Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers were shut out by the Washington Nationals 2-to-0. This was the first shutout for the Dodgers since July 30, 2023. Shohei Ohtani had three hits.
Landon Knack made his major league debut because the Dodgers have an unofficial six-man starting rotation. He allowed a solo home run and a single before he retired the first out. He allowed another single. The Nationals are ambushing fastball, and Knack’s slider isn’t down or moving because he is overthrowing.
With an out in the first, Shohei Ohtani singled, Freddie Freeman walked, but they were stranded when Max Muncy struck out.
In the second, Knack settled down and retired the Nationals in order.
The Dodgers appeared to be impatient in the second. James Outman doubled, and went to third on Andy Pages’ ground out, but he was left as Gavin Lux struck out to continue his struggles in the 2024 season.
Knack looked great as he retired the Nationals in order in the third. He quit overthrowing.
The Dodgers were retired 1-2-3 in the third.
Knack faced only three hitters in the fourth.
With one out in the fourth, Muncy doubled, went to third on Teoscar Hernandez’s ground out, but was stranded.
After a rocky first, Knack had a great four-inning outing. He deserved run support to have an opportunity to collect his first major league win. Alex Vesia relieved the rookie and with two outs, lost his control but could get out of the sixth despite allowing three stolen bases.
Ohtani opened the sixth with a single but was erased by a double play.
Michael Grove walked a batter with one out in the seventh, but the runner was caught stealing. He faced only three hitters in the inning.
In the seventh, the Dodgers wasted another scoring opportunity.
Grove continued to pitch in the eighth and retired the Nationals in order.
The Dodgers wasted another scoring opportunity in the eighth after Ohtani singled.
In the ninth, Grove hit a batter but pitched well.
