Puig, Bellinger homers aren't enough for LA

Dodgers squander Wood's strong start in series opener

May 15th, 2018

MIAMI -- A change of scenery did not end the Dodgers' recent skid as they opened a six-game road trip with a 4-2 loss to the Marlins on Tuesday night.
Blanked by for 4 1/3 innings, finally got the Dodgers on the scoreboard in the seventh with one swing of the bat, belting a 1-1 pitch from reliever over the left-field fence. The projected 400-foot blast, according to Statcast™, left the park with an exit velocity of 104 mph and a 32-degree launch angle. It cut the Marlins' lead to 2-1.

homered in the ninth inning for the Dodgers' other run. The blast -- his sixth of the season -- traveled a projected 443 feet with an exit velocity of 108.3 mph and a 24-degree launch angle, according to Statcast™.
"It's been a while since I've hit one to center like that. Just trying to slow everything down at the plate," said Bellinger, who is as puzzled about the Dodgers' season so far as anyone. "It's crazy that we're losing, but the feeling in the clubhouse is we're still fine."
The Marlins answered Puig's homer with two runs in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by J.T. Realmuto (3-for-4), who later scored on a single to make it 4-1.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood (0-4) did his job, but after his ninth start of the season, he still doesn't have a win. The lefty went six innings, and although he scattered nine hits, he gave up just one earned run. Wood struck out five and did not walk a batter in his 93-pitch (63 strikes) outing.
"I've never bought much into wins as a starting pitcher, it's a team game," Wood said. "We play together. We win together. We lose together. It's one of those things where I'm just hoping that every time I can give us a chance to win.
"Overall, we just haven't gotten any momentum or started clicking. One night we'll hit well and pitch bad, or one night we'll pitch good and play bad defense. It's never getting two of the three categories -- offense, defense, pitching -- together. Everybody's grinding hard and trying to figure it out."
His 17 1/3-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the first inning when Miami scored an unearned run.
, making his first appearance this season, got the Dodgers' first hit of the game, leading off the fourth inning with a single. He went 1-for-4.

Turner sustained a fractured left wrist after being hit by a pitch during a Spring Training game, and along with , he was reinstated from the disabled list prior to the series opener for Los Angeles, which was coming off a recent 1-5 homestand.
"This is testing every bit of fight you have," manager Dave Roberts said. "This is a stretch that a lot of these guys haven't gone through. Right now, we're not swinging the bats. It's up to every single one of us [to turn it around]."
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Puig isn't shy about using his speed and baseball intuition on the bases, especially with his team struggling. In the third inning on Tuesday, Puig attempted to make something happen by going from first to third on a bunt by Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood.

Puig moved up to second on Wood's bunt, which rolled down the first-base line. Marlins first baseman let it roll for a while hoping for it to go foul, but he ran out of time, picking up the bunt and throwing to first for the out. Alertly taking advantage, Puig didn't stop at second and continued on to third where he slid in ahead of the throw. The Dodgers, however, stranded him there and the Marlins maintained a 1-0 lead.
SOUND SMART
The Dodgers' 16-25 start is their worst since 1958, the inaugural season in Los Angeles. That team started out 15-26.
HE SAID IT
"Makes me a better manager when he's in the lineup, I do know that." -- Roberts, on the return of Turner
UP NEXT
Right-hander (2-1, 1.64 ERA) will take the mound for the Dodgers when they take on the Marlins at 4:10 p.m. PT on Wednesday in the middle game of this series at Marlins Park. Los Angeles will face a lefty for the second consecutive game as (2-4, 3.63) starts for Miami.