Los Angels Dodgers Swept By Rivals

With the Dodgers doing the sweeping in the last two series, the Dodgers entered today’s game trying to avoid a sweep against their archrivals, the San Francisco Giants. The last time the Dodgers were swept at AT&T Park, for a three-game series was in May of 2013.

To avoid losing the first three games to the Giants, the Dodgers turned to Pacific Coast pitcher of the week, Mike Bolsinger for his Dodgers debut. With the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Bolsinger had a record of two wins and zero loses, with a 0.00 ERA. Bolsinger has only given up three hits and three walks, to go along with seventeen strikeouts and a 0.55 WHIP.

Bolsinger’s stats against the Giants: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO & 1.59 ERA

Bolsinger probably won’t stay with the club to long, as the Dodgers will need to make room on the 40-man roster for Dodgers’ newly acquired left-hander, Xavier Cedeno. With Cedeno in the bullpen, it will supply the Dodgers with three left-handed relievers now.

The game started with great pitching, but Ryan Vogelsong was the first to give up the lead in the top of the second inning. As Alex Guerrero continued right where he left off from last night, hitting his fourth home run of the season, with a ball that glided over the wall of center field.

In the top of the third inning, struggling Adrian Gonzalez extended the Dodgers lead to two, with another solo home run to center field, snapping his hit less streak in his last ten at bats.

With not as much action in the fourth and fifth innings, the Giants started to make noise in the sixth inning, as Bolsinger got into his first jam with the Dodgers.

Nori Aoki lead the inning off with a groundball to Justin Turner, for an easy out. Afterward, Bolsinger gave Joe Panik a free base, with the second walk of the game, and a hit for Angel Pagan, to put men on first and second with Buster Posey up to bat (Bolsinger didn’t allow a man to reach second base until the sixth).

Gratefully, Bolsinger put away the Giants All-star on strikes, but gave up a run on the next at bat. With Brandon Belt hitting a blooper to center field, to bring in Panik from second.

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While the Dodgers were still in the jam, Mattingly decided to replace Bolsinger with Chris Hatcher, to get the last out of the inning, which he accomplished striking out Justin Maxwell.

With the game heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, The Dodgers brought in Joel Peralta to take over pitching duties for J.P. Howell, with two outs in the inning. On the next two at bats, Peralta gave up two straight walks to load the bases for the Giants. Thankfully, Justin Maxwell lined out to second baseman Howie Kendrick, on the third pitch from Peralta.

Pedro Baez was brought in for Joel Peralta to close the game for the Dodgers, and a chance for his first career save, which seemed like an easy win, since Baez has been lights out lately, but it wasn’t.

Casey McGehee leadoff the ninth inning with a single, which was followed up by a long triple to center field by Brandon Crawford, to tie the game up at two. Then, after Baez blew his opportunity for his first career save, he retired the next three batters to take the game to extra innings.

With the Dodgers looking to get on the board, since they scored in third inning. Juan Uribe lead off in the top of the tenth inning, with a single to right field. Who was then allowed to get to second, off of a sacrifice bunt from Joc Pederson. The next three batters were Jimmy Rollins who grounded out to first, Andre Ethier who got hit by a pitch, and Yasiel Puig who walked, which loaded the bases for the best man you want to bring in runs, Adrian Gonzalez, (leads the MLB with the highest batting average) but he heartbreakingly went out on strikes

As the Dodgers failed to capitalize with the bases loaded, it was time for the Giants to have back-to-back walk-off wins with the heart of the lineup. With one out, and men on first and second. Justin Maxwell hit a walk-off single to left field, to give the Giants the win and the series sweep.

WP Santiago Casilla (2-0)

LP Juan Nicasio (0-1)

Next: L.A. Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez Having An MVP-Like Season