The Dodgers had every reason to fold on Sunday. Their offense couldn't get going, they had a run taken away by a horrible call, and their manager got tossed again.
So, as they've done all season, they found a way to win regardless.
After Juan Rivera's sac-fly tied the game in the ninth, Dee Gordon hit a two-out, walk-off single to give the Dodgers a win over the White Sox, 2-1. The Dodgers took two of three from the Sox, and coupled with a loss by the Giants to the Mariners again, have a five game lead in the NL West.
It was mostly a lazy Sunday afternoon, as both Chris Capuano and Jose Quintana mowed through the hitters with ease. The game was scoreless through five, as both teams collected a decent amount of hits (seven), but nothing came of it. The Dodgers did have two on in the first, only to have Rivera ground into a double play.
The White Sox got the game's first run in the sixth. Brent Lillibridge led off with a single into left, which was bobbled by Elian Herrera, allowing him to scamper to second. Two outs later, Dayan Viciedo's RBI single just past the diving Jerry Hairston, Jr. at second made it 1-0.
The bottom of the sixth is when things got crazy. Matt Treanor has made the most of his brief starts this season, and his surprising bunt single started things. Capuano laid down a perfect sacrifice to sent him to third, and Gordon's infield single put runners on the corners with one down.
Herrera had two hits at this point, and he hit a fly ball that was caught in right. Treanor tagged up and appeared to score the tying run. But, not so fast said third base umpire Jerry Meals, as the Sox appealed the play successfully, resulting in a double play. Replays clearly showed it was a missed call, so the Dodgers were jobbed.
To make matters worse, Don Mattingly came out to say his piece, then was tossed walking back to the dugout. If you think you've seen Donny Baseball mad before, then you ain't seen nothing yet. He got his money's worth by refusing to go quietly. And who can blame him? It was clearly a bad call, and at the time could've cost them the game.
Addison Reed came on to try for his ninth save in as many chances, but the Dodgers had other ideas. Bobby Abreu pinch-hit and singled into left leading off. I thought maybe he'd be lifted for a pinch-runner, but since Ivan De Jesus already hit and Tony Gwynn was in the lineup, there was really nobody to turn to. Turns out, it didn't matter.
Gordon had a terrible at-bat by bunting foul for strike three. Herrera, though, singled into right to keep the game going. Rivera hit another fly ball into the outfield, and this time got the runner home, as Abreu hustled to tie the game. Andre Ethier was walked to pitch to Hairston, who flew out to send it into extras.
Ronald Belisario pitched two scoreless innings starting in the ninth, so the Dodgers were given the chance for another walk-off win. Gwynn has been struggling at the plate lately, but he made up for that by hitting a sinking liner into left that was not gloved by a diving Jordan Danks, rolling to the wall for a triple.
Treanor had a chance to be a hero, but grounded out to second for two down. Gordon then swung the bat like a man with a walk-off single into left.
While the offense failed to get going until the very end, it was Capuano who more than led the way. He was fantastic in pitching eight innings for six hits, one run, one walk, and 12 strikeouts. The 12 K's were one short of his career high. It's too bad he didn't get a decision, but at 8-2 with a 2.71 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 80 K's, he's more than proven he should be in the All-Star Game. He's given the Dodgers everything they could possible hope for, and then some.
The Dodgers have already played in a whopping 31 one-run games, winning 18 of them, tops in the majors. That's a lot of clutch hits and good bullpen work. Pretty amazing considering their best hitter Matt Kemp has only played 36 of the 67 games this year. It's great to see them competing so well without him.
I will say that the Dodgers did look pretty tired most of this game, even extending back into Saturday night when they went hitless over the final five innings. It's a good thing they get a day off for travel before settling in Oakland for three. Aaron Harang will go against the A's ace, Brandon McCarthy.
Showing posts with label White Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White Sox. Show all posts
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
One rally not enough for the Dodgers
The script was practically the same as the night before. The White Sox built a comfortable early lead, only to see the Dodgers come all the way back.
The difference? The White Sox were the ones who pushed ahead soon after and didn't look back.
The Dodgers battled back from a four-run hole, but went hitless over the final five innings in falling to the White Sox, 5-4. The Giants fell again with Tim Lincecum on the mound, so the lead in the NL West remains at four games.
Chad Billingsley got through the first in order, but in true Billingsley fashion, got hit around in the second. Paul Konerko doubled leading off, and went to third on Alex Rios's single. Rios soon stole second with an out, and both scored on a two-run single by Alexei Ramirez. With two outs, Philip Humber hit an RBI single (of course) to make it 3-0.
The Sox tacked on another run the next inning. Singles by Gordon Beckham and Adam Dunn greeted Billingsley. A slick strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play came next, as Konerko K'd and Beckham was gunned at third. How would Billingsley use this momentum? By watching Rios smoke an RBI triple to make it 4-0. Figures.
The Dodgers didn't wait around long to make a new game of this, as they put up four runs in the bottom of the third. Billingsley actually had two hits, and the first came on a single leading off. Singles by Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier loaded the bases with one out. Jerry Hairston, Jr. hit in the cleanup spot, and his sac-fly RBI to deep center made it 4-1.
The next three hitters chipped away little by little, as Bobby Abreu, A.J. Ellis, and James Loney all collected RBI singles to make it a whole new game at 4-4.
In the fifth, Billingsley coughed up the lead, though to be fair, it wasn't completely his fault. It was his fault when he beaned Ramirez leading off, who then stole second. Orlando Hudson, who might be one of the worst hitters in baseball at this point in his career, hit the easiest grounder ever to Hairston at second, who booted it. With one out, Alejandro De Aza's fielder's choice scored Ramirez, and it was 5-4.
The offense for the Dodgers went largely silent after that. Billngsley again hit a leadoff single in the fourth, and Ethier walked with two outs. Both advanced a base on a wild pitch, but Humber got Hairston to pop to short for the final out.
About the only other threat of the night came in the seventh. Elian Herrera walked to start it, and swiped second as Ethier struck out looking on a bad call. Hairston and Abreu could only weakly pop up, though.
Addison Reed went through the Dodgers in order for his eighth save, striking out Herrera for the final out.
Maybe the Dodgers just didn't have enough left in the tank for another rally, as they certainly expended a lot of energy doing so on Friday. I think this is a time we need to keep in mind just how many injuries they have, which is why you've gotten real used to seeing guys like Hairston, Herrera, and Tony Gywnn getting lots of PT. Don't get me wrong, they've been great, but they probably are a bit worn down too.
Billingsley scuffled for the most part again, which is absolutely no surprise anymore. He went six innings for eight hits, five runs (four earned), one walk, and four strikeouts. Not terrible by any means, but not very good either. He was awesome in his last two starts, but once again just can't seem to string together any sort of positive stretch. It's just not gonna happen.
If there's something to nitpick about the Dodgers, it's that they've lost seven of their last nine home games. Remember, they were swept by the Brewers in four at the end of May, which makes this stat look ugly. A win on Sunday would at least give them their first home series win since taken two of three from the Astros before the Brewers' series.
The final game of the homestand will see Chris Capuano take the mound. He's struggled a bit in June, though it was only natural be suffer somewhat of a letdown after his incredible start. He'll go against young Jose Quintana.
The difference? The White Sox were the ones who pushed ahead soon after and didn't look back.
The Dodgers battled back from a four-run hole, but went hitless over the final five innings in falling to the White Sox, 5-4. The Giants fell again with Tim Lincecum on the mound, so the lead in the NL West remains at four games.
Chad Billingsley got through the first in order, but in true Billingsley fashion, got hit around in the second. Paul Konerko doubled leading off, and went to third on Alex Rios's single. Rios soon stole second with an out, and both scored on a two-run single by Alexei Ramirez. With two outs, Philip Humber hit an RBI single (of course) to make it 3-0.
The Sox tacked on another run the next inning. Singles by Gordon Beckham and Adam Dunn greeted Billingsley. A slick strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play came next, as Konerko K'd and Beckham was gunned at third. How would Billingsley use this momentum? By watching Rios smoke an RBI triple to make it 4-0. Figures.
The Dodgers didn't wait around long to make a new game of this, as they put up four runs in the bottom of the third. Billingsley actually had two hits, and the first came on a single leading off. Singles by Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier loaded the bases with one out. Jerry Hairston, Jr. hit in the cleanup spot, and his sac-fly RBI to deep center made it 4-1.
