Teheran runs up against a rookie in the zone while Braves offense is unable to sustain early success against the Dodgers in their LA opener Friday night.
Sometimes it just doesn’t seem to matter what you throw. Friday evening, if Julio Teheran had rolled pitches to Corey Seager, he probably would have still yanked one into the seats.
Seager went 3 for 4 with three solo homers while Trayce Thompson provided the only other offense for the home team via a double and a fourth solo shot of his own to give LA a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Yes – that was it: the Dodgers only managed 5 hits consisting of 4 dingers and a double. Aside from that, Julio Teheran would have had a marvelous outing. As it was, 5.2 innings, 2 walks and 7 K’s sounds pretty good, but the problem in this contest was that he should have probably hit or walked Seager a couple of times.
It didn’t even matter who was pitching: Seager took Hunter Cervenka out to the LF corner as well to finish his night, the second time a Dodgers rookie had homered thrice in a single game (I feel obligated to mention this as it was stated on the telecast at least 22 times – ergo, it must be a rule).
ESPN felt obligated to pile on as well:
Corey Seager is the 6th-youngest player in MLB history to hit 3 home runs in a game (via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/POsqzVo0rp
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 4, 2016
Starter Kenta Maeda for the Dodgers was not sharp, but he did get better as the game progressed. He got into the seventh inning, giving up 6 hits and 2 early runs mostly courtesy of the lower portion of the order (special mention to Mallex Smith, 2-3 with an RBI and a steal that did not involve instant replay). He K’d 5 and walked Freddie Freeman twice.
After Maeda’s departure, the Dodger bullpen locked down a door that had pretty much already been shut by their predecessor. Once LA had tied the game in the 5th, the Braves didn’t have a base-runner again until their last out in the 9th.
Aside from the lack of offense… again… had Teheran been able to avoid 3 bats (Seager’s twice; Thompson once), we might have had a whole ‘nother outcome.
The Braves fall to 16-38 (10-15 on the road) while the Dodgers claw to 29-27… 2 games ahead at home (14-12) as well and 5.5 back in the NL West. The Braves ‘keep pace’ with Minnesota for the worst record in the game.
Next: FIVE More Days Until the Draft
For Saturday night, it looks like Bud Norris is going to be on the hill opposite Clayton Kershaw. Go get ’em, boys.