Dodgers Win Third Consecutive Game; Buster Posey Trips On His Way Back to the Clubhouse

Dodgers 3 6 0

Giants 1 8 1

WP- Rodriguez (2-2)

LP- Bumgarner (7-5)

S- Jansen (5)

HR- Puig (7)

The Dodgers have only won three consecutive games once this season. Way back in the first week of the season, the Dodgers knocked Pittsburgh off April 5, 6, and 7. Since then, the Dodgers have yet to string any sort of winning streak together. After defeating San Diego in two straight games thanks to a very offensively hot Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers look to continue that momentum in to this important series with San Francisco to kick off a seven game homestand. If the Boys in Blue can mount some sort of winning streak, they could find themselves right back in the thick of things in the division. But they only have a little more than half a season to turn it around and make a push to get themselves out of the darkness that is last place.

Hyun-jin Ryu contained the Giants to just one run over 6 2/3 innings, but he did allow four free passes and just two strikeouts. Even though Ryu wasn’t dominating, he still kept the Dodgers in the game with another quality start. Madison Bumgarner also pitched well, and he shut down most of the Dodgers with the exception of Yasiel Puig. Puig collected three hits and two RBIs as he showed off in front of bitter Bruce Bochy. The Dodgers took advantage of several missteps by the Giants including a crucial play when Buster Posey failed to score after tripping over the third base bag.

The Dodgers bullpen seemed different tonight, and they actually pitched well. We saw a glimpse of the old Belisario, and Paco and Kenley struck out four combined.

Marco Scutaro singles over Mark Ellis‘s head for a one-out base hit against Hyun-jin Ryu in the top of the first. Buster Posey, who is greeted with a chorus of boos at Dodger Stadium, promptly grounds into a inning ending double play on the first pitch he sees.

Yasiel Puig hits his 7th homerun of the season in the first inning. Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Ellis strikes out after going 3-2 against Madison Bumgarner in the home half of the first. Yasiel Puig proceeds to blast a 87-mph Bumgarner fastball into the right field seats for his seventh homerun of the season! The Dodgers take an early 1-0 lead.

The Giants quickly get that run back in the top of the first. Hunter Pence hits a lead-off single, and Joaquin Arias hits in to a force out. Hanley Ramirez barely is able to pick up the slow roller and underhand it to Ellis to get Pence out at second. Andres Torres doubles down the third base line as the ball bounces off Uribe’s glove. Arias scores, and the game is all tied up 1-1. Bumgarner lines out to end the frame.

Brandon Crawford has to come in to play shortstop after Arias is injured while running the bases on the Torres RBI double. He suffered a left hamstring strain. Yet another victim of the Year of the Hamstring. Crawford immediately makes  a nice defensive play on a groundball hit by Jerry Hairston Jr. Brandon Belt also makes a great backhanded catch on a line drive hit by Andre Ethier which was looking like a sure double down the line. Uribe flies out, and the Dodgers go down in order.

Gregor Blanco singles to center, but Andre Ethier makes a nice play to contain the base hit to only a single. Scutaro grounds in to a force, and Blanco is out at second. Posey hits a little flare to right, and Puig makes the catch on the run for the second out. Pence draws a walk, and Panda follows up with a single prompting a coaching visit to the mound. Crawford flies out to end the orange and black threat.

A.J. Ellis opens the bottom of the third with a signature walk. Mark Ellis hits a deep fly ball to left, but it’s just a long out. Puig flies out to Blanco, and the game remains tied up.

Other than a walk to Belt in the fourth, Ryu pitches a scoreless inning.

Gonzalez, Ramirez, and Hairston all are retired consecutively by Bumgarner in the bottom of the fourth.

In the fifth, Posey draws a one out walk and Pence collects his second hit of the game as the pumpkin-colored foes threaten. Sandoval singles up the middle, but Posey slips and falls while rounding third base and is unable to score. The Dodgers get a break, but the bases are loaded with one out. Crawford hits a little comebacker which Ryu throws to Ellis to get the out at home, and then Ellis guns it to first to double up the slow moving Panda at first for the 1-2-3 DP!  Phew.

Bumgarner strikes out Ethier and Uribe for the first two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Torres makes a diving catch on a A.J. fly ball, and the Dodgers go down 1-2-3 again.

Ryu retires the Giants in order in the top of the sixth.

Hyun-jin Ryu only allows one run to the Giants in game one. Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Puig pokes a single to right field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Gonzalez can’t extend the inning as he grounds out to second.

Ryu is still in for the seventh, and he gets the first two outs easily enough. Then Puig misplays a deep fly ball which hits the wall. It seemed like Puig was going to make the catch against the wall, but the ball never touched his glove. The ball hits the padding on the scoreboard, and Posey ends up at second with a double. That’s going to be all for Ryu, and Don Mattingly will lift him for Ronald Belisario. For once Beli doesn’t allow the inherited runners to score as he strikes out Hunter Pence!

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run on 7 hits with 2 strikeouts and 4 walks on 108 pitches.

In the seventh, Hanley Ramirez beats out Scutaro’s throw for an infield single to lead-off. Hairston’s failed bunt attempt turns in to a force out as Hanley is out at second. Ethier also grounds in to a force out. Juan Uribe singles to left with two outs. A.J. Ellis grounds out, and the game is still tied up 1-1.

Belisario is back for the eighth as we all hold our breath. He strikes out Sandoval swinging! Way to go Beli! Mattingly will now go to Paco Rodriguez to face Crawford. The patented Mattingly double switch also brings in Nick Punto to replace Uribe at third. Crawford pops out to A.J. for the second out. Torres strikes out to end the inning.

Nick Punto leads off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the right field line. Mark Ellis flusters the Giants defense with a nice sacrifice bunt. Bumgarner throws the ball high to first to draw the error, and the Dodgers have runners at first and third with nobody out. Bumgarner will come out, and George Kontos will come in to pitch to Puig. Once again Puig shows Bruce Bochy who deserves to be in the All-Star game as he strokes a single to left field to bring in Punto for the lead run! What an amazing talent. Bochy makes another pitching change, and he brings in lefty Javy Lopez. With Gonzo batting, the runners both move up a base on a wild pitch. Gonzalez grounds out, and the runners have to hold. The Giants will make yet another pitching change. Sandy Rosario will be the fourth pitcher of the inning for San Francisco. Hanley’s chopper up the middle is knocked down by Crawford, but Ellis scores on the play. Puig is safe at third as Sandoval drops the ball. 3-1 Dodgers.

Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk on 111 pitches.

Kenley Jansen will come in for the top of the ninth to try to shut down the Giants. Brandon Belt is blown away by Jansen’s fastball for the first out. Jansen strikes out Tony Abreu, but he reaches first on a wild pitch. Blanco flies out to center. Jansen whiffs Marco Scutaro, and the Dodgers win!

The Dodgers collect their second three-game winning streak and improve to 33-42.

Tomorrow Stephen Fife will face Mike Kickham in game two. There’s nothing sweeter than ending a game on a swinging Scutaro strikeout!