The next three hitters chipped away little by little, as Bobby Abreu, A.J. Ellis, and James Loney all collected RBI singles to make it a whole new game at 4-4.
In the fifth, Billingsley coughed up the lead, though to be fair, it wasn't completely his fault. It was his fault when he beaned Ramirez leading off, who then stole second. Orlando Hudson, who might be one of the worst hitters in baseball at this point in his career, hit the easiest grounder ever to Hairston at second, who booted it. With one out, Alejandro De Aza's fielder's choice scored Ramirez, and it was 5-4.
The offense for the Dodgers went largely silent after that. Billngsley again hit a leadoff single in the fourth, and Ethier walked with two outs. Both advanced a base on a wild pitch, but Humber got Hairston to pop to short for the final out.
About the only other threat of the night came in the seventh. Elian Herrera walked to start it, and swiped second as Ethier struck out looking on a bad call. Hairston and Abreu could only weakly pop up, though.
Addison Reed went through the Dodgers in order for his eighth save, striking out Herrera for the final out.
Maybe the Dodgers just didn't have enough left in the tank for another rally, as they certainly expended a lot of energy doing so on Friday. I think this is a time we need to keep in mind just how many injuries they have, which is why you've gotten real used to seeing guys like Hairston, Herrera, and Tony Gywnn getting lots of PT. Don't get me wrong, they've been great, but they probably are a bit worn down too.
Billingsley scuffled for the most part again, which is absolutely no surprise anymore. He went six innings for eight hits, five runs (four earned), one walk, and four strikeouts. Not terrible by any means, but not very good either. He was awesome in his last two starts, but once again just can't seem to string together any sort of positive stretch. It's just not gonna happen.
If there's something to nitpick about the Dodgers, it's that they've lost seven of their last nine home games. Remember, they were swept by the Brewers in four at the end of May, which makes this stat look ugly. A win on Sunday would at least give them their first home series win since taken two of three from the Astros before the Brewers' series.
The final game of the homestand will see Chris Capuano take the mound. He's struggled a bit in June, though it was only natural be suffer somewhat of a letdown after his incredible start. He'll go against young Jose Quintana.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Two rallies, and a wild win for the Dodgers
So much for a pitcher's duel.
What looked like an offensive struggle coming into the game between Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale was anything but. Instead, the Dodgers rallied from a 5-1 deficit, then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth to get the win over the White Sox, 7-6.
Kershaw knew he'd be in for a long night in the first. After striking out Alejandro De Aza leading off, Gordon Beckham hit a soft single to center. On an 0-2 count, Adam Dunn launched a two-run homer to right, and the Dodgers were immediately behind.
The Dodgers used their speed at the top of the order to get one back right away. Dee Gordon did the unthinkable... he took a walk leading off. Elian Herrera then stroked an RBI double to make it 1-0. He was in scoring position with no outs, but could only get to third.
Unfortunately for Kershaw, he never seemed to get into any sort of rhythm. He gave up single runs in innings 3-5. In the third, Dunn walked with two outs and went to second on a wild pitch. Old Dodger Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 3-1.
Aramis Ramirez hit an infield single to start the fourth, though Gordon didn't exactly make a good play on it. Speaking of Gordon, his wild throw to Juan Rivera at first on Orlando Hudson's grounder brought home Ramirez, and it was 4-1. A solo homer by Alex Rios the following inning put the score at 5-1.
Sale was sure looking like he would cruise to a victory, especially with Kershaw struggling and the Dodgers leaving all sorts of men on base. But these are the 2012 Dodgers, where this is no quit. That was never more evident than in the sixth, where they not only came back, but took a lead.
Like a lot of big innings, it all started on a walk to Jerry Hairston, Jr. A single by A.J. Ellis came next, which then led to an RBI double by Juan Uribe to make it 5-2. With one out, Ivan De Jesus hit for Kershaw and came through with an RBI single, and it was now 5-3.
Gordon tried to bunt his way on, but Konerko deflected the ball to Beckham, who barehanded it for a great catch. That was it for Sale, who gave way to Jesse Crain to get the final out. Herrera, though, had other plans, as his two-run double tied the game at five. Rivera went opposite field for an RBI single, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
Todd Coffey, Scott Elbert, and Ronald Belisario teamed up to get through the seventh with an out apiece. Belisario stayed on to pitch the eighth, but Rios greeted him with his second homer of the night, a long blast to left, and it was once again a new game at 6-6.
Matt Thorton came in to keep the score as is for the Sox, but the Dodgers had one more rally left in them. James Loney came in on a double switch in the seventh, and he singled with an out. Gordon walked to put two on. Herrera's groundout put Loney on third with two down. With Bobby Abreu pinch-hitting, a wild pitch easily brought home Loney to go up 7-6.
Kenley Jansen was giving a chance for his 11th save, and he set the Sox down in order, striking out Beckham to end the game.
It's a good thing the Dodgers had their big run in the sixth, because if it came later, most of the fans would've been heading home. OK, so maybe that's a bit harsh, but it's easy to see how this was an improbable victory after being down 5-1 against a really good pitcher.
But, like I said before, the Dodgers just have no quit in them. They didn't even hit a homer, or even one that came close, as opposed to the Sox and their three blasts. Instead, it became a single here, a walk there, an extra base taken here, a stolen base there. Without Matt Kemp, that's been the formula for success. And that's a big reason why they're 17 games over .500, and it's not even July yet. Amazing.
By the end of the night, Kershaw's start was somewhat forgotten, which I'm sure is fine with him. He lasted six innings for eight hits, five runs (four earned), two walks, and seven strikeouts. Again, the long ball was a problem, as he surrendered two more. Despite the seven K's, his location just wasn't there, and even had a hard time putting hitters away with two strikes. Thankfully his offense bailed him out of a loss.
I wouldn't say I'm worried about Kershaw, as you can't expect a shutout every time he's on the mound, no matter how good he is. But the homers are a concern, as the season isn't even halfway over, and he's already hit double-digits. From 2008-2011, he allowed the following: 11, 7, 13, 15. So, he's obviously on pace to exceed that. As he's said in the past, he just has to find a way to make sure his mistakes aren't hit over the fence.
After dropping two of three in the Freeway Series, a series win over an American League team would be sweet. Chad Billingsley will look to get over .500 by going on Saturday. He'll be up against Philip Humber, who has gone from perfect game to clinging onto his rotation spot.
What looked like an offensive struggle coming into the game between Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale was anything but. Instead, the Dodgers rallied from a 5-1 deficit, then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth to get the win over the White Sox, 7-6.
Kershaw knew he'd be in for a long night in the first. After striking out Alejandro De Aza leading off, Gordon Beckham hit a soft single to center. On an 0-2 count, Adam Dunn launched a two-run homer to right, and the Dodgers were immediately behind.
The Dodgers used their speed at the top of the order to get one back right away. Dee Gordon did the unthinkable... he took a walk leading off. Elian Herrera then stroked an RBI double to make it 1-0. He was in scoring position with no outs, but could only get to third.
Unfortunately for Kershaw, he never seemed to get into any sort of rhythm. He gave up single runs in innings 3-5. In the third, Dunn walked with two outs and went to second on a wild pitch. Old Dodger Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 3-1.
Aramis Ramirez hit an infield single to start the fourth, though Gordon didn't exactly make a good play on it. Speaking of Gordon, his wild throw to Juan Rivera at first on Orlando Hudson's grounder brought home Ramirez, and it was 4-1. A solo homer by Alex Rios the following inning put the score at 5-1.
Sale was sure looking like he would cruise to a victory, especially with Kershaw struggling and the Dodgers leaving all sorts of men on base. But these are the 2012 Dodgers, where this is no quit. That was never more evident than in the sixth, where they not only came back, but took a lead.
Like a lot of big innings, it all started on a walk to Jerry Hairston, Jr. A single by A.J. Ellis came next, which then led to an RBI double by Juan Uribe to make it 5-2. With one out, Ivan De Jesus hit for Kershaw and came through with an RBI single, and it was now 5-3.
