The Los Angeles Dodgers snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday at Busch Stadium. Prospect Justin Wrobleski delivered a dominant performance, improving to 5-0 on the season. Manager Dave Roberts compared the young left-hander to Clayton Kershaw.
Justin Wrobleski reminded Dodgers manager Dave Roberts of Clayton Kershaw with his commanding mound presence and even his choice of Skechers shoes. The 24-year-old lefty allowed just two earned runs over 32 innings as a starter this season, anchoring the Dodgers' rotation. Roberts praised Wrobleski's preparation and aggressive approach, noting his mentorship under Kershaw. “He's got a great mentor in Clayton,” Roberts said. “He's channeling that kind of, 'Go at guys and make them put the ball in play.'”Wrobleski, who soaked up lessons from the future Hall of Famer during their time as teammates, echoed the sentiment. “Watching him and his everyday [routine] was something special for me,” he said. On Sunday, he pitched to contact effectively, scattering six hits and a walk without a strikeout, while the bullpen closed out the win.Los Angeles broke through early against Cardinals pitcher Dustin May. In the second inning, Kyle Tucker doubled, Max Muncy walked, Andy Pages added an RBI double, and Hyeseong Kim followed with a run-scoring single for a 2-0 lead. Freddie Freeman drove in another run in the fifth with a two-out single, and the Dodgers tacked on one more in the ninth.Despite the win, Freeman acknowledged the team's recent offensive struggles. “There’s no way to sugarcoat it. We just haven’t been very good, and we’ve got to be better,” he said. “Luckily, Wrobo, our starting pitching, has been amazing.” Teammates cautioned against full Kershaw comparisons, with Freeman laughing, “No, not yet. Let’s let Clayton Kershaw be Clayton Kershaw.”