Well game one was fun, was it not?
It would figure that the game before a bullpen game would go to extra innings.
Despite Dustin May not pitching well, there were a lot of good things in that game for the Dodgers. The offense didn’t just score early, and then go flat. Kirby Yates looked good in his first full inning since returning from the injured list. Although he allowed a run, Tanner Scott didn’t completely break down and blow the save. The offense battled back time and again, with the bottom of the order coming through for two runs in the bottom of the 10th to ultimately win the game.
Game two of the series on Tuesday will have the Dodgers facing Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, who is off to an uncharacteristically terrible start. He is 1-5 with a 4.72 ERA. Cease started well at home, but has gotten worse as the season has gone on. The Dodgers did well to tax the Padres bullpen in Monday’s game, giving a greater chance that if they get to Cease, he may just have to wear it.
Shohei Ohtani is batting .316 with a 1.223 OPS against Cease, and the lineup as a whole are batting .286 with an .839 OPS against him. The Dodgers lineup has also hit .284 against right handers over the last 30 days. Cease still strikes out a lot of batters but if the Dodger bats remain patient, they should do well against him, just like they did in both of his NLDS starts against them.
As for the Dodgers, they will be going with the aforementioned bullpen game. Matt Sauer will be recalled, and Jose Urena will be the odd man out and designated for assignment, Dave Roberts told reporters at Petco Park on Monday night. Sauer is likely to handle the bulk of the innings after the Dodgers use an opener.
Ironically, the last time Cease faced the Dodgers it was also with the Dodgers throwing a bullpen game. Let’s hope for the same outcome as that one.
Tuesday game info
Teams: Dodgers at Padres
Stadium: Petco Park, San Diego
Start time: 6:40 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA
Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)