Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to millions of Angelinos for over twenty five years. And now your voice for Dodger Talk like that, David Vasse.
We are live at Chase Field after the Dodgers defeat the Diamondbacks by a final score of ten to nine. Welcome the Dodger Talk David Vasse with you until eleven thirty tonight here on Dodgers Radio and five to seventy LA Sports and on the iHeartRadio app. What a game tonight here at Chase Field, A great opening act between these two teams, arguably the two best teams in the National League right now, and the Dodgers hold on for
a ten to nine win. They had a five run lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Diamondbacks have had so many come from behind wins here at home. It looked like they were putting a scare into Anthony Banda and Dave Roberts, because they scored four runs in the ninth inning, including getting a three run home run from Johennio Suarez, his twenty first of
the season. But Anthony Banda was able to hold on and get the final out of the game of a very very entertaining first game before forty six thousand and six to h six. Here at Chase Field, we have three lines open at eight six, six, nine, eight seven, two, five seventy. We will get to you. We will hear from Clayton Kershaw. We will hear from Dave Roberts, we will hear from Max Munsey, we will hear from Freddie Freeman. But a few different key plays moments in this game
that stood out to me. Number one the first inning Freddie Freeman's two run home run. After missing the entire Baltimore series, Freddy comes back to hit his first home run since August ninth. That was huge and certainly gave the Dodgers some confidence and maybe put some doubt in that Arizona dugout, although it did not last long. Arizona, who unceremoniously swept the Dodgers out of the NLDS last year, really believes they belong on the same field now as
the Dodgers. If you go back to twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, it was the Dodgers coming in to bully Arizona, even when Arizona beat the Dodgers maybe the six or seven final games of the twenty seventeen regular season. The Dodgers came back and swept them in the NLDS that year and made a statement so tonight coming in putting up a tense spot in their house and holding on
in that fashion. With Clayton Kershaw going down in the second inning after giving up a leadoff home run to Corby and Carroll that forced the Dodgers to use seven different relief pitchers, Ryan Brasier gets the win in relief, and to me, Hujuenio Suarez came up with a big three run home run for Arizona in the ninth inning, but to me, the key at bat was in the fifth inning by Suarez. He did Brazier a huge favor because he swung at the first pitch, grounding into a
double play. All in all, in that fifth inning, because of Suarez swinging at that first pitch and grounding into a double play, Ryan Brasier only threw seven innings, so it gave Dave Roberts the option to bring back Brazier for the sixth inning or have one of these seven relievers fresh four tomorrow and for the day after because this is a four game series and right now the Dodger bullpen is a little compromised. But Brazier should be
fresh and ready to go tomorrow. Because day Roberts chose to go with Michael Kopek in the sixth inning to face the bottom of the order. He was facing Newman Herrera and then Heraldo Perdomo in that sixth inning. He was able to get out of it by striking out Jock Peterson looking for the second out after walking Perdomo, and then a line shot by lords Guriel to Miguel
Rojas ended the inning. And look, there is an argument to be made that maybe Anthony Bonda should have been in that sixth inning, or maybe Ryan Brazier should have came out for the sixth inning as well and save Kopek for the ninth. And I know you're playing to have your offense score more rons, and right there you
have to get keep the game where it was. I know games could be lost in the sixth inning, but it's not out of the question to debate whether or not copex should have been used in the s inning or the ninth inning. But the way Dave Roberts managed It made sense from his standpoint. He was looking to keep the score where it was a close game at that point in time, and counting on his offense to score more. And he did hand the ball to Anthony
Banda in the ninth inning with a five run lead. Now, I'm not going to say that's low leverage because, like I mentioned a, Jose Mota and those that have come to this ballpark have witnessed five run leads, not being a five run lead anywhere else. This is a hitters ballpark just as much as Corsefield is, so a five run lead is not as large as it seems. But uh,
it made sense the way Dave Roberts played it. Anthony Banda has just got to execute his pitches and not wak hitters in that ninth inning with a five run lead. Eight six, six, nine, seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's head downstairs right now to hear from the manager Dave Roberts after a big ten to nine win.
