The Dodgers once again proved on Thursday night just how far things have fallen this season.
Ted Lilly was pasted, the offense sucked, and the Giants didn't break a sweat in winning big, 10-2. With the Padres dropping another one, the Giants are now officially in first place in the NL West by 1/2 game.
Believe it or not, the Dodgers did lead this game at one point, all thanks to an error. Rafael Furcal doubled leading off the game. Ryan Theriot attempted to sacrifice him to third, but Jose Uribe's throwing error let Raffy score to go up 1-0. Casey Blake and Matt Kemp struck out and James Loney grounded out to end any promise of a threat.
The Giants struck back off of Lilly when Aubrey Huff tripled with two down. Unlike the Dodgers, the Giants cashed in, as Buster Posey's RBI double made it 1-1.
Things started getting ugly in the third. Edgar Renteria laid down a bunt with one down and beat it out. Freddy Sanchez doubled to put runners in scoring position. Huff got another big hit with a three-run shot to make it 4-1. Posey made it back-to-back jacks with one of his own, and it was 5-1.
When teams are down 5-1, it usually isn't a good thing. But, it's not insurmountable either, even in the late innings. With the Dodgers, it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever what inning it is. When you have a bunch of clowns they call hitters failing miserably all game long, there's no way they'll overcome a four-run deficit.
Sure enough, they didn't. Not only did they not come back, they started getting kicked around when they were down. Lilly was mercifully yanked with two on and one out in the fourth. Ramon Troncoso came on and ended up walking Sanchez with the bases juiced to make it 6-1.
The lone highlight of the night came when Russell Mitchell hit his first big league homer to lead off the fifth. Who knows where someone like Mitchell will go in his career, who's only hitting .059 (1-for-17) since being called up. Even if that ends up being his only hit this season, I'm still glad he's been given a chance. It's the right thing to do.
Not to be outdone, the Giants smacked another homer themselves. Guillen connected on a two-run shot to put it at 8-2 in the fifth. A two-run double by Sanchez in the eighth closed out the scoring for the night.
With nothing to play for, the Dodgers sure as heck reminded everyone that they'll be home watching the playoffs this October. This team has no fire, no passion, and are nothing more than whipping boys right now. It's almost impossible to even watch.
Lilly has certainly had his good days with the Dodgers, but Thursday was not one of them. He only lasted 3 1/3 innings for seven hits, six runs, no walks, and three strikeouts. He dropped to 8-11 on the season.
Six relievers were used, with Jeff Weaver and Jon Link each giving up two runs in an inning of work. Gosh, can't imagine why Weaver's ERA is 5.02 and Link's 5.40. Then again, they do blend in well with the other relievers used: Troncoso, 4.76; George Sherrill, 6.42; Ronald Belisario, 5.29; Octavio Dotel, 3.99. At least Dotel is decent. But that's about it.
I mentioned a few games ago about the Dodgers playing the role of spoiler and how they would have to embrace that. So far, forget it. They not only haven't embraced it, they look like they just want to get the hell out of the season as fast as they can. If Clayton Kershaw wasn't nearly perfect on Tuesday, this would have been a sweep.
One red-hot team just slapped the Dodgers around, now another has their crack in the Rockies. They've won 11 of 13 and are right in thick of things for the playoffs. Playing the Dodgers is just what they need to get that extra boost. Hiroki Kuroda will go against Ubaldo Jimenez.
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