Diamondbacks suck
LOS ANGELES — Zac Gallen pumped both his fists and let out a guttural roar. A third straight curveball caught Freddie Freeman off guard as it spiraled down the middle for strike three, helping the Diamondbacks ace escape the fifth- inning trouble, navigate through the two MVP campaigners atop the Dodgers' vaunted lineup and move the quick- strike, upstart wild- card platoon one palm down from the National League Championship Series.
Again, the Dodgers' starting ewers put them in an early hole.
Again, a Dodgers offense anticipated to mask its gyration's scarcities came up substantially empty, miscarrying with multiple openings to tie or take the lead.
Again, the alternate- place platoon in the NL West is on the point of stunning the division titleholders in the NLDS.
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" We hear the talk," Diamondbacks director Torey Lovullo said." We hear that we are perhaps like the little family that everybody can beat up on. We take that tête-à -tête. We embrace it."
With two worried triumphs in Los Angeles against a Dodgers platoon that finished 16 games up in the division, it clearly looks that way.
After plating six runs in the first inning of Game 1, the Diamondbacks took it easier to start Game 2 They only scored three.
On Saturday, the early Arizona shower against Clayton Kershaw was important and inviting. On Monday, a second unforeseen D- tails cannonade was more advised and patient.
The Dodgers' gyration came into the series depleted, but it hoped to count on Kershaw and Miller, who was making his playoff debut. Miller made strides this time controlling both his feelings and the strike zone, not letting the game speed on him, but the D- tails put that to the test incontinently.
They minced down at the novitiate with a medley of productive plate appearances, starting the night with a walk from Corbin Carroll, a bunt single from Ketel Marte, mates from Tommy Pham and Lourdes GurrielJr., a immolation fly from Christian Walker and an RBI groundout from Gabriel Moreno, which might have been an inning- ending double play if not for Pham stealing alternate base.
The result was another early hole for a Dodgers platoon unfit to answer, now suddenly on the verge of another early playoff exit after Monday's 4- 2 defeat.
" There is clearly fight," Dodgers director Dave Roberts said." There always has been. But it comes down to results, too."
In each game, the Dodgers played from a significant disadvantage before their first at- batons. The Dodgers' two starting ewers allowed nine runs, walked three, struck out one and demanded 87 pitches to record six outs. Unlike Game 1, still, the Dodgers were always within striking distance Monday night.
The bullpen kept them in it; the offense noway came through.
With Game 2 squeezed between off days, the Dodgers could use a plethora of relievers without fussing important about workload. Roberts did not stay long. Miller was removed after 52 pitches in1.2 innings, departing with two runners on in the alternate inning. Brusdar Graterol took it from there.
Graterol recorded as numerous outs in a 23- pitch relief spin as the Dodgers' two starting ewers in the series combined. The Dodgers' bullpen bought time for the offense to muster commodity to cheer about for the 51,449 suckers in attendance. As Graterol departed the mound with two outs in the fourth inning, he clapped his glove on the way to the unker, praying the suckers to stay into it despite an offense that to that point had yet to break through.
" It's just to keep those positive vibes, that positive energy," Graterol said through a translator.
It sounded to make an impact.
In the bottom of the inning,J.D. Martinez handed life with a solo homer, cutting the deficiency to two. It would noway get near than that, despite the Dodgers' chances against Gallen and the Diamondbacks' bullpen.