1 week Ago
LOS ANGELES – The Cleveland Guardians have the best bullpen in baseball this season. Opposing teams aren’t eager to get into that bullpen – unless maybe if it happens in the first inning. The Dodgers chased Guardians starter Gavin Williams with a six-run first inning, creating dueling bullpen games Saturday night.
The Dodgers’ relief relay won the duel, stranding 10 Guardian baserunners on the way to a 7-2 victory. The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks both lost Saturday night so the Dodgers lead in the National League West is five games over the Padres, 6 1/2 over the Diamondbacks. The Dodgers sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning against Williams.
Shohei Ohtani batted twice – and made two of the three outs. But Williams wasn’t around long enough to see Ohtani the second time. He walked three in a row to load the bases, gave up a two-run, ground-rule double to Tommy Edman, a sacrifice fly to Gavin Lux, and an RBI single to Miguel Rojas before leaving after 31 pitches.
The Guardians’ first reliever, Pedro Avila, took over and gave up a two-run home run to Andy Pages, in the lineup for the injured Teoscar Hernandez . The Guardians’ bullpen lived up to its statistical billing after that, allowing just one more run over the next seven innings– a solo home run by Mookie Betts in the fourth inning. Betts has six home runs and 23 RBI in 24 games since returning from his fractured left hand in mid-August.
In September, he is 9 for 20 (.450) with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs. The Dodgers’ relievers, meanwhile, had to pick their way through a minefield to make the lead stand up.
They did so by holding the Guardians hitless in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Michael Grove followed ‘opener’ Ryan Brasier and allowed a two-run home run to Lane Thomas in the second inning. Rookie left-hander Justin Wrobleski was up next and he allowed five baserunners in his two innings – three walks, a double and a hit batter – and stranded them all.
Right-hander Blake Treinen took the fifth inning and came within a foot or so of allowing another two-run home run. But Kyle Manzardo’s drive just cleared Edman’s glove and hit off the top of the center-field wall, bouncing back onto the field for a double that put runners on second and third with one out. Treinen struck out Daniel Schneemann and Thomas to end the threat.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech gave up a leadoff single and stranded the runner at third in the seventh inning. Brent Honeywell Jr. handled the final two innings uneventfully.
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