Right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler looked locked and loaded on the mound in Friday night’s 5-1 win over the Colorado Rockies improving to an MLB best 20-8 record.
The Dodgers became the first team to reach 20 wins this season and did so in dominant fashion.
Buehler struck out 11 batters in 6 innings giving up one run in 92 pitches thrown. Buehler had his best outing of the year by far mimicking Dodgers veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s 11 strikeout performance last night.
“Life is much better when those two guys are pitching the way they are,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler’s performances these past two days.
Roberts mentioned that he was seeing the progression of Buehler each start and knew this would be his best start of the season after watching him check off the boxes and improve on certain aspects of each start that led him to this level tonight.
“I definitely felt more like myself tonight,” Walker Buehler said. “Just a lot better command and landing some breaking balls.”
After the 6th inning, Roberts greeted his pitcher in the dugout massaging his shoulders both with smiles on their faces after an impressive performance from Buehler.
“Definitely felt more like myself tonight.”@buehlersdayoff reflects on his outing after going 6 innings with 11 Ks. pic.twitter.com/TLRKYSQ7HO
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 22, 2020
The Dodgers scored on Rockies pitcher Jon Gray as soon as the opportunity arrived in the bottom of the first inning on a Cody Bellinger RBI double scoring leadoff man Joc Pederson.
The number one team in MLB feasted in the 4th inning on a Matt Beaty RBI single driving in AJ Pollock, and a Corey Seager line drive down the right foul line to bring in two runs and force Rockies manager Bud Black to pull the struggling Gray.
Can’t stop Corey. pic.twitter.com/CKyVc5eQrn
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 22, 2020
“I thought we could’ve put some more points on the board tonight,” said Roberts, who is often a perfectionist.
The Dodgers will continue their dominance Saturday in Game 2 of the series at home against the Rockies.
