Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Wednesday was a forgettable game for the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw didn’t have his breaking pitches working, so he allowed seven runs in 3.2 innings. The Dodgers had errors. The San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-to-1. The Dodgers have 4.5 games lead in the National League Western Division.
Again, the Dodgers were without Freddie Freeman, and our thoughts are with the Freeman family at this difficult time.
Dylan Cease entered the game with 22 consecutive scoreless innings and came off a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the first.
Clayton Kershaw in his second start of the 2024 season pitched well in the first, but it was marred with an error by Gavin Lux. On 9 pitches, Kershaw had four ground outs.
With an out in the second, Jason Heyward had an infield single but didn’t advance.
In the second, with an out, Kershaw allowed a single and a walk. He allowed a single that scored a run. Kershaw misplayed a bunt scoring another run. A wild pitch let runners advance, and a ground out scored a run. He allowed another single and a run. None of the hits were hard hit or on bad pitches.
With one out in the third, Nick Ahmed singled, and Shohei Ohtani walked. Will Smith struck out. Gavin Lux doubled in Ahmed, but Ohtani was out trying to score.
Kershaw had a perfect third.
The Dodgers didn’t do anything offensively in the fourth.
Kershaw allowed a solo home run in the fourth. He allowed a single. Kershaw’s slider didn’t have the same bite as it did in his first game. Lux made an error. Kershaw allowed another single for a run. Another run scored on a sacrifice fly.
At 83 pitches, Kershaw was relieved by Joe Kelly in the fourth. Kelly allowed a single but got the last out.
To start the fifth, Cavan Biggio walked and moved to second on a passed ball. The Dodgers didn’t score.
Michael Kopech relieved Kelly in the fifth. Kopech struck out the side.
In the sixth, the Dodgers stranded a runner.
Brent Honeywell relieved Kopech in the sixth. He walked the lead-off batter but didn’t allow any runs.
Three Dodgers struck out in the seventh.
In the seventh, Honeywell gave up a run.
The Dodgers did nothing in the eighth.
HHoneywell continued to pitch in the eighth and was in trouble. The Padres did not score.
In the ninth, Hunter Feducca made his major league debut.
