Giants trip up L.A. as Dodgers’ bullpen falters
SAN FRANCISCO — In the dugout, a pained expression haunted the face of manager Dave Roberts. The moment did not defy belief, not if you’ve catalogued the ineptitude of this Los Angeles Dodgers team in this season’s first month. But it came close: In the seventh inning of a 6-4 loss to San Francisco, Pedro Baez balked in a run by falling off the mound. Seriously. This happened. To Baez’s credit, he did not crumple to the ground. But he did drive in the go-ahead run when his cleats tripped across the dirt in the center of AT&T Park’s diamond. His gaffe created a fitting visual for the 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers. In trying to recover from last November’s agony, the Dodgers (11-13) have performed like a club uninterested in playing this October.
They fell on Friday for the third game in a row. They wasted a quality outing from HyunJin Ryu, who struck out seven Giants in 5 2/3 innings and delivered a two-run double in the fourth inning. Roberts pulled Ryu after 89 pitches and watched his bullpen implode. Tony Cingrani and Baez combined to allow four runs to score in the seventh. The offense offered no response when facing the assorted gas cans in San Francisco’s bullpen.
Baez played a role in a Dodgers loss for the second time this week. He failed to protect a deadlock in a game against the Miami Marlins, a team who assembled a roster for the express purpose of losing. Baez was pitching for inexplicable reasons in that game, as Roberts chose him over Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning. Roberts had fewer options on Friday, as Cingrani melted down to blow a two-run lead.
Cingrani looked uncomfortable and ineffective during his outing. He gave up a leadoff single, walked a batter, gave up an RBI single to outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and then ended his evening by allowing pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson to hit a game-tying double. Along the way, Cingrani’s fastball velocity dropped and he received a visit from a trainer.
Into the fray stepped Baez. He was walking a tightrope. And he fell. Literally.
The defeat hurt in areas besides the standings. Matt Kemp exited the game after scoring a run in the fourth inning because of tightness in his left quadriceps. Kemp has been a crucial cog in the Dodgers offense, batting .308 with a .906 on-base plus slugging percentage. He dealt with nagging hamstring issues last season in Atlanta.