Dodgers Sweep Snakes in Sydney

Dodgers 7 13 1

D-backs 5 8 3

WP- Ryu (1-0)

LP- Cahill (0-1)

HR- Trumbo (1)

After pulling an all-nighter and enjoying the first game of the season at a viewing parting at the SportsNet LA studio, I was ready to enjoy game two from the comfort of my couch. Saturday morning was a fun “night” filled with food, Dodger talk with colleagues and friends, and even a meeting with Orel Hershiser. The Dodgers won the first game thanks to a solid start from Clayton Kershaw and the power pop of Scott Van Slyke. The Dodgers would love to jump on that jet after the second game of the Opening Series already 2-0 on the season after sweeping the D-backs in Sydney. That’s just what they did.

The D-backs looked horrible during the series. Other than Paul Goldschmidt‘s usual antics against the Dodgers, the rest of the Snakes looked jet-lagged. Arizona couldn’t muster much off Hyun-jin Ryu who pitched solidly at the Sydney Cricket Ground in his first start of the season. Arizona’s defense also looked problematic as Miguel Montero made two errors in the game. The Dodgers’ middle infield had some issues as well, and Gordon picked up the second Dodger error at second base in as many games (Justin Turner committed an error during Game 1).

The Dodgers offense took advantage of a struggling Trevor Cahill and an ineffective Josh Collmenter. Gordon had 3 hits, 2 runs and a RBI. Puig and Uribe also had 3 hits. Gonzo and Baxter were the only starters to go hitless. Arizona’s offense had been asleep during the entire Australia trip until the eighth and ninth inning of Game 2. The D-backs failed to score against Team Australia in their exhibition game, and they were only able to score 1 run off the Dodgers in game 1. The Snakes waged a late game rally against the Dodgers relief corps in Game 2, and they pulled within two runs by the bottom of the ninth inning thanks to a two-run bomb from Trumbo off Kenley Jansen.

and

both had 3 hits in the Dodgers win over Arizona on Saturday. Photo: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Even though the Dodgers are the away team for the Opening Series, they are wearing their home uniforms in crisp white this Saturday in the final game down under. Dee Gordon leads off for the Dodgers against Trevor Cahill in the first inning. Gordon is at second base today against the right-hander. Cahill induces a little grounder from Gordon, and Cahill under hands the ball to Paul Goldschmidt at first for the first out. Yasiel Puig grounds a single up the middle for his first base hit on the season. Hanley Ramirez flies out to right field. Adrian Gonzalez draws a two -out walk, and the Dodgers have two on with two outs with Andre Ethier up to bat. Dre hits a ball to deep right center field, and Puig scores on the hit. Ethier tries to stretch it out to a double, but is thrown out at second by A.J. Pollack. The run counts, and the Dodgers take a 1-0 lead.

Hyun-jin Ryu, the international superstar, takes the mound for the Dodgers in the top of the first inning at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Pollack and Hill both hit lazy fly balls to right field for the first two outs. Paul Goldschmidt, the notorious Dodger tormentor, singles past Adrian Gonzalez to right field. Martin Prado strikes out on a Ryu curveball described by Vin Scully as “down and dirty” to end the inning.

Cahill strikes out A.J. Ellis to begin the second inning. Mike Baxter grounds out to second. Prado snares a line drive hit by Juan Uribe to third base, and the Dodgers go down in order.

Adrian Gonzalez makes a nice play to grab a line drive hit by Miguel Montero in the bottom of the first. Baxter handles a fly ball by Mark Trumbo for the second out. Gerardo Parra strokes a single to center. Didi Gregorius strikes out swinging.

Ryu, a pretty good hitting pitcher, singles Cahill’s breaking ball to center field to lead off the top of the third inning. Dee Gordon drives a ball over the head of Parra, and Gordon doubles. Ryu has to stop at third. Yasiel Puig hits a ground single to left, and Ryu scores. On the play Puig tries to squeak over to second, but he’s caught in a rundown. Gordon ends up at third with two outs. Ramirez draws a walk. Ethier collects his second single of the game, a line drive to center field. A.J. Ellis flies out to end the frame.

In the bottom of the third, Ryu sends the Snakes down in order. The lefty is looking very sharp tonight in his first start to the season. Ryu had a solid Spring Training, and it looks like his sophomore season is off to a great start for the Dodgers.

Juan Uribe’s line drive single is knocked down by Prado which prevents a double down the line in the top of the fourth. Ryu successfully

Dee Gordon was a catalyst in the Dodger’s second win. Photo: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

sacrifice bunts Uribe to second base. That’s Uribe’s first base hit of the year and the Dodgers first bunt of the season. Dee Gordon is able to run out an infield grounder up the middle for an infield single. It was ruled an error momentarily. Meanwhile Uribe moves to third. Cahill, who has been struggling this entire game, hits Puig in the arm with a pitch to load the bases up for Hanley Ramirez. Hanley is first ball swinging, and he pops out to Gregorius down the left field line.

Gordon picks up his first error at second base fielding a Goldschmidt liner which hits the center of his glove and bounces out. Prado looks at strike three for the first out in the home half of the fourth. Hanley then messes up a double play. Instead of shoveling the ball to Gordon, he tries to get to second himself. He isn’t able to get the runner at second, and his throw is late to first. The D-backs now have runners at first and second after the fielder’s choice. Puig has to cover a bit of ground, but he is able to catch the high twisting foul for the second out.  Ryu has had enough, and he promptly strikes out Parra with a beautiful breaking ball to end the inning.

