July 27-29: Huge series for Dodgers to take back some swagger. Dodgers need to win the series.
Game 1- Ugh! Dodgers just can’t beat the Giants, especially when they beat themselves. Bottom line is the Dodgers anemic hitting. Can’t win many games scoring only 1 run.
Pitching: Urias was very good again, but got no run support. I thought Roberts pulled him too early, but the bullpen did a good job. Treinen’s pitches were nasty, so much so he could not control them. Those leadoff walks lost the game.
Big error: First of all, Muncy should have thrown to 2B immediately, then none 0f that mess would have happened. 2nd best play was for Muncy to hold the runner like he did and toss to 1B. Then Belli was supposed to throw to 2B to complete the easy double play. Belli had a brain cramp, and Muncy wandered into his throw path to 3B because Belli was supposed to throw to 2B.
Game 2- Dodgers go 8-ball on Giants to relieve the pain of all those close losses. Dodgers have 2 big innings: 4-run 3rd, and 3-run 7th punctuated by a big hit in each inning — Will Smith triple (a wallop to the deep part), and a Muncy double (smash off base of wall in left center). In all, Muncy and hot AJ both got 3 hits, with CT3 and JT cooled off. We finally got Beaty in left instead of Raley. But Roberts is nuts to bat Belli 5th (a big hole: K, K, K), although it was fun and predictable that he would finally hit a homer (a towering jack out of the park in RF) when it wasn’t needed, and he got a gopher ball.
Pitching: Another stellar outing from Buehler: 7 innings, 0 runs, 3 hits. Walker finally gets another well deserved win. (Since Dodgers didn’t blow his lead this time!) He had great command of all his pitches this time, and took a no-hitter into the 4th.
Game 3 (important rubber game)- Dodgers revert to ineffective offense, getting shutout on only 4 hits. Dodgers loaded the bases in the 6th, only to have sure out Belli K (should not be hitting 4th!). AJ was the only one still hot (2-3). Giants looked like the much better team, on both sides of the ball.