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Dodgers’ Buehler hopes to rebound vs. Blue Jays

Field Level Media

August 21, 2019 at 8:26 am.

Walker Buehler will look to get a bad start out of his system when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in the middle game of a three-game interleague series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

The 25-year old was roughed up Thursday at Miami when he gave up five runs on five hits with three walks over four-plus innings. The Marlins rolled to a 13-7 victory, the only game the Dodgers dropped in the three-game series.

Buehler (10-3, 3.31 ERA) has been down this redemption road before, and actually it was quite recently after he gave up seven runs (four earned) over 5 1/3 innings on July 28 against the Washington Nationals. That game was on the road as well.

In his next start, which was at home just as Wednesday’s will be, he struck 15 in a complete-game victory over the San Diego Padres on Aug. 3. The strikeout total was just behind the 16 he recorded June 21 at home against the Colorado Rockies.

If it appears that a home/road pattern has developed with Buehler, it’s no accident. The right-hander has a 2.33 ERA at home this season and a 4.37 mark on the road.

“There’s no way you can recreate it or do anything to replicate pitching on the road,” Buehler said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “I don’t think that’s something that’s attainable, but I think just trying to get better in general I think is going to translate.”

The Blue Jays were undecided on who would start Wednesday, as they are expected to use an opener. They used the strategy in the series opener Tuesday, and while left-hander Buddy Boshers did his part with a scoreless first inning, right-hander Sean Reid-Foley followed with just 1 2/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits with two walks. The Dodgers rolled to a 16-3 victory.

While the pitching strategy was a flop, Toronto did get some good news as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returned to the lineup after he injured his left knee on defense Saturday. He went 2-for-2 with two walks and played all nine innings in the series opener at Dodger Stadium.

“Definitely I feel good,” Guerrero said, according to the Toronto Sun. “I know it’s been a long season, but I’m healthy. I’m just going to continue to come here every day and work hard. It’s the same thing for me and I’m sure for all the rest of the guys. We’re going to work hard and compete and try to beat whoever it is we are facing.”

The Dodgers also got good news on the health front as utility players Chris Taylor (wrist) and Enrique Hernandez (hand) returned from the injured list Tuesday and were in the starting lineup. Taylor had three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs, while Hernandez had a single.

The young Blue Jays made some noise against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday, with Bo Bichette hitting a pair of home runs. However, the Dodgers’ offense went to work after back-to-back defeats at Atlanta over the weekend, when Los Angeles scored just three runs in each of the last two games.

The Dodgers hit five home runs Tuesday, and they now have 30 in the past eight games. They improved to a major-league-best 49-16 at home this season.

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