The Los Angeles Dodgers battled their way to a 4-3 comeback win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday at Dodger Stadium, receiving another solid performance from the pitching staff.
Gavin Stone made his 13th start of the regular season, and he was consistently pounding the strike zone, inducing a number of uncomfortable swings. The lone blemish came against Royals catcher Salvador Pérez, who crushed a three-run homer in the fourth inning.
Aside from the 437-foot blast, Stone settled in, completing his fourth outing of a full seven innings. The Dodgers greatly benefit when he goes deep into games while keeping the team within striking distance, along with saving the bullpen.
“I feel like that’s my job more or less, to go deep in games, give our bullpen some length and let them come in and do their job in the later innings,” Stone said. “That’s huge, but I feel like that’s any starter’s job.”
The 25-year-old required just 94 pitches to complete seven frames, not allowing a hit on his four-seam, cutter, or his sinker. Stone had wicked movement with his hard stuff, driving into the hands of right-handed hitters of the Royals.
His in-the-zone approach kept the Royals’ lineup on their toes, with Stone routinely getting called strikes when he needed them.
“Just mixing in and out,” Stone said. “Two-seam was good, changeup was good. Just left one over the plate to Salvy, and he’s a good hitter so he crushed it. I was just mixing two-seam, changeup and four-seam away.”
Gavin Stone earning praise from Dodgers staff
In Stone’s second year in Major League Baseball, he’s been a key piece to what their overall plan is. Arguably being the third-best arm of the group, his Friday start earned some big words from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“He’s been consistent,” Roberts said. “I think with Gavin, I’ve got all the trust in the world in him that he can make a pitch when he needs to, get back after a tough inning and bow his neck and go out there and keep us in the ball game, which he did.
“Save the bullpen, which he seems like he does every time he takes the baseball. And he’s earned that trust.”
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