Shohei Goes 0-for-4, But the Shutout Relay Saves the Night
Shohei had a tough hitless day, but the pitching staff battened down the hatches and shut out the Giants. The bats came through too — back-to-back hits from Rushing, Muncy, and Kim Hye-seong plated 3 runs for the W!
Highlights
- Rushing's RBI single in the top of the 2nd got us on the board first — set the tone for this series
- Muncy's double in the 4th followed by Kim Hye-seong's RBI made it 3-0 for insurance
- Pitching staff threw a shutout relay — even on a day Shohei struggled, team depth got us the W
Man, what a nerve-wracking night…
Road trip to San Francisco, and I was on edge from Shohei's very first at-bat. Thought he might jump on the first pitch, but nope — rolled over a Webb sinker for a grounder. Exit velo was 102.8 mph, you know? The contact wasn't bad, but with a launch angle of MINUS 3 degrees, it's nothing but a grounder… Let out a big groan. Shake it off, next one!
The 3rd and 4th innings were brutal
Called strike three in the 3rd, swinging K in the 4th… Are you kidding me? Two outs, runners on the corners, PRIME scoring chance. Webb's changeup and sweeper just never matched up with Shohei's timing today. Logan Webb is always such a tough matchup, man… The way he works the zone and that in-and-out mix is just nasty, Shohei couldn't get his front foot down.
I was screaming for him to get it back in the 7th and 9th
Then in the 7th, leadoff guy reaches and up comes Shohei. "THIS IS IT!" I was yelling at the TV. Result? Jammed on a sinker, double play… ouch. 99.9 mph exit velo, but that angle though… Then in the 9th with two outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, just a flyout. Got a little out in front of a sweeper, and 85.9 mph right at the center fielder. 0-for-4, huh — don't sweat it Shohei! Get 'em back next game, I'm counting on you!
The lineup picking up Shohei's slack — that was the best part
But hey, today's Dodgers deserve credit. Rushing's RBI in the 2nd got us on the board first, then in the 4th, Muncy doubled in another, and Kim Hye-seong followed with an insurance RBI! Kim Hye-seong has been clutch lately, man — this guy delivers in scoring chances. Held on for a 3-0 win, and that's the beauty of it: even when Shohei's bat isn't clicking, the team can still get it done.
The pitchers threw a shutout relay — THIS is what I'm talking about
And the pitching staff, a SHUTOUT! Held the Giants' lineup to zero, that's huge. A shutout win on the road really builds momentum. The pitching staff and the rest of the lineup covered for Shohei's slump — THIS depth is what this year's Dodgers are all about.
Shohei, we're counting on you next time
Just one of those days where nothing clicked. He had sharp swings on basically all 5 plate appearances — timing was just off because Webb was that good. He'll be back raking tomorrow, I just know it. Waiting on you, Shohei! Anyway, we won, so I'm cracking open another beer.