The Los Angeles Dodgers lineup continued to sputter, but they were picked up by Tony Gonsolin for a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of the Freeway Series that snapped a three-game losing streak.
The right-hander allowed just one hit over 6.1 scoreless innings, extending his career-best streak of consecutive starts with at least six innings pitched to six. “Just attacking guys,” Gonsolin answered when asked what has made him so successful this season.
“I made a point in Spring Training to just throw strikes and see what happens. I try to give whoever is hitting my best stuff, and whatever happens, happens.”
With the excellent outing, Gonsolin improved to a Major League-best 8-0 with a 1.42 ERA, 3.10 FIP and 0.82 WHIP in 63.1 innings over 12 starts. “It feels good,” he said of becoming the first National League pitcher to reach eight wins this season.
“I know I struggled in years past to go deep enough into games to even qualify for a win, so it feels good even knowing that I’m going deeper into games and giving us a chance to win.”
Gonsolin not only is doing his part on the mound, but he has essentially carried the Dodgers rotation this year. “I’m just doing my best whenever I get the ball to try to keep us in games,” he explained.
“It’s incredible to watch our defense play. We probably have one of the best defenses in the league and it’s awesome I have those guys behind.”
The Dodgers will continue to lean on Gonsolin now that Walker Buehler is expected to miss a significant amount of time after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, in addition to needing to recover from a Grade 2 right flexor tendon strain.
“It’s the same,” Gonsolin said when asked if he feels more pressure to pitch well with Buehler sidelined. “When it’s my day to pitch I’ve got to go as long as I can and try to keep us in the ballgame.”
Roberts: Gonsolin throwing like pitcher Dodgers knew he would become
Now in his fourth season with the Dodgers, Gonsolin is meeting — and arguably exceeding — his potential. “I’d like to say yes. But to do what he’s done for essentially three months is pretty remarkable for anyone,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“So we know that it’s a good head, it’s a confidence, it’s an athletic body, it’s a a good arm with weapons. But to see it over this stretch, I don’t think even in ’20 he was this good for this stretch of time.
“But again, this is a new ballplayer that’s gained a lot of confidence. We don’t know where it’s going to lead us but he’s doing a lot of good things for us.”
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