There was there was some awareness it's a bone spur, and and it's it's obviously not good. There's swelling, there's pain, you know, So he's doing everything he can to kind of get through things. Some starts it feels fine and it's not impeding. Today certainly it was, and he just you know, he had nothing no legs today obviously, and then you start worrying about how it could affect his arm, and so there was just no other alternative but to take him on that second inning after the Carol at bat.
So yeah, so we're gonna see how he comes in tomorrow. We got somebody coming just to potential if it is an aisle situation, because you know, obviously they have to cover nine innings eight innings tonight, given where we're at over the over the last series, you know, all these guys are going to be down, and we pitched guys tonight that we were really trying to stay away from, but we had to finish the game and cover the game. So that's kind of the circumstance. So yeah, we'll see
how it comes in. But I'd be shocked if if we don't have to make a move, you know, or to tomorrow.
With when you kind of looked at Clayton was doing, either, what was the biggest indicator, I guess for you, because it seemed like even after that home run, like you got out there pretty quickly, just knowing that something needed to change.
Yeah, I didn't know anything, you know, until after the first inning he came to me and said that, you know, the toe is just not.
Feeling good and it's.
Very painful, and he's going to give us what he has and just you know, so at that point in time, I was obviously going to keep a close eye on him and wash him in his warm ups and then you know, gets ahead of Carol and then he hangs a breaking bone and I just felt that that just he just had nothing left.
With poser the ball.
It's been, it's been, and I'm sure it's been a couple of years, you know, just off and on, you know, just sometimes it just shows itself and he's doing everything he can, you know, and so I don't know, I don't know. I don't know how long it's been. I really don't, but it's been it's been a long time that you know, he's had good starts, he's had you know, mediocre starts, but it's it's been a thing, certainly for this year.
All right. There's manager Dave Roberts describing what was going on physically with Clayton Kershaw that last pitch that he threw to Curb and Carol. It was a curveball, a hanging curveball to Carol that was sixty seven miles an hour. That's just not a Clayton Kershaw curveball. And that's how everybody knew, Okay, there's something going on. It obviously was not his elbow or his shoulder. It turned out to be his big left toe where he has a bone spur in it. So that was the reason why Clayton
Kershaw came out of this game. And I was sitting next to Bob Nightingale from USA Today during the game tonight, and he said, it's going to take ten runs to win this game. And like I mentioned during the Clubhouse show, if you grew up in LA and he turned on Clipper Basketball, they're play by play broadcaster Ralph Lawler used to say Lawler's law, whoever gets to one hundred first wins. Well, tonight,
Lawler's law, whoever gets to ten wins the game. And that's what happened as the Dodgers got three home runs, one from Freeman, a two run shot in the first inning, a three run shot from Will Smith in the seventh, and show Hey Otani, which would turned out to be the difference in this game. His forty third home run in the eighth inning, O'tani becomes the first player in baseball history to be forty three and forty three and becomes the only player to homer and steal a base
six different times in a game in one season. Just an incredible year, and tonight it came in the process of winning. We will hear from Clayton Kershaw, Freddie Freeman, and Max Munsey a little bit later in the show, but we have a full board a call, so I want to get out to you. Let's start in Pasadena. Andy, You're on Dodger Talk Live from Chase Field.
Hi, Andy, Hey, dB, how you doing.
I'm doing good. I'm gonna need more energy from you, Andy. I mean, this was a big game, playoff game.
Here, I'm here, No, I'm here. I'm actually just curious.
He kind of covered it too.
But I was just wondering what you thought about roberts Sony Kopek in the sixth innings.
