Dodgers Dugout: How to lose in extra innings in 12 easy steps

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and a couple of quick thoughts before we get to the main topic.

—Trea Turner obviously has the ability to tap into the Speed Force.

—An idiot fan ran onto the field during Sunday’s game and eluded security until he was finally tackled by the ball girl. That was outstanding.

—There has been a recent rise in the number of fans running onto the field. Don’t do it. You just look like a doofus to most of the remaining fans, and if the highlight of your life is running onto a field during a baseball game, well ...

—Albert Pujols, on homering for the first time against the Angels, who tossed him aside like he was worthless: “To me, I’m just glad to be able to contribute to the ballclub and help win the series. I didn’t put too much thought into it. It can be looked at a different way since it’s a former team, but I don’t look at it like that.” That’s the right thing to say, but I’m not buying it.

—It’s amazing to me that in a season where no breaks have gone the Dodgers’ way, when injuries have piled up like cordwood, where everything has gone the Giants’ way (on top of them playing outstanding baseball), that the Dodgers are on pace to win 97 games, normally enough to win the NL West.

Extra-inning losses

The Dodgers lost in extra innings on Friday, falling to 1-12 on the season in extra-inning games. Emails always come in asking what is happening, and my general response is the Dodgers haven’t had a lot of bullpen depth, and that their offense isn’t designed for small ball, and small ball is a good strategy when the inning starts with a runner on second and you need one run to win.

But it might be helpful to revisit all 13 extra-inning games the Dodgers played and see what happened. So here we go.

April 7
at Oakland 4, Dodgers 3 (10)

The Dodgers get two fly balls and a strikeout in the top of the inning, while Oakland wins in the bottom of the 10th after a flyball advances the runner to third and a single. Losing pitcher: Jimmy Nelson.

April 16
Dodgers 11, at San Diego 6 (12)

Dodgers get a grounder to advance the runner to third in the 10th, but Chris Taylor lines out and Zach McKinstry strikes out to end the inning. Padres leave the bases loaded against Dennis Santana in the bottom of the 10th. Dodgers don’t advance the runner at all in the 11th. Padres do with a ground out, but David Price walks a guy and strikes out two to end the inning. Dodgers get a leadoff homer in the top of the 12th and tack on three more for the win. Winning pitcher: David Price.

April 25
San Diego 8, at Dodgers 7 (11)

Padres advance the runner to third with a ground out in the 10th, but Jimmy Nelson strikes out two to end the threat. Dodgers also advance the runner to third in the bottom half, but the Padres walk the next two intentionally to load the bases and Clayton Kershaw and DJ Peters strike out. In the top of the 11th, the Padres get a walk, a double steal and a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run. Dodgers do not advance the runner in the bottom half. Losing pitcher: Garrett Cleavinger.

April 26
Cincinnati 5, at Dodgers 3 (10)

Jesse Winker leads off the top of the 10th with a home run. Corey Seager steals third with one out in the bottom half, but he is stranded there when Max Muncy and Luke Raley strike out. Losing pitcher: Kenley Jansen.

May 1
at Milwaukee 6, Dodgers 5 (11)

The Dodgers score in the top of the 10th, when, after a fly out and a walk, Justin Turner singles to center. Muncy is walked intentionally to load the bases, then pinch-hitter Kershaw strikes out and AJ Pollock grounds out. The Brewers load the bases with nobody out in the bottom half and score the tying run off of Alex Vesia on a sacrifice fly. The Dodgers score two more run in the top of the 11th, when, after a one-out walk, Will Smith triples. Mookie Betts walks, gets caught stealing second, and the inning ends on a strikeout.

In the bottom of the 11th, Vesia walks the first two batters, bringing in Mitch White. He gives up a sacrifice fly and a strikeout, then two consecutive run-scoring singles. Losing pitcher: Vesia.

May 4
at Chicago Cubs 4, Dodgers 3 (9)

This was the second game of a doubleheader and was scheduled to go seven innings. In the top of the eighth, Gavin Lux advanced the runner with a groundout, the runner scored on a wild pitch and Turner homered for a 3-1 Dodger lead. In the bottom half, Javy Baez homered off White with two out. The Dodgers did not advance the runner in the top of the ninth (two strikeouts and a fly ball) and David Bote‘s single off of Cleavinger won it for the Cubs. Losing pitcher: Cleavinger.

