and get treatment, not play catch for a couple of days, see how it responds to treatment,” Roberts said. “We haven’t had any tests yet but I’m sure we will if the soreness continues to be there. But, right now, it’s kind of just shutting him down.”
Graterol arrived in Los Angeles with an alarming injury history. The Dodgers acquired him from the Minnesota Twins as part of the package for Kenta Maeda in February 2020 only after the Boston Red Sox nixed a trade for Graterol at the last minute after reviewing his medical information. The 22-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016 and had a shoulder impingement in 2019.
“Any pitcher that says forearm tightness,” Roberts said, “we just kind of flag it and make sure we calm it down a little bit and see where we’re at.”
Dodgers double the size of their vaccination section
The Dodgers doubled the size of their “fully vaccinated fan section” Friday, adding the option for every game of their next homestand.
In a test run last Saturday, the Dodgers sold out a 500-seat section on the loge level, overlooking the visiting bullpen, with ticket prices ranging from $121 to $154.
The Dodgers have added three sections on the reserve level, down the first base line, with total capacity for the vaccinated section at “more than 1,000,” a team spokesman said. On Friday afternoon, the loge prices ranged from $46 to $50 for midweek games and $60 to $75 for weekend games; the reserve prices ranged from $34 to $44 for midweek games and $40 to $68 for weekend games.
Joe Kelly reveals top-secret surgery to remove cyst from shoulder
MILWAUKEE — The mystery is finally over.
Joe Kelly’s shoulder injury was kept a secret going back to the last season when he landed on the injured list. The Dodgers were deliberately vague about it and Kelly, who hasn’t pitched this season, wasn’t made available to the media during spring training to discuss the reason why he was behind schedule.
But Kelly on Friday revealed to a Boston radio station that he had another more significant surgery to remove a “massive cyst” from his right shoulder that had bothered him since the 2019 season, his first after signing a three-year, $25-million contract with the Dodgers.
“I ended up pitching in the World Series topping out at 95 mph, not knowing where it was going because had these cysts on my nerve,” Kelly told the radio station. “They ended up putting metal clamps on my labrum and then they decompressed all the cysts. They sucked out some loose bodies from my rotator cuff. So it was a good little surgery.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that the club didn’t disclose Kelly’s injury — officially listed as shoulder inflammation — because he asked the team not to.
“It’s something that Joe [is] very prideful, doesn’t make excuses and we talked about it and he just wanted to keep it quiet and we weren’t too concerned as far as the short or the long term,” Roberts said. “It’s something that he didn’t want to make an excuse for performance last year. So [he] thought it would come out as such.”
Roberts said the right-hander is nearing the end of his rehab. He said Kelly recently pitched on back-to-back days at the Dodgers’ alternate training site in Arizona and is scheduled to pitch again Sunday. Roberts said he hopes to have Kelly return the second week of May.
Kelly, 32, has been erratic in his time with the Dodgers and has a 4.11 ERA in 67 regular-season games since joining the club. Last season, he gave up two earned runs in 10 innings across 12 appearances. He then gave up a run on four hits in 3 2/3 innings in five playoff games.
The year before he served up the fastball that Howie Kendrick clubbed for a go-ahead grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 5 of the 2019 NLDS. Last season, he was suspended for eight games for throwing at Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in Houston.
Mookie Betts given Friday off vs. Brewers amid slump at the plate
MILWAUKEE — Mookie Betts took batting practice at American Family Field on Friday afternoon, hours before the first pitch between the Dodgers and Brewers, and paused after every few swings. Each time he stopped he spoke to the few people closely watching. Justin Turner was one of them, fighting the cold to stand behind the cage and give Betts feedback.
Betts was in the batter’s box for at least a half-hour. There’s a chance he won’t be back in there Friday. A few minutes later, the Dodgers announced their lineup and Betts wasn’t included.
Manager Dave Roberts said it was a scheduled day off for Betts in the middle of a stretch of 14 games in 14 days. Rest was the reason. But it’s impossible to ignore why Betts was taking early batting practice. The $365-million franchise cornerstone is struggling.
