Rolling Stone helps Dodgers complete perfect homestand

LOS ANGELES -- With all the Dodgers’ flashy offseason acquisitions and his early struggles, it might have been easy to forget about Gavin Stone, who came into the 2023 season as the top pitching prospect in the organization.

Through seven starts this season, Stone is reminding everyone just how talented he really is. His latest impressive performance came in the form of seven innings of one-run ball to lead the Dodgers to a 3-1 win over the Marlins on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. With the win, the Dodgers wrapped up a perfect 6-0 homestand and have now won a season-high seven consecutive games.

“I’m very thankful for last year,” Stone said. “It taught me a lot about baseball, about the game, about life. … [The success this season] just speaks on the conviction I have on all my pitches, so just trying to keep that going.”

For the third consecutive start, Stone looked like a different pitcher out on the mound. From the beginning, it was clear that he was in for another quality start: He retired the first eight batters he faced and didn’t get into many jams. The only damage against Stone came in the fourth, when Bryan De La Cruz hit a solo homer. Later in that frame, the Marlins had two on with nobody out, but Stone got Jesús Sánchez to ground into a double play and then got Nick Gordon swinging.

Last season, that could’ve easily turned into a big inning against Stone. He struggled to limit the damage when he needed to. But this year, he has been able to avoid big innings, and he’s earning more and more trust from the Dodgers.

“I think it’s just a [comfort] thing,” Stone said. “You know, getting to know the guys a lot better, being around the coaching staff, being in the clubhouse more instead of coming in and out. I think that’s just a [comfort] thing.”

Over his last three starts, that comfort is showing as Stone has allowed just three runs over 20 innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last five starts, lowering his season ERA to 3.55.

“He’s learned, he’s taken all the information, he’s getting experience. I’m sure Gavin believed he could do this, but the stuff that he’s doing, he’s earning that right to kind of build himself up to that top-of-the-rotation guy,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “You have a guy that you trust to go deep into a game and take down a lineup and go three times through a lineup and put up zeros. Gavin, each time he’s out there, he’s just continuing to build confidence.”

Behind Stone, Teoscar Hernández took care of all the work against left-hander Ryan Weathers. Hernández opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first, but it was his two-run blast in the sixth that ultimately provided the game-winning runs.

During the current winning streak, the Dodgers’ offense has been a well-oiled machine. But the real key to their success has been their pitching staff, particularly the starters.

Since April 21, the Dodgers’ starting staff has posted a 2.19 ERA, the third lowest in the Majors during that span behind only the Cubs and Mariners (2.08). That has helped the Dodgers outscore their opponents, 100-31, during their current 14-2 run.

“They gameplan, they attack, they don’t hurt themselves,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said of the Dodgers’ pitching staff. “How many walks did we have all series, right? Not many. … They’re not afraid to go after our guys and let their defense work. So overall, just a really good performance by them for three games.”

Making things even more difficult for other teams, the Dodgers’ staff is expected to get healthier. On the starting side, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are still sidelined. Walker Buehler will only get better once he knocks out the rust. In the bullpen, the Dodgers are without closer Evan Phillips and key setup men Brusdar Graterol and Joe Kelly.

But for now, the Dodgers are thriving with what they have. And guys like Stone are taking full advantage of their opportunities.

“That’s been the key lately,” Hernández said. “The starting pitchers, the bullpen have been doing a pretty good job right now, putting some zeros on the board. That is the reason we’re going good right now at the plate, not only for me, but all of them.”