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Smith and Outman Lead Dodgers Win In Game Of The Year

This one could be a season changer.  It was a wild win.  Will Smith proved to be a hero both with his legs and with his glove.  James Outman 3-3 including walk off run scoring double in the 10th.

Justin Bruihl had just opened the flood gates in the top of the 9th.  With one out, he walked two followed by a single to load the bases. Danny Jensen then hit a bases clearing double to give Toronto what was seemingly an insurmountable lead.

But on this night, it was the Dodgers who got off the mat and provided 9th and 10th inning magic to somehow, some way come out with an 8-7 victory.

This game started 3 hours and 26 minutes earlier, and it took one pitch for Toronto to get a runner on 2nd with a Whit Merrifield double.  Next batter, Bo Bichette singled and Merrifield moved to 3rd.  He scored on a Brandon Belt sac fly.  He did give up a 2 run HR to Bichette in the 3rd.

Julio did not have his best stuff, but he did grind it out to get thru 6 innings and 104 pitches.  The team needed Julio to go 6.0 innings and getting a quality start.

Freddie hit a solo HR in the bottom of the 1st to tie the score at 1-1.  The bottom of the order loaded the bases with 2 outs in the 2nd, but Mookie hit the 1st pitch into a 6-3 ground out.

After Bichette’s HR in the 3rd, the Dodgers climbed a bit closer.  Freddie led off with a BB and Will Smith doubled him to 3rd.  Max Muncy hit a sac fly to get the Dodgers within 1.

After Yency Almonte put together a perfect 7th, Caleb Ferguson came in to relieve in the 8th.  He walked the leadoff batter after his 3rd pitch strike was called a ball.  Fergie seemed to lose focus after that with a visual WOW on the call.  Instead of 1-2, it was 2-1 and he walked Chapman.

Ferguson then induced a ground ball that Muncy played into a double.  Maybe I am being too critical, but that is a play that should have been made.  It wasn’t hit hard (92 MPH) and really was not right down the line  The ball never did get into foul territory.  He tried to slide to make the backhand play.  Even the announcers said that he probably should have dove to at least knock it down and hold it to a single.   As long as Max’s bat continues, we are going to need to live with plays that could/should be made.  Again, maybe I am seeing something that wasn’t there.

Ferguson got out of the inning without any further damage.

Now down 4-2 in the 8th, JDM slugged his 25th HR of the season, and the Dodgers were back within 1.

Bruihl then seem to implode with his lack of control.  After one out in the 9th, 2 walks, a single, a bases clearing double and Toronto had a 4 run lead.  But Jordan Romano was not available on this night, and Toronto called on Erik Swanson.  Swanson had 7 scoreless appearances before last night’s game.

James Outman had reached base in each of his 3 previous PA: 2 walks and a single.  He led off the 9th innocently enough with a single.  Miguel Rojas had an infield single in the hole between 3rd and SS.  Mookie lined a single into LF to plate Outman.  But they were still a long way from turning this one around.

Freddie hit a fly ball to Daulton Varsho in LF for the 1st out.  Will Smith then hit hard ball to platinum 3B Matt Chapman.  It took a crazy hop and Chapman could not handle it and Smith reached 1B.  It was ruled a single, Smith’s 2nd hit of the night.  Now it was getting interesting.

The bases were loaded and Max Muncy stepped up with a chance to end it.  He actually induced a 3-2 BB.  They were clearly balls, but with CB Bucknor calling balls and strikes, nobody knew what he would call.  The walk brought home Rojas, and the Dodgers were within 2, and they now had the tying run at the 2B.

JDM struck out and CT3 was coming to the plate.  He hit a ground ball that was headed to RF, but Vlad Guerrero Jr. knocked it down and Santiago Espinal did not pick it up cleanly and did not see Will Smith racing home right away.  Smith got a great secondary lead from 2nd base and never quit running.  He saw Dino waving him home, he put his head down and did not see him later holding him up.  Smith ran through the hold sign and actually scored easily.

Smith got a great secondary lead from 2nd base and never quit running.  He saw Dino waving him home, he put his head down and did not see him holding him.

