LOS ANGELES – Last time the Braves started a three-city trip in Los Angeles, it was a disaster, relatively speaking. They scored seven runs in three games against the Dodgers in late July 2014, then were swept at San Diego and Seattle to complete an 18-run, 0-8 trip, sending them into a tailspin from which they never recovered.
They were 58-48 when that trip began, and 29-35 the rest of the way beginning with those games at Dodger Stadium.
The Braves started a 10-game western swing Monday night with the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium, and manager Fredi Gonzalez joked that he was happy that hitting coaches Kevin Seitzer and assistant Jose Castro got on the plane, considering the Braves face left-hander Brett Anderson (Monday) and aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the games in L.A.
He could joke because Gonzalez, in truth, wasn’t worried about any carryover or repeat of last year’s debacle on this trip. The Braves’ lineup has changed significantly, and so has their offensive approach. The Braves (22-21) were 7-2 with a 2.71 in their past nine games before Monday, totaling 36 runs and only one homer in that span.
“You know you’ve got to come out here sooner or later,” said Gonzalez, whose Braves will play four games at San Francisco and three at Arizona after the Dodgers series. “And you know you’re going to face these guys here and you’ve got to go to San Francisco and play (Madison) Bumgarner and that group.
“I like the way we’re playing. We’re a different team coming out here, because we put the ball in play. And I think when you put the ball in play, good things can happen. And that’s the outlook that we’re taking. Our pitching has been pretty good, our starting pitching has been really good (lately). And if we do that, we match up well.”
The had the second-fewest strikeouts (277) in the majors before Monday behind the Royals (233), and were 13th in walks (133), 29th in homers (26) and 18th in runs per game (179 in 43 games.)
A year ago, the Braves finished fourth in the majors in strikeouts (1,369), 14th in walks (472), tied for 22nd in homers (123) and 29th in runs (573).
