What happened: Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski opened the game by striking out the top of the Phillies' order — Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper — in succession. The sequence stood out because, entering the day, only three of the 105 pitchers with at least 50 innings this season carried a lower strikeout rate than Wrobleski.
Why it matters: The first-inning punchouts came as the Dodgers and Phillies continued a closely contested run of meetings. Per the surrounding context, Los Angeles took two of three from Philadelphia and pushed its lead to 5 1/2 games over San Diego in the NL West — the club's largest division margin of the year.
By the numbers: Of the 105 pitchers with 50-plus innings this season, only three owned a lower strikeout rate than Wrobleski entering the day. He erased Schwarber, Turner and Harper — the heart of the Phillies' lineup — to start the outing.
What to watch: Watch whether Wrobleski can sustain the swing-and-miss against the middle of Philadelphia's order, and whether the Dodgers extend their NL West cushion over the Padres.