Gordon tried to bunt his way on, but Konerko deflected the ball to Beckham, who barehanded it for a great catch. That was it for Sale, who gave way to Jesse Crain to get the final out. Herrera, though, had other plans, as his two-run double tied the game at five. Rivera went opposite field for an RBI single, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
Todd Coffey, Scott Elbert, and Ronald Belisario teamed up to get through the seventh with an out apiece. Belisario stayed on to pitch the eighth, but Rios greeted him with his second homer of the night, a long blast to left, and it was once again a new game at 6-6.
Matt Thorton came in to keep the score as is for the Sox, but the Dodgers had one more rally left in them. James Loney came in on a double switch in the seventh, and he singled with an out. Gordon walked to put two on. Herrera's groundout put Loney on third with two down. With Bobby Abreu pinch-hitting, a wild pitch easily brought home Loney to go up 7-6.
Kenley Jansen was giving a chance for his 11th save, and he set the Sox down in order, striking out Beckham to end the game.
It's a good thing the Dodgers had their big run in the sixth, because if it came later, most of the fans would've been heading home. OK, so maybe that's a bit harsh, but it's easy to see how this was an improbable victory after being down 5-1 against a really good pitcher.
But, like I said before, the Dodgers just have no quit in them. They didn't even hit a homer, or even one that came close, as opposed to the Sox and their three blasts. Instead, it became a single here, a walk there, an extra base taken here, a stolen base there. Without Matt Kemp, that's been the formula for success. And that's a big reason why they're 17 games over .500, and it's not even July yet. Amazing.
By the end of the night, Kershaw's start was somewhat forgotten, which I'm sure is fine with him. He lasted six innings for eight hits, five runs (four earned), two walks, and seven strikeouts. Again, the long ball was a problem, as he surrendered two more. Despite the seven K's, his location just wasn't there, and even had a hard time putting hitters away with two strikes. Thankfully his offense bailed him out of a loss.
I wouldn't say I'm worried about Kershaw, as you can't expect a shutout every time he's on the mound, no matter how good he is. But the homers are a concern, as the season isn't even halfway over, and he's already hit double-digits. From 2008-2011, he allowed the following: 11, 7, 13, 15. So, he's obviously on pace to exceed that. As he's said in the past, he just has to find a way to make sure his mistakes aren't hit over the fence.
After dropping two of three in the Freeway Series, a series win over an American League team would be sweet. Chad Billingsley will look to get over .500 by going on Saturday. He'll be up against Philip Humber, who has gone from perfect game to clinging onto his rotation spot.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Dodgers are a mess... and getting worse
If you wanted an idea of just how bad things have been for the Dodgers, Sunday was the perfect example. A combination of bad pitching, bad hitting, bad defense, mental errors, and injuries all reared their ugly heads.
It goes without saying that the Dodgers lost again, this time 8-3 to the White Sox. The Dodgers dropped two of three in this interleague series, and have now lost seven of nine.
Hiroki Kuroda entered this game having pitched 14 2/3 scoreless innings. He was practically unhittable his last two starts. Today? Completely hittable.
Juan Pierre singled to lead off the bottom of the first. Alexei Ramirez then cranked a two-run homer for the 2-0 lead. A couple of outs later, A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo shot to make it 3-0.
The mental errors for the Dodgers showed up in the second. James Loney singled with one down. Then Rod Barajas lifted a soft fly ball that was easily caught by Gordon Beckham in shallow right. For reasons only known to Loney, he ventured too far off of first and was doubled up. It was quite frankly one of the dumbest mistakes I can ever recall seeing. Just pathetic.
The White Sox broke it open in the fourth. It started on an error by the returning Rafael Furcal, who no doubt inspired his team by going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and an error in the leadoff spot. A Pierre double sent runners to scoring position, and also knocked Andre Ethier out of the game after slamming into the fence. Ramirez, who doubled home the fourth run in the second, got another RBI with a single, and it was 5-0. Paul Konerko's sac-fly RBI pushed it to 6-0.
Mercifully, the Dodgers got on the board in the fifth. Loney led off with a double. Barjas hurt his wrist on Pierre's slide the previous inning, so Dioner Navarro pinch-hit and naturally grounded out. Loney went to third on a wild pitch, and Jay Gibbons scored him on an RBI groundout.
In the seventh, the Dodgers at least made it look like a game by scoring a couple more. Gibbons led off with a double, only his second extra-base hit of the season. Jerry Sands singled and Russ Mitchell walked to load the bases. Jesse Crain relieved Chris Sale and got Raffy swinging for one down.
Jamey Carroll then took a walk for the easy RBI. Tony Gwynn grounded into a fielder's choice, but the run scored and it was now 6-3.
Javy Guerra got a couple outs in the seventh, but had no such luck in the eighth. Ramirez collected with fifth RBI of the day with a double for the 7-3 lead. Adam Dunn has been horrific this season, but even he got an RBI single to put the game away for good at 8-3.
Despite getting eight hits, taking four walks, and stealing three bases, the Dodgers could only get three runs. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Kemp left three on, and Raffy, Carroll, and Navarro all left one. It's the same old problem for this team - a lack of clutch hitting. They didn't get it today, and it was another L.
Then there's the pitching, which was awful today. Kuroda ended up going 5 2/3 for nine hits, six runs (four earned), two walks, and three strikeouts. He has been great this year, so this was just a bad day for him. He still has a 3.10 ERA.
The bullpen is in such bad shape right now, that any close game late automatically gives the advantage to the opposing team. Scott Elbert gave up a walk while getting a couple outs. Guerra allowed two runs in an inning of work. Ramon Troncoso got two outs to lower his ERA to... 8.10. Yikes.
I know the injury bug has really hit this team hard, maybe harder than any other team. But, even with that said, they just looked like a complete train wreck for most of this game. The White Sox blitzed them early, then you had Loney's brain fart, then Raffy's big error, then the bullpen erasing any chance at a comeback. It was just a hard game to watch from the first pitch on.
Ned Colletti has maintained that the Dodgers just need to get healthy in order to contend. I can understand his positive thinking, because he should think that way. But the reality is that even with those guys, they're not a top contending team. Take some of those guys away, and they'll be lucky to be a .500 club.
The Dodgers are only seven games in back of the NL West lead. That could be a whole lot worse. But I don't care how many injuries they have - if they play the game like the did today with one mental error after another, they can be the healthiest team in America and still lose. Banged up or not, that has to stop.
With interleague play over for now, the Dodgers will travel to Houston for three before an off day on Thursday to return home. Clayton Kershaw will get the call against Bud Norris.
It goes without saying that the Dodgers lost again, this time 8-3 to the White Sox. The Dodgers dropped two of three in this interleague series, and have now lost seven of nine.
Hiroki Kuroda entered this game having pitched 14 2/3 scoreless innings. He was practically unhittable his last two starts. Today? Completely hittable.
Juan Pierre singled to lead off the bottom of the first. Alexei Ramirez then cranked a two-run homer for the 2-0 lead. A couple of outs later, A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo shot to make it 3-0.
The mental errors for the Dodgers showed up in the second. James Loney singled with one down. Then Rod Barajas lifted a soft fly ball that was easily caught by Gordon Beckham in shallow right. For reasons only known to Loney, he ventured too far off of first and was doubled up. It was quite frankly one of the dumbest mistakes I can ever recall seeing. Just pathetic.
The White Sox broke it open in the fourth. It started on an error by the returning Rafael Furcal, who no doubt inspired his team by going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and an error in the leadoff spot. A Pierre double sent runners to scoring position, and also knocked Andre Ethier out of the game after slamming into the fence. Ramirez, who doubled home the fourth run in the second, got another RBI with a single, and it was 5-0. Paul Konerko's sac-fly RBI pushed it to 6-0.
Mercifully, the Dodgers got on the board in the fifth. Loney led off with a double. Barjas hurt his wrist on Pierre's slide the previous inning, so Dioner Navarro pinch-hit and naturally grounded out. Loney went to third on a wild pitch, and Jay Gibbons scored him on an RBI groundout.
In the seventh, the Dodgers at least made it look like a game by scoring a couple more. Gibbons led off with a double, only his second extra-base hit of the season. Jerry Sands singled and Russ Mitchell walked to load the bases. Jesse Crain relieved Chris Sale and got Raffy swinging for one down.
Jamey Carroll then took a walk for the easy RBI. Tony Gwynn grounded into a fielder's choice, but the run scored and it was now 6-3.
