Dodgers Recaps: The Joc Pederson Show Was Rudely Interrupted by the Brewers

The Dodgers always seem to have a rough time in Milwaukee. Last year they lost the series at Miller Park, and this season they are down two games to one in the four-game set. The Dodgers could not comeback on Wednesday night despite Joc Pederson putting on quite the show with two homeruns and a dazzling catch in center field. Joc’s season has Rookie of the Year all over it so far.

Unfortunately Joe Wieland had a disastrous five-run first inning in his Dodger debut, and even though he settled down somewhat after that, the Dodgers could never catch up. Sergio Santos also didn’t help matters in the fifth inning when he walked two more batters.

Wiley Peralta did not walk a soul, and the right-hander was able to keep most of the Dodger lineup in the park (except for the boundless energy of Joc). Adrian Gonzalez also had a good night with three base hits. Jimmy Rollins went 0-for-4, and the shortstop is now hitting .162 on the season.

Dodgers 3 8 0

Brewers 6 7 1

WP- Peralta (1-4)

LP- Wieland (0-1)

S- Rodriguez (6)

HR- Gennett (2), Lind (5), Pederson 2 (9)

Wily Peralta quickly retired the Dodgers in order to open the game. Joc Pederson and Howie Kendrick both struck out against the right-hander.

Joe Wieland might have been a tad bit nervous when he stepped on the mound at Miller Park for his Dodger debut. Carlos Gomez and Scooter Gennett took advantage. Gomez singled, and Gennett homered to center field to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead. Wieland couldn’t get an out or throw a strike. He then walked Ryan Braun, and Adam Lind hit the second two-run homerun of the inning for the Brewers. It became 4-0 just like that.

More from Dodgers Way

• Giants sign former Dodgers pitcher in another move that’ll get them nowhere
• Kevin Kiermaier being ‘top target’ to replace Cody Bellinger is bad sign for Dodgers
• Are the Dodgers really prepared to hand Shohei Ohtani a blank check?
• Dodgers fans shouldn’t dismiss interest in Dansby Swanson for this reason
• Giants laughably sign pitcher that Dodgers absolutely own

I thought the innings was finally after Khris Davis walked, and Jean Segura hit into what looked like a routine double play. Adrian Gonzalez couldn’t hold on to the throw from Kendrick, and Segura was safe at first. Segura promptly stole second with Martin Maldonado at the plate. The carnage continued when Maldonado’s RBI single brought in the fifth Milwaukee run of the inning.

The inning mercifully ended when Wieland struck out the opposing pitcher Peralta, but it took 38 pitches to get through it.

Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner hit consecutive singles to start off the second inning, and it looked as if the Dodgers had something going. Then things turned bleak after Andre Ethier struck out and Scott Van Slyke hit into the double play.

I covered my eyes when Joe Wieland took the mound for the second time, but I was pleasantly surprised when he pitched a perfect frame inducing two groundouts and a fly out.

A.J. Ellis barely beat out Segura for an infield single to spark up the third inning, but the Dodgers were only able to get A.J. to second thanks to Wieland’s sacrifice bunt. Joc Pederson popped out, and Jimmy Rollins grounded out. Why Jimmy, why?

May 6, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson (31) hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers got a lucky break in the fourth which was good for a run. Gonzalez came up with his second hit of the night, and the Brewers couldn’t turn the double play on a ball hit by Turner. Then Ethier singled, and Turner was able to come all the way around to score on a throwing error by Jean Segura.

A.J. Ellis gunned down Segura attempting to steal second in the bottom of the fourth, and the catcher has now thrown out 6 would-be base stealers on the season.

Wieland looked much better after that disastrous first inning, and the offense finally began to show signs of life…

Then Joc happened. It was unfortunate that no one was on base when Joc Pederson hit his eighth homerun of the season to center field. The Dodgers crept a little closer, and now were down by three runs.

With two outs in the fifth, Adam Lind doubled off Wieland. Don Mattingly lifted Wieland after the intentional walk to Aramis Ramirez. Sergio Santos was brought in to pitch to Davis. Santos ended up walking Davis on four pitches to load the bases up for Segura. Then Santos walked Segura after getting two strikes on him, and a run came home. Turner made a tough play at third which was ruled an error at first, because Adrian Gonzalez’s stretched out body couldn’t stretch anymore. It looked like Gonzo had his tippy toe on the bag for a moment before he fell to the ground. Mattingly challenged the call. After a lengthy review, the call was overturned and the inning over.

Joe Wieland pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts and 4 walks on 84 pitches.

Joc made a spectacular catch in the bottom of the sixth inning. He’s made some amazing catches in center field, but this one was wild. Wily Peralta hit a fly ball to the deepest part of the outfield, and Joc had to speedily travel a long distance to make the catch then slammed into the wall. That was highlight reel worthy.

Then exuberance turned to sorrow as Santos’s strikeout+wild pitch allowed Gennett to reach first. Then Ryan Braun singled. No one was covering second, and the runners were able to advance to second and third on the play. Mattingly finally pulled Santos, and Paco Rodriguez came into a very sticky situation. Paco did his job well by inducing a fly ball out from Lind to end the threat.

Joc is unstoppable. The kid hit his second homerun of the game, his ninth of the season, off Peralta in the eighth. The Dodgers were still down by three runs, but watching Joc play took the sting out of the loss just a bit.

In the eighth, Juan Nicasio walked Ramirez. Then the obligatory wild pitch advanced Ramirez to second with Davis at the plate. Nicasio then reared back to strike out Davis, Segura and Maldonado! Nicasio has pitched very well so far for the Dodgers.

Wily Peralta pitched 8 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts and no walks on 101 pitches.

Francisco Rodriguez replaced Peralta for the top of the ninth, and Adrian Gonzalez roped a double to right field to open up the possibility for a comeback from the Dodgers. Unfortunately Turner struck out, Ethier flied out, and Van Slyke struck out.

The Dodgers drop to 17-10 on the season. They’ll wrap up the four-game series on Thursday morning as Frias and Fiers make for an interesting matchup.