The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to earn a split with the San Francisco Giants in the Opening Series, as their bats came alive in a 9-0 win on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
Not only did the offense awake from its slumber, but the Dodgers pitching continued to dominate to the tune of a second straight shutout. Dodgers pitchers gave up just two runs in the series, which is tied for the fewest ever in a four-game series to start a season.
Rich Hill did a bulk of the work on Sunday, tossing six shutout innings while allowing up five hits and striking out five against three walks. The early returns on adjusting his pregame routine proving promising.
“Tonight we just went out there a little bit later and didn’t get on the mound before warming up prior to the game as early as I did last year,” Hill explained.
“Threw 10 to 13 less pitches than I did typically on average from last year. I’ll probably continue to stick with that routine and make sure that I get out there a little bit later and not get out there too early. I tend to throw a few too many pitches warming up for the game.”
Hill tended to struggle in the first inning throughout last season, evident by his 6.12 ERA by far being the highest of any inning for the year. His next highest was a 4.05 ERA in the fifth inning of starts.
On Sunday, Hill started the game with a strikeout, then induced a double play after allowing a base hit to get through the inning on just 13 pitches.
If Hill is to find more success by adjusting his pregame routine, it could further strengthen what’s shaping to be a formidable, if not dominant, starting rotation.