Max got caught too far off 2B, and was thrown out trying to get back.  He was originally ruled safe.  The Blue Jays had already challenged a play, and they did not get the reversal so they should not have been able to get a replay review.  However, there was in fact a replay review, but it was considered a crew chief replay.  Why?  We all saw someone in the Blue Jays dugout on the phone that determined that a review should be made…If they had one.

That was not the last of the crazy crew chief replay reviews.

In the top of the 10th with Brusdar Graterol on the bump and Kevin Kiermaier on 2nd.  Varsho struck out for the first out.  Bo Bichette followed with his 4th hit of the night on a ball hit to Mookie in right.  Kiermaier raced for home.  Mookie’s throw was offline (1B side).  Smith caught the throw and dove at Kiermaier as he was attempting to score.  Bucknor had to wait to see if Smith still had the ball, and when he saw it in the glove, called Kiermaier out.

Again there was the Blue Jay on the phone in the dugout, and we shortly learned that the crew chief was calling for a review of the out call and for blocking the plate.  How does Toronto get another shot  at replay review and get it called as umpire review.  And how could anyone conceivably consider Smith blocking the plate when he had to go from the first base side to make the catch, dive back across the plate and tag the runner.

The call was upheld as Kiermaier being out, and of course there was no blocking of the plate.  George Springer followed with a soft line drive to Yonny Hernández, and the inning was over with the score still tied.

With former LAD pitcher Mitch White on the mound, and Chris Taylor starting at 2nd, Yonny tried to bunt him over to 3rd.  Instead, he bunted a soft line drive that Matt Chapman dove for and made the catch.  On a 1-1 slider, James Outman hit a long fly to CF that went off the top of the wall and CT3 raced home with the winning run.

After a quick celebration, we saw Outman back away from the crowd and was watching the umpires gathering and discussing the play.  What could they possibly be looking for?  This was the 3rd crew chief replay review in the last two innings.  The reviewed the play and determined it was not a HR and that the run had scored.

Jonny Deluca apparently tweaked his hammy.  Doc said he would probably go on the IL on Wednesday, and saying “you can probably guess who will be joining us”.

The three game series will conclude with a matinee event on Wednesday afternoon.  It will be Tony Gonsolin vs Yusei Kikuchi.  The Dodgers will be going for their 3rd straight series win against three offensively gifted AL contenders.

This is the kind of win that can spark a team.  Not that the Dodgers needed a spark.

 

07-26-2023 – MiLB Game Summary Report

 

OKC Dodgers 13 – Reno Aces (Arizona) 6

Landon Knack was fantastic for the first three innings.  He faced the minimum, allowing 1 hit, but getting the DP.  In the 4th he gave up a 1-out, 3-run HR.  He allowed 3 more  (2 earned) in the 5th.

Every OKC starter had at least 1 hit.  OKC scored in 6 of 9 innings (5 with a crooked number).

Key Performers:

  • Trayce Thompson – 3-5, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR (1), 2 doubles (2)
  • Miguel Vargas – 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2 BB, double (3)
  • Ryan Ward – 2-4, 2 runs,1 RBI, double (21), SF
  • Devin Mann – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI
  • Hunter Feduccia – 4-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR (8), double (15)
  • David Dahl – 2-4, 2 RBI

Box Score

 

Tulsa Driller 5 – Springfield Cardinals 3

Tulsa jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three.  Ben Casparius had a good start but allowed an unearned run in the 4th.    In 4.1 IP, he allowed the 1 unearned run on 2 hits, 2 BB, and 4 K.  Tulsa scored two more before Springfield scored a pair off Robbie Peto in the 8th.

 

Key Performers:

  • Jorbit Vivas – 3-4, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR (11)
  • Kody Hoese – 3-4
  • Eddys Leonard – 1-3, 2 RBI

 

Box Score

 

 

Dayton Dragons (Reds) 3 – Great Lakes Loons 2

 

Kendall Williams started and pitched an outstanding 5.0 scoreless innings.  He allowed 1 hit, 1 BB, against 5 K.  He only threw 59 pitches (39 strikes).  Ruben Ibarra hit a 2 out, 3-run HR  in the top of the 9th and took a 3-2 lead.  Great Lakes went out in order in the 9th.

