ZCZC
BSP-09
BASEBALL-MLB
Ryu powers Dodgers past Braves to win NL series opener
LOS ANGELES, Oct 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-Jin
pitched seven stellar innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers blasted three home
runs to rout the Atlanta Braves 6-0 in the opening game of their NL playoff
series on Thursday.
Ryu, who was making his first playoff start in four years, struck out eight
batters and allowed no walks for the Dodgers, who now take a 1-0 series lead
into game two Friday at Dodger Stadium.
Ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw is expected to start game two of the best-of-
five series against the Braves’ Anibal Sanchez.
The 31-year-old Ryu missed over three months of the season with a groin
strain. He came back in mid August to post a 1.88 ERA in 52 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers explosive batting order didn’t skip a beat from the regular
season. They set franchise and National League record by hitting 235 homers
during the regular season.
“I don’t really feel like there’s anyone on this team that’s going up there
trying to hit a home run,” said Max Muncy, who had a three-run homer in the
second inning.
“It’s just a result of us having a good approach and good at-bats. I feel
like a lot of the home runs we’ve had have come off of long at-bats, working
the counts and wearing the pitcher down.”
Atlanta have lost eight straight series openers in the playoffs and haven’t
won a game one since 2001.
Elsewhere, Mike Moustakas belted a walk-off single in the 10th inning
Thursday to lift the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado
Rockies in the first game of their series.
– Rally cut short –
Before ecstatic home fans, the Brewers thwarted a rally bid from the
Rockies, who erased a two-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning.
Christian Yelich led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk, reached second
on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a fielders’ choice.
With two outs, Moustakas came to the plate and lined a base hit to right
field to score Yelich and give the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five
series. They host game two on Friday.
“Look, Moose has been in those spots,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s
something that you try to not make the situation too big, and he did a great
job of it and finally got a pitch to it.”
Yelich had put the Brewers up with a two-run homer in the third.
“You’re just trying to slow the situation down, find a way to get on and
make something happen,” Yelich said. “And Moose was able to come through
there at the end with the huge hit.”
Milwaukee’s pitchers took a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning, but then
things got away from closing pitcher Jeremy Jeffress.
Colorado pinch hitter Gerardo Parra led off with a single and Matt Holliday
added a single up the middle. A single from Charlie Blackmon allowed Parra to
score.
With runners on first and second, DJ LeMahieu hit a grounder that eluded
shortstop Orlando Arcia and Nolan Arenado produced a sacrifice fly that
knotted the score at 2-2.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1135 hrs