Bullpen can’t make up for dump by Yu

Phil Gurnee ♦ October 27, 2017 ♦ 2 Comments

There is no way to spin this well for Yu Darvish. He took a dump in Houston and it was such a big dump that he may take the Dodger World Series hopes down the toilet with it. It is one thing to lose a game, but when you can’t get six outs in the first of three games on the road, it makes your manager burn through his bullpen, and you put the team in a very tough spot to come back from.

Kudos to the bullpen for keeping the game close enough that from every inning on, the Dodgers had a look at the game but the key hit they needed never happened. With the bases loaded and zero outs, Corey Seager hit into a killer double play plating a run but killing a rally.  The Dodgers scored on ground balls and wild pitches which works when the other team only scores two runs but not so much when you are chasing a five spot.

Cody Bellinger is having a hellacious World Series, and has looked so overmatched you have to consider benching him but the only option is Chase Utley who hasn’t had a hit in the postseason in over two years. You could go with Grandal and Barnes but not like either of them are doing anything in this world series.  At least Bellinger looked better in his last at-bat before striking out.  It is a lot to ask of a rookie to be the cleanup hitter in the World Series and so far he has not been up to the task.  I don’t expect Cody to be batting clean-up tomorrow.

Yu will have his chance for redemption in Los Angeles in a game seven if the Dodgers can win two of the next three games which is a tall task but one that a team with championship aspirations will have to accomplish.

At least Houston can’t use McCuller or Peacock in relief tomorrow of Morton.  It would behoove the Dodgers to play a cleaner game on the defensive side.  A lot of pressure on Alex Wood to deliver some quality innings because Kenta is not going to be available and next time Ross Stripling won’t be so lucky.