Gonzalez walks for the second time against Cahill to open the fifth inning. With Dre at bat, Adrian was going on a hit-and-run play but Andre took the pitch. Montero throws the ball away from Gregorius, and Gonzo ends up at third on the error as the ball rolls all the way into left field. Ethier draws a walk. That’s going to be all for Cahill, and the Snakes will bring in Josh Collmenter in relief. Collmenter walks A.J. Ellis for the third free pass of the inning for the Dodgers. Mike Baxter comes up with the bases loaded nobody out. Baxter grounds into a 6-4-3 double play, but Gonzalez scores on the play. Dodgers lead 4-0. Uribe hits a long fly ball off the wall in left field, and Ethier easily scores on the double. Hit all the balls to Mark Trumbo! 5-0 Dodgers. Ryu strikes out, but the Dodgers add two runs to the board.

Trevor Cahill pitched 4 innings while allowing 5 runs on 8 hits with 1 strikeout and 4 walks.

Hanley Ramirez completes the double play which “eluded him in the fourth inning” as described by Vinny. Other than a walk to Collmenter, Ryu pitches another scoreless frame in the bottom of the fifth.

Gordon bunts for a single as Montero throws a wild one into the outfield. That’s Montero’s second error of the game. Puig doubles to left field which just lands fair hitting the chalk line, and Gordon easily comes in to bring home the Dodgers’ sixth run of the night! HanRam walks, and that is going to be all for Collmenter who will come out for Joe Thatcher. Thatcher strikes out Gonzo, and Puig is tagged out at third on the throw by Montero. More poor base running by Puig there. Ethier lines out to Aaron Hill to end the inning.

Hyun-jin Ryu picks up his first win of the season. Photo: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 5 innings and allowed no runs on 2 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk.

Chris Withrow will start off the bottom of the sixth in relief for the Dodgers. Withrow walks Hill. Goldschmidt slices a single to right field, and that prompts a Rick Honeycutt mound meeting with Withrow. Ramirez turns a nice easy double play hit in by Prado. Hill advances to third on the play. Montero grounds out to Hanley to end the inning, and Withrow gets out of the jam.

The D-backs continue to have defensive troubles as Aaron Hill commits the third AZ error of the game allowing A.J. Ellis to reach safely in the top of the seventh. Mike Baxter strikes out swinging, and his uselessness really makes me yearn for Scott Van Slyke. Randall Delgado will be brought in by Kirk Gibson to pitch to Uribe. Uribe hits a hard ground ball off the glove of Prado, and that’s the birthday boy’s third hit of the night! Chone Figgins will now get his first at bat of the season in Withrow’s spot. Figgins works a walk to load the bases for Dee Gordon. Dee’s fly ball is deep enough for A.J. to tag up and come home. It’s now 7-0 Dodgers. Puig hits into a force play to end the inning.

Paco Rodriguez will pitch the bottom of the seventh inning for the Dodgers. Paco allows a walk and a single, and Don Mattingly will call in Jamey Wright to get the last out. Pollack walks to load the bases up for the Snakes. Puig makes a big catch on a Hill liner which ends the long inning and preserves the shutout for the Dodgers.

Bo Schultz is the fifth Arizona pitcher of the night, and it is Schultz’s MLB debut. Hanley singles, but Schultz retires the next three batters in the top of the eighth.

Jamey Wright will pitch the bottom of the eighth for the Dodgers. With one out, Wright walks Prado and allows a Montero single. The D-backs finally score a run on a Trumbo single to right. Mattingly has seen enough of Wright. J.P. Howell comes out of the bullpen for the Dodgers. Howell gets work done by striking out the annoying Parra for the second out. Howell walks Gregorius to load the bases and extend the inning. The inning finally ends with a Tuffy Gosewisch fly out.

In the ninth, Addison Reed goes to the mound for Arizona. Baxter leads off with a walk. The Dodgers have only gone down in order once this game during the second inning. Baxter takes second on a wild pitch with Uribe at the plate. Uribe is hacking away, and he goes down on strikes. It’s finally Alex Guerrero’s chance to make his MLB debut after being batted for last night and not getting the chance to actually bat. Guerrero strikes out swinging. Gordon is hit by the pitch in the foot. Puig strikes out, and Reed ends up striking out the side.

Jose Dominguez will pitch the bottom of the ninth inning. A.J. Pollack walks to lead off the inning. Aaron Hill also walks. If my math is correct, that is the 16th walk of the game. Goldy nearly hits one out, but Andre Ethier makes the catch all the way at the wall. Pollack easily tags up, and it is 7-2. Prado singles in two more runs, and Dominguez is throwing hard but not impressing. Paul Maholm will pitch to Montero who strikes out on a good breaking ball. Mattingly will now bring in Jansen to get the last out which seems pretty ridiculous, but let’s just get this last out and get them back to L.A. Mark Trumbo proceeds to smack a two-run homerun, and just like that it’s 7-5. Parra strikes out a third time, and the Dodgers finally put this one in the can and sweep the Snakes in Sydney!