The bullpen relieved a struggling James Paxton and put up all zeroes as the Dodgers defeated the Washington Nationals.
After weeks of worrisome late-game blunders, there finally was redemption for the Dodgers bullpen Tuesday night.
On a night their starting pitcher failed to complete five innings, and their lineup managed only one run before the final couple of frames, it was five other numbers that keyed a 4-1 Dodgers win over Washington at Nationals Park.
0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
As in, the five goose eggs the Dodgers’ once-struggling bullpen put on the scoreboard.
Entering the night, the bullpen had been among the biggest concerns of the Dodgers’ underwhelming 13-11 start to the season. The group was without injured right-handers Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen (the latter will begin a rehab assignment this week). It had compiled a 4.35 ERA through the opening month, the 10th-worst mark in the majors. And it had been a common culprit during a 3-6 homestand last week.
But Tuesday against the rebuilding Nationals, relievers Michael Grove, Alex Vesia, Daniel Hudson and Evan Phillips helped the Dodgers overcome an early offensive lull, then hang on to a narrow lead late, combining for 4⅔ scoreless innings for a victorious start to the nine-game trip.
