*** Note: This is post #1000 on here. It's a pretty big deal... OK, not really. But it's still pretty cool. So thanks for reading and please stop back!
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The Dodgers couldn't have asked for a better start to Tuesday night's game in San Francisco. Facing two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, the bats got up 3-0 in the fourth, and Chad Billingsley was cruising.
Then Billingsley stopped cruising, and it all came crashing down.
The Giants battled back to take the lead in the fifth, then broke a tie in the seventh to get the win, 5-4. Despite getting six hits and three runs against Lincecum, the Dodgers just couldn't hold on.
Billingsley got through the first nine in order with help from a stike 'em out, throw 'em out in the third when Brandon Belt K'd and Miguel Tejada was out stealing second. The offense then got going in the fourth, as Jamey Carroll and Andre Ethier singled with one out.
Matt Kemp, who ended up 2-for-2 with a run, an RBI, and two walks on the night, hit an RBI double to plate Carroll for the 1-0 lead. James Loney then dribbled one to Belt at first, but Belt bobbled it, and Ethier scored. Juan Uribe drilled an RBI double to right, and it was 3-0.
You really couldn't ask for a better situation against a stud pitcher like Lincecum, but Billingsley couldn't make the big pitches when he needed to the most. In the bottom of the fourth, Freddy Sanchez hit a one-out double. Aubrey Huff flew out for two down. Buster Posey's single and Pablo Sandoval's double both scored runs, and the lead was cut to 3-2.
Billingsley followed up that bad inning with another one in the fifth. Belt singled leading off, went to second on Lincecum's sacrifice, and scored on Aaron Rowand's single to tie the game at 3. Again with two outs, Posey hit an infield single to score Rowand, and the Giants were now up 4-3.
Jeremy Affeldt relieved in the seventh, so Don Mattingly turned to Marcus Thames to pinch-hit. It worked, as he launched a solo shot to left, knotting the game 4-4. Ethier doubled with two outs, so Bruce Bochy intentionally walked Kemp to get to Loney. That, too, worked, as Loney harmlessly grounded out. Once again, the Dodgers could not capitalize with runners on.
Blake Hawksworth was in charge with getting through the seventh unscathed. As good as he was in his last appearance against the Padres, he was awful in this one. Rowand led off with a triple and soon scored on a wild pitch. If you blinked, you missed it. Just like that, the Giants were up for good, 5-4.
The combination of Sergio Romo and Brian Wilson plowed through the Dodgers the last two innings, including Wilson striking out the side. The Giants have to obviously like their chances when leading after seven, as those two are nasty.
I really believe that this is one of those games the Dodgers can look back on later in the season and kick themselves for letting it get away. They get rid of Lincecum early by hitting him around, have their #2 pitcher on the mound, and still can't finish it out. That's frustrating.
It seems like every loss I point out how runners were left on base, and tonight there were seven. Another stat is how they hit with runners in scoring position, and it was 2-for-8. Plain and simple, there just wasn't enough timely hitting. They got it in the third, but not after that, save for Thames's homer.
Even with this loss, the Dodgers can still win the series on Wednesday. Ted Lilly will take the mound against Jonathan Sanchez in a matchup of southpaws. Lilly has yet to get out of the fifth, though last start was the crazy rain delay one in San Diego. Still, he needs to get deeper in the game if the Dodgers want to win.
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