LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
THIRTEEN: The Dodgers won their second straight series as they beat up on San Diego, 13-7 on Monday to win their second straight game and their eighth of the season against their National League West rival. The Dodgers improved to 22-7 in the last two seasons against the Padres and are 31-7 in their last 38 games against San Diego. With the win, the Dodgers lead the National League West standings by four games over the San Francisco Giants and are now nine games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who sit in third place in the division. The Dodgers wrap up the last leg of this road trip (3-1) with the first of two against the Diamondbacks tonight at 6:40 p.m. at Chase Field. The Dodgers improved to 9-4 on the road in the second half, as they have won all four-road series after the All-Star break.
RUN (Dodgers Version): The offense answered a five-run deficit with an eight run fourth inning on Monday afternoon as they went on to score 13 runs on 15 hits in their rout of the Padres at Petco Park. The Dodgers won the series, scoring 34 runs in four games, while recording three double digit hit games and stealing 10 bases. According to Sportradar, it was the first time the Dodgers had 34+ runs, 10+ stolen bases in a series since the 1914 series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Ebbets Field. Tony Gonsolin was the benefactor of the offensive onslaught, as he recorded his seventh win of the season, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. The offense saw contributions from all nine starters as they each recorded at least one hit in the contest while James Outman went 4-for-4 and Miguel Rojas, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith each added two hits each.
SLAMMED DIEGO: The Dodgers recorded their 11th Grand Slam of the season on Monday afternoon when Mookie Betts capped off an eight-run inning with his first slam of the season and sixth of his career. The slam tied a franchise record for most in a season (also, 2021) and they became the 18th team in Major League Baseball history to have 11+ in a season and are now three Grand Slams away from tying the all-time mark set by the 2006 Cleveland Guardians and 2000 Oakland Athletics.
SUPERMAN: Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4 with two runs yesterday and he is now slashing .462/.528/.821 with eight doubles, six homers and 17 RBI in his last 19 games since July 17. Freeman was the first player in Dodger history with at least 20 homers and 35 doubles before the end of July and he is tied with Ronald Acuña Jr. for most runs in the Major Leagues with 99 runs. He also leads the Majors with 40 doubles, is second with 65 extra-base hits and ranks second with a .340 average. Freeman’s career best in runs scored is 120, established in 2021. On Monday morning, Freeman was named Player of the Week for the second time this
season after hitting .500 (13-for-26) with two homers, four stolen bases and seven RBI in six games from August 2-6. He posted a .923 slugging percentage and a .536 on-base percentage during that span and has reached base safely in 35 of his last 36 games. On Thursday, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPAA) announced that Freeman is the Dodgers’ preliminary winner of the 2023 Heart and Hustle Award, an esteemed award that honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. One player from each Major League team is chosen by the committees based on their passion, desire and work ethic demonstrated both on and off the field. As the season draws to a close, all alumni and active players will vote to select the final winner from the 30 team winners. The overall winner will be announced mid-November on MLB Network.
THE MAN: All-Star Mookie Betts went 1-for-5 with a Grand Slam and is now four homers shy from trying his career high, which he set last season. He is slashing .358/.466/.775 with 12 homers, 28 RBI, 35 runs scored and 25 walks in his last 31 games. Betts ranks third in the NL in home runs with 31 while ranking fourth in slugging (.582), fourth in OPS (.966), third in runs (92) and fifth in walks (66). Since May 1, the 2018 American League MVP is hitting .299 (94-for-314) with 27 homers, 64 RBI and a 1.026 OPS. During that span, he is third in the Majors in homers, third in runs (75) and OPS, is tied for fourth in RBI and ranks fourth in extra-base hits (49). He extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a Grand Slam on Monday, he currently has the longest active streak in the Majors and he is batting .316 (18-for-57) with four homers and 10 RBI during the streak.
The 1: Julio Urías will make his fifth start of the second half and his 17th of the campaign. He is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA (11 ER/22.0 IP) and 19 strikeouts in four starts in the second half. In his career, the Mexican native is 24-3 with a 2.03 ERA (57 ER/252.2 IP) and 246 strikeouts in 61 second half games (41 starts). His 2.03 ERA is the best in Major League history for a pitcher with a minimum 250.0 innings, ahead of Billy Wagner (2.07) and teammate Clayton Kershaw (2.25).
TONIGHT’S STARTER at DIAMONDBACKS: LHP JULIO URĺAS (8-6, 4.69 ERA in 16 GS)
2023 NOTES:
- In his last start against the Athletics on August 3, he fired 5.0 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and one walk while punching out five en route to the win
- Over 16 starts, the southpaw owns a 8-6 record with a 4.69 ERA (45 ER/86.1 IP) with 82 strikeouts and 20 walks…has given up 16 homers and has produced a 1.18 WHIP
- Pitched a season-high seven innings, striking out a season-best 10 batters on May 2 against the Phillies
- He is 6-1 with a 2.22 ERA (12 ER/48.2 IP) and 50 strikeouts in eight starts at home this season
- In his start against the Rockies on April 4, he hurled six innings of shut-out baseball, tabbing his 600TH career strikeout against Kris Bryant
- Tossed six innings on Opening Day against the Diamondbacks, giving up four hits and two earned runs while sitting down six…was his first Opening Day nod of his career
VS. DIAMONDBACKS:
- Will face Arizona for the 13th time in his career…is 8-1 with a 1.55 ERA (10 ER/58.0 IP) and 53 strikeouts against 9 walks
- Last faced the club on March 30, spinning 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and two runs against six strikeouts, earning the win
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
No team release available.
