Maeda, the latest Dodger starter to go deep, helps win streak reach three
by Rowan Kavner
You win with pitching, and you sustain success with starting pitching, manager Dave Roberts said as the Dodgers stared at a six-game losing skid. Three games later, with three starting pitching performances of more than six innings apiece, the Dodgers find themselves riding a three-game winning streak.
Kenta Maeda provided the latest start of length, rebounding after throwing 70 pitches through the first four innings Tuesday night with efficiency from that point on, finishing with 6 2/3 innings of one-run work on 98 pitches.
Prior to Sunday, when Ross Stripling threw eight innings of one-run ball, the Dodgers had gone nine straight games without a starting pitcher getting through six innings. After Stripling accomplished the feat Sunday, Clayton Kershaw followed with seven innings of two-run ball Monday. A day later, Maeda gave more than six innings to the Dodgers en route to a 6–1 win.
“That’s what our guys are capable of,” Roberts said. “It’s one of those things where I think Ross started that and the momentum sort of builds from there and the next guy wants to do the same thing.”
Maeda was spotted a 4–0 lead after two innings, with the Dodgers recording hits on eight of their first 13 plate appearances. The Dodgers, who entered the game leading the National League in home runs, started the scoring instead with three singles — two of them in the infield.
Alex Verdugo knocked in the first run with his infield single. It was the first of three hits on the day for the 22-year-old outfielder, who recorded the three-hit feat for the first time in his Major League career. Despite sporadic playing time, Verdugo is now batting .375 on the season.
“Obviously he brings a lot of energy and a lot of skill,” Roberts said. “That moment never gets too big for him. It’s fun to see that youthful enthusiasm. Guys rally around him and pull for him. Right now, we’ve seen some great at-bats and some big hits for us.”
He continues to respond in high-leverage spots, from his two-out RBI single in the first inning, to his two-out, two-run double in the seventh. That came after the Reds chose to intentionally walk Kiké Hernández to get to him.
“It’s a slap in the face, a little bit,” Verdugo said. “That’s the way I think of it. You understand it from a baseball aspect, you’ve got Kiké up there, righty versus a lefty, hits lefties extremely well, base open on first. It’s a smart play, it’s the baseball play. But for me, I carry that with a little bit of an extra chip on my shoulder and I want to do damage and make lefties pay, too.”
He has done that.
In five at-bats against left-handed pitchers this year, Verdugo has three hits — a double, a triple and a home run.
“When I get into the game,” Verdugo said, “I’ve been feeling pretty good.”
It would not be the only three-hit day for a Dodger player, on a night the Dodgers sprayed 13 hits as a team. Corey Seager also recorded three hits, and he did so against a defense that utilized a four-man outfield against both him and Max Muncy, who had two hits on the day.
The lone Dodger hit to leave the yard came off the bat of Joc Pederson, who gave the Dodgers their 4–0 lead on a two-run shot, marking the 31st straight home game in which the Dodgers have homered. It was Pederson’s second straight game with a homer after walking the Dodgers off with a win Monday, and his eight home runs on the year against right-handed pitchers are now tied for the Major League lead with Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich.
An inning later, the Reds would get a run back against Maeda with back-to-back doubles from pitcher Tyler Mahle and first baseman Joey Votto. Cincinnati threatened to do more damage in the fourth, loading the bases against Maeda, who couldn’t find his command in the inning, issuing back-to-back walks. He got out of the jam with a strikeout, then settled in.
After the walk that loaded the bases, Maeda retired nine of the next 10 Cincinnati batters. That included each of the two batters he faced in the seventh inning before leaving to a standing ovation.
“For him to regroup and find that fastball lane and give us the six-plus was huge,” Roberts said.
It also allowed the Dodgers the luxury of keeping Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner on the bench for a full day to rest their ailments. Roberts said he still expects both to play Wednesday afternoon, when the Dodgers have a chance to sweep the Reds.
“For them to get that full night off for their mind, their bodies, it’s a big plus,” Roberts said.
