The Dodgers are the hottest team in baseball. They spotted the Rockies a five-run lead on Sunday and still won, 12-6, to capture their 10th consecutive victory.
That means the Dodgers had an undefeated week, and one of the reasons was solid work by their relief pitchers.
It seems like everything is working in Chavez Ravine, and the stellar performance by the team's firemen earned the Dodgers the honor of "Bullpen of the Week presented by The Hartford."
:: Bullpen of the Week winners ::
As part of the MLB Prevailing Moments program, each Monday throughout the 2017 season, MLB.com is honoring the "Bullpen of the Week presented by The Hartford." An industry-wide panel of MLB experts, including legendary stats guru Bill James, constructed a metric based on James' widely renowned game-score formula, to provide a weekly measurement of team-bullpen performance.
Here's how the Bullpen Rating System is compiled for each week. For reference, a weekly score of 100 is considered outstanding:
• Add 1.5 points for each out recorded
• Add 1.5 points for each strikeout
• Add 5 points for a save
• Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed
• Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed
• Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed
• Subtract 1 point for each walk
• Subtract 5 points for a blown save
The Los Angeles bullpen scored a rating of 120.5 points by allowing three earned runs and 12 hits in 25 2/3 inningsk. Relievers struck out 28 against 11 walks, and they earned three saves.
Standout performers for the week included Grant Dayton, who appeared in a 'pen-high four games and struck out four batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings; Sergio Romo, who struck out four in three shutout innings over three games; and Brandon Morrow, who also appeared in three games and struck out three in three clean frames.
The unexpected: The week began with the Dodgers bullpen getting the ultimate test -- a rare game in which ace Clayton Kershaw was banged around by the opponent. It happened against the Mets on Monday, when New York scored six runs off Kershaw in 6 1/3 innings. And then it happened on Sunday, when starter Brandon McCarthy lasted only three innings against the Rockies, giving up five runs (four earned).
How they prevailed: On Monday, Dayton (two-thirds scoreless) and Chris Hatcher (two scoreless innings with three strikeouts) picked up the slack, and the Dodgers outslugged New York. And on Sunday, Luis Avilan, Thomas Stripling, Pedro Baez, Dayton and closer Kenley Jansen combined to twirl six innings of one-run, four-hit ball to allow the big bats to rally for the streak-saving win.
The Dodgers' relievers combined to finish ahead of the second-place Astros, who compiled a 91 rating for the week. Third place belongs to the Cubs, who had a rating of 86.5.