Yeah, at that point in time, I was expecting, because Brazier only threw seven pitches in that fifth inning, for him to come back out. But at that point in time and you're playing the long game. You're expecting your offense to score more runs and for you to have a lower leverage situation in the ninth and if it is a tighter game, you still had Evan Phillips to use. But I can understand what he's doing and I can't
be I cannot contradict myself. I've said many times before, the game is not always in the ninth inning on the line. The game can be on the line in the sixth inning, and he felt like it was.
You're right, but you know, the Diamondbacks have been coming back time and time again the last I don't know how many games, but they've been coming back in the later innings. And I thought when he put Kopek in it worked out tonight.
But it just it didn't.
It didn't sit with me right, you know.
Yeah, it was six a six ' five lead at that point in time. He doesn't want Arizona to come back. It's the bottom of the order plus the leadoff hitter. There's a there's an argument to be made what you're contending that you should save Copek for the ninth inning if you believe your offense is going to score runs to give you a win, because you know, the ninth inning, especially in this atmosphere, against that team, it's not just
any other team. It's not the it's not you know, you're not facing the Orioles, You're not facing the Mariners. It's a different type of animal in this environment. Yeah, yeah, I get right, Andy, all Right, cool, So I'm not arguing with you. I'm just trying to explain what I believe his thought process.
Was, and I don't.
I think we were all surprised to see and I'm glad to see it. Will Smith coming in with that three run home run.
And he also hit the ball hard on the top of the ninth inning, Carol robbed him of extra basis going the opposite way. So that's a great sign that Will Smith is hitting the ball the way he did tonight. Thanks for the phone call. Appreciated by the way. Coming into this game since the All Star Break, Will Smith had only one home run. Tonight was only his second home run since the All Star Break, and coming into August he was only hitting one seventy two. But what
a time to break out of a slump. A go ahead three run home run, A huge home run at that point in time to add to a one run lead, Will Smith's two out, three run home run in the seventh inning off of demoted closer here in Arizona, Paul Sewald, let's go out to Sergio and Azusa. You're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi.
Sergio, Hi, David, how you doing great? Talking to you?
Hey.
I want to point out how they how they used out productively and they were able to be there. They did the little things and I just I mean, the home runs and doubles are exciting, but I get more excited seeing those sacrifices and those coming in, you know, being at the right spot. And I think that's the difference that's going to make this team a championship. Being able to hit it to the right move that runner
over to third. I'm seeing more of that. I saw Mookie was clapping when he when he moved Phil hit over to third. And I just can't stress how when.
They're losing, they're not getting that one run, that one run.
That they get a leadoff double and then they just pop up and strike out. That's I'm really excited about that.
Yeah, that was There were a few different times tonight that happened, Sergio, and I'm glad you pointed that out because tonight had to be the start of team over me, meaning having more team at bats. We saw that when Mookie bed sitting a fly ball the center field in the second inning. We saw that also in the second inning where Freddie Freeman, after Otani stole second, got to third on the sack fly by Bets hit the ball
to the right side to get the run in. That's the type of baseball that is going to win in October. And I thought it was phenomenal as well that your two biggest superstars are leading by example in that way. And speaking of Freddie Freeman, he had a huge two run home run in the first inning that gave the Dodgers confidence throughout the rest of this game. And also, in my opinion, let the Diamondbacks know they were here
to play and we're not going to be complacent. I also thought the biggest play of the game was in the first inning when ta Oscar Hernandez made a great diving catch on a sinking line drive by Yuenio Suarez. Josh Bell a bad bass running mistake, ran the third without tagging up, thinking that it was going to drop or Hernandez trap the ball. He did not trap it.
He caught it. The umpire signaled it very clearly, and the Dodgers were able to double up Josh Bell to end that inning on a very unique inning ending double play f seven seven to five to two on that play, and the run did score. They scored a run on that play. And I look back at it, and the scoring runner, Lord of Scouriel, did not leave third base early. So it was smart not to challenge that as well. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number. Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks in Game one of this four game series, ten to nine. Let's go out to Huntington Beach. Mark, you're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi. Mark.