Betts is 13 for 61 (.213) with one home run and a .668 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 15 games since April 13 when he returned from a back injury that sidelined him for four games. He’s seven for 36 (.194) with three doubles, four walks and 11 strikeouts since he was hit by a pitch on the right forearm.
Roberts said he doesn’t think the back injury or being hit by the pitch has hampered Betts.
“Just turning the bases, defending, the aggressiveness of the swings,” Roberts said, “I don’t think it’s affecting the back and kind of the carryover from that.”
Betts has run into some bad luck watching a few hard-hit balls snatched for outs, but, whatever the reason, he hasn’t been himself at the plate.
Thursday, he struck out looking against left-hander Eric Lauer in his first two plate appearances. He walked to the dugout visibly frustrated both times. He has four games with multiple strikeouts — all in an eight-game stretch since April 22. Last year, he struck out more than once in six of 55 games during the regular season.
So while Friday’s day off was scheduled, he was on the field early working to figure things out with help from Turner.
“Mookie, ending at-bats with balls in the strike zone, he’s not doing as well as he normally does,” Roberts said. “Swinging out of the zone is very uncharacteristic. So ... taking some extra swings, feeling a little bit better about his mechanics and that will lead him to performance.
“I think it’s more things mechanically that he’s kind of working through with the hitting guys, and Justin is a great guy to kind to have to kind of bounce things off as well.”
Matt Beaty will make his first major-league start in right field in Betts’ place. Chris Taylor will start in center and assume Betts’ leadoff role.
It’ll be a bullpen game for the Dodgers. They’ll give the ball to right-hander Edwin Uceta to start the game. It’ll be Uceta’s major-league debut. Roberts said the plan is for Uceta to log two innings. He was recalled minutes before Thursday’s game when Brusdar Graterol was placed on the 10-day injured list with right forearm tightness.
DODGERS (16-10)
Chris Taylor CF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Max Muncy 1B
Will Smith C
AJ Pollock LF
Matt Beaty RF
Gavin Lux 2B
Edwin Uceta P
Betting lines and odds for Dodgers vs. Brewers on Friday
The Dodgers have lost four of their last five games and eight of their last 11 entering Friday’s contest against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The bullpen will be rested thanks to Trevor Bauer pitching eight innings in the team’s 2-1 loss to the Brewers, which is crucial considering the team hasn’t announce a starter for Friday, with Dustin May’s start being pushed back to Saturday.
The Brewers will be giving Freddy Peralta the ball Friday. He’s off to a great start, averaging 15.5 strikeouts per nine innings across five appearances with a 2-0 record and 2.45 ERA.
Devin Williams and Josh Hader come out of the Brewers’ bullpen on Thursday, which puts their availability into question.
Despite a number of injuries to the starting lineup, most notably Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers played each of their previous six games before Thursday over the total. The Brewers are 10-3 on the run line as an underdog.
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Brewers hang on to beat Dodgers, 2-1
MILWAUKEE — The Dodgers’ offensive slump, a period that has extended deep into a second week save for the infrequent bright spot, has included its share of lowlights. Bad at-bats. Frustrating strike three calls. Hard-hit balls erased by defensive gems.
The eighth inning in their 2-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday epitomized the stretch.
It started with Mookie Betts working a leadoff, four-pitch walk against Devin Williams, the reigning National League rookie of the year struggling out of the gate in 2021. It was just the second time the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter reached base Friday. Corey Seager was up next. Maybe, just maybe, the Dodgers had something brewing at American Family Park.
That hope lasted some seconds. Seager watched Williams throw four straight balls to Betts and swung at the first pitch anyway. It was lined up the middle, where Brewers shortstop Luis Urías was stationed in the shift. Urías gloved the ball on a hop and shoveled a lead throw to second baseman Kolten Wong, who smoothly made a leaping throwing across his body to complete a jaw-dropping double play.
Dodgers don’t score in top of eighth, still 2-0 Brewers
Dodgers: Devin Williams pitching for the Brewers. He has a 5.13 ERA this season. Betts walked. Seager grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Turner singled to left. Smith singled to right, Turner stopping at second. Muncy grounded to third. Dodgers are 0-2 with runners in scoring position tonight.
