Although the Dodgers lost the final game of their three-game interleague series against the American League Central third place Detroit Tigers by a score of 4-2 at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night, it most certainly wasn’t for lack of effort.

While 24-year-old Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller allowed two runs on three hits and was charged for the loss to bring his season record to 10-4 and his ERA to 3.97, the popular Elk Grove Village, IL native and Dodgers first round draft pick in 2020 out of the University of Louisville struck out seven while walking only one.

“It was one of those things where a pitcher’s not going to have their best stuff every time out and today it was clear that the secondary (pitches), just didn’t have feel for it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Miller’s 20th start of the season. “The change-up was in and out, the curveball, slider in and out. Fastball was good and he got some swing and miss with that at the top part of the zone. And for him to go six innings, give up two runs, give us a chance to win, that’s all we could ask right there.”

The Dodgers finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning on third baseman Max Muncy‘s team second-best 36th home run of the season (behind Mookie Betts‘ 39), a towering 428-foot shot that landed halfway up the Right Field Pavilion in right-center field, to make it 2-1 Detroit. Muncy’s 36 home runs ties his career best set in 2021 with 10 regular season games remaining.

And then there’s that James Outman fellow … again. Although the extremely popular 26-year-old Dodgers rookie centerfielder went 0-for-4 at the plate with three strikeouts, he made a sensational diving catch to rob Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson of at least a double and the Tigers of at least two and possibly three runs instead of just one.

“I’m not thinking about diving or anything like that, I just want to go catch it,” Outman modestly told reporters postgame of his highlight reel catch.

With Wednesday night’s loss, the Dodgers now lead the National League West by only 13.0 games, having clinched their 10th NL West Division title in the last 11 seasons last Saturday night.

Play Ball!

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