An hour before the first pitch, a game host at Dodger Stadium will play the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night The match between them is described as “Game 7”.
In a sense, this is… kinda.
Heading into Wednesday, the Dodgers and Brewers split the first six games of their season series — two in each of four games in Milwaukee last week field, and then a victory in the first two games of this week’s rematch in Los Angeles.
“For me, it’s a little bit of preparation for the playoffs,” shortstop Trea Turner said of a recent game against the Brewers.
In Wednesday’s series finale, the Brewers have a chance to join the exclusive club this season — only two other teams have played multiple series with the Dodgers at the time games and won more games than they lost.
Alas, the Dodgers instead won the rubber in a blowout manner, beating the Brewers 12-6 at Dodger Stadium by a score of 47,216.
The Dodgers scored four in the second half in which they sent nine hitters to the plate after a brief home run behind Willie Adams , and forced Brewers starter Adrian Hauser to pitch 39 times.
In the third inning, they denied another Brewers team in the first half on Austin Barnes’ RBI.
Then in the fourth quarter, they pulled away forever, from Max Muncy, a two-point double from Joey Gallo and an RBI single from Barnes.
END OF THE NIGHT – Dodgers get another sack from Muncy in Game 5. Fly Barnes hits a two-run homer in sixth inning, Barnes Completed four RBIs — the Dodgers recorded double-digit runs in back-to-back games for the first time since September 2018.
They also have a winning record against 1 of the other 14 clubs in the National League this season – they only lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the season series Team and the Pittsburgh Pirates, six games against the Washington Nationals and still have to play the New York Mets in Queens next week — and the top seed in the league’s playoffs is eight games ahead.
Is this all starting to feel a little too easy?
“Sometimes it feels like that,” said Turner, one of five Dodgers with two hits Wednesday. “But when you think like that, you get kicked ass the next day.
“I think we’re doing a good job of just focusing on what’s in front of us,” Turner added. “I know it’s boring, but I think that’s why we’re in this situation. “
The best part of the Dodgers’ (86-37) performance Wednesday may or may not have been their offense.
On the pier, southpaw Andrew Heaney had one of his best starts of the year, hitting a six-inning season-high 91 pitches for the second time on the pitch.
“Feeling a lot better,” said Heaney, who started five straight shoulder-injured lists this month for most of the first half. “Try going deep into the game and pitching more efficiently. . “
That’s what Heaney did Wednesday, limiting the Brewers (65-58) to one more run, Hunter Renfroe RBI doubled in Game 3, while Hits 10 for the second time in a row.
Heaney has 62 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings this year with a 1.94 ERA.
“I think we’ve done a really good job of building him up gradually, and not too fast,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“He’s our A big part of the effort here this year. “
Pitcher’s rehab update
For months, the Dodgers have wondered how many of their injured pitchers could get back healthy in time to help them playoffs.
Now, the question is changing, people Less concerned with health and more concerned with how well their injured relievers are pitching at the start of the playoffs.
“It’s kind of like, are [they] healthy? Oh, and are we confident in performance? said manager Dave Roberts.
Currently, the Dodgers have four pitchers out on minor league rehab assignments: Blake Trining, Victor Gonzalez Triple-A with Tommy Kahnler in Oklahoma City; and Danny Duffy in the Arizona Composite.
Starter Clayton Kershaw and backup Team member Yency Almonte is also on the injured list, but is expected to return in the next few weeks.
All four recovering rescuers have missed significant time — if not the entirety of Season so far.
At this stage, though, Roberts Dodgers are “very sure we can get them all healthy as long as the calendar is. “
The bigger question is increasingly whether these pitchers, after missing so much time, will rediscover the form that warrants a spot on the club’s playoff roster.
“It will take some time,” Roberts said. “But those guys are easy to bet on. “
Lux sat down again
Gavin Lux missed the second straight game with neck/upper back discomfort but said he could still be back in the lineup as soon as Friday or Saturday.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