Brewers: Urias flied to left. Billy McKinney, batting for the pitcher, walked. Bauer has made 106 pitches. Wong flied to right. Vogelbach grounded to third. Bauer has gone eight innings, giving up two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out six (no free Jumbo Jacks tomorrow). He has thrown 113 pitches, 70 for strikes. In line for the first complete game of the year for the Dodgers, unless they rally in the ninth.
Score after eight: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Score after seven innings: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Dodgers: J.P. Feyereisen now pitching. He is 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA this season. Pollock flied to center. Neuse struck out swinging. Bauer grounded to the pitcher.
Brewers: Shaw grounded to third. Taylor struck out swinging. Bradley Jr. struck out looking.
Score after seven: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
We are through six, Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Dodgers: Brad Boxberger now pitching. He has a 2.57 ERA and one save for the Brewers this season. Turner flied to right. Smith flied to left. Muncy singled to center. Taylor flied to center. This game is zooming along.
Brewers: Wong singled to center. Vogelbach grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Narvaez singled to third. Garcia grounded to third.
Score after six: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Brewers maintain 2-0 lead through five innings
Dodgers: Pollock lined to center. Neuse struck out swinging. Bauer walked on seven pitches. Betts singled to center, Bauer to second. Seager flied to left.
Brewers: Bradley Jr. grounded to second. Urias hit a hard grounder to first that Muncy made a nice play on. Keston Hiura, who went to UC Irvine, hit for Lauer and flied to shallow left. Pollock had to run half-a-mile to get to it and made a basket catch.
Score after five: Brewers 2, Dodgers 0
Brewers take 2-0 lead in the fourth on Travis Shaw’s two-run homer
Dodgers: Smith fouled to the catcher. Muncy lined to short. Taylor grounded to third.
Brewers: Vogelbach grounded to short. A defensive clinic being put on by both shortstops today. Navarez grounded to first. Garcia walked. Shaw hit a two-run homer to right, his fourth of the season. Taylor struck out swinging.
Nothing doing in the third, still 0-0
Dodgers: Trevor Bauer lined to right. Betts struck out looking. Seager singled to left. Turner flied to center.
Brewers: Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled to deep right. Luis Urias flied to center. Eric Lauer struck out looking. Wong grounded to second.
Score after three: Dodgers 0, Brewers 0
Still scoreless after two innings
Dodgers: Max Muncy walked. Chris Taylor grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. AJ Pollock singled to left. Sheldon Neuse flied to right.
Brewers: Avisail Garcia struck out swinging. Travis Shaw flied to right. Tyron Taylor popped to third.
Score after two: Dodgers 0, Brewers 0
No score after first inning
Dodgers: Left-hander Eric Lauer on the mound for the Brewers. Lauer vs. Bauer. I like that. Mookie Betts struck out looking. Corey Seager flied to left. Justin Turner singled to shallow left. Will Smith grounded to short.
Brewers: Trevor Bauer pitching for the Dodgers. Kolten Wong flied to center. Daniel Vogelbach flied to center. Omar Navarez struck out swinging.
Score after one: Dodgers 0, Brewers 0.
Dodgers place Brusdar Graterol on injured list with forearm tightness
MILWAUKEE — The hits keep on coming for the Dodgers’ bullpen.
Minutes before taking the field to face the Brewers on Thursday, the team announced that right-hander Brusdar Graterol was placed on 10-day injured list with right forearm tightness. Right-hander Edwin Uceta was recalled to take his place on the roster.
Graterol’s injury is the third significant blow to the Dodgers’ bullpen over the last week. First, Corey Knebel suffered a lat injury that will cost him months. Then David Price strained his right hamstring and will miss at least a few weeks.
The team was already without relievers Joe Kelly (shoulder), Tony Gonsolin (shoulder), and Caleb Ferguson (Tommy John surgery).
Graterol, 22, started the season on the injured list for COVID-19-related reasons. He didn’t make his season debut until April 18. He then didn’t pitch for a week before appearing in back-to-back games Sunday and Monday.
In all, he’s been charged with three runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings this season.
