Alex Verdugo continues to advocate for a bigger role as Dodgers Cubs – Orange County Register

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CHICAGO – Home Depots in Los Angeles could run on forks and torches if Alex Verdugo does not start playing every day.

In his last fight for an everyday role, Verdugo tripled and scored the first try of the Dodgers in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon.

The Dodgers had only one shot after Verdugo's treble – none in the last four innings – but they added one point in the eighth inning and kept their win, which allowed them to avoid a Wrigley Field and go home after a winning trip on the road (4-3).

"I thought it was a good road trip. That's what I did, "said Dave Roberts, director of the Dodgers. "You look at our last two opponents of the NLCS (the Brewers in 2018 and the Cubs in 2017), both teams played well in baseball. I thought the trip on the road was really positive.

Finally released from the prolonged servitude in Triple-A, Verdugo swallowed the first month of the season in a positive way.

His triple was won by Cubs star Jon Lester. Verdugo averages .345 with 10 extra touches and 16 RBIs, while he started only 11 times in the first 27 games of the Dodgers. And Verdugo has more than resisted left-handed pitchers. He is 4 for 9 against lefties and all four shots were extra bases (one double, two treble and one home run).

"I think Alex is very well placed and we have a lot of good players," Roberts said at the last round of questions about Verdugo's integration into the training. "My job is to keep him involved, to maintain him and that's what I think we did. To his credit, he responded and was very productive. "

The Dodgers had only two throwers in the first four innings against Lester on his return from the injury list – AJ Pollock's second inning and Cody Bellinger's fourth inning – when Verdugo led the fifth goal with a push towards ivy in the center of the field.

"A really solid approach," said Roberts. "He stayed in much of the field as we talked about it. He left a ball in the air and he dropped the barrel, brought it back to the gap between the tie rods. It was a big triple, obviously a great race.

"It's like that that he stayed there and that he saw the ball against the southpaw – he just gives you a quality match and requires you to make good shots for the bring out. I just like this competitive asset.

Chris Taylor had a lot less this month. But he hit a hard ball to stop short Javier Baez to the left, which Baez could not handle, allowing Verdugo to score.

That's all the offensive support that the Dodgers offered to Ross Stripling during his last start at the moment. Like Julio Urias, Stripling will play a leading role. Rich Hill is expected to debut this season on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Obviously, Julio, over there and now myself, we have to stay in place then, when an opportunity arises – because it's inevitable, one of us is ready and they can trust us instead of calling someone or whatever the case may be, "said Stripling." I'll go out there if that's what they want and we Let's get some guys out of the market, get out and be ready whenever an opportunity presents itself. "

Stripling has managed its temporary role in the rotation. He has a 2.65 ERA in all six starts and leads the team in three sets (34).

"As for the throwing staff in general, you have just added two guys who get out left-handed and right-handed and who can give you length and power," Roberts said. "It just improves our staff."

Stripling pulled out six and allowed four hits while holding the goal-scorched Cubs in the fifth inning. But Roberts came looking for him with two outs in fifth and a runner in second.

"I thought the second (Kris) Bryant was against him, I thought he saw better the breaking ball," Roberts said. "I was not going to have it in front of (Anthony) Rizzo so I felt that Petey, with his recent use, knowing that he could go further, I felt that it could to be the game. "

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