Timely hits, another nine strikeouts for Maeda provide win No. 50
by Rowan Kavner
The Dodgers have a starter with seven All-Star appearances. They have a starter appearing in his first-time All-Star Game this year. And they now have another starter with more strikeouts per nine innings than all but three National League starting pitchers.
Kenta Maeda recorded exactly nine strikeouts for the fourth straight start Wednesday night, allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win in a 4–2 victory in San Diego.
With the help of Maeda, Dodger starting pitchers lead the NL in ERA and K/9. Maeda struck out eight of the first 14 batters he faced Wednesday, the majority of which went down against a change-up that continues to baffle hitters as it drops down below the zone.
“It’s been a game-changer for Kenta,” manager Dave Roberts said of the change-up. “Everything just plays up off of that.”
Maeda now leads all Dodger starting pitchers in both strikeouts (107) and K/9 (11.15), the latter mark now the fourth best among all NL pitchers who’ve thrown at least 70 innings this year. In his last four starts, Maeda has allowed four earned runs with 36 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.
Offensively, that meant a collection of two-out hits would be all they’d need to secure their 50th win of the season. When clutch hits happen, Matt Kemp’s name tends to be mentioned.
The lone run Maeda allowed came before he recorded his first out. Kemp responded with a two-out RBI single in the third inning to tie it up, raising his Major League-leading batting average with runners in scoring position to .439.
After a Max Muncy single, Logan Forsythe followed with his second hit of the month. It was an important one up the middle for a go-ahead RBI infield single, as Carlos Asuaje’s flip to second base to try to get Muncy was unsuccessful.
The Padres’ defense aided the Dodgers, who caught some breaks in the go-ahead third inning. But the runs were also made possible by the hustle of Muncy and Cody Bellinger, who helped continue the two-out rally by hurrying the throw of Freddy Galvis on a grounder to shortstop that resulted in an error and a third run. Bellinger is 6-for-12 with four doubles this series after adding another extra-base hit Wednesday.
Daniel Hudson allowed only his second earned run since the start of June to put San Diego with a run in the seventh inning, but Chris Taylor responded an inning later with another two-out hit to provide Kenley Jansen some insurance.
“That’s what winning teams do, coming up with big two-out hits with guys in scoring position,” Taylor said to SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo. “That’s the key to a championship team. That’s something we can improve on as a team and get better on as the season goes.”
Jansen started the ninth inning with a four-pitch walk but got the next three Padres out to preserve his 25th save of the year.