Uceta was already with the Dodgers on the road trip as a member of their taxi squad. The 23-year-old Dominican is on a major-league roster for the first time and hasn’t appeared in a game above double-A in his professional career.
He went 11-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) between high-A Rancho Cucamonga and double-A Tulsa in 2019. He spent 2020 at the Dodgers’ alternate training site before he was suspended for the remainder of the season for breaking COVID-19 protocols.
He then pitched in six games in the Dominican Winter League, giving up four earned runs across 18 1/3 innings.
Gavin Lux returns home to Wisconsin looking to find a rhythm
MILWAUKEE — Gavin Lux grew up in Kenosha, 45 minutes from newly-sponsored American Family Field, and the name doesn’t sound right.
“I always want to say Miller Park,” he said Thursday.
He didn’t have a favorite baseball team, but it’s where he grew up attending countless games. It’s home. And he’s never played at home as a major leaguer. He was in attendance for the 2018 NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers, but watched from the stands. He was still a minor leaguer. His debut was a year away.
So over the next four days, with the Dodgers in town, Lux will have more than 20 friends and family members attend games.
“I’m definitely pumped up,” Lux said. “A lot of my really good friends will be here and they haven’t seen me play since I’ve gotten called up. So they’re probably more excited than even I am.”
The 23-year-old Lux won’t start Thursday against Brewers left-hander Eric Lauer, but he’s expected to be in the lineup in each of the final three games of the series.
He returned Monday from a right wrist injury Monday and started all three games against the Reds. The former top prospect went 1 for 12 with an RBI, a walk, and six strikeouts in the three games, lowering his batting average to .189 in 16 games this season.
Lux said he injured the wrist on a checked swing he took April 14. He couldn’t swing a bat the next day and was scratched from the lineup. Four days later, he was placed on the injured list.
“It was kind of best-case scenario,” Lux said. “Originally, we thought maybe it was a hamate bone injury, but after the MRI and all that it just showed it was a wrist injury. So all in all, it was a best-case scenario for that.”
Lux said his focus in the batting cage has been maintaining tempo on his gather and load. He finds himself speeding up too often, which affects his ability to see pitches. He wants to start earlier and slow down.
Ultimately, the goal is to return to the rhythm he found in spring training when he solidified his role as the Dodgers’ starting second baseman.
“Just competing, competing at-bats,” Lux said. “Working pitchers, especially when it’s not going your way. Sometimes you just gotta tone it down and try to take your hits here and there and grind and compete and grind out at-bats.
“So that’s really all I’m going to try to do and then defensively playing hard and that’s it. That’s really that’s going through my mind.”
Dodgers activate Mitch White, option Luke Raley
MILWAUKEE — The Dodgers activated right-hander Mitch White from the injured list and optioned outfielder Luke Raley to the their alternate training site Thursday a couple of hours before their series opener against the Brewers.
White’s addition was expected. He was placed on the injured list Tuesday because of side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine he took Monday night and his return was always considered imminent.
The more surprising part of the transaction is that Raley, who went 7 for 34 (.206) with a home run in 14 games, was the corresponding player sent down.
The move gives the Dodgers 14 pitchers and 12 position players. That split is usually even. Why the difference? The Dodgers are in the middle of 14 straight days of games and plan on going with a bullpen game Friday. Having nine relievers gives them extra help covering innings.
Roberts said the team still hasn’t decided on Friday’s starter. That depends on how Thursday goes.
“There’s a lot of options as far as who’s going to start the game,” Roberts said. “I see a handful of guys pitching tomorrow. I think that for us, we’re just going to kind of see how we come out of today to make that decision.”
Other pregame notes:
— The earliest Joe Kelly will join the Dodgers is for their three-game series against the Angels, which starts May 7.
Kelly was scheduled to pitch in a game at the team’s alternate training site Wednesday. The veteran right-hander began the season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation.
— Cody Bellinger traveled to Arizona from Los Angeles to continue his rehabilitation process.
Roberts said the plan is to have Bellinger eventually play in games at the alternate training site for live at-bats. His rehab could conclude at one of the organization’s minor-league affiliates. The minor league season starts next week.
Bellinger hasn’t played since fracturing his left fibula April 5 against the Athletics.