May 5
at Chicago Cubs 6, Dodgers 5 (11)

In the top of the 10th, Turner walked and Muncy doubled, scoring the runner at second with Turner thrown out at home. The Cubs tied it in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly after the runner moved up on a wild pitch by Jansen. The Dodgers scored again in the top of the 11th on a single by Smith and a groundout by Matt Beaty, but left the bases loaded when Betts grounded out. Cleavinger struck out the first two Cubs in the bottom half, but gave up a tying single, a walk, and a winning single. Losing pitcher: Cleavinger.

May 28
San Francisco 8, at Dodgers 5 (10)

Kenley Jansen gave up the go-ahead single to LaMonte Wade Jr., walked a batter, and gave up a two-run double to Evan Longoria. The Dodgers went down in order in the bottom half, with the runner moving to third on a two-out balk. Losing pitcher: Jansen.

July 6
at Miami 2, Dodgers 1 (10)

Will Smith was thrown out at third on a groundball to the pitcher, which hurt because the next batter singled. Albert Pujols grounded into a double play. In the bottom half, runner Starling Marte took third on a wild pitch and scored when Smith’s throw to third got by Turner. Losing pitcher: Blake Treinen.

July 18
at Colorado 6, Dodgers 5 (10)

The Dodgers scored in the top of the 10th, when, after a walk and two strikeouts, Turner singled. In the bottom of the inning, the Rockies’ runner moved to third on a long fly ball and scored on a sacrifice fly. Charlie Blackmon then homered to win it. Losing pitcher: Phil Bickford.

July 23
Colorado 9, at Dodgers 6 (10)

The Rockies got a single by Trevor Story and a homer by Blackmon in the top of the 10th. The Dodgers did not advance the runner at all in the bottom half and went 1-2-3. Losing pitcher: Jimmie Sherfy.

July 30
at Arizona 6, Dodgers 5 (10)

The Dodgers hit three fly balls and failed to advance the runner in the top half, then Asdrubal Cabrera singled to win it for the Diamondbacks in the bottom half. Losing pitcher: Nelson

Aug. 6
Angels 4, at Dodgers 3 (10)

The Angels led off the 10th with a double from Jose Iglesias to score the runner, a walk to Shohei Ohtani, the runners moved up on a groundout and one scored on a single by Jack Mayfield. Muncy led off the bottom half with a single to put runners at first and third. Pujols struck out, but Seager hit a sacrifice fly. Chris Taylor singled, but Pollock’s fly ball ended the game. Losing pitcher: Cleavinger.

So what did we learn? Don’t bring Cleavinger in during extra innings, because he is 0-4. The Dodgers had a chance to win four more extra-inning games, but the bullpen couldn’t hold a lead.

Dodgers hitting in extra innings
.230/.338/.328, 12 runs scored

Dodger opponents in extra innings
.280/.438/.500, 23 runs scored

Pitching has really let the Dodgers down (not that the offense has been outstanding). But, if the bullpen does its job, the Dodgers are tied with San Francisco, not four games back.

NL West records in extra innings (through Sunday)

San Francisco, 8-6
Colorado, 6-5
San Diego, 5-6
Colorado, 5-6
Dodgers, 1-12
(Best record in baseball: St. Louis and Pittsburgh, 5-1. Worst: Dodgers)

NL West records in one-run games (through Sunday)

San Francisco, 18-14
Colorado, 16-18
San Diego, 15-17
Dodgers, 13-20
Arizona, 5-22
(Best record in baseball: Angels, 20-9. Worst: Arizona. Dodgers are 26th of 30 teams)

NL West records in last 30 games (through Sunday)

San Francisco, 19-11
Dodgers, 16-14
Colorado, 16-14
San Diego, 15-15
Arizona, 12-18
(Best record in baseball: Tampa Bay, 21-9. Worst: Texas, 7-23).

