The Los Angeles Dodgers started their road trip by taking two of three from the Kansas City Royals but needed to settle for a series split with the Milwaukee Brewers after losing the finale at American Family Field on Thursday.
If not for a Craig Kimbrel blown save in extra innings on Tuesday, the Dodgers could have won the series. But in having to face Brandon Woodruff and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, Corbin Burnes, a split isn’t the worst outcome.
The Dodgers’ loss on Thursday was due in part to Andrew McCutchen hitting two home runs off Andrew Heaney. Though, it was Hunter Renfroe’s two-run blast that ultimately proved to be the difference for the Brewers in their 5-3 win.
With the Brewers fighting to win the NL Central, McCutchen was pleased with how they performed against a Dodgers team he considers arguably the best in baseball, via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com::
“We played good ball. All four games, we were in those games, competed. I think we did a good job against a really good team. Pretty much one of the better teams, if not the best team right now, in baseball. We showed that we were able to compete with them. To take a split against them is something good, because they probably haven’t been doing that a whole lot.”
Even with their recent struggles and only going 4-3 on the road trip, the Dodgers hold the best record in baseball and are 38-19 against teams above .500. L.A. additionally was the first club to reach 80 wins this season.
This week’s series marked the start of the Brewers and Dodgers getting familiar with each other, as they meet Monday for the start of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium.
Dave Roberts: Dodgers facing elite starters ‘a good test’
Having just faced top starters Freddy Peralta, Woodruff and Burnes, and with the likes of Sandy Alcántara, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom on the horizon, manager Dave Roberts views the stretch as a good test and preparation for the Dodgers considering their World Series aspirations.
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