Dustin May looks like old self, is unhittable in five innings as Dodgers blank Giants
SAN FRANCISCO — The Dodgers were hoping for incremental improvements out of Dustin May on Friday night.
Over five hitless innings, the hard-throwing right-hander delivered much more.
In his best start since he returned from Tommy John surgery last month, May was as clinical as he was overpowering in the Dodgers’ 5-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
His fastball command was much more consistent than in his first four starts, as he walked just one batter while finding the zone with 40 of 69 pitches.
His secondary stuff was sharper, using his curveball and changeup to help rack up four strikeouts.
Final: Dodgers beat Giants 5-0 behind Dustin May’s hitless start
SAN FRANCISCO — Behind five scoreless, hitless innings from Dustin May and another offensive outburst against Logan Webb, the Dodgers defeated the Giants 5-0 on Friday to take the first of a three-game series.
May was pulled after throwing just 69 pitches, but flashed a lot of encouraging signs nonetheless, walking just one batter while striking out four and showing much more improvement with his command.
The Dodgers got RBIs from Joey Gallo, Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman, once again knocking around Webb in the process.
The Dodgers are now 99-44.
Final: Dodgers 5, Giants 0
Dustin May replaced to begin the sixth, then no-hit bid ends on infield single
Dustin May didn’t get to pitch the sixth inning, after all.
And not long after his night came to an end, so did the Dodgers’ combined no-hit bid.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Luis González got the Giants first hit, flying down the line on a slow roller to second base for an infield single against Alex Vesia.
Vesia was on the mound because Dave Roberts decided to not let Dustin May go any further, after the right-hander threw 69 pitches through five innings. Roberts had said pregame May would be limited to 75-80.
May’s final line: 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts.
His ERA is now 3.46.
End 6th: Dodgers lead 4-0
Dustin May has a no-hitter through five innings
Dustin May probably won’t make it to the end of this game, with Dave Roberts saying pregame that the right-hander will be limited to 75-80 pitches in just his fifth game back from Tommy John surgery.
But so far, he’s yet to give up a hit, having allowing only a lone walk through five innings that was immediately erased by a double-play.
May has thrown 69 pitches, and will likely return to the mound to start the sixth.
His command has been much better tonight, his velocity has ticked up with several pitches over 100 mph, and he has struck out four batters.
End 5th: Dodgers lead 4-0
Dodgers extend lead with three runs in the fourth off Logan Webb
Logan Webb’s struggles against the Dodgers have continued tonight.
In the fourth inning, the Giants right-hander gave up three RBI singles — to Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger and Trea Turner — to turn a one-run deficit into four.
After giving up just one run in six innings in his first start against the Dodgers this year, Webb has yielded 13 runs in 15 innings over his past three outings against them.
Mid 4th: Dodgers lead 4-0
Dodgers strike first; Dustin May off to sharp start
Dustin May has gotten off to a strong start, retiring the side in order in the first (with the help of a diving catch by Joey Gallo for the third out) before erasing a one-out walk in the second inning with a double-play.
He’s gotten some early run support, too, after Max Muncy hit a leadoff double in the second and came around to score after a couple ground balls to the right side from Justin Turner and Gallo.
The Giants tried to throw Muncy at home on the latter play, but he slid in safely as the throw kicked away from catcher Joey Bart.
End 2nd: Dodgers lead 1-0
Dustin May takes the mound, looking for better command in continued return from Tommy John surgery
SAN FRANCISCO — Dustin May’s first four starts back from Tommy John surgery haven’t been bad. But the right-hander with the triple-digit fastball hasn’t look consistently sharp either, occasionally struggling with his command while posting a 4.29 ERA.
Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers will be looking for more improvement from May tonight, as he takes the mound to open the team’s three-game series against the San Francisco Giants.
“We’re just looking for more command,” Roberts said. “A guy that’s coming off Tommy John, the last thing to come is the feel, the command.”
At the plate, the Dodgers will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (13-8, 2.88 ERA). While Webb was excellent against the Dodgers in last year’s NLDS, he has struggled in three starts against them this season, giving up nine earned runs in 17 innings.
The Dodgers remain without second baseman Gavin Lux, who hasn’t played since Sept. 1 because of a neck injury, but Roberts said Lux will be back in the lineup Saturday after he stayed back in Arizona on Thursday to take a full game’s worth of at-bats at Camelback Ranch.
Here is the Dodgers full lineup:
10 eye surgeries by age 10. How Julio Urías beat the odds to become the Dodgers’ ace
CULIACÁN, Mexico — Carlos Urías has a routine before watching every one of his son’s starts: He plugs in a Virgen de Guadalupe light fixture hanging in the hallway just off the living room and prays.
La Virgen was bright on a recent Sunday morning, colorfully illuminating the dim white space. A few minutes after 10, before Julio Urías took the mound 2,000 miles away in Miami, Carlos approached her. He took off his Dodgers cap, whispered some words and gave the sign of the cross.
“God has been good,” he said. “I have a lot to be thankful for up there.”
Julio Urías, Clayton Kershaw ... then who? Dodgers have time to figure it out
PHOENIX — There’s no one way to win in the playoffs. But there is a template that is usually idealized over all others.
Have a settled rotation topped with a couple bona fide aces. Have a few dominant arms to ride at the back end of the bullpen. And have an opportunistic lineup with enough star power to withstand the grind of the postseason.
This year’s Dodgers team has the latter squared away.
But when it comes to their pitching staff — rotation and bullpen, alike — they’re shaping up to have a far different October blueprint.
Manager Dave Roberts knows this.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season: