Bullpen steps up after Dodgers lose Ryu to groin strain in second inning
by Rowan Kavner
Alex Verdugo raised his glove high toward the air in left field, a final triumphant gesture after catching the final out of a 2–1 win that seemed more than the typical early May victory.
The Dodgers persevered after losing Hyun-Jin Ryu to a left groin strain after only 1 1/3 innings, with the bullpen following up allowing only a one run the next 7 2/3 innings to preserve the victory against the Diamondbacks and stop a four-game losing streak.
“They did a tremendous job to pick up Hyun-Jin,” Yasmani Grandal said to SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo. “He was pointing at his groin, so hopefully he’s OK. The fact they came in and shut it down, it was huge for us.”
As Grandal added, it was huge for the bullpen, too.
Dodger relievers entered with a 4.77 ERA this year, having allowed 23 runs in the last 20 1/3 innings in the past week. But they came through in the clutch, starting with Pedro Báez.
After allowing three runs in his last outing, Báez was the first reliever called upon when Ryu went down. He responded by holding the Diamondbacks off the scoreboard while tying a career high with 2 2/3 innings pitched and setting a career high with 42 pitches.
Báez struck out the first three batters he faced and got out of a bases loaded jam to keep the Dodgers ahead, after Alex Verdugo scored in the first inning on a Cody Bellinger RBI single.
Reliever Daniel Hudson was also looking to bounce back from recent outings, having allowed runs in his previous three appearances. He, too, responded with his best stuff of the year, striking out three in two scoreless innings and eventually earning the win.
Things looked grim when the Dodgers lost Ryu, their best starter to begin the year. Ryu had one out in the second inning when the trainers came out to look at him after a pitch and his night was over. But the bullpen preserved a slim lead all night.
Tony Cingrani followed and worked around a double for a scoreless seventh inning, when Verdugo again provided what would end up a crucial insurance run. After his second double of the day, Verdugo took third base on a ball in the dirt with one out in the eighth inning. That allowed Grandal to follow with a sacrifice fly.
“It changes from trying to get a base hit to now just make contact, get him in,” Grandal said. “Huge play by him.”
The Dodgers’ collection of relievers cruised along all night until Josh Fields ran into trouble in the eighth inning, putting runners on the corners with an out. When A.J. Pollock ripped a hit to the left side of the infield, it seemed the Diamondbacks might have cut the lead in half.
Instead, Kiké Hernández came up with the play of the night to start a double play and end the threat.
“He’s a special player,” Roberts said. “He really is.”
Verdugo’s base-running and Hernández’s play became even more substantial after a run came across in the ninth inning against Kenley Jansen, who then finished off a narrow 2–1 victory to halt the skid.
Roberts said the bullpen earned “the MVP for the night.”
“Tonight, we had no margin for error essentially against a very good team playing well,” Roberts said. “Each one of those guys stepped up.”
As a result, the Dodgers obtained a morale-boosting win. Of course, it didn’t come without loss, as they wait to see how serious Ryu’s groin strain is when he takes scans tomorrow.
