The Dodgers found themselves on the short end of a 3-0 score against the Giants on Monday night. For the first time in seemingly forever, Barry Zito was pitching like his old self. Then the 7th inning struck, and the Dodgers went up 4-3. With the 8th inning upon them, the door would have been shut the last couple of years.
But not right now, as another 8th inning meltdown gave the Giants 2 back, as they held on to win, 5-4.
It was a pretty frustrating loss for the Dodgers because you can imagine just how good their record would be if they had an 8th inning solution. Because of injuries and ineffectiveness, it hasn't happened. I think the book on the Dodgers is to keep it close and strike in the 8th before Jonathan Broxton gets the ball at the end.
Randy Wolf started for LA, and he found himself in trouble in no time. With 1 out, Edgar Renteria doubled and Randy Winn tripled for the 1-0 lead. Rich Aurilla fouled out for 2 outs, but the Dodgers couldn't get off the field. An RBI double by Aaron Rowand and single by Pablo Sandoval made it 3-0.
That score stood up for quite awhile. For the first 6 innings, it's not like the Dodgers didn't put men on, because they got a hit here and a walk there. They just couldn't cash any of them in.
Then came the 7th, and after a Mark Loretta walk with 1 down (starting for James Loney), Casey Blake finally got them going with a 2-run shot. Juan Pierre pinch-hit and singled, and Rafael Furcal walked. Consecutive RBI singles by Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez gave them the 4-3 lead.
Ronald Belisario came on in the 7th and got the bottom part of the Giants order easily. But the 8th would be different. 2 straight singles by Fred Lewis and Renteria opened it, and Lewis scored on a slow roller to first by Aurilla to knot it up. Bengie Molina cashed in Renteria with an RBI groundout to 3rd. True, it's not like they killed the ball to get those runs, but the 2 singles to start really hurt. Both those men scored.
A day after blowing a save in Arizona, Brian Wilson came right back by striking out the side to end the game.
It's too bad the Dodgers couldn't take advantage of Zito starting since he's basically terrible. But at least they came alive late and gave themselves a chance to win. I think we all need to stay a little patient with the bullpen with Hiroki Kuroda's injury forcing James McDonald to start and Cory Wade out. Once those 2 are healthy, at the very least they'll have another option for late in games that can get the job done. I hope it works out.
The 4-0 Chad Billingsley takes the mound tonight, and he's just been awesome so far. He completely overwhelmed the Astros last start. In a way it's too bad that Tim Lincecum doesn't go until tomorrow, because that would have been really fun to watch those 2 battle.
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