The Los Angeles Dodgers recaptured their recipe for success and it propelled them to a 7-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers avoided being swept in a second straight series and snapped a six-game losing streak.
They chased Jhoulys Chacín with one out in the bottom of the third inning behind a 6-0 lead. It snapped his streak of starts allowing three earned runs or fewer at 17 (dated back to last season and included postseason).
The Dodgers jumped ahead in the bottom of the first inning when Alex Verdugo found a hole in the shift for a two-run single. Verdugo’s base hit came after Cody Bellinger sparked a two-out rally by drawing a walk, which was followed by A.J. Pollock’s base hit and Max Muncy’s walk.
One inning after missing a leadoff home run, Joc Pederson kept one fair down the right-field line with two outs in the second. That gave the Dodgers a home run in 29 consecutive home games, putting them three shy of matching the MLB record held by the Colorado Rockies.
Chacín’s troubles carried into the third inning as he failed to retire any of the three batters faced, leading to Muncy’s RBI single. Chris Taylor extended the Dodgers’ lead to 6-0 and knocked Chacín out of the game with a two-run base hit.
Streak buster? @OrelHershiser just told us he asked @djsevere to play all 80s music during pregame.
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) April 14, 2019
Verdugo added to his big day at the plate with a line-drive home run to right-center field in the fifth inning. The homer was Verdugo’s third this season.
Just as much as the Dodgers needed to find their momentum at the plate, the bullpen needed a reprieve. Manager Dave Roberts expressed hope Ross Stripling would manage to complete around six innings, and the right-hander did exactly that.
Stripling was efficient throughout the afternoon as he scattered four hits over eight innings in what was the longest outing of his career. It surpassed the 7.1 innings Stripling logged in his MLB debut, when he was removed despite being in the midst of a no-hitter.
Stripling didn’t allow a run until the eighth inning when a leadoff double and walk put him in some trouble. Eric Thames’ sacrifice fly prevented the Brewers from being shut out.
Sunday’s performance earned Stripling his first win of the season and he became the first Dodgers starter to reach the eighth inning this year.
