Dodgers believe surge is sustainable
Clayton Kershaw’s notion that the past five extraordinary weeks are the new norm for the Los Angeles Dodgers seems to be taking hold.
Going into the All-Star break, Kershaw suggested the Dodgers’ surge might not be a surge at all, but a sustainable pace. Then his team began the second half of the season with a threegame sweep at Miami last weekend.
The NL West leaders start a two-game series at the White Sox on Tuesday with a ninegame winning streak and baseball’s best record at 64-29 (.688). They have won 29 of their past 33 games (.879).
That’s some surge. Or not. “We’ve been pretty good all year,” third baseman Justin Turner said. “To say it’s a fiveweek thing I don’t think is fair to the team.”
If the Dodgers play .879 ball the rest of the year, they would finish with 125 wins. Don’t tell them they won’t.
“Clayton’s quote about, ‘Are we on a hot streak, or is this just who we are?’ - I never really thought about it that way, but I’m starting to think maybe this is just who we are,” unbeaten left-hander Alex Wood said with a laugh. “We have a different guy doing it every night, whether it’s pitching or one of
the guys in the lineup. It has been incredible.”
The Dodgers’ record merits comparisons to their teams in 1977 and 1955, both World Series clubs. They’re 35 games above .500 for the first time since ‘77, and the record at the 93-game mark is their best since ‘55.
Why all the winning? Among the many reasons are Kershaw, Wood, Kenley Jansen , Yasiel Puig and Cody Bellinger.
– The Dodgers are 55-18 (.753) since Bellinger was promoted from the minors. He has 26 homers and on Saturday became the first rookie in the 128year
history of the franchise to hit for the cycle.
– They’re 31-6 (.838) when Puig bats eighth, and he hits that low because the rest of the lineup’s so potent. Puig is having his best year and ranks second on the team with 19 homers.
– They’re 23-0 when Jansen has a save opportunity. Even more impressive than his 0.90 ERA are his 61 strikeouts and two walks.
– They’re 11-0 when Wood gets a decision. He’s the first Dodgers pitcher since at least 1913 to win his first 11 decisions in a season.