Hey, David, first time caller. Uh And I've been a Dodger fan since the days of the bleacher Bums in seventy two out in leftfield pavilion. But with Charlie Hoff and the bullpen talking to him, but nice, is it too optimistic or should we start focusing on the Dodgers magic number? Just think of the other teams, Say God, they're already thinking what's their magic numbers. They're already thinking that I all have to do is win. I don't know how many games are what six something like that?
Yeah, why don't we, uh, why don't we talk about magic number after Monday's game? Mark, to see how this series plays out? How about that?
I'm gonna make a I'll make a prediction. They're gonna sweep them all four games.
Okay, eight back that that is a huge prediction. Okay, Mark, thank you for the phone call. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers with the win tonight ensure they will be in first place when they leave Arizona and return home to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. They are five games ahead of both Arizona and San Diego in the NL West. Unfortunately, though, they win the game, but lose Clayton Kershaw. He comes
out with bone spur in his big left toe. Let's head downstairs right now to the Dodger Clubhouse to hear from the future Hall of Famer.
Yeah.
I just couldn't really push off, you know, And it's frustrating when you know, everything else seems to be feeling great, but you know, I just no matter what I did, couldn't find it like a comfortable way to push off on my toe.
So it super frustrating.
Obviously put the team in a really tough spot, you know, having the bullpen to cover eight innings. But the team did amazing, you know, they they battled and grinded, and I know the bullpens hanging after today, so you know, obviously disappointed that I was the culprit of that, but they did an unbelievable job and it was it was a big one for us.
Is this something that you've dealt with before? And are I guess and even looking ahead, are you kind of concerned as to what is next for you in regard to this injury.
Yeah, I just have to see I've come out of it tomorrow.
Not a lot of answers right now, but yeah, I just no matter what I did, I couldn't really find a way to push off to night. So you know, maybe it'll feel better tomorrow. I don't know you or during the first thing.
I felt it? Did you learn the team and the.
Dug out after the first looked like Joe was already warm, and when you went out there for the second.
I just I just felt it.
Yeah, you are you gonna have at a trade or an MRI or anything on it.
He'll figure all this about tomorrow. Probably.
Was it affecting, like all your pitches looked like like the velo on the fastball and slider okay, but like the kurveball one was down. Was it anything in particular that made it tougher?
It just didn't feel great?
Yeah, all right. There's Clayton Kershaw after the game, obviously disappointed. He really takes it hard when he compromises the team, and that's what happened tonight when he couldn't continue in that second inning. The Dodgers had to use seven different relievers. And going into the rest of this series and the rest of this road trip, the Dodgers will not be
at Dodgers Stadium on Tuesday night. I forgot. They got two games in Anaheim against the Angels starting on Tuesday and going into Wednesday, and then on Friday, the Dodgers are back at home. But nonetheless, this is not just about tonight. It's about tomorrow. It's about the rest of the series. It's about the the rest of this road trip before they get to their day off on Thursday,
where they can reset this bullpen. So the Dodgers definitely are going to make some moves and bring in some fresh arms that Dave Roberts can rely upon not only tomorrow, but the rest of this road trip where they play three more here and then two in Anaheim against the Angels. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers beat Arizona ten to nine at Chase Field tonight. We're gonna take a time out when
we continue more of your phone calls. We have phone lines open at eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. Dodgers win their eighty first game of the year and increase their lead in the NLS to five games after a ten to nine win in the Desert on a five to seventy LA Sports.
Dodger Talk is available on AM five seventy LA sports dot com, hand on the iHeartRadio app. Back to more Dodger Talk with Dodger insider David Vasse.
She won't stretch of the old twos, swung on a hammer left field. This one's teap, this one's heading back toward the wall. It's got a home run Number forty three.
The first major leaguer to have forty three home runs forty three.
Stolen bases the Passos Alex Rodriguez the forty two forty two Club.
