The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back with a 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday, led by James Paxton turning in his best start of the season.
The left-hander allowed just four hits and collected four strikeouts over six scoreless innings. Perhaps of greater note was that he did not walk a batter for the first time in a start this season.
Paxton previously issued a season-high eight free passes in his last outing against the Padres on April 14. Entering Saturday’s matchup, he had walked 24 batters in 32.1 innings pitched.
Paxton was proud that he did not walk a batter in his latest start against the Padres, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“Zero walks tonight felt really good after the eight walks,” Paxton said, referring to his first start against the Padres in April. “Just finding that rhythm in the backside of my delivery really helped keep me on line and stay in the strike zone.
“I was getting really choppy in the backside of my delivery. My arm – I don’t know even how to explain it – was just like bending instead of being long and kind of fluid on my backside. That really helped me keep my energy and rhythm going towards the plate.”
Paxton threw significantly fewer cutters and relied heavily on his curveball, which generated several swings-and-misses:
“That wasn’t the intent,” Paxton said. “That’s kind of the way it’s been, I think, because I haven’t found the cutter quite yet. It’s been a bit more heavy curveball. We went to the changeup last game. Didn’t use it as much today because the curveball was better so I didn’t really need it as much. That was my slow pitch tonight. But I think once the cutter comes around, that’ll be helpful.”
Paxton improved to 5-0 with a solid 2.58 ERA, 4.91 FIP and 1.41 WHIP in 38.1 innings pitched this season. He still leads the Majors with 24 walks, but has only issued two free passes in his last 12.2 innings.
James Paxton helps Dodgers extend franchise record
Paxton’s performance extended the Dodgers’ streak of allowing four runs or fewer to 18 consecutive games, which is a franchise record.
Since April 21, Dodgers pitching ranks first in ERA (1.66), walks per nine (2.2) and home runs per nine (0.7), and second in FIP (3.27) and FanGraphs’ WAR (3.2).
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