Blanton continues Dodgers ‘pen’s struggles

TORONTO — The lack of a bridge to get from solid starting pitching to exceptional closer Kenley Jansen torpedoed the Dodgers in a 5-2 Interleague loss to the Blue Jays Friday night.

Joe Blanton, the only major addition to last year’s returning relievers and signed primarily for long relief, allowed a three-run homer to Kevin Pillar to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. The Dodgers have now lost eight of their last 10 games.

Blanton had earned the right to pitch the eighth, manager Dave Roberts said, because of the one-pitch pop out induced from Josh Donaldson to quash a bases-loaded mess inherited from Adam Liberatore in the seventh.

In the eighth, though, Blanton allowed a one-out double to Edwin Encarnacion. Roberts had the right-hander intentionally walk the left-handed hitting Justin Smoak to pitch to the right-handed Pillar with former Dodgers catcher Russell Martin on deck. Pillar is hitting .373 since April 17.

“I loved the matchup,” Roberts said. “With the base open, late in the game, you don’t want to let the lefty beat you. He had him, 1-2, threw a fastball down and in, and …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com