Key Performers:

  • Taylor Young – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 2 doubles (16)
  • Griffin Lockwood-Powell – double (14)

 

Box Score

 

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 10 – San Jose Giants 7

Down 5-2, RC scored 8 runs in the 3rd and then held on for the victory over the Giants.

 

Key Performers:

  • Thayron Liranzo – 3-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, double (11)
  • Jose Izarra – 2-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (14)

 

 

Box Score

 

 

 

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Badger

Great win. For 9 innings or so I wasn’t expecting it

Quadzilla with a hammie on the same day it’s announced Thompson is ready. Ok.

According to Baseball Savant Kiké is in the lowest percentile of Major League hitters expected to be any good. He and Thompson are the RHB’s people have been Jonesing for? Ok. Id rather see Deluca.

Nothing in the morning Times about last night’s game.

I wonder what those prospects currently at AAA are thinking?

Dave

Getting Kike back only makes sense if another trade goes down. Maybe trading away a utility guy like Yoni ?

Badger

I see Taylor and Kiké as the same guy, with Taylor being my choice. I agree that something else will happen to better prepare this team for a legitimate run through to November .

Bluto

I think the LA times is both moving away from game stories, and, is constrained by new printing times. I wouldn’t be banking on much from the sports section at least until they find their new footing. It’s a shame.

Badger

While I do like the new look, for me the Times is not a magazine, it’s a local newspaper. If this is a permanent change, they’ve lost me.

tedraymond

Damn. After that bases clearing triple by Jansen I turned off the game. After 60+ year of watching the Dodgers you think I would know better.

Good for James Outman last night. Like I stated before he is becoming a solid major league player. I really appreciate how he has developed this season.

Kiki? I don’t get it.

So, it looks like Thor is done for the year. I thought this was a nice signing. NOT!

With Deluca’s injury we, again, get the Trayce Thompson experience. Maybe some year end magic like last year?

Where are the trades? Very quiet so far. I guess it’s going to be a wild weekend on that front.

Carry on.

Bobby

Is it just me, or is Kody Hoese being listed more and more in the “minor league key performers” list??

Maybe he’s started to figure things out?

tedraymond

That could be the case Bobby. To be the 25th pick in the 2019 draft and at 26 still being in AA is not good. But, crazier things have happened. I just don’t see a future with the Dodgers. He might be a player with a rebuilding team.

Bluto

I have totally removed myself from the Kendall Williams train. I have no idea what to expect from that pitcher anymore.

tedraymond

Being lazy to look him up. What has happen to turn you sour on him? Why did you like him in the past? Asking for a friend. Thanks Bluto.

Bluto

I’m a sucker for what Jeff calls “lottery tickets” via clever trades.

Williams oozes upside, but just hasn’t put it together.

Badger

Where is he on the updated prospect list?

Badger

Yoiks.

Bluto

I’m not giving up per se, just a little more clear-eyed.

I think he’s (Williams is) going to be exposed in the next Rule 5.

Speaking of that:

Does anyone have or know where to find a list of all the potential Dodgers players who are going to be exposed in the next Rule 5 draft?

Oldbear48

I shut the game off after it was 4-2 and watched “The Guardians of the Galaxy”. When I returned to MLB to check the score, it was 7-3 in the 9th. I figured what the hell, I will watch the funeral. To my total surprise and one of the weirdest rally’s I have ever seen, they got back in the game. Then came Bichette’s hit in the 10th, I thought for sure the run was going to score. Wonderful way to end a game. Had DeLuca not gotten hurt, he would have been in the outfield, and not Betts.

Oldbear48

BoSox have signed Eddy Ramirez to a minor league deal. Former Dodger had been playing for the Brewers at AAA.

Oldbear48

I get my Hispanic’s mixed up a lot. I knew it was one of those. Kike in the starting lineup at second base. He has been better there than at SS.

Oldbear48

Actually they are engaged on both Lynn and Giolitto.

OhioDodger

The USS Lynn sailed a long time ago. No way do I give up any decent prospects for him.