— Garrett Cleavinger is available Thursday after taking a line drive off his left triceps Wednesday.
Happy 26th birthday, Zach McKinstry
New ballpark name, new slide color in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE — The Brewers’ home ballpark underwent a slight overhaul over the offseason. First, it has a different name. Miller Park is out. American Family Field is in. They still sell beer, though.
And Bernie’s yellow slide — excuse me, chalet? It’s white now. Yellow apparently isn’t family-friendly.
Sheldon Neuse starting at second base vs. left-hander Eric Lauer
MILWAUKEE — The Dodgers will have the right-handed-hitting Sheldon Neuse start at second base over Gavin Lux, a left-handed hitter, against Brewers left-handed starter Eric Lauer in Thursday’s series opener.
Neuse, 26, was acquired from the Athletics in the trade that sent Adam Kolarek to Oakland in February. He’s batting 4 for 15 with two home runs in seven games.
“Sheldon has looked fantastic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked and I really wanted to get him a start. With Gavin, my expectation is that he’ll be down today and he’ll play the next three here and play three in Chicago. But they’re both doing fine.”
The rest of the lineup is business as usual for the Dodgers. AJ Pollock, a right-handed hitter, will start in left field against Lauer and Chris Taylor will start in center field with Cody Bellinger still on the injured list.
Trevor Bauer will start opposite Lauer. It’ll be his first outing since receiving his 2020 NL Cy Young Award on Tuesday night. Bauer enters with a 2.53 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and six walks in 32 innings over five starts.
DODGERS (16-9)
Mookie Betts RF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Will Smith C
Max Muncy 1B
Chris Taylor CF
AJ Pollock LF
Sheldon Neuse 2B
Trevor Bauer P
Brewers place Corbin Burnes on injured list without specifying an injury
MILWAUKEE — Corbin Burnes, one of the best starting pitchers in the majors this season, is listed as the Brewers’ starter Sunday against the Dodgers. But Burnes’ status is unclear after Milwaukee placed the right-hander on the injured list without specifying an injury or the 10-day list.
In normal circumstances, Burnes would spend at least 10 days on the injured list and the Brewers would need another starter for Sunday. But these aren’t normal times.
Not citing an injury means Burnes is likely dealing with something related to COVID-19. He could be dealing with symptoms and is out as precaution, tested positive for COIVD-19 or has side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine. If it’s a reaction to a vaccine, the Brewers can reinstatement him within 10 days.
In a video call with reporters Thursday, Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said he couldn’t share the reason for Burnes’ placement on the injured list.
On Tuesday, the Dodgers put Victor González and Mitch White on the injured list without an injury designation minutes before first pitch because they were feeling side effects from a vaccine they took the previous night.
After the game, manager Dave Roberts confirmed the reason. González was activated Wednesday. White was reinstated Thursday.
The Brewers also placed right-hander Zach Godley on the injured list, but specified the 10-day IL and an injury (right index fingers contusion). Right-hander Alec Bettinger and left-hander Eric Lauer, who will start Thursday, are recalled.
Burnes, 26, has a 1.53 ERA with 49 strikeouts and zero walks in 29 1/3 innings across five starts this season. He is two strikeouts from tying the record for most strikeouts without a walk to start a season set by Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in 2017. Whether he’ll have a chance to break the record against the Dodgers on Sunday remains to be seen.
“If it’s COVID-related, you can come back at any point in time,” Roberts said. “But again, I don’t know enough. Our expectation is to plan for him as one of the best pitchers in the game. And if we don’t, then we’ll adjust.”
Struggling Edwin Ríos putting in extra work in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE — To say Edwin Ríos is struggling is an understatement.
The Dodgers’ reserve corner infielder is hitless in his last 28 plate appearances. His last hit was an infield single on April 13. He is 4 for 43 with 15 strikeouts, six walks and one home run this season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said the club trusts Ríos, a solid contributor the last two seasons, to figure it out with playing time even as the team struggled to score runs over the last two weeks. They don’t plan on optioning to the alternate training site in Arizona to reset, at least not yet.
