Once again, if you are a bottom-line person, the bottom line is that the Dodgers beat the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon to take two of three from the AL West cellar dwellers … but it wasn’t easy; at least not as easy as it should have been with a 5-0 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning.

After a somewhat shaky first inning, Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler settled in with five additional innings that were in true Walker Buehler fashion to finish his 13th start of the season having allowed no runs and only five hits while walking three and striking out five. The 26-year-old Lexington, KY native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Vanderbilt is now 6-0 on the season with a stellar 2.38 ERA and hasn’t lost a decision since September 21, 2019.

“Obviously that first inning was a little bit of a hiccup, and you kind of grind your way back through that to go somewhat deep in the game,” Buehler told reporters via Zoom postgame.

Buehler was followed on the mound by right-hander Blake Treinen and left-hander Víctor González, who kept the shutout intact.

Not so with right-hander Phil Bickford, who allowed three runs on three hits with one walk without recording an out in the top of the ninth inning, forcing Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to bring in closer Kenley Jansen to put out the fire – which he did – with the go-ahead run at the plate of his 15th save of the season; albeit one that should not have been necessary.

But despite the game – and series – win over the Rangers, Roberts wasn’t particularly happy with the game.

“Today, to be quite honest, I don’t think we played a very good baseball game,” Roberts said, much to the surprise of reporters. “And we came up with the win. Kenley came up big for us.”

When asked if it was Bickford blowing a 5-0 lead in the ninth without recording an out and forcing him to have to use his closer again is why he was unhappy with the game, Roberts was quick to pull the soon-to-be (on July 10) 26-year-old Ventura, CA native – whom the Dodgers picked up off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on May 3 – out from under the bus that angry Dodger fans had thrown him under.

“No, you know, Bick … Bick’s been fine,” Roberts said, seemingly struggling for the right words. “It just kind of … it just … no, not … not that. I think just throughout the game there were some things that we need to get better at. But, no, Bick’s been really good for us, and, again, it was just good that Kenley came in and shut the door.”

When pressed for what it was specifically that he was unhappy with – whether it was baserunning or fielding, Roberts shut that door as well.

“No. I’m not going to get into it,” he answered abruptly.

Good thing that the Dodgers won, huh?

Play Ball!

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