Last edited 1 year ago by OhioDodger
Scott Andes

He’s given up a ton of homers, and a lot of base runners, although his strikeout to walk numbers look similar to his career norms. Would rather have Giolitto of course but if Lynn can give them some innings then it might be worth considering.

Singing the Blue

Just to make it clear, I’m a bigger fan of the 2020 Lynn than I am the 2023 Lynn, but for the right price………………………………….

We still have all of those Rule 5 guys that we could lose for no return if we don’t start moving some of them.

Badger

Is there a short list of prospects we consider not available?

Singing the Blue

That’s a very short list, Jeff.
You could really go shopping with all the other guys in the system if you make them available.

Badger

What about Nastrini, Sheehan and Frasso?

I keep one of the catchers. Not as sure as you are about the younger guys, but I trust your judgement. . I’d like to know who the Dodgers value the most. Who do they have scheduled to debut next year? The year after? Guess we’ll know soon enough.

OhioDodger

Seems to me the Dodgers could use a little forethought and schedule Will Smiths’ off days against right hand pitchers. It would be better to have him playing today against the lefty. There is an off day tomorrow. The team is so much better with Smith in the lineup. Especially against lefties. Barnes can’t hit lefties or righties so it doesn’t matter when he starts.

Badger

Day game after a long night game.

OhioDodger

We need a better plan B than Barnes.

Scott Andes

I don’t think anyone thinks that Barnes will be the reason the Dodgers don’t win the World Series. If they don’t, it won’t be because of Barnes, if anything it will be the lousy pitching.

But just a reminder here, not only have GM’s POBO traded backup catchers near the trade deadline, Friedman himself did it back in 2016 when he traded Kershaw’s best friend A.J. Ellis to Philadelphia for Carlos Ruiz. Nobody liked that trade, but AJ wasnt hitting at all, and Ruiz provided the Dodgers with a couple of big hits in that postseason run, one being a run-scoring double if I remember correctly and a home run.

I think maybe the solution to this is to just carry a third catcher on the roster. If Barnes is that invaluable to pitching staff and clubhouse, callup Fedducia, or find another catcher and Barnes can stay on the roster and the Dodgers aren’t forced to use him if Smith needs a day off for whatever reason. It’s unorthodox for sure, but this is what happens when you become an automatic out. It becomes harder and harder to justify your roster spot no matter how good defensively you are. This goes for any player at any position (ahem Rojas, ahem)

Bluto

I don’t think that’s why AJ Ellis was traded.

Scott Andes

Yeah, Barnes can’t hit lefties, righties, or middlies. He can’t hit anyone. I have no idea why him and Rojas have to start in the lineup and hit back-to-back. It just makes me cringe and frustrates me knowing the bottom of the order has 8 automatic outs, assuming they both have 4 Abs each. That means the Dodgers only have 19 outs to work with. I get the defense, but both are worthless hitters and both in the lineup at the same time just hurts them a lot.

Last edited 1 year ago by Scott Andes
Oldbear48

Coors Field homers shouldn’t count! LOL

Badger

Gonsolin missing his spots. Again. He won’t last long.

Scott Andes

He throw so many uncompetitive pitches. Junk pitches, trying to get guys to chase. Too many 3-ball counts. Clearly he’s not a starting pitcher. I’m hoping they can move him to the bullpen at some point.

Bobby

I mean if we get to Oct, do you want him starting game 3 or 4? On the road??

I’m not sure if my blood pressure could handle that.

Badger

109 pitches to go 5. That’s about 34 pitches above efficiency and 19 more than Gonsolin should be allowed to throw. Kikuchi is above efficiency too, I wonder how long they’ll let him go in this heat.

Scott Andes

These are the games that really infuriate me and make my blood boil. Only because these are very much to me like scheduled losses. And these are avoidable (I say this in the 6th inning) So far the Dodgers have scored zero runs. Why do Peralta, Heyward, and Smith all have to be out of the lineup at the same time? I believe the front office thinks they not only can script baseball games, but schedule losing days. Every game is important down the stretch. is anybody surprised they have scored zero runs (so far through 6 innings) with Barnes and Rojas hitting back-to-back in the lineup?