Joey O'tani becomes the first player in baseball history to hit forty three home runs and steal forty three bases in the same season. His quest for fifty to fifty continues as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks ten to nine at Chase Field. David Vasse live in Arizona, Dodger Talk with you until eleven thirty tonight here on a five to seventy LA Sports. Daniels Jewelers by the Way is
the official sponsor of the Trip around the Diamond. Stop by any Daniel's location and say home run for your free team bracelet and fifty dollars gift card toward any purchase of ninety nine dollars or more. Daniels Jewelers Own the Dream by the Way. Otani, hitting his forty third home run of the season, is now just a few home runs shy of Sean Green's record for the most home runs hit in a single season in Dodger franchise history. Otani is just six home runs away from the great
Sean Green. Sean hit forty nine home runs during the two thousand and one season, so Otani, on pace for fifty one home runs, looks to make history in more ways than one. Eight six, six, nine, eight, seven, two, five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Palm Desert. Austin, you're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi.
Austin, Hey, David, just a couple of points to mention.
One of the biggest things I thought tonight was the bullpen. It was a concern to see our bullten being used so early, and it's been kind of a factor throughout the season and going into the postseason. We're having a game like today with the dunn Backs, and if we're using our bullpen this much, we really need that buy going in. We need to be the best NL team going into the postseason. So looking to see if the Dodgers can pull that off with their starting rotation not going past six six innings.
Really and well, Austin, tonight was I mean, you're just making a blanket statement right there. Tonight was an injury issue with Kershaw. That was not because he was ineffective. It's because of an injury that they had to use seven relievers over eight innings. So I know what you're saying. There has been in the second half of the season, not quality starts, not as many as we saw in the first half of the year. But tonight was a different story.
I can see that. But again, it's just a matter of, like going into that postseason, we need to have that buy at this point because.
Right now they have the best record in baseball, so they're on their way to having those five days off after the regular season. Thanks for the phone call, Austin. That's a first. Everybody's been saying those five days are going to work against you, and have worked against the Dodgers and Braves the last two years. So look, I'm not against those five days. The Dodgers are not going to refuse those five days. I think there's a way to get the rest for the bullpen, but also baseball
is an everyday sport. These guys continue to push through even if they're tired, even if they don't feel great, they continue to push through each and every day. The five days off should be, in theory good for the bullpen, but what if their bodies exil I've heard that from no, mar Garciapara. It's an everyday sport. Then all of a sudden you take five days off your body ex sales and quite frankly, you don't even get five days off
during the All Star break if you're a player. Uh maybe five at the most, but uh, that's very unusual at the most critical part of the season. Let's go out to all Hambra. Javier, you're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi. Javier, Hey, Dave, thanks for taking my call, my pleasure.
Yeah, baseball is better and the Dodgers are better. When the NL West looks the way it does with competitive teams, it's just so much fun watching.
I agree. I feel like you have to thank the Dodgers for forcing the Padres and Diamondbacks to get competitive, and the Giants are trying to get competitive, just nobody will take their money.
Yeah, I don't want to live in San Francisco anyways.
I called it talk about the bullpen, so.
I know you want to praise the bull I'm sure.
Yes, and I was.
It was good right, they stepped in, they did what they had to do. And it's always such so anxiety and do things seeing one of our pitches get hurt, but it happened so often this season unfortunately, right like going to back to brustar graderol FROs nine pitches pulls his hamstring.
But I'm just I know it.
Seems like Tyler Glasnell's touch and go. And I know Yamamoto is throwing his rehab assignments in Triple A Oklahoma, But what are the what's the forecast flips for those two guys coming back? And I and I'm sure Grata will be coming back soon as well.