So the 27-year-old Ríos made the trip to Milwaukee with the club and was on the field taking swings Thursday afternoon more than four hours before the Dodgers opened a four-game series against the Brewers.
Ríos and catcher Keibert Ruiz, who is on the taxi squad this trip, did soft toss drills with Roberts watching closely. The two then faced left-hander Alex Vesia, also on the taxi squad for two at-bats each. The Dodgers trust Ríos to snap out of the slump.
“Our hitting guys have continued to grind with Edwin,” Roberts said. “There’s an emotional performance part of it that all players go through and there’s also mechanical part, so just kind of trying to address those individually, is something that these conversations that we’re all having with Edwin.
“I thought today was a good day of work and we’re going to continue to give him opportunities.”
Betting lines and odds for Dodgers vs. Brewers on Thursday
The Dodgers remain tied for first in the NL West with their 8-0 shutout over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, though they lost the series 2-1 after losing the San Diego Padres series 3-1 last weekend.
The Dodgers travel to Milwaukee to face the NL-Central leading Brewers (14-10) for a four-game series starting at 4:40 p.m. Thursday.
After having Clayton Kershaw stop the recent skid, the Dodgers send out Trevor Bauer (3-0, 2.53 ERA, 0.66 WHIP) against Eric Lauer, who is being called up from the Brewers’ alternate training site to make his 2021 debut. Oddsmakers have made the Dodgers huge road favorites around -200 at most books. A popular play will be laying 1.5 runs on the run line at around -125. However, let the bettor beware that Lauer was 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts against the Dodgers when he was with the Padres.
Dodgers are also -190 on the series price, meaning they would need to win three of four games to cash (a 2-2 split would be a refund).
The Over/Under is set at 7.5 runs. That’s pretty much a coin-flip with this matchup, with a slight lean to the Under. The Brewers are 12-10-2 with the Under so far this season while the Dodgers are 13-12 with the Under.
VSiN, the Sports Betting Network, offers more expert sports betting content in a free daily email at VSiN.com/email.
Column: Clayton Kershaw has the Dodgers thinking positive again
When not much was going right for the Dodgers, when their bullpen was flailing and their big bats had fallen ominously silent with runners in scoring position and their collective confidence had dipped enough for them to lose three straight games and seven of nine, Clayton Kershaw stepped in and willed them back toward success.
Their most experienced starter played the role of stopper Wednesday, striking out eight and walking one over seven carefully crafted shutout innings against Cincinnati. A six-run outburst by the Dodgers in the eighth turned what had been a tight game into an 8-0 rout, but until that point it could have tipped either way. Kershaw’s quiet determination to end their losing streak and complete their seven-game homestand on a positive note pushed the game over to the Dodgers’ side of the ledger. He simply would not let them lose.
“You knew that he knew how much we needed this game,” manager Dave Roberts said during his postgame webinar.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers vs. Brewers series on TV
Here’s how to watch this week’s three-game series between the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers:
How to stream
Spectrum SportsNet LA is available with a subscription to AT&T TV “Choice Plan” ($84.99 / mo.). You can stream the game on your Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, and your browser.
Fans outside of the Los Angeles market can stream the games using MLB.TV.
How to watch on TV
Spectrum SportsNet LA will be carrying the game on cable and satellite providers.
How to listen
In Los Angeles, the games can be heard on 570 AM or 1020 AM (Español).
ICYMI: Clayton Kershaw puts on masterful performance as Dodgers rout Reds to avoid sweep
The release was almost cathartic, the frustration of a brutal homestand filled with blown leads and late-inning losses and the tension of another tight game dissipating with every clutch two-out hit by the Dodgers in the eighth inning Wednesday.
First came the tack-on runs, a Chris Taylor run-scoring triple and an AJ Pollock RBI single that turned a two-run lead into a four-run cushion. Then came the “jug runs,” as manager Dave Roberts calls them, baseball-speak for “going for the jugular,” two-run singles by Matt Beaty and Mookie Betts.
By the time the inning was over, the Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs for an eventual 8-0 victory over Cincinnati, a taut pitchers’ duel between Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw and Reds right-hander Sonny Gray ending with a position player on the mound for the Reds.