Javy Guerra got a couple outs in the seventh, but had no such luck in the eighth. Ramirez collected with fifth RBI of the day with a double for the 7-3 lead. Adam Dunn has been horrific this season, but even he got an RBI single to put the game away for good at 8-3.
Despite getting eight hits, taking four walks, and stealing three bases, the Dodgers could only get three runs. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Kemp left three on, and Raffy, Carroll, and Navarro all left one. It's the same old problem for this team - a lack of clutch hitting. They didn't get it today, and it was another L.
Then there's the pitching, which was awful today. Kuroda ended up going 5 2/3 for nine hits, six runs (four earned), two walks, and three strikeouts. He has been great this year, so this was just a bad day for him. He still has a 3.10 ERA.
The bullpen is in such bad shape right now, that any close game late automatically gives the advantage to the opposing team. Scott Elbert gave up a walk while getting a couple outs. Guerra allowed two runs in an inning of work. Ramon Troncoso got two outs to lower his ERA to... 8.10. Yikes.
I know the injury bug has really hit this team hard, maybe harder than any other team. But, even with that said, they just looked like a complete train wreck for most of this game. The White Sox blitzed them early, then you had Loney's brain fart, then Raffy's big error, then the bullpen erasing any chance at a comeback. It was just a hard game to watch from the first pitch on.
Ned Colletti has maintained that the Dodgers just need to get healthy in order to contend. I can understand his positive thinking, because he should think that way. But the reality is that even with those guys, they're not a top contending team. Take some of those guys away, and they'll be lucky to be a .500 club.
The Dodgers are only seven games in back of the NL West lead. That could be a whole lot worse. But I don't care how many injuries they have - if they play the game like the did today with one mental error after another, they can be the healthiest team in America and still lose. Banged up or not, that has to stop.
With interleague play over for now, the Dodgers will travel to Houston for three before an off day on Thursday to return home. Clayton Kershaw will get the call against Bud Norris.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
White Sox take apart the Dodgers
A horrific fourth inning in which the Dodgers gave up six runs was more than enough for the White Sox to take the Saturday afternoon game, 9-2. Both teams have split the first couple of games.
Jon Garland was back on the mound at a place that gave him plenty of success in the past. He was an 18-game winner in both 2005 and 2006 and won a ring in '05. So it goes without saying that he had this start circled ready to show he still has it.
Too bad that didn't actually happen today, as the Sox used some bloop hits and the longball to make life miserable for him. All in all, he lasted only 3 2/3 innings for 11 hits, seven runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. His ERA shot up from 3.55 to 4.75 just like that.
It all started in the first. After the Dodgers wasted a couple of baserunners, the Sox cashed them in when given the chance. Alexei Ramirez doubled with one out. Following an Adam Dunn strikeout, one of four on the day, Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 1-0.
Believe it or not, the Dodgers actually were in this game at one point, and tied it in the third. Jamey Carroll beat out an infield hit leading off. Juan Castro laid down the sacrifice bunt, but nobody covered first and was safe. Matt Kemp tied the game at 1 with an RBI groundout.
That was as good as it would get for the Dodgers in this one, as the fourth inning saw the Sox send 11 men to the plate for six runs on seven hits. It all started on a single by Konerko. He was actually then gunned at third by Jerry Sands on A.J. Pierzynski's single for one down.
It got ugly from there, as Alex Rios rocketed a two-run tater, and it was 3-1. Omar Vizquel singled, Brent Lillibridge was beaned, and Gordon Beckham singled to load 'em up. Ramirez plated two of them with a single, and Dunn walked to load the bases again. Ramon Troncoso came in and immediately watched Konerko score two more with a single. In the end, it was 7-1.
The Dodgers didn't have a whole lot happen after that. The only good thing was watching Sands hit his first career big league homer in the sixth. Of course nobody was on base, but still, it was good to see. He hasn't been the power threat the Dodgers were hoping, but now that he has the first one out of the way, maybe more are soon to follow.
The final runs of the day came on a two-run homer by Lillibridge off of Lance Cormier. But you're as shocked as I am that Cormier gave up a homer. Nope, I didn't think so either.
As funny as this may seem, I didn't think Garland was really all that bad. He fell victim to some bad luck with a couple of bloop hits, and some grounders that found holes. That's the way it goes sometimes. His pitching line is hard to look at, but I'm not worried about him.
The same can't be said for Cormier, who looks just completely lost out there. After giving up two runs in two innings, he now has a 9.88 ERA in 13 2/3 innings this year. I can't imagine he'll be around much longer once some of the DL guys start coming back. At least I hope not.
Maybe the best news from this game, other than the homer by Sands, is that Rafael Furcal may be activated and play in Sunday's finale. If not, then it will be very soon. Plus, Casey Blake could begin a rehab assignment soon. Like I said recently, they're not huge power hitters, but they can only help a lifeless offense when they do return.
For every piece of good news, there's also the negative. This time it's Juan Uribe possibly getting DL'd with a left hip flexor. He's only hitting .220, but had started to turn things around again recently. Wouldn't you know it, now he's hurt. So it goes for the Dodgers.
The last game of this three-game series will come on Sunday afternoon. Hiroki Kuroda has been masterful in his last two starts, and he will be looking for his sixth win.
Jon Garland was back on the mound at a place that gave him plenty of success in the past. He was an 18-game winner in both 2005 and 2006 and won a ring in '05. So it goes without saying that he had this start circled ready to show he still has it.
Too bad that didn't actually happen today, as the Sox used some bloop hits and the longball to make life miserable for him. All in all, he lasted only 3 2/3 innings for 11 hits, seven runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. His ERA shot up from 3.55 to 4.75 just like that.
It all started in the first. After the Dodgers wasted a couple of baserunners, the Sox cashed them in when given the chance. Alexei Ramirez doubled with one out. Following an Adam Dunn strikeout, one of four on the day, Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 1-0.
Believe it or not, the Dodgers actually were in this game at one point, and tied it in the third. Jamey Carroll beat out an infield hit leading off. Juan Castro laid down the sacrifice bunt, but nobody covered first and was safe. Matt Kemp tied the game at 1 with an RBI groundout.
That was as good as it would get for the Dodgers in this one, as the fourth inning saw the Sox send 11 men to the plate for six runs on seven hits. It all started on a single by Konerko. He was actually then gunned at third by Jerry Sands on A.J. Pierzynski's single for one down.
It got ugly from there, as Alex Rios rocketed a two-run tater, and it was 3-1. Omar Vizquel singled, Brent Lillibridge was beaned, and Gordon Beckham singled to load 'em up. Ramirez plated two of them with a single, and Dunn walked to load the bases again. Ramon Troncoso came in and immediately watched Konerko score two more with a single. In the end, it was 7-1.
The Dodgers didn't have a whole lot happen after that. The only good thing was watching Sands hit his first career big league homer in the sixth. Of course nobody was on base, but still, it was good to see. He hasn't been the power threat the Dodgers were hoping, but now that he has the first one out of the way, maybe more are soon to follow.
The final runs of the day came on a two-run homer by Lillibridge off of Lance Cormier. But you're as shocked as I am that Cormier gave up a homer. Nope, I didn't think so either.
As funny as this may seem, I didn't think Garland was really all that bad. He fell victim to some bad luck with a couple of bloop hits, and some grounders that found holes. That's the way it goes sometimes. His pitching line is hard to look at, but I'm not worried about him.
The same can't be said for Cormier, who looks just completely lost out there. After giving up two runs in two innings, he now has a 9.88 ERA in 13 2/3 innings this year. I can't imagine he'll be around much longer once some of the DL guys start coming back. At least I hope not.
Maybe the best news from this game, other than the homer by Sands, is that Rafael Furcal may be activated and play in Sunday's finale. If not, then it will be very soon. Plus, Casey Blake could begin a rehab assignment soon. Like I said recently, they're not huge power hitters, but they can only help a lifeless offense when they do return.
For every piece of good news, there's also the negative. This time it's Juan Uribe possibly getting DL'd with a left hip flexor. He's only hitting .220, but had started to turn things around again recently. Wouldn't you know it, now he's hurt. So it goes for the Dodgers.
The last game of this three-game series will come on Sunday afternoon. Hiroki Kuroda has been masterful in his last two starts, and he will be looking for his sixth win.
Russ Mitchell does it all
The Dodgers have certainly had their fair share of struggles at the plate this season. So when it came down to Russ Mitchell vs. Sergio Santos in the bottom of the ninth, the White Sox liked their chances.