I’m hoping that in about an hour I can edit this post when they score 7 and win 8-7.  😆 

Dionysus

162 game season. One result is not worth the dramatics.

Scott Andes

Honesty isn’t dramatics, but you remember what happened in 2021? the Dodgers losing the division by 1 game. ?

Bobby

we won 106 games. I’ll take that any year.

SF won 107, so hats off to them. Yet we beat the without home field, so losing the division by 1 game didn’t mean much.

Scott Andes

It did mean something, because they had to play in that wild card game and burn a starting pitcher. Thankfully they won, but that’s the reason you win the division.

Oldbear48

Right against left mentality. Outman hit’s lefties better than righties. Barnes can’t hit anyone. My grandmother could strike him out and she is dead.

Oldbear48

As good as last night’s game turned out, today is a bona-fide stinker. One thing they should learn from this game, the only games they have lost outside of the first game of this series have come with Barnes behind the plate. His last four starts they are 0-4. Screw what the pitchers like, get a backup catcher with some bat to ball skills. Barne’s at bats are impossible to watch.

Oldbear48

Dylan Floro traded to the Twins. Lopez heads to Miami. Dodgers now also linked to Joe Kelly as well as Lynn and Giolitto.

OhioDodger

Dodgers trade for Amed Rosario.

Singing the Blue

Apparently we’re sending them Thor.

Oldbear48

They are sending a little over a million to offset the salary difference.

Bobby

It will be an interesting next 6 days.

Bluto

Low key thing. Rosario makes much less than Syndergaard, with the cash sent by Boston. I wonder if the Dodgers are making a low key run at getting under the threshold.

Bluto

From Jack Harris:

FWIW, part of the reason the Dodgers had been holding on to Syndergaard was because they wanted to see if he could be part of a trade

Seemed unlikely, but doing so helped them land Rosario –– even when it was pretty clear Syndergaard wasn’t gonna pitch for the Dodgers again

Last edited 1 year ago by Bluto
Bluto

Yeah, it’s NOT going to happen. The big thing, as discussed here weeks ago, is staying under the next threshold and not dropping 10 picks in the draft.

Bluto

The deal is cash neutral, a source said. So the Dodgers are just sending the difference in the remaining salaries between Syndergaard and Rosario.

Roughly 1.88mm


Badger

If it’s $244 lose Taylor and it’s done.

Singing the Blue

How do you trade Taylor and get someone to pick up his (inflated) salary without adding salary on whomever you have coming back?

You are allowed to consult Bumsrap in order to put together the trade, although that means you’ll be sending out Max as well.

Bumsrap

Taylor for Pederson. What was so hard about that?

OhioDodger

Taylor makes $15M/year. Should only be about $5M remaining this year. It is the $30M for the next 2 years that make him untradeable.
It was at totally ill advised contract from the start.

Last edited 1 year ago by OhioDodger
Singing the Blue

The idea was to reduce salary this year. Joc makes more than CT.

Badger

I don’t believe Taylor’s salary is inflated. If he’s on the field, he’s earning his money. On a different club, he would get more playing time.

This all feels very strange. Friedman is up to something.

OhioDodger

I believe AF is just getting heated up. More moves to come.

OhioDodger

Hey Jeff. I am impressed that AF was able to unload Syndergaard for a somewhat useful piece. LOL
If he could unload Taylor and his contract, I would almost be ready to anoint him as the PBO/GM savant that Timmons thinks he is.

Last edited 1 year ago by OhioDodger
Jeff

The Kike and Rosario deals are underwhelming, at best. I like Kike as a personality, but not on the Dodgers. Re-treads are never a good idea. We don’t need his defensive skills. Rosario for Thor…..anyone for Thor is a good deal, but again, a very underwhelming move. We need a two way SS, hitting and fielding. At leasts Rojas is providing one of those needs.

Toronto showed us why we will not win a WS. And if you play Barnes, your chances of losing are great. This is a fact this year. Not making shit up.

OhioDodger

Lynn and Stroman both stunk again tonight. I would pass on both.

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