After exploding for 10 runs on 13 hits in the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Los Angeles Dodgers settled for a two-game split as Tampa Bay earned a win on Wednesday.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood’s road woes continued in some regard, as his mistakes resulted in three home runs. Wood tossed five-plus innings, giving up six hits, five runs (four earned), with seven strikeouts.
He suffered the loss, and is now 1-3 with a 5.18 ERA, 4.22 FIP and 1.49 WHIP over six starts this season. Four of the starts have come on the road, where Wood is 0-3 with an 8.05 ERA and 1.84 WHIP in 19 innings pitched.
Opponents are batting .318/.385/.494 with four doubles, one triple and three home runs in those outings. Despite some results not proving favorable, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has seen an improvement in Wood, according to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:
“He’s throwing the ball considerably better than he was his first few starts,” Roberts said. “The breaking ball was sharp. The fastball, when it’s down, had life. He’s throwing his change and the breaking ball off of it. When he’s up in the zone and misses up, there’s some damage.”
After throwing seven strong innings while allowing only one run and setting a season high with nine strikeouts, Wood said he worked on the timing of his delivery in effort to find more consistency.
He’s allowed at least three runs in all four of his road starts, and has only managed to throw more than five innings twice — both times coming at Dodger Stadium. Wood is next scheduled to start on Monday in the series opener against the New York Mets.