What’s the Dodgers roster now?

Cleavinger goes to the IL, Justin Bruihl replaces him. Darien Nunez goes on the IL, Kevin Quackenbush replaces him. Jimmy Nelson goes on the IL, Brusdar Graterol replaces him.
Here’s the 26-man roster as of Monday:

Pitchers (12)

Phil Bickford

Justin Bruihl (LHP)

Walker Buehler

Brusdar Graterol

Kenley Jansen

Joe Kelly

David Price (LHP)

Kevin Quackenbush

Max Scherzer

Blake Treinen

Julio Urías (LHP)

Alex Vesia (LHP)

Catchers (2)

Austin Barnes

Will Smith

Infielders (5)

Max Muncy

Albert Pujols

Corey Seager

Justin Turner (Note: Turner is day-to-day after injuring a groin muscle during Sunday’s game).

Trea Turner

Outfielders (7)

Matt Beaty

Cody Bellinger

Mookie Betts

Billy McKinney

AJ Pollock

Zach Reks

Chris Taylor

Injury Report

Scott Alexander (10-day IL, left shoulder inflammation): Alexander has had shoulder problems all season.

Danny Duffy (60-day IL, left flexor strain): Duffy believes he has turned a corner on his rehab, but no timetable for his return has been announced.

Tony Gonsolin (10-day IL, right shoulder inflammation): Gonsolin continues working on strengthening his shoulder.

Victor Gonzalez (10-day IL, right knee inflammation): The injury is not believed to be serious and he could be back at the end of this week.

Clayton Kershaw (60-day IL, elbow inflammation): He won’t be available until “sometime in September) according to Dave Roberts.

Corey Knebel (60-day IL, right lat strain): Knebel pitched well in a rehab assignment at triple-A Oklahoma City and should be activated today.

Gavin Lux (10-day IL, strained left hamstring): He has begun a rehab assignment at Oklahoma City, but unless Justin Turner requires an IL stint, there doesn’t really appear to be a roster spot for him at the moment.

Jimmy Nelson (60-day IL, elbow surgery): Nelson is out for the remainder of the season.

Jimmie Sherfy (60-day IL, right elbow inflammation): He was transferred to the 60-day IL last week and probably won’t return this season at all.

Edwin Uceta (10-day IL, strained back): There is no timetable for his return.

Caleb Ferguson, Tommy Kahnle and Dustin May are all recovering from Tommy John surgery and are out the rest of this season. Edwin Rios had shoulder surgery and is also out for the rest of the season.

Trea Turner gets No. 6

Trea Turner wears No. 6 for the Dodgers, best known for being the number Steve Garvey wore. Others to wear No. 6 for the Dodgers:

Brian Dozier (2018)

Curtis Granderson (2017)

Charlie Culberson (2016)

Darwin Barney (2015)

Jerry Hairston (2012-2013)

Aaron Miles (2011)

Tony Abreu (2007)

Kenny Lofton (2006)

Jason Grabowski (2005)

Brent Mayne (2004)

Jolbert Cabrera (2003)

Steve Garvey (1969-1982)

Ron Fairly (1961-1969)

Carl Furillo (1946-1960)

Bill Hart (1944-1945)

Jack Bolling (1944)

Carden Gillenwater (1943)

Hal Peck (1943)

Joe Medwick (1941-1942)

Tony Giuliani (1941)

Johnny Hudson (1938-1940)

Buddy Hassett (1936-1937)

Rod Dedeaux (1935)

Sam Leslie (1933-1935)

Lefty O’Doul (1932-1933)

Up next

Tonight: Dodgers (Max Scherzer, 9-4, 2.75 ERA) at Philadelphia (Aaron Nola, 7-6, 4.49 ERA), 4 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570

Wednesday: Dodgers (*David Price, 4-1, 3.53 ERA) at Philadelphia (Kyle Gibson, 8-3, 2.79 ERA), 4 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570

Thursday: Dodgers (TBD) at Philadelphia (TBD), 10 a.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570

And finally

Vin Scully and Dick Enberg have a conversation. Watch and listen here.