Yeah, Javier Good questions. Tyler glass Now threw off flack round today. He's supposed to speak to us tomorrow, so we'll share what glass Now has to say with you about where he's at. He told me at Dodger Stadium very briefly, did not really want to have a conversation. He walked away, and as he was walking away, he said his elbow was fine. So today he was out there with a lot of trainers and obviously felt good
enough to throw from about ninety feet. As far as Yamamoto goes, he was here as well and is going to make a second rehab start, and then after that he'll return to the rotation and Bruce dar Graderol should be going out on a rehab assignment with Oklahoma City on Monday as well, so he should be back probably by the time the Dodgers get back to Dodgers Stadium a week from tonight.
Yeah, well, it's all across our fingers because we need those guys back. And thanks chicking my call again.
My pleasure eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy. Speaking of injuries, the Dodgers got Freddie Freeman back tonight after missing all three games against the Orioles. And Freddy's right middle finger still has a micro fracture that's not going anywhere, but you saw him tonight not have any tape or a splint on that right middle finger. He said the pain is manageable and the splint was just getting in the way of him gripping the bat and
throwing the baseballs. So he got rid of that and just try to play through it and is going to continue to try to play through it. The three days not only helped him physically, but like I mentioned the other night, it feels like it also helped him mentally. He's still helping his son, Max Freeman get through physical therapy while taking care of his other two kids, and he's also trying to be a great support system for
not only his kids, but his wife, Chelsea. And we had a chance to catch up with Freddie not only after the game tonight, but he was our pregame guest before first pitch. And here's what Freddy shared with us as far as what those three days off did for him.
I think that's what I try to take the most out of these three days. I think we all knew the finger wasn't going to be not fractured in three days. It was more of you know, life has taken a lot of toll on last month, so I tried to take as much and try to set the brain off as much as I possibly could. But you know, life is still going. You know, every day is you know, just trying to take care of Max and make sure he's okay, take care of the other boys, make sure
Chelsea's okay, make sure everyone's okay. So trying and put myself on the back burner in these situations. But there's a lot going on in life. You know, I get to be here in Arizona, away from the family, but I get to play baseball, So try and be as happy as we possibly can. And you know, I try to take the mental break. You know, I'm one to fight through everything and play through everything, but sometimes life kind of lets you know that you need to take
a break for a second. And you know, I don't know if it was more of the finger fracture they wanted me to give off for just you know, the last month and a half has been pretty hard on the Freeman family. So I took the three days as much as I could as resting my finger, but also trying to get my mind a break too.
All Right, there's Freddy Freeman conceding that he not only needed a physical break to get that right middle finger calm down, but also a mental break. Jason Hayward is no longer his teammate. He's been dealing with the right micro fracture in his middle finger that's frustrated him, and then obviously still trying to be the emotional support for his family as Max Freeman continues to do well but still has a road ahead of him to get back
to where he was. So Freddie's a remarkable person that knows how to compartmentalize things as all these great players do to perform at this level and perform Freddie did, driving in three of the dodgers ten runs tonight, including a two run home run in the first inning off of Zach Gallon. Let's go out to Santa Clarita Sarquise. You're on Dodger Talk with David Vasse live from Chase Field. Hi, Sarquise, Hey.
You doing, Dave, great job as always. And my question is more of a general baseball question. It's obvious to me, maybe to everybody else, this pitch clock is contributing to pitchers injuries across the board, not just for the Dodgers, but across the board. Well, Major League Baseball take a look at this in the offseason. Will they admit their mistake? How do you see this happening?
I don't believe it was the mistake, Sarkies. If you go back to you know where things were before pitchers were trying to go maximum effort and throw one hundred miles an hour every time out there. Pitchers threw a pitch, got the ball back and got back on the rubber, and we got away from that, and Major League Baseball had to step in to make the product a little bit more appealing. To those that are listening and watching and those that are here at the at the ballpark.
Nobody wants to be here for four hours, especially on a weeknight. Now a week weekend is different. But I still feel like the game is better with the pitch clock.
Yeah, I would. I would much rather do away with it and keep these pictures healthy.
Why it's I don't see.
