As the novel coronavirus continues to take its toll, we continue simulating games. Today, we simulate NL games for May 18-21 of the 2020 MLB season.
The Philadelphia Phillies traveled to Los Angeles for three games with the Dodgers in a series that cost both teams ground.
The Dodgers took two of the three games in the 2020 mid-week simulation but lost a full game in the NL West when the Arizona Diamondbacks swept the Mets in New York. The Phillies, meanwhile, surrendered a half-game to the Atlanta Braves, who escaped St. Louis with an even split of their four-game series against the NL Central leaders.
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The results left Arizona a game ahead of LA in the NL West, with St. Louis a game and a half ahead of Cincinnati in the Central and Atlanta leading Philadelphia by a similar margin in the East.
The Phillies effectively lost their chance at a series victory Monday evening when Los Angeles rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth off Hector Neris. That turned a 2-1 Philadelphia lead into a 3-2 LA decision.
Joc Pederson, who had homered in the fourth for the only Dodger run to that point, doubled home Cody Bellinger to tie the game. Then Enrique Hernandez tapped Seranthony Dominguez for a base hit sending Pederson across with the winner.
Pedro Baez, 5-1, got the decision in relief of Walker Buehler.
The Dodgers rolled to a 7-1 victory Tuesday, David Price, 4-2, delivering seven innings of two-hit ball. Bellinger and Pederson both homered.
The Phillies took the final game 9-5, Aaron Nola, 4-3, allowing one run in six innings. Scott Kingery and Rhys Hoskins both homered off Clayton Kershaw, 4-2.
In series involving non-division contenders, the Padres swept three games from the Marlins in Miami, and Chicago took two of three in Pittsburgh. There were five inter-league series: Milwaukee hosting the Yankees, the Rockies playing the White Sox in Chicago, Cincinnati in Cleveland, Washington hosting Seattle and Detroit traveling to San Francisco to play the Giants.
NL West
W-L Pct GB
Arizona 35-16 .686 —
Los Angeles 33-16 .673 1
San Diego 25-26 .490 10
San Francisco 18-32 .360 16.5
Colorado 16-32 .333 17.5