Dodgers Beat the Streak: Finding Success in Steel City
Last night, the Dodgers, led by Ross Stripling, shutout the Pirates at PNC Park. Tonight, they look to continue that success with rookie-starter Caleb Ferguson taking the mound.
Well, the Dodgers are at .500. Last season, that would have meant something went wrong. This season? This season it means that whatever the Dodgers are doing is working extremely well. It means that Matt Kemp is proving people wrong, and Max Muncy is making himself known in Los Angeles.
Ross Stripling is dominating, and so is Walker Buehler. Who’s next? Hopefully, Caleb Ferguson.
Ferguson was drafted in the 38th round of the 2014 draft, out of West Jefferson High in Ohio. Ferguson’s minors career has been nothing if not outstanding, boasting a 2.80 ERA in 63 minor league games, 50 of which he started. He’s split this season between AA Tulsa and AAA Oklahoma City and over the course of 47 innings, he’s struck out 52.
It’s easy to see why this is the guy the Dodgers are calling on. He’s consistent, and he’s a new face that major league batters have yet to see or figure out. Plus, he has an increasingly strong offense to support him.
Tuesday’s picks:
As of last night, Jason and my streaks were both at two, and we both picked consistent hitters. Jason went with Yasiel Puig who homered off of Joe Musgrove, while I went with Max Muncy, who hit a single off of Musgrove in the 3rd.
The Dodgers would eventually win the game 5-0 after yet another strong outing from Ross Stripling.
Jason’s Pick: Current Streak: 3: Justin Turner
Justin Turner sat out of the lineup on Tuesday due to wrist soreness but should be good to go in the starting lineup on Wednesday.
Coming fresh off of back-to-back days off, Turner is going to be well rested to kick his 2018 season up a notch and start firing on all cylinders.
Despite all of the injuries and literally every roadblock being thrown in the team’s way, the Los Angeles Dodgers have overcome adversity and have moved back to .500 and trail the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks but just two games.
Now is the time for the Dodgers to get hot and gain some momentum before the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda come back to the rotation. Justin Turner is going to play a big role in gaining that momentum.
Sarah’s Pick — Current Streak: 3: Cody Bellinger
My pick for tonight is Cody Bellinger. He hit a homer last night, but we won’t know if he is fully out of his slump until he gets a few more big hits, but I think he’s on his way. Though his homer last night would make no difference in the outcome of the game, he managed to see the ball better than he has in a while. I predict that that will continue as the series in Pittsburgh continues.
Today the Dodgers face Trevor Williams, who hasn’t won a game in nearly three weeks. His dominance on the mound, however, is still there.
Cody Bellinger is in need of a few consistent games, and I believe those games are in his near future. Though I don’t expect him to exceed all that he accomplished last season, he’s still an All-Star, and he’s still elite.
Next: Everything You Need to Know About J.T Ginn
Cody Bellinger belongs in a Dodger uniform, and he’s about to continue proving why.