I think we're Is it that obvious? I don't believe it is. I think there's a lot of other reasons why pitchers are getting hurt.
I mean across the board.
It's kind of I think the pitch clock is an easy culprit. I think the pitch clock is an easy target. Starkis maybe they should not have cut it down from last year, But I still believe that it's more about the way these pitchers are being trained all the way from high school all the way up to the major leagues, where uh they're pitching too much when they're younger, which is putting a lot more stress on a body that
hasn't matured. And also the fact that when teams draft these pitchers, they're trying to get them to optimize their velocity when maybe their body isn't built to throw one hundred miles an hour.
Yeah, maybe there needs to be more study. Maybe if this goes on for a few more years, it'll be a little bit.
I don't think there needs to be more studying. I think it's pretty simple. It's just a willingness from high school coaches and parents and also the big league teams on what they're rewarding and what they're trying to accomplish.
Yeah, all right, man, that's all I had.
You have a good night, Dave, thank you too, eight six, six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy. And also our good buddy No mar Garcia Para came up with a great idea. He said, maybe they should eliminate the pitchers mound at younger levels because young people, young guys don't know how to throw off the mound.
You know.
He told me an example of how parents come up to him and say, you know, our kid does it really well when he's not on the mountain, And he said, well, are they throwing off the mound? They're like no, Well that's the answer. When when young people get on the mound at you know, thirteen, fourteen, even twelve years old, they're hitching mechanics get thrown off. And even at that age, they're putting a lot of stress on their shoulder and elbows.
Maybe they shouldn't be throwing off the mound in little league, and maybe that should be held off until later in their in their in their life, when they're teenagers. Uh. And when I say teenagers, I'm thought I'm talking about freshman sophomore year of high school. Eight six six seven two five seventy is the phone number. Max Munsey came up big tonight. He had a couple of hit, scored a couple of runs, and I could tell you before the game he had the scowl of Max Muncy that
the Dodgers needed. Keiy Hernandez Chris Taylor definitely locked in before the game as well, very noticeable. And here was Max on Sports and at LA after the game.
Battle, you know, prop Sword Bullpen had to get through a lot of endings today.
You know, I feel for cursh We'll pully something too bad.
But uh, you know, it was just kind of a battle get in late last night. It was really hot today. I know it's inside, but it's still really hot, and so it was just kind of a battle for everybody. And you know, I feel like everyone was just giving their best and not not complaining about anything going out there and just trying to do their job.
How tough is it to win one of those games where you have the early lead, Kursh goes out, you lose it, You have as many pictures come in like just kind of staying even keel as a team.
How difficult is that all to manage?
Yeah, you know, it's it's tough, but everyone just knows you got to go out there and then focus on what you can control. And so, you know, offense is trying to string together good innings, string together good at bats. Bullpen's trying to come in and have clean innings, and you know, for the most part, we accomplished that fir throughout the entire game.
And so it was it was it was, you know, proud of the guys we're doing that. It was it was a tough one today, given just the.
Way the game played out and kind of what it means in the standings, Like, does this feel.
Like one of your guys's biggest wins of the year.
I mean, it's hard to say that. It's it's uh, I think it's one of the biggest wins. Just considering the circumstances of of how the game unfolded, if you take out the opponent, you know, it was just like I said, it was really hard for a battle, and it was just fun to see that there is no quitting the guys, you know, top the bottom. Everyone's going out there trying to get their all.
All right, there's Max Munsey on sports net LA. Not sure if that's the biggest win of the season or not, but certainly a significant win because the Dodgers gain a game on the team that's chasing them, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Dodgers increase their lead over Arizona to five
games with the ten to nine win. And look, the Dodgers guarantee themselves first place when they leave here Monday night, even if they lose the next three games, which I don't believe is going to happen, And even a split here is significant for the Dodgers and puts a lot of pressure on Arizona because time is running out if they're trying to catch the Dodgers for first place in the NL West and for all intensive purposes, the best record in the National League, because that's what the Dodgers
have right now after their eighty first win of the year. Eighty one and fifty four is the best record in baseball. Let's go out to Hollywood. Eric, You're on Dodger Talk Live from Chase Field.