Then Mitchell did something the Dodgers have been waiting to see - a solo homer to keep the game alive. Three more runs came in the 10th, and the Dodgers came out of nowhere to beat the White Sox, 6-4. With this win, the Dodgers are now 4-0 in extra inning games this year.
After dropping two straight to the hated Giants at home, maybe the Dodgers enjoyed getting out of town for some interleague action. It sure looked that way in the first, as Jamey Carroll doubled with two outs, part of his four-hit night. Matt Kemp stepped in with two outs and launched a two-run homer for the early lead.
Ted Lilly got through the first with ease, but not the second. It all started with two outs as Alex Rios doubled. Ramon Castro hit a ground rule double to score him, cutting the lead to 2-1. Gordon Beckham gave the Sox the lead with a two-run shot, and it was 3-2.
Both Lilly and Phil Humber settled down after that, as neither team put a run across the board until late. The Dodgers had a chance in the eighth with Matt Thorton in. Jerry Sands walked leading off, followed by a ground rule double by Carroll. But, Andre Ethier struck out, and with Jesse Crain now in, Juan Castro and James Loney couldn't get the job done either.
So then came the ninth inning and Santos on to close. He came into this game with an ERA of 0.00, as in no runs in 20 innings this season, with six saves. Plus he was facing the bottom of the Dodgers' order, so the chances of winning increased even more.
Dioner Navarro led off and struck out. Jay Gibbons then flew out to right. Mitchell wasn't exactly an ideal hitter to tie the game considering he didn't have a homer all season and was hitting below .100. So with a 2-1 count, Santos threw a fastball right over the heart of the plate which Mitchell just hit inside the foul pole in left to knot it up.
Kenley Jansen got through the ninth with only a single to send the game to the 10th. Carroll once again started a rally with a single. Kemp also singled with one out. Next came an RBI single by old man Castro, and an RBI double from Loney. Yes, I did just say "double" and "Loney" in the same sentence. That's only his fifth extra-base hit all season in 164 at-bats. Wow. Gibbons got the last run with an RBI single to go up 6-3.
The White Sox wouldn't go quietly in the bottom of the 10th. With Vicente Padilla on the DL, Matt Guerrier got a crack at another save. Omar Vizquel singled leading off, and Juan "For Five" Pierre (I miss saying that) followed with another one. A groundout by Alexei Ramirez put both men in scoring position.
Out went Guerrier, in came Scott Elbert to face Adam Dunn. On a hard grounder to third, Mitchell again made a big play with a great diving stop to get the out while Vizquel scored. Mice MacDougal got the save by getting Paul Konerko to ground out to end the game.
It was a pretty crazy game by the time it was all said and done. The Dodgers have to feel really good about seeing someone other than Kemp or Ethier step up and make big plays. Tonight it was guys like Mitchell, Castro, Carroll, and Jansen getting it done. That's how the Dodgers win, by getting production from a bunch of guys.
Lilly shook off a bad second inning and turned in a solid performance. He ended up with seven innings pitched for seven hits, three runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. He's the only one in the rotation who hasn't really pulled his weight, so starts like this are good.
The bullpen of Jansen, Guerrier, Elbert, and MacDougal were great, and that's not something I get to say all that much. They combined to throw the final four innings for three hits, one run, no walks, and two strikeouts. It's not often you see a pitching staff not allow a walk all game, so it's a job well done to them.
After the big win on Friday, the Dodgers and White Sox will have an afternoon tilt on Saturday. Jon Garland, who won a ring with the Sox back in '05, will get the start against Mark Buehrle.
Then Mitchell did something the Dodgers have been waiting to see - a solo homer to keep the game alive. Three more runs came in the 10th, and the Dodgers came out of nowhere to beat the White Sox, 6-4. With this win, the Dodgers are now 4-0 in extra inning games this year.
After dropping two straight to the hated Giants at home, maybe the Dodgers enjoyed getting out of town for some interleague action. It sure looked that way in the first, as Jamey Carroll doubled with two outs, part of his four-hit night. Matt Kemp stepped in with two outs and launched a two-run homer for the early lead.
Ted Lilly got through the first with ease, but not the second. It all started with two outs as Alex Rios doubled. Ramon Castro hit a ground rule double to score him, cutting the lead to 2-1. Gordon Beckham gave the Sox the lead with a two-run shot, and it was 3-2.
Both Lilly and Phil Humber settled down after that, as neither team put a run across the board until late. The Dodgers had a chance in the eighth with Matt Thorton in. Jerry Sands walked leading off, followed by a ground rule double by Carroll. But, Andre Ethier struck out, and with Jesse Crain now in, Juan Castro and James Loney couldn't get the job done either.
So then came the ninth inning and Santos on to close. He came into this game with an ERA of 0.00, as in no runs in 20 innings this season, with six saves. Plus he was facing the bottom of the Dodgers' order, so the chances of winning increased even more.
Dioner Navarro led off and struck out. Jay Gibbons then flew out to right. Mitchell wasn't exactly an ideal hitter to tie the game considering he didn't have a homer all season and was hitting below .100. So with a 2-1 count, Santos threw a fastball right over the heart of the plate which Mitchell just hit inside the foul pole in left to knot it up.
Kenley Jansen got through the ninth with only a single to send the game to the 10th. Carroll once again started a rally with a single. Kemp also singled with one out. Next came an RBI single by old man Castro, and an RBI double from Loney. Yes, I did just say "double" and "Loney" in the same sentence. That's only his fifth extra-base hit all season in 164 at-bats. Wow. Gibbons got the last run with an RBI single to go up 6-3.
The White Sox wouldn't go quietly in the bottom of the 10th. With Vicente Padilla on the DL, Matt Guerrier got a crack at another save. Omar Vizquel singled leading off, and Juan "For Five" Pierre (I miss saying that) followed with another one. A groundout by Alexei Ramirez put both men in scoring position.
Out went Guerrier, in came Scott Elbert to face Adam Dunn. On a hard grounder to third, Mitchell again made a big play with a great diving stop to get the out while Vizquel scored. Mice MacDougal got the save by getting Paul Konerko to ground out to end the game.
It was a pretty crazy game by the time it was all said and done. The Dodgers have to feel really good about seeing someone other than Kemp or Ethier step up and make big plays. Tonight it was guys like Mitchell, Castro, Carroll, and Jansen getting it done. That's how the Dodgers win, by getting production from a bunch of guys.
Lilly shook off a bad second inning and turned in a solid performance. He ended up with seven innings pitched for seven hits, three runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. He's the only one in the rotation who hasn't really pulled his weight, so starts like this are good.
The bullpen of Jansen, Guerrier, Elbert, and MacDougal were great, and that's not something I get to say all that much. They combined to throw the final four innings for three hits, one run, no walks, and two strikeouts. It's not often you see a pitching staff not allow a walk all game, so it's a job well done to them.
After the big win on Friday, the Dodgers and White Sox will have an afternoon tilt on Saturday. Jon Garland, who won a ring with the Sox back in '05, will get the start against Mark Buehrle.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Manny is heading to the White Sox
Apparently, Manny Ramirez just kept walking to Chicago after getting tossed from Sunday's game.
With the Dodgers dropping two of three in Colorado to all but eliminate them from the playoffs, Manny will be going to Chicago in a straight waiver claim on Monday. That means the White Sox will be picking up the remaining $4.3 million on his salary for this season.
While it looks to be a straight waiver deal, it's not 100% official, so a trade could possibly be worked out. But it sure doesn't look like that will happen.
Many more details to follow when they come through.
With the Dodgers dropping two of three in Colorado to all but eliminate them from the playoffs, Manny will be going to Chicago in a straight waiver claim on Monday. That means the White Sox will be picking up the remaining $4.3 million on his salary for this season.
While it looks to be a straight waiver deal, it's not 100% official, so a trade could possibly be worked out. But it sure doesn't look like that will happen.
Many more details to follow when they come through.
Friday, August 27, 2010
White Sox win the claim
As suspected, the White Sox have won the claim for Manny Ramirez. Other teams rumored to be involved were the Rays and Rangers. Since those two teams have a better record, the Sox were awarded the claim.
With that being settled, the three-game series in Colorado has become huge. Not only are both teams trying to chase down first in the Wild Card, but for the Dodgers, it will likely be the final factor in whether to deal Manny or not.
