Dodgers reach 100 wins on last day of season

The Dodgers won their 100th game of the season on the last day of the season against the Giants in San Francisco. Kike Hernandez hit a three...

Monday, July 3, 2023

Dodgers cool off when it’s time to heat up


Just when it looked like the Dodgers were going to turn the corner and start a winning streak, they lost two of three games to one of the worst teams in the American League.

The Dodger bats cooled off at the worst possible time. The Dodger pitchers didn’t offer much relief either. It was a missed opportunity against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend.

The Dodgers ended the series with a 9-1 loss to the Royals on Sunday. Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin struggled. The Dodger batters managed only six hits in the game, half of them from David Peralta. And the Royals won their first series since May 17.

“We just didn't play well and they played better, quite frankly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Associated Press after the game. “Those guys just outplayed us. It's a different brand of baseball as far as putting the ball in play, hitting behind runners, stealing bases. They were excellent in situational hitting. To be quite honest, we didn't keep up. That's how they won the series.”

Gonsolin had one of his worst outings of the season. He gave up four runs on six hits in 3⅔ innings. He has given up 15 runs in his last 14⅓ innings. He is definitely going through a cold stretch.

It wasn’t much better for Julio Urias in Saturday’s game against the Royals. He made his first start since coming off the injured list and was rudely greeted with a five-run first inning by the Royals. 

The Dodgers battled back, scoring three runs in the second inning, but eventually lost 6-4.

Urias was making his first start since hurting his hamstring on May 18, but it was nothing to celebrate.

He gave up five runs on six hits in only three innings. Urias, who had the lowest ERA in the National League last year, saw his ERA rise to 4.94 after Saturday’s game.

The Dodgers went 3-3 in six games last week, taking two of three games against the Colorado Rockies to start the week. It was actually a productive week in the standings for the Dodgers. They jumped over the surprising San Francisco Giants for second place in the National League West standings, and are within striking distance of those annoying Arizona Diamondbacks, three games out of first place.

But the Dodger definitely blew a chance to make up more ground against a Royals team that has won only 25 games all season.

Another bright note was Clayton Kershaw took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Rockies on Tuesday, leading to a 5-0 shutout for the Dodgers. Kershaw won his 10th game of the season and was selected to the National League All Star team. But he left the game with soreness in his shoulder. He is supposed to start against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight, but he might miss it because of the injury. 

Dodgers starting pitchers power rankings:

  1. Clayton Kershaw
  2. Bobby Miller
  3. Emmet Sheehan
  4. Tony Gonsolin
  5. Julio Urias

The Dodgers (46-37) start a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium today. The Los Angeles Angels visit for a two-game weekend series on Friday. The All Star Game is July 11 in Seattle and the Dodgers are sending five players to the game. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and JD Martinez are starters. Will Smith and Kershaw were added as reserves.

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