Dodgers Throttled in Game Two Against the Nationals
The Los Angeles Dodgers took on the Washington Nationals in Game Two of a three-game series in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. Looking to get the bats going, the bats stayed relatively quiet in this one, dropping the game 8-2. The Dodgers have now dropped four out of their last five on their soon-to-be six-game road trip. The road trip has been a rocky one after an 8-0 start to the season.
Justin Wrobleski took the bump for the men in blue, making his season debut. It was a rough outing for the lefty, to say the least, as he went five innings, allowing eight hits, eight earned runs, striking out four and walking three. Wrobleski allowed two crucial home runs in this one. The Dodgers bullpen did its job in the back half of the game, allowing zero runs the rest of the way.
The Nationals jumped on Wrobleski early, with James Wood connecting on a first-inning two-run shot to give the Nationals an early 2-0 lead. This was Wood’s second home run of the series. This wasn’t the only time Wood connected on a ball in this one, as in the bottom of the fourth, he would launch a ball into the right field seats, extending the National’s lead to 8-0. Wood has been the clear offensive guy for the Nationals in this series, going four of seven at the plate with seven RBIs in the first two games.
Outside of Wood’s offensive dominance, Keibert Ruiz drove in two of his own with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, capping off a five-run inning. Not to mention, Wood drew himself a walk that scored a run earlier in the inning. After two innings, the Dodgers saw themselves down 5-0. The Dodgers needed a source of offense, and they needed it fast.
It was not until the top of the fifth inning that the Dodgers created a spark of offense. Andy Pages would connect on his first home run of the year. The offense remained stagnant for the next few innings until the top of the eighth when Enrique Hernández smacked his fourth long ball of the year. Hernández has had an oddly statistical start to the year at the plate, as he is now four of 36, with all his hits being via the home run.
Outside of those two home runs, the offense accumulated just six hits. The trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman combined to be two of 10 at the plate in this one. Ohtani extended his on-base streak with his ninth-inning single to 28 games, dating back to mid-September last season. Betts would be replaced in the lineup late for Miguel Rojas, where Rojas recorded a hit in his lone appearance.
The Dodgers losing streak now extends to a meniscal three games. The Dodgers will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow in what will likely be a bullpen game. This will include Landon Knack getting the start and making his first pitching appearance since the team’s opening series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs. The Nationals will trot out Jake Irvin, who struggled in his last outing that took place against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
