The Los Angeles Dodgers received a boost with the return of starting pitcher Blake Snell on Saturday, but the team is still looking for answers for its struggles at the plate.
Los Angeles will continue that search when the Dodgers face the host Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday.
The Dodgers were held to six singles and shut out for the sixth time this season in a 4-0 loss on Saturday. Snell pitched five strong innings, but the Dodgers struck out 11 times and weren’t able to put a runner on second base until the sixth inning.
“We’ve got to find a way to put the ball in play, force something to happen,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “If you look at the strikeout rate, the last few weeks, it’s certainly up there. We’ve got to find a way to reset. Just overall take better at-bats and have a two-strike approach.”
Tampa Bay snapped its four-game losing streak behind first baseman Yandy Diaz, who had two homers among his three hits and three RBIs. Diaz recorded his 900th career hit in the win.
“It’s something big,” Diaz said through a translator. “After all the sacrifice and the work that I have put in, I’m glad that things are going well for me now.”
The Rays are adjusting without All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda, who will miss at least the next three weeks. Aranda landed on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist fracture suffered during Thursday’s game against the New York Yankees.
Tampa Bay has also played the last two games without center fielder Chandler Simpson, who is listed as day-to-day with a left index finger sprain. Despite the injuries, Rays right fielder Josh Lowe said the team needs to remain focused.
“Show up to work, tie your cleats, put your jersey on, get out there and get after it,” Lowe said. “You know, the game doesn’t feel bad for you. Nobody feels bad for you. You’ve got to go out there and compete and rely on our teammates to get each other going and give it our best every single day.”
Sunday’s series finale features a pair of right-handers as the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-7, 2.63 ERA) faces Tampa Bay’s Joe Boyle (1-1, 2.82).
Yamamoto, 26, allowed one run over seven innings in a 5-2 road win over the Cincinnati Reds last Monday.
Yamamoto has been impressive over his past six starts, allowing a total of eight earned runs with 38 strikeouts across 31 2/3 innings.
“When he needs to make a pitch, the split’s been there. Using the curveball to get back into counts and the strikeout when he needs it,” Roberts said. “It’s good to see him get back when he was kind of middling for a bit there and get back to being the dominant pitcher that we know he can be.”
Yamamoto is set to make his first career appearance against Tampa Bay, which is hoping Boyle can bounce back from a rough outing last Tuesday.
The 25-year-old gave up six runs (four earned) over 3 1/3 innings in a 7-5 road loss to the New York Yankees. He is making his first career appearance against Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media