Get a sweep, and he stays. Anything less than that will probably send him out.
Say the Dodgers lose tonight. Will that mean Manny is dealt this weekend? It's a high possibility. Stay tuned.
With that being settled, the three-game series in Colorado has become huge. Not only are both teams trying to chase down first in the Wild Card, but for the Dodgers, it will likely be the final factor in whether to deal Manny or not.
Get a sweep, and he stays. Anything less than that will probably send him out.
Say the Dodgers lose tonight. Will that mean Manny is dealt this weekend? It's a high possibility. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Juan Gone - Pierre off to the White Sox
Juan Pierre has finally gotten his wish: a starting outfield role on a new team.
The Dodgers made their first big move of the winter by sending Pierre to the White Sox for two players to be named later. The players will be named on or before January 7.
Pierre has two years and $18.5 million remaining on his existing contract. The Sox will pick up $3 million this upcoming season and $5 million the next one. The Dodgers assume the remaining $10.5 million.
Still, freeing up $8 million for a fourth outfielder is not a bad deal for a team that is trying to save some bucks. Whether Ned Colletti will admit that or not, that's exactly what's happening here. Yes, Pierre has been on the trading block ever since Manny Ramirez came aboard, but with the McCourts going through a divorce, now was the time to make a move.
The names in the deal haven't been completely confirmed, but they're rumored to be minor league starter John Ely and reliever Jon Link.
Ely looks to be the stud of the two. At Double-A Birmingham last season, he went a whopping 14-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 156.1 innings. Link was at Triple-A Charlotte last season, and he put together a 3.99 ERA in 56.1 innings while striking out 66.
So while the arms that are supposedly on their way look to be pretty good, I'll actually miss Pierre. Look, we all had our turn poking fun at him when he first came. Just look at my old posts from a couple seasons ago, and I have plenty of "Juan for Five" references. But that tune changed last season.
None of us should forget the great effort he put forth starting all 50 games of Manny's suspension. He finished the season with a .308 average and 30 stolen bases. This from a guy that only started 76 games.
I won't miss his rubber arm on defense, though. His lollipop throws to the infield were hard to watch. But when he got on base, he wreaked havoc with his speed like few others can.
With Pierre out of the fold, the Dodgers will need someone else to play the fourth outfield spot and spell Manny. Jason Repko and Xavier Paul are two names that come to mind right away. Maybe more moves will come.
The Dodgers made their first big move of the winter by sending Pierre to the White Sox for two players to be named later. The players will be named on or before January 7.
Pierre has two years and $18.5 million remaining on his existing contract. The Sox will pick up $3 million this upcoming season and $5 million the next one. The Dodgers assume the remaining $10.5 million.
Still, freeing up $8 million for a fourth outfielder is not a bad deal for a team that is trying to save some bucks. Whether Ned Colletti will admit that or not, that's exactly what's happening here. Yes, Pierre has been on the trading block ever since Manny Ramirez came aboard, but with the McCourts going through a divorce, now was the time to make a move.
The names in the deal haven't been completely confirmed, but they're rumored to be minor league starter John Ely and reliever Jon Link.
Ely looks to be the stud of the two. At Double-A Birmingham last season, he went a whopping 14-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 156.1 innings. Link was at Triple-A Charlotte last season, and he put together a 3.99 ERA in 56.1 innings while striking out 66.
So while the arms that are supposedly on their way look to be pretty good, I'll actually miss Pierre. Look, we all had our turn poking fun at him when he first came. Just look at my old posts from a couple seasons ago, and I have plenty of "Juan for Five" references. But that tune changed last season.
None of us should forget the great effort he put forth starting all 50 games of Manny's suspension. He finished the season with a .308 average and 30 stolen bases. This from a guy that only started 76 games.
I won't miss his rubber arm on defense, though. His lollipop throws to the infield were hard to watch. But when he got on base, he wreaked havoc with his speed like few others can.
With Pierre out of the fold, the Dodgers will need someone else to play the fourth outfield spot and spell Manny. Jason Repko and Xavier Paul are two names that come to mind right away. Maybe more moves will come.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Billingsley can't hold lead as Dodgers fall in 13
A 3-0 mark in the month of June would suggest that Chad Billingsley is doing just fine. But, a deeper look into his numbers tells a different story.
Spotted a 4-0 lead in the fifth, Billingsley let it slip away over the next two innings. A combination of giving up huge hits (two homers and a triple) along with a lack of control cost him. The White Sox would eventually go on to take this one in 13 innings, 5-4.
With the loss, the Dodgers dropped their first series in a month, with their last one losing two of three from the Angels May 22-24. Any way you slice it, those are some pretty impressive stats.
A three-run homer by A.J. Pierzynski on a full count put the Sox up in the sixth, 5-4. The funny part to all of this is that Billingsley was actually cruising through the opening four innings without allowing a hit. It sure looked like it would be a good day for the Dodgers, but that quickly changed.
The Dodgers bounced back in the seventh to tie the game at five, where it would stay for awhile. Russell Martin reached on a throwing error by Alexei Ramirez with one out. Orlando Hudson singled to move Martin to third. Casey Blake hit an RBI groundout to tie it.
As for the rest of the game, there's really not a whole lot to say for the Dodgers, as their offense went into the toilet. After Hudson's single in the seventh, they went the rest of the game without getting another hit. That would be six innings worth of flailing away. So they pretty much didn't deserve this one anyway.
The end came in the 13th with Jeff Weaver on the mound. Two singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases with nobody out. But, Weaver got the next two on flyouts to Matt Kemp in center. Scott Podsednik then lined a single just out of the reach of Kemp that ended the game.
Back to Billingsley, and it appears that he's hit a June swoon. As I said before, he may be 3-0, but the numbers aren't that good for him. The 3.82 ERA is high for him, and a 1.40 WHIP is just way too high.
His strikeouts have also gone down, as he only has three each his last three games. It seems to me that batters are being more patient with him and letting him lose control, rather than chasing out of the strike zone.
The next start for Bills comes next Tuesday home against Colorado, who are scorching hot right now. A big game by him would be a step in the right direction, and it all starts with maintaining control of his stuff as the game wears on.
After playing in a long, extra inning game the day before, the Dodgers quickly turn around and start a three-game set with the Mariners to wrap up Interleague play for 2009. The confusing thing to all of this is that I've read both Clayton Kershaw and Eric Milton will start. More seem to be saying Kershaw, so I'll go with him.
Spotted a 4-0 lead in the fifth, Billingsley let it slip away over the next two innings. A combination of giving up huge hits (two homers and a triple) along with a lack of control cost him. The White Sox would eventually go on to take this one in 13 innings, 5-4.
With the loss, the Dodgers dropped their first series in a month, with their last one losing two of three from the Angels May 22-24. Any way you slice it, those are some pretty impressive stats.
A three-run homer by A.J. Pierzynski on a full count put the Sox up in the sixth, 5-4. The funny part to all of this is that Billingsley was actually cruising through the opening four innings without allowing a hit. It sure looked like it would be a good day for the Dodgers, but that quickly changed.
The Dodgers bounced back in the seventh to tie the game at five, where it would stay for awhile. Russell Martin reached on a throwing error by Alexei Ramirez with one out. Orlando Hudson singled to move Martin to third. Casey Blake hit an RBI groundout to tie it.
As for the rest of the game, there's really not a whole lot to say for the Dodgers, as their offense went into the toilet. After Hudson's single in the seventh, they went the rest of the game without getting another hit. That would be six innings worth of flailing away. So they pretty much didn't deserve this one anyway.
The end came in the 13th with Jeff Weaver on the mound. Two singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases with nobody out. But, Weaver got the next two on flyouts to Matt Kemp in center. Scott Podsednik then lined a single just out of the reach of Kemp that ended the game.
Back to Billingsley, and it appears that he's hit a June swoon. As I said before, he may be 3-0, but the numbers aren't that good for him. The 3.82 ERA is high for him, and a 1.40 WHIP is just way too high.
His strikeouts have also gone down, as he only has three each his last three games. It seems to me that batters are being more patient with him and letting him lose control, rather than chasing out of the strike zone.
The next start for Bills comes next Tuesday home against Colorado, who are scorching hot right now. A big game by him would be a step in the right direction, and it all starts with maintaining control of his stuff as the game wears on.
