-At 42-26 the Dodgers have now played nearly 31% of the schedule and have built an 8 1/2 game lead in the West.
-After splitting four against the surging Dbacks, and then taking two of three from the Angels, the Dodgers stole a win from the Pirates last night once Paul Skenes left after six. We’ve got the pirates again today and tomorrow, both games at 4:10 PM and then move onto south Chicago for a much improved White Sox team this weekend, who incidentally beat the Braves last night with a rookie playing his first major league game hitting a walk off homer in the 10th inning
-Brayden Montgomery, with 30 friends and family sitting in the stands to see him play his first game in the show, hit a two run opposite field bomb in the bottom of the 10th to win it for the Socks. You’ve got to see him rounding the bases, the kid barely knows what to do. Grinning from ear to ear, looking up as if to wonder, “Is this real?” he rips off his batting gloves rounding third and gets mauled by his teammates at the plate, some of whom he presumably just met earlier that day.
-All this against the Braves’ closer Iglesias, who had given up just one run all season, and no homers. Until yesterday.
-Stuff of legend right there. One of the many things that I love about baseball. You never know when the magic is going to happen.
-This is a small blip in what has been a great season for the Braves, with Acuna Jr. playing like the all world player he is (let’s hope the hamstring MRI he’s getting today is negative), Michael Harris hitting out of his mind (he should start the All-Star game), Matt Olson playing like, well, Matt Olson, and Dodger nemesis (nemesi?) Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley playing like the solid veterans they are.
-And they’ve got world championship caliber pitching with Cy Young candidate (again) Chris Sale, plus resurgent Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, and Grant Holmes.
-The Braves’ pen has been solid with Tyler Kinley and Didier Fuentes. Robert Suarez and Iglesias have been lock down in the back end of games. Until Young Mr. Montgomery’s 10th inning homer last night.
-Might we have another Braves – Dodgers post season looming? Maybe. It’s a little too early to be talking about that. But with the Braves enjoying a nine-game lead in the NL east, it’s hard not to imagine a Braves-Dodgers division series or NLCS come October.
-Schedule this week through Sunday. All games pacific
-Today at PNC Ohtani v. Jones, 3:40
-Thurs at PNC Wrobleski vs. Kelller, 3:40
-Thurs Rush at The Kia Forum, 7:30
My guess for pitching in Chicago
-Friday in Chicago Sheehan 4:40
-Saturday in Chicago Sasaki 1:10
-Sunday in Chicago Yamamoto 11:10
baldwinishere 
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