Wrobleski blanks Royals in 5-1 win

Wrobleski tossed six shutout innings while allowing just three hits and a walk, striking out six as the Dodgers take the series from Kansas City.

The Dodgers have now six straight series victories after taking the series finale against the Kansas City Royals by a final score of 5-1.

The Royals got the scoring started early for a second straight game against the Dodgers, as Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. both connecting hits against Lou Trivino to put Kansas City up early.

The Dodgers answered back in the top of the second inning, as Kiké Hernández golfed a go-ahead two run home run off of Kris Bubic, his first home run since May 17 that gave the Dodgers a one-run lead of their own.

Justin Wrobleski was tasked with handling the bulk of the work for the Dodgers bullpen, coming off a performance where he recorded a career-high seven strikeouts. He notched a quick inning of work in the bottom of the second inning before putting runners at the corners with two away in the third. He got Vinnie Pasquantino to ground out to Mookie Betts to escape the jam with the lead intact.

The Royals put the leadoff man on both in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings against Wrobleski, but both times, Kansas City left them stranded, with the Dodgers turning an inning-ending double play to complete five shutout innings for Wrobleski.

Will Smith gave the Dodgers some insurance with a solo home run to dead center off of Steven Crúz to extend the lead to two. Smith is now the eighth catcher so far this season to reach double digit home runs.

Wrobeski finished his outing with a strikeout of Freddy Fermin to complete six shutout innings of work with six strikeouts, the first time he had ever tossed six or more innings shutout innings with that many strikeouts. It is the first time all season that a Dodger reliever tossed six shutout innings.

The Dodgers added some extra cushions to their lead with an RBI double from Max Muncy and an RBI single from Miguel Rojas in the top of the seventh inning. Rojas got a bit too advantageous after Fermin blocked a pitch that rolled away from him, getting gunned down at second base before clutching his left hand in pain. Although he stayed in the game in the bottom of the inning, he eventually departed the game the following inning as he felt discomfort in his left index finger.

Kirby Yates and Jack Dreyer each recorded perfect innings against Kansas City, combining for three strikeouts as the Dodger bullpen struck out 10 on the day, and held the Royals without any extra-base hits after the Witt double through their last eight innings at the plate.

Game particulars

• Home runs— Kiké Hernández (8), Will Smith (10)
• WP— Justin Wrobleski (4-2): 6 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
• LP— Kris Bubic (6-6): 5 IP, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers are off on Monday as they head back home to open a three game series against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts the series opener for the Dodgers opposite rookie Shane Smith for Chicago.