Hi, Dodger, Nay, shoot, great team win. David Kirsh went down. The bullpen picked him up. Man, Will Smith, where have you been? Bro? He came out to play, excited, sick home run man. Hope he waits up for the series. We really need him to wake up. Got killed it, man, I mean there's a couple of questionable moves. I mean, I'm not a baseball I mean, I love baseball, but I'm not a baseball savant like you are and everybody else is. And I think he did really well man.
I mean some of the stuff he did, I was like, what But it worked out, you know, it worked out and Bob Bob, Bob Bob put us scareing us man. But he got that out, man, and he got us out and we won ten barn Man and David Man, I'm what a great start to this series, man, it really is. And you son playing.
Tonight, Eric sounds like you're a little under the weather tonight.
No, no, no, man, I'm just nursing these Uh uh, I'm not sick. I wish man, I got to put in work like you do. But uh no allergies allergies day. But uh came okay there, David, I got it, man, Man, Dodgers wearing Man, I'll put I'll go through anything. Man. But uh, David, thank you as always for taking my call. And Dodger tex chain out there. Man, we we love you very much. Man. They don't call in, you know,
but I'm a representative for them. And e or and and Huan and Jimbo and George, we all buck you very much man. And uh came back real quick. What's up with Joe? Kelly? Give me give me the load down on that. What's up with Joe?
Well, Joe's thirty six years old. The body isn't as young as it used to be, even though he's in pretty good shape. But the fact is a lot of all of us don't know what these guys are dealing with and continuing to try to be there for their team. I would venture to say the Dodgers are going to bring in some fresh arms. Joe threw over forty pitches. I feel like he may be one of the Dodgers
that go on the il some nights. He's just not feeling great, Eric, and the Dodgers cannot continue to flip a coin to see whether or not his arm's going to respond when they make that call in the bullpen, because Joe is never going to say no. He's going to go out there when his name is called. So that's where it's at. Gotta run handle those allergies, Eric, and thank you for the love on the text chain. All Right, tomorrow Gavin Stone will be on the mound
for the Dodgers. He has been. Where would the Dodgers be without Gavin Stone? And here they are again looking to Gavin Stone to give them a great start after they had to use seven different relievers with Kershaw leaving this game with an injury in the second inning, a bone spur in his big left toe. Gavin Stone in twenty four starts, is eleven and five with an ERA at three point thirty three. The eleven wins is the
most on the team. The twenty four starts that he's going to make tomorrow will be the most on the team as well. He's going up against Merrill Kelly, who is four and oh this year with an era at three to ninety eight. Morongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck begins at four o'clock tomorrow with first pitch from Chase Field at five to ten with Rick Monday and Tim Neverett. That'll do it for us tonight and I could talk
baseball with you all night long. We'll do more of it tomorrow after Game two of this four game series between the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Thanks to Colin Yee for a great job back at our Burbanks Studios. Thanks to Dwayn McDonald out here at Chase Field, and thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any of the show or our candid conversation with Freddie Freeman. He
can find it all on the iHeartRadio app. Before we say goodnight, though, I want to send out a heavenly birthday wish to one of my mentors, the great Joe McDonald. Big Joe's birthday was today and nobody loved his birthday more than Big Joe, and I want to send out my thoughts and prayers and my love to the Reichland family. Rob Reichland, former Clippers media relations director, passed away suddenly
at his home today. He was a great guy, was a shining light and a business that sometimes doesn't have a lot of those people. And I am very saddened by hearing the news of Rob Reichland passing. He will be missed, so all our love goes out to the Reichland family and Big Joe. We miss you all once again. The final score tonight the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks ten to nine. Have a great rest of your night. See you