After playing in a long, extra inning game the day before, the Dodgers quickly turn around and start a three-game set with the Mariners to wrap up Interleague play for 2009. The confusing thing to all of this is that I've read both Clayton Kershaw and Eric Milton will start. More seem to be saying Kershaw, so I'll go with him.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
A strong effort by Kuroda in win
Hiroki Kuroda nearly pitched a complete game, James Loney hit a two-run homer, and the Dodgers continued their winning ways in Interleague by beating the White Sox, 5-2.
The Dodgers wasted no time in setting the tone in this game. As they've done so frequently already this year, they got on the board in the first. With one down, Rafael Furcal hit a ground rule double. Orlando Hudson followed with a double of his own, and just like that, it was 1-0.
The lead was stretched out to 3-0 in the second. Matt Kemp walked to lead off. Loney then blasted one out to right, his fifth of the year. That's two games in a row with a two-run homer, and he now has three home runs in his last four. The Dodgers will pretty much take any power they can get, so it's good to see.
Paul Konerko connected on a solo shot with one out in the second to make it 3-1. Konerko was once a Dodger, if you recall. He was part of the horrible Jeff Shaw deal. I have no clue how many saves Shaw ended up getting, but he was awful. So ya, I'm still not a big fan of that deal, even if it was 11 years ago.
Anyway, Kuroda was just brilliant after that. After Jermaine Dye's one out single in the fourth, Kuroda didn't give up a hit until the ninth. On the night, he pitched 8 and 2/3 innings, giving up two runs, four hits, nine strikeouts, and most importantly, no walks.
He had a great shot at a complete game after getting the first two hitters to open the ninth, but gave up back-to-back hits for a run. That allowed Jonathan Broxton to get the easy save, K'ing Jim Thome to finish the deal.
The game was still close at 3-1 entering the eighth, but Casey Blake made sure it was stretched out. Mitch Jones doubled and Hudson walked off of reliever Matt Thorton, bringing Octavio Dotel in. Blake greeted him with a two-run single.
By the way, the bases were loaded again in the eighth. Kemp struck out. But the Dodgers won anyway, so I'll let that one go.
The White Sox are only 33-37, including 16-19 at home. So it's not like this was a huge win. But the Dodgers haven't won their in 50 years... literally. It was the 1959 World Series when it last happened. Hence, the long wait is over.
Randy Wolf has given up only one run in his last 11 innings, both Interleague starts (Rangers and A's). Of course, he received no-decisions in both, something he's become very good at. So maybe tonight it will be win #4.
The Dodgers wasted no time in setting the tone in this game. As they've done so frequently already this year, they got on the board in the first. With one down, Rafael Furcal hit a ground rule double. Orlando Hudson followed with a double of his own, and just like that, it was 1-0.
The lead was stretched out to 3-0 in the second. Matt Kemp walked to lead off. Loney then blasted one out to right, his fifth of the year. That's two games in a row with a two-run homer, and he now has three home runs in his last four. The Dodgers will pretty much take any power they can get, so it's good to see.
Paul Konerko connected on a solo shot with one out in the second to make it 3-1. Konerko was once a Dodger, if you recall. He was part of the horrible Jeff Shaw deal. I have no clue how many saves Shaw ended up getting, but he was awful. So ya, I'm still not a big fan of that deal, even if it was 11 years ago.
Anyway, Kuroda was just brilliant after that. After Jermaine Dye's one out single in the fourth, Kuroda didn't give up a hit until the ninth. On the night, he pitched 8 and 2/3 innings, giving up two runs, four hits, nine strikeouts, and most importantly, no walks.
He had a great shot at a complete game after getting the first two hitters to open the ninth, but gave up back-to-back hits for a run. That allowed Jonathan Broxton to get the easy save, K'ing Jim Thome to finish the deal.
The game was still close at 3-1 entering the eighth, but Casey Blake made sure it was stretched out. Mitch Jones doubled and Hudson walked off of reliever Matt Thorton, bringing Octavio Dotel in. Blake greeted him with a two-run single.
By the way, the bases were loaded again in the eighth. Kemp struck out. But the Dodgers won anyway, so I'll let that one go.
The White Sox are only 33-37, including 16-19 at home. So it's not like this was a huge win. But the Dodgers haven't won their in 50 years... literally. It was the 1959 World Series when it last happened. Hence, the long wait is over.
Randy Wolf has given up only one run in his last 11 innings, both Interleague starts (Rangers and A's). Of course, he received no-decisions in both, something he's become very good at. So maybe tonight it will be win #4.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Back to the future for LA
I just knew that right after the Dodgers got done scoring an offensive explosion of 5 runs yesterday, the gas would be completely out of the tank. No way in the world they could go back-to-back days with such Herculean efforts of scoring more runs. Once again, I was right.
The Dodgers were listless, pathetic, and embarrassing YET AGAIN as the were blanked by the Chicago White Sox, 2-0. Even though the pitching only allowed 7 hits, 1 extra-base hit, and stranded 11 men on base to end innings, none of it mattered. Not when the offense is composed of players that could barely hit around .300 in Little League.
The 1st inning started off with promise, as Juan Pierre singled and stole 2nd. Matt Kemp then walked, and they each stole a base with 1 down. So it was 1 down and 2 runners in scoring position. The result? James Loney and Andy LaRoche did jack crap with their at-bats. Shocking.
Clayton Kerhaw got the start, and he probably should have given up more than 2 runs. He walked 4, which is something he really needs to straighten out. He's playing with fire if he keeps being this wild. He was yanked in the 5th inning for newly called up Brian Falkenborg, who thankfully got a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning and keep the game close.
Actually, the game wasn't close. While the scoreboard said this: White Sox - 2, Dodgers - 0, it may as well have said this: White Sox - 12, Dodgers - 0. 4 hits and 4 walks. No stolen bases after the 1st inning. 1 extra-base hit. And that, my friends, is it. Just when you think they can't possibly get any worse, they do.
I just continue to be completely amazed by how lousy these clowns really are. They have the perfect opportunity to take control of a terrible division, and they're the ones making it look bad each game. They just continue to dig a bigger hole for themselves each day.
And can we please end this Angel Berroa experiment? My God, this guy is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. 0-3 today with 3 men left on. Boots a ground ball. Gives the team NOTHING to help them win. And I can't possibly stress the NOTHING part enough. He's 9-47, which translates into a blistering .180. What a joke. 1 double and ZERO RBI'S!!!! How is that possible? Please just dump this guy and move on.
There's nothing more I'd like to write about than a big win where the team scores bunches of runs, but that's just not going to happen. Seriously, I can't even recall the last time I wrote about a game where the Dodgers hit a big home run or had a late comeback to win. Nope, not these Dodgers.
The Angels come to town next, and the Dodgers get to see Joe Saunders, Jared Weaver, and John Lackey. Grrrrreeeeaaaaaat. Chan Ho Park starts tomorrow, which will probably be his last before being sent down to the bullpen. I say play him in the outfield and have him hit cleanup. It's not like he'll do any worse than the losers in there now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that a certain Dodger did become a league leader in a certain category today. That's right... James Loney hit into his 17th double play, tops in the Majors.
The Dodgers were listless, pathetic, and embarrassing YET AGAIN as the were blanked by the Chicago White Sox, 2-0. Even though the pitching only allowed 7 hits, 1 extra-base hit, and stranded 11 men on base to end innings, none of it mattered. Not when the offense is composed of players that could barely hit around .300 in Little League.
The 1st inning started off with promise, as Juan Pierre singled and stole 2nd. Matt Kemp then walked, and they each stole a base with 1 down. So it was 1 down and 2 runners in scoring position. The result? James Loney and Andy LaRoche did jack crap with their at-bats. Shocking.
Clayton Kerhaw got the start, and he probably should have given up more than 2 runs. He walked 4, which is something he really needs to straighten out. He's playing with fire if he keeps being this wild. He was yanked in the 5th inning for newly called up Brian Falkenborg, who thankfully got a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning and keep the game close.
Actually, the game wasn't close. While the scoreboard said this: White Sox - 2, Dodgers - 0, it may as well have said this: White Sox - 12, Dodgers - 0. 4 hits and 4 walks. No stolen bases after the 1st inning. 1 extra-base hit. And that, my friends, is it. Just when you think they can't possibly get any worse, they do.
