Dodgers Bullpen Collapses Late in Loss to Cubs

The Los Angeles Dodgers traveled to the “Windy City” to take on the Chicago Cubs. The two teams are meeting for the third and final time. They first met in the Tokyo series, where the Dodgers swept the mini two-game set to kick off the season, and in Los Angeles, where the Cubs took two out of three. It was a game of fireworks on both sides as the Cubs came out on top in this one. 

With two runners on in the top of the first inning, Tommy Edman set the tone early, connecting on his eighth home run of the year, giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. Edman now has 14 home runs as a Dodger, with seven of them coming against the Cubs alone. The first inning was full of action, with the Cubs responding in a huge way, scoring three runs with just five batters coming to the plate. The Cubs came into the game with the number-one offense in the MLB, averaging six runs a game. 

In the blink of an eye, it was 5-3 Cubs after the first inning. Dustin May took the ball for the Dodgers, and it was a struggle to say the least. May left the game after the fifth inning with a statline of 10 hits, seven runs allowed, three walks, and five strikeouts. This was one of May’s worst statistical starts of his young career. In fact, it was his worst start of his career, as he allowed the most runs of his career. 

Andy Pages did get a run back for the Dodgers in the second inning via the long ball, as it was his third of the year. It was safe to say the bats on both sides calmed down as May and Shota Imanaga settled in. Over the next three innings, the teams combined for just four hits and just one run, Page’s solo shot. Interestingly, Imanaga came into today’s game recording a 1.80 ERA over two starts against the Dodgers. He finished going 5.2 innings, striking out six, allowing five runs, two of which were earned, and walking two batters. 

With the score standing at 7-5 in favor of the Cubs, things changed in a flash as the Dodgers’ offense erupted in the top of the seventh. Looking to attack a shaky Chicago bullpen that ranks in the bottom half of the MLB. Los Angeles scored five runs in the inning, giving them a 10-7 lead. The highlight of the inning was a two-run RBI double by Freddie Freeman, extending his on-base streak to seven games. 

The intensity of this one picked up again in the bottom of the eighth, where Kyle Tucker hit a two-run home run off Alex Vesia. Vesia’s day was done as he was replaced by Kirby Yates. After walking his first batter, he struck out Dansby Swanson to end the threat. Yates bounced back in a major way after allowing a walk-off home run in the team's previous series. The Dodgers were just three outs away from sealing this one shut. 

Those three outs became just one out, down to their last chance in the bottom of the ninth, Miguel Amaya drove a fly ball to center field, tying the game up for the Cubs. This was the second blown save in the last three games for the bullpen, this time by the pitching of Tanner Scott. This one headed into extra innings with the Dodgers making nothing of their opportunity as the Cubs attacked Noah Davis on the first pitch, walking it off to grab the opening series win. Davis was making his season debut, an interesting decision that ultimately cost the team. The Dodgers look to even the series tomorrow as it’ll be a bullpen game with a starter to be determined.