2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL games, July 3-5
By Bill Felber
The Dodgers win the July 4th game on the backs of Kershaw in this 2020 MLB season simulation.
The Dodgers entertained visiting Miami in their usual style, which is to say they won two of three. LA took the Friday opener 12-5 behind Clayton Kershaw and a 15-hit attack. Backup catcher Will Smith produced three of those hits and drove in two runs.
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LA won the Independence Day game 7-3, Joc Pederson homering twice and driving in four runs. The Marlins salvaged Sunday’s game 6-4 behind Jordan Yamamoto, who won for only the second time against 10 losses. Miami built a 6-0 lead against Dodger starter Alex Wood, then the bullpen performed a high-wire act, allowing four Dodger runs in the final three innings before Yimi Garcia closed it out.
San Francisco took the latest showdown between the NL West’s two worst teams in Denver. The Giants won 8-6 Friday despite Nolan Arenado’s two home runs. Seven different Giants had two-hit games, Pedro Sandoval, Hunter Pence, and Brandon Belt all hitting home runs.
The Rockies got Saturday’s game 7-3, Kyle Freeland lasting into the ninth inning. On Sunday, though, the Giants won 5-4. San Francisco took a 5-2 lead into the ninth and added what at the time looked like an insurance run on Evan Longoria’s RBI single scoring Wilmer Flores, who had doubled.
The run turned out to be vital when the Rockies scored twice in the bottom of the ninth off Tony Watson. Sam Coonrod came in and got a game-ending double-play ball.
dark. Next. 2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL Games, June 26-28
NL East W-L Pct GB
Atlanta Braves 54-37 .593 —
Philadelphia Phillies 49-41 .544 4.5
Washington Nationals 46-45 .506 8
New York Mets 39-52 .429 15
Miami Marlins 34-56 .378 19.5
NL Central W-L Pct GB
St. Louis Cardinals 49-43 .533 —
Cincinnati Reds 49-44 .544 4.5
Milwaukee Brewers 46-44 .511 2
Chicago Cubs 44-47 .484 4.5
Pittsburgh Pirates 32-58 .366 16
NL West W-L Pct GB
Arizona Diamondbacks 60-32 .652 —
Los Angeles Dodgers 59-33 .641 1
San Diego Padres 43-48 .473 16.5
Colorado Rockies 37-53 .411 22
San Francisco Giants 31-60 .341 28.5