Photo Credit: Patrick Breen on Twitter (@pjbreenphoto)
Post-Game Briefing
The Dodgers struck together an offensive showing on Saturday in their 11-2 victory over the Diamondbacks that would give them the confidence they lost after Friday’s eighth-inning meltdown. The L.A. offense clicked against Arizona despite a slow start to the game, slashing four home runs, a triple, and a pair of doubles.
The story entering Saturday’s game was the removal of Cody Bellinger from the Dodgers’ lineup, which was said to be a proverbial mental day by manager Dave Roberts.
Cody Bellinger, who isn't starting for the Dodgers tonight, has -0.3 fWAR this season in 8 games.
That's his 2nd-lowest fWAR total in any 8-game single-season span of his career, behind only a stretch in late May 2018.
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 1, 2020
To go along-side the Dodgers’ offensive explosion, Julio Urías, the Dodgers’ starting pitcher, worked through six innings of two-run baseball to help in the team’s efforts. Urías earned the win, his first of the year, as his ERA moved to 2.45 on the year. Relief pitchers Brusdar Graterol, Dennis Santana, and Jake McGee each worked scoreless innings following Urias’ exit.
Scoring Plays
- BOT 1ST: Escobar RBI single (1-0 ARI)
- TOP 4TH: Rios two-run home run (2-1 LAD)
- TOP 4TH: Beaty solo home run (3-1 LAD)
- BOT 4TH: Kelly RBI single (3-2 LAD)
- TOP 5TH: Turner RBI triple (5-2 LAD)
- TOP 5TH: Pederson RBI single (6-2 LAD)
- TOP 5TH: Pollock two-run home run (8-2 LAD)
- TOP 8TH: Taylor three-run home run (11-2 LAD)
DLD Play of the Game
In the top of the fourth inning, Edwin Rios erased what was a 1-0 Diamondbacks lead when he launched a 434 foot home run beyond the wall in right-center field. The two runs provided by Rios’ home run would prove to match the total run count for Arizona on Saturday night.
4️⃣3️⃣4️⃣ ft. of power from @Edwin_Rios30. 💪 #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/pkrCjSBW2I
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 2, 2020
DLD Player of the Game
The Dodgers’ offense combined for eleven hits and four walks against Diamondbacks pitchers on Saturday. The team substituted Kiké Hernández and Chris Taylor in for Mookie Betts and Corey Seager, respectively, in the later stages of the game. Regardless of their subbing in and out of players, each Dodgers hitter reached base either by a hit or a walk during the game.
For the offensive unit’s efforts in pouring it on in Phoenix against their division rival, the eleven-player collective earns a share in tonight’s DLD player of the game.
NEW UPDATE: 1,583 feet of homers tonight. 😳 pic.twitter.com/PqwCLpctvk
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 2, 2020
Up Next
On Sunday, the Dodgers will wrap up their four-game set in Arizona and continue their road trip with three games in San Diego starting on Monday. Most notably, Sunday’s match-up with the Diamondbacks will showcase the 2020 debut of Clayton Kershaw, the pitcher the Dodgers named as their Opening Day starter before an injury-related late scratch delayed his start to the season. The Diamondbacks will give the starting duties to Merrill Kelly for Sunday’s 1:10 PM PDT scheduled first-pitch.
Arrick Joel has covered the Dodgers since 2017. Follow him on Twitter at @ArrickJoel and follow @DodgersLowDown for more.