Ross Stripling struggles, Chris Taylor saves Dodgers from ignominy in loss to Braves

Reporting from Atlanta â€”  The ball trickled through the left side of the infield at SunTrust Park, a grounder splitting the third baseman and the shortstop, a hit that would allow the Dodgers to escape this stadium with a tad more dignity. With two outs in the ninth inning of a 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, Chris Taylor chopped a single for his team’s first hit of the game against Sean Newcomb.

The crowd groaned as Taylor reached base and the chance at history evaporated. The Dodgers bench roared for the first time all afternoon, after being squashed by the opposing pitcher. Newcomb threw 134 pitches and finished one strike away from the 15th no-hitter in Braves history. He exited for a reliever to a raucous ovation. A moment later, Taylor came around to score on a single by Manny Machado that prevented a shutout.

“There is something to the pride factor that you don’t get no-hit, not letting one guy finish a game, let alone no-hit you,� Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And you can see that with [the at-bats in the ninth]. They were going to do everything they could to not get no-hit.�

The gem from Newcomb meant the trip ended on a desultory note. The Dodgers went 6-4 while playing three teams with winning records. They won the first three against the Braves this weekend. Newcomb still sent the Dodgers back to Los Angeles in a sour mood. In the process, Ross Stripling may have lost his spot in the team’s rotation.

With six starting pitchers on the roster, the Dodgers intend to winnow the rotation down to five in August. The team considered skipping Stripling’s start Sunday to let him rest. They opted to let him pitch, only to watch him give up four runs in four innings.

Roberts stopped short of declaring Stripling would return to relief. But the implication was clear. “With Ross, we’re going to talk about it, and figure out what’s best for him, and us,� Roberts said.

Stripling made the All-Star team in July, but otherwise this month was wretched for him. He posted a 4.73 earned-run average in five starts, with 32 hits allowed in 26 2/3 innings. He could not complete the fifth inning Monday in Philadelphia and posted an even shorter outing on Sunday. Even in the All-Star game, he served up a pair of homers.

Stripling admitted he would be disappointed if he left the rotation. He had won a job there out of spring training in 2016, but moved into relief midway through that summer and didn’t get another opportunity until injuries opened the door in April.

“I got moved to the bullpen and it took a year and a half to get back to the rotation,� Stripling said. “To think that it could take that long to get back again kind of stinks. Obviously I’m proud of the work that I’ve done as a starter. When guys got hurt, I feel like I stepped up and threw some big innings. And hopefully they remember that.

“But it’s kind of ‘What have you done for me lately?’ a little bit. And I understand that. I’ll take it, whatever they say, and make it work, and I’ll get guys out in whatever role, and try to make my way back, if that’s the case.�

The Braves dented Stripling for two runs in the first inning. The rally consisted of three two-out hits. Stripling gave up a single to All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman. Nick Markakis, another Braves All-Star, whacked a 90-mph fastball into the left-field corner for an RBI double. Stripling tried a 1-1 curveball for catcher Kurt Suzuki, but still gave up another RBI double.

Stripling surrendered two more runs in the third. Markakis tagged him again. After a leadoff single by second baseman Ozzie Albies, Markakis saw seven pitches from Stripling. None were fastballs. When Stripling heaped a 3-2 slider over the plate, Markakis launched a two-run homer to right field.

“It’s just obvious I’m not putting guys away early like I was a month or two ago,� Stripling said. “And guys are able to grind out at-bats.�

The Dodgers could not put a runner on base against Newcomb until Yasiel Puig took a walk in the sixth. Max Muncy had tried to be the first. In the fifth inning, he took a 2-2 fastball outside. Muncy dropped his bat and trotted to first base. The umpire called him back and reminded him of the count. Muncy picked up his lumber and struck out on a 95-mph heater.

The walk by Puig opened the sixth. It did not spark the offense. Logan Forsythe flied out, Cody Bellinger struck out looking and Taylor swung through a curveball to end the frame. Newcomb picked up three quick outs in the seventh and finished the inning with 100 pitches.

“He was throwing his fastball by guys all day,� Taylor said.

Newcomb stood at 117 pitches after hurling a 93-mph fastball past Puig for the third out in the eighth. Braves manager Brian Snitker sent him back for the ninth.

Forsythe hit a lazy fly ball to left for the first out. Bellinger worked a nine-pitch at-bat before flying out to shallow right. Taylor finally broke through in the next at-bat.

The hit saved face. The single by Machado made the score respectable. The trip ended poorly, but the Dodgers tried to keep the overall results in perspective.

“All three teams we played were tough teams, legitimate playoff teams,� Taylor said. “We had some really good games. We lost a couple close ones, won a couple close ones. That’s the type of baseball we’re going to be playing in October, hopefully.�

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