Bobby Miller impressed on the national stage for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball but the Los Angeles Dodgers offense and bullpen failed to follow suit in a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The defeat snapped the Dodgers’ streak of winning series at home at five.
Like in 2019 when they played at Dodger Stadium, the Yankees came away with two wins in three games.
Miller endured a 27-pitch first inning that included self-inflicted traffic by way of two walks but he worked out of it behind three strikeouts. That set the tone for the rookie fireballer as he matched a career high with six innings pitched.
Miller had a no-hitter until Anthony Volpe’s single with two outs in the fifth inning. Nothing came of it, however, as Miller retired Gleyber Torres to keep the game locked in a scoreless tie.
The right-hander finished off his outing by retiring the side in order in the sixth inning. Miller threw 86 pitches and set a career high with seven strikeouts.
He became the first Dodgers pitcher since at least 1901 to log a minimum of six scoreless innings with just one hit allowed within the first three starts of his career.
Miller additionally joined Kenta Maeda (2016) as the only Dodgers pitchers to go at least five innings and allow one run or fewer through his first three career starts.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers and Miller, his brilliant outing was initially matched by Domingo Germán getting through six scoreless innings as well. But the Yankees sticking with their starter in the seventh didn’t pay off as J.D. Martinez hit a game-tying solo home run.
Dodgers bullpen woes
For a second time on the homestand and third instance this season, Brusdar Graterol hurt his cause with a throwing error. Following a base hit, Graterol attempted to make a play on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s bunt up the third-base line.
Graterol’s ill-advised throw was well wide of first base, leaving two runners in scoring position with one out. Kyle Higashioka’s broken-bat RBI groundout brought Jake Bauers in to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead before Martinez’s homer.
Then with Evan Phillips on the mound in the eighth, Anthony Rizzo’s walk and Giancarlo Stanton’s double put runners on second and third. The Dodgers again were hurt by soft contact as Oswaldo Cabrera’s RBI grounder to second base gave the Yankees a decided lead.
The Dodgers had their infield drawn in on both plays, but neither Chris Taylor or Miguel Vargas appeared comfortable attempting to make a throw to home plate.
Caleb Ferguson became the third high-leverage Dodgers relief pitcher to give up a run when Anthony Volpe hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning.
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