While Los Angeles Dodgers fans saw their team get shutout by the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 on Friday, Aug. 29, pitcher Blake Snell was doing his best for the team. Yet even Snell had to admit that he'd been a bit busy between starts.
Snell was put on Paternity Leave and was able to be present when his wife, Healey, gave birth to their second child. That's reason enough to celebrate, but Snell just didn't have his usual pop on his pitches against Arizona.
"It was just bad pitches," Snell told Dodgers reporter Sonia Chen of MLB.com after Friday's game. "I don’t think they found ways. I think bad pitch, down and in, just not a good pitch. … Moreno’s hit was just a changeup that was up. If I get it down, it’s different. It’s frustrating. But I know what I need to do."
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"It is what it is… just got to be better."
Blake Snell (L (3-3), 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 86 P) talks to the media after the #Dodgers 3-0 shutout loss to the Diamondbacks.
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Snell's numbers were pretty solid as he walked just three while striking out eight. Plus, he kept Diamondbacks hitters without a hit until the fourth inning. Snell gave up a two-run home run to Blaze Alexander and Gabriel Moreno's run-scoring single in the sixth inning.
Usually, Snell throws his four-seam fastball with a punch behind it. On Friday night, though, Snell's heater was only clocking at 93.7 mph, which is down 1.7 mph from his season average. His changeup, curveball and slider produced whiffs against Arizona.
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Blake Snell, Dirty 81mph Curveball...and Sword. ⚔️
The only pitch that Snell didn't have working for strikeouts was his fastball. It was the first time in any career MLB innings that Snell didn't get a K on that pitch.
"Blake was fine," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's been a weird week for him, just having the baby and kind of trying to readjust and the throwing schedule, the sleep schedule, all that stuff. I think today he just didn't have a whole lot in the tank tonight."
The Dodgers continued their three-game weekend series against Arizona on Saturday, Aug. 30. Los Angeles wraps it up with a Sunday game at Dodger Stadium.