I just continue to be completely amazed by how lousy these clowns really are. They have the perfect opportunity to take control of a terrible division, and they're the ones making it look bad each game. They just continue to dig a bigger hole for themselves each day.
And can we please end this Angel Berroa experiment? My God, this guy is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. 0-3 today with 3 men left on. Boots a ground ball. Gives the team NOTHING to help them win. And I can't possibly stress the NOTHING part enough. He's 9-47, which translates into a blistering .180. What a joke. 1 double and ZERO RBI'S!!!! How is that possible? Please just dump this guy and move on.
There's nothing more I'd like to write about than a big win where the team scores bunches of runs, but that's just not going to happen. Seriously, I can't even recall the last time I wrote about a game where the Dodgers hit a big home run or had a late comeback to win. Nope, not these Dodgers.
The Angels come to town next, and the Dodgers get to see Joe Saunders, Jared Weaver, and John Lackey. Grrrrreeeeaaaaaat. Chan Ho Park starts tomorrow, which will probably be his last before being sent down to the bullpen. I say play him in the outfield and have him hit cleanup. It's not like he'll do any worse than the losers in there now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that a certain Dodger did become a league leader in a certain category today. That's right... James Loney hit into his 17th double play, tops in the Majors.
Stults comes up huge
Eric Stults was the man on Wednesday night, pitching a complete game, 4-hit shutout over the Chicago White Sox, 5-0. It was his first career complete game in only 9 Major League starts.
Stults' biggest threat came right at the start of the game, when Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski singled for runners on the corners with 2 outs. Nick Swisher then flied out to center, that took care of that. The Dodgers responded with 2 runs of their own when Juan Pierre singled to lead off, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a wild throw, and scored on Andre Ethier's single. After another error let Jeff Kent reach and Ethier to go to 3rd, Russell Martin came through again with an RBI single and 2-run lead.
There really wasn't a whole lot of action other than the 4th, when the Dodgers posted a 3 spot. The inning again started on a single and stolen base, this time by James Loney. After Matt Kemp walked, Blake DeWitt busted out a 2-run double. Stults then hit a sac-fly RBI to push the game to 5-0, where it would stay.
Stutls certainly didn't overpower anyone, as he only had 3 K's, but his stuff was still great. His worst inning was the 1st where 2 men had singles, and he only gave up 2 more the rest of the way. Only 1 walk and no extra base hits allowed all game. Not bad for a guy that was pretty much forgotten about to start the year. Boy, does he sure seem like a better option than Brad Penny right now. Of course, he'll have to keep putting up blanks to stay in the rotation, because it's not like Penny will get demoted.
The offense did better than the night before, but that's not saying a whole lot. What they did do well is hit 2 doubles, a sac bunt, a sac fly, and steal 3 bases. They still left 4 men in scoring position with 2 outs, and surprise!... Pierre had 2 of them. Still, since they almost refuse to hit home runs, it's good to see their running game working.
Today's game will be in the afternoon, as the Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound, STILL looking for his 1st win of the year, minors or majors. The White Sox counter with John Danks, another guy with a good ERA. It sure would be nice to get this one today considering the Angels are coming to town next, and uh... let's just say the Dodgers are somewhat lost against them. So ya, a win today would be ideal.
Stults' biggest threat came right at the start of the game, when Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski singled for runners on the corners with 2 outs. Nick Swisher then flied out to center, that took care of that. The Dodgers responded with 2 runs of their own when Juan Pierre singled to lead off, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a wild throw, and scored on Andre Ethier's single. After another error let Jeff Kent reach and Ethier to go to 3rd, Russell Martin came through again with an RBI single and 2-run lead.
There really wasn't a whole lot of action other than the 4th, when the Dodgers posted a 3 spot. The inning again started on a single and stolen base, this time by James Loney. After Matt Kemp walked, Blake DeWitt busted out a 2-run double. Stults then hit a sac-fly RBI to push the game to 5-0, where it would stay.
Stutls certainly didn't overpower anyone, as he only had 3 K's, but his stuff was still great. His worst inning was the 1st where 2 men had singles, and he only gave up 2 more the rest of the way. Only 1 walk and no extra base hits allowed all game. Not bad for a guy that was pretty much forgotten about to start the year. Boy, does he sure seem like a better option than Brad Penny right now. Of course, he'll have to keep putting up blanks to stay in the rotation, because it's not like Penny will get demoted.
The offense did better than the night before, but that's not saying a whole lot. What they did do well is hit 2 doubles, a sac bunt, a sac fly, and steal 3 bases. They still left 4 men in scoring position with 2 outs, and surprise!... Pierre had 2 of them. Still, since they almost refuse to hit home runs, it's good to see their running game working.
Today's game will be in the afternoon, as the Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound, STILL looking for his 1st win of the year, minors or majors. The White Sox counter with John Danks, another guy with a good ERA. It sure would be nice to get this one today considering the Angels are coming to town next, and uh... let's just say the Dodgers are somewhat lost against them. So ya, a win today would be ideal.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Putrid effort sinks the Dodgers
Mark Buehrle went through the Dodgers like a lawn mower cutting grass, and the White Sox easily took the first of a 3-game set, 6-1. The game lasted only 2 hours and 5 minutes, as Buehrle lived up to his reputation of working fast.
Derek Lowe was the Dodgers' starter, and he wasn't all that bad, but like every other pitcher on that team, he got zero offensive support. He gave up single runs in both the 1st and 2nd, but settled down after that. Down 2-1 heading into the 8th, he ran out of gas, giving up a 2-run shot to Jermaine Dye that led to a 4 run inning.
As soon as Dye hit that homer to get the score to 4-1, you may as well had sent everybody home and called it a night. It's not like the Dodgers would actually play up to their contracts and put together a late rally, right? Nope, God forbid that were to happen for once. A 3 run lead on the Dodgers is as close to a guaranteed win for the other team as there is.
How did the Dodgers' hitters do last night? Juan Pierre: horrendous. Jeff Kent: deplorable. Matt Kemp: atrocious. Angel Berroa: embarrassing. In fact, pick your negative words and that sums up this team quite nicely. Worst offense in the league, by far.
What makes these games even more frustrating is that the second they get down, it's not like they're going to come back. Watching them is so boring. It's comparable to watching soccer or golf. Booooooorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiing.
I know Buehrle is a pretty decent pitcher, but not that good. But this is the Dodgers we're talking about, and they have the uncanny ability to make any pitcher look like Cy Young material. I pitch in a slow-pitch softball league, and I bet I could make the Dodgers look bad. It wouldn't be hard.
Eric Stults gets the call tonight, and he had a solid start last Thursday in Cincinnati. Hopefully he can hold the White Sox to negative runs over the whole game. That's right, I'm hoping to see the Dodgers take tonight's game by a score of 0 to -2.
Derek Lowe was the Dodgers' starter, and he wasn't all that bad, but like every other pitcher on that team, he got zero offensive support. He gave up single runs in both the 1st and 2nd, but settled down after that. Down 2-1 heading into the 8th, he ran out of gas, giving up a 2-run shot to Jermaine Dye that led to a 4 run inning.
As soon as Dye hit that homer to get the score to 4-1, you may as well had sent everybody home and called it a night. It's not like the Dodgers would actually play up to their contracts and put together a late rally, right? Nope, God forbid that were to happen for once. A 3 run lead on the Dodgers is as close to a guaranteed win for the other team as there is.
How did the Dodgers' hitters do last night? Juan Pierre: horrendous. Jeff Kent: deplorable. Matt Kemp: atrocious. Angel Berroa: embarrassing. In fact, pick your negative words and that sums up this team quite nicely. Worst offense in the league, by far.
What makes these games even more frustrating is that the second they get down, it's not like they're going to come back. Watching them is so boring. It's comparable to watching soccer or golf. Booooooorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiing.
I know Buehrle is a pretty decent pitcher, but not that good. But this is the Dodgers we're talking about, and they have the uncanny ability to make any pitcher look like Cy Young material. I pitch in a slow-pitch softball league, and I bet I could make the Dodgers look bad. It wouldn't be hard.
Eric Stults gets the call tonight, and he had a solid start last Thursday in Cincinnati. Hopefully he can hold the White Sox to negative runs over the whole game. That's right, I'm hoping to see the Dodgers take tonight's game by a score of 0 to -2.
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