Saturday, August 17, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The return of Bobby Miller wasn’t triumphant. If the Dodgers’ defense wasn’t brilliant, Miller would have fared much worse. The Dodgers scored a run in the second, and Shohei Ohtani blasted his 38th home run. Freddie Freeman left the game with a finger injury. The Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the Saint Louis Cardinals 5-to-2, and their lead in the National League Western Division is down to two games.
Before the game, the Dodgers optioned both Justin Wrobleski and Michael Grove to Oklahoma City and activated Bobby Miller and Ryan Brasier. Miller was supposed to be a prominent member of the Dodger starting rotation, but shoulder inflammation and a lack of confidence derailed his sophomore year in the major leagues. When Tyler Glasnow went on the IL with right elbow tendonitis yesterday, the Dodgers had no choice but to start Miller.
Entering the 2024 season, Brasier figured to be an integral part of the Dodger bullpen. However, at the end of April, he strained his calf badly. He hadn’t pitched since then, except on his rehab assignment.
Shohei Ohtani walked to open the game and stole his 36th base of the year. Mookie Betts had a sacrifice fly moving Ohtani to third. Freddie Freeman singled in Ohtani. Will Smith hit into a force play to erase Freeman.
For the first time since July 9th, Miller hadn’t pitched in the major leagues. With an out in the first, Miller allowed a single and a stolen base. His wild pitch moved the runner to third. On a single, he allowed a tying run. He uncorked another wild pitch moving the runner to second. Miller got out of the jam without allowing any more runs.
Miguel Rojas singled to open the second but was caught stealing. Kevin Kiermaier singled with two outs. The Dodgers didn’t score.
To open the second, Miller walked a batter. Thanks to a double play, Miller faced the minimum.
Ohtani reached first on a strikeout in the third. Ohtani stole second. Ohtani was stranded.
With an out in the third, Miller allowed a single and a two-run homer. He doesn’t have any secondary pitches that he can throw for strikes. If the Dodgers didn’t have an outstanding defense, Miller would have allowed more runs. Miller allowed a single with two outs. He hadn’t struck out a batter yet. A frustrated Miller got a ground out to end the inning.
The Dodgers didn’t score in the fourth or threatened to score.
Miller gave up a single to open the fourth and uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runner to second. On his 77th pitch of the game, Miller ended the inning.
With two outs in the fifth, Ohtani blasted a solo home run, his 38th of the season. Mookie Betts struck out to end the inning.
Miller allowed a solo home run to start the fifth. With an out, he allowed a single and uncorked a wild pitch to move the runner to second. A sacrifice fly advanced the runner.
Dave Roberts relieved Miller with Ryan Brasier after 4.2 innings. He retired the last batter.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the sixth.
On five pitches, Brasier retired the Cardinals in order in the sixth.
To open the seventh, Miguel Rojas walked but was erased on a force play hit into by Andy Pages. Kiermaier hit into a double play.
Brent Honeywell relieved Brasier in the seventh, and with two outs, he allowed a single and issued a walk but got out of the jam scorelessly.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the eighth.
Honeywell allowed a solo home run to begin the eighth. Freeman was pulled out of the game because of a swollen finger. With two outs, Honeywell allowed a single but finished the inning scorelessly.
The Dodgers went down in order in the ninth.
