The first place Dodgers were looking to extend their lead over the Giants by completing a sweep in Philadelphia. They liked their chances with Ross Stripling headed to the mound. Here’s how it turned out.
1st inning
After singles by Chase Utley and ROY candidate Corey Seager, the other ROY (Redhead of the Year) went deep with a home run. Justin Turner cleared the bases and gave the Dodgers a 3-run lead.
Phils
1,2,3 inning for Stripling.
2nd inning 3-0
After a single and a muffed double play ball by Chase Utley, the Phils got another single to score one. 3-1
4th inning 3-1
Yasmani Grandal absolutely launched one into the empty blue outfield seats for his 20th home run of the year. 4-1
Phils
Ryan Howard got one back in a hurry with a towering blast into those same blue seats. 4-2
More base hits and a double brought in another run. 4-3
5th inning 4-3
Clean up batter Reddick made the third out with two runners on.
Phils
For the second inning in a row, Stripling was in trouble. This time it was bases loaded with two out. He got a fastball strike out to end the threat.
6th inning Dodgers 4-3
Adrian Gonzalez unloaded and fired a laser-shot double into right field. They left him there.
Phils
Casey Fien in.
He got two out and was lifted for Grant Dayton. Job done.
7th inning 4-3
Dayton still in. He gave up.a base hit and then a home run to give the lead to the Phils. 4-5
That was the last we heard from the Dodgers. They went quietly over the final two innings.
Dodgers lose 4-5
That was a tough loss, so let’s end the recap tonight with nothin’ but positive notes:
They didn’t sweep, but the Dodgers won the series. That’s the second best outcome.
The Dodgers now have three players with 20 or more home runs. Yasmani Grandal (20), Corey Seager (21), Justin Turner (23).
Joc Pederson has 18 homers, so that leaves the Dodgers poised to have four players with 20 home runs. Adrian Gonzalez is sitting on 12; with a little luck, they could make it five players with 20 dingers.
Tonight was the third multiple home run game in a row (Turner, Grandal).
Gonzo has an 11-game hitting streak.
Ross Stripling went 5 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 HR, 2 walks, 5 Ks. ERA 4.04
Team with RISP: Told you, all the notes would be positive tonight. (In case you’re curious, they were 1 for 6.)
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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I’m not sure the positivity mojo works. But I’m game – let’s give it a go for a few days ….
De Leon had an immaculate inning today. There’s a video on the Internet. 4 swinging strikes with 1 foul ball.
That fastball and change up combination looks very nice. The way the pitches are delivered to the hitters, and the way the pitches come down on a straight plane, reminds me a lot of Tim Belcher.
Constantly pretending to profess positivity while consistently criticizing people; who just want to vent periodically, not every day, and not every game; with negativity is arrogantly delusional.
Can’t Not, Can’t Not, Cant Not help himself. No power to change equals a failure as a motivator and demonstrates an actually negative person.
Critism of criticism as negativity is an endless loop.
The dreamers accept and welcome criticism.
Karl Marx’s dream job was to a “critical critic”.
Adam Smith once had his head so far into the clouds that he literally walked straight into a ditch.
Peace and out.
Bob,
Positive or Negative are both interpretations. Why bother yourself trying to figure it out? And, why bother trying to change the next guy? Just look in the mirror and see the world.
I look at it the same way basically; you walk into a series wanting/hoping to win that series.
We went on the road, and took 2-3. That’s fine. Now we go to another eh team’s home, and play 4 games. At worst, on the road, you want a 2-2 split. I’d be very very happy winning this road series 3-1.
Plus, we have our aces going in the 4 games in Cincy: Norris, Anderson, TBD, and TBD
That TBD guy was a nice pickup by FAZ.
🙂
Ya think? Well at least it keeps em guessing. I was watching the Giant game for a few minutes when old friend Justin Ruggiano took the Mad Bum deep for a grand salami. That guy kills Bumgarner. 3 homers off him in 11 at bats…..would look good on our bench. Too bad the sad sack Mets blew that one. Oh well a new day and a new city, and the Reds have been hot the last few days.
Michael
I looked at the box score numbers on the Mets and Giants, and that is when I noticed Ruggiano on the Mets.
And then MLB had the Giant game on, and I saw the grand slam too.
That was a pretty tough battle that Ruggiano had against Bumgarner, before he hit the grand slam.
I was thinking like you, that Ruggiano would be good to have against lefties, and the Giants, even before he hit it out.
When I saw Degrom give up that two run HR to Bumgarner, I knew it was probably over at that point.
Degrom is only a shell of the pitcher, we faced in the play offs, last year.
His top fastball was only 92.
I remember reading a comp on Dayton, and they compared him to Yimi.
And remember how well Yimi Pitched at the begining of the year, but that didn’t last.
He evetually started giving a lot of HRs up.
The Phillies hit two HRs off Dayton in this last couple weeks.
I don’t know if he had problems, because they just saw him, or it was just one mistake, but I hope Roberts figures it out.
Fein made the one mistake that I hate relief pitchers to do, especially in a close game.
He put a runner on base with a walk, and that helped the Phillies win the game.
I read that Baez has given up three HRs in the last couple weeks, and when you add Daytons two, the bullpen has given up five HRs in the last couple weeks, that seems like a lot to me.
He missed location on the pitch to Franco and hung it right down the middle. It happens. Starters have given up an alarming amount of dingers. I think Kazmir is over 20, and Maeda has given up something like 15. Stripling made a bad pitch to Howard and he crushed it, but to me, it never felt like they had the game in hand. Chases error and then a couple of rollers again. Stripling must feel snake bit. Norris coming off the DL to pitch in Cincy does not inspire confidence. But we have what we have. No sign of Hill yet either. My biggest bitch, Reddick. Why is this guy who could not hit water if he fell out of a boat hitting in the 4 hole? He is taking over Grandal’s mantle as Mr. Rally Killer. Bat him 8th, or even 9th, Howie or Grandal would be better in the 4 hole than he is.
Fein’s walk had nothing to do with the loss. Dayton gave up 2 hits in that inning and that is where the runs came from. Fein walked a guy after getting 2 outs, Dayton came in and finished the 6th off with a K. Then he got 1 out in the 7th, and a hit and then the homer. That’s how they lost. But the offense’s inability to get anything going after Grandal’s homer plays into the loss too. Figuring it out is not on the manager. Roberts has a lot of confidence in Dayton, because for the most part he has done the job. 2 HR’s from 2 different hitters is not unusual. Liberatore will be back this weekend along with Norris so that means at least 2 roster moves. My guess is Dayton, and maybe Taylor get sent down.
Bobby
Our starting pitching is so iffy.
The good thing, is that Norris is coming back, against a team that is rebuilding, as well as Anderson.
But just having Anderson come back, is scary after his last game.
I hope he does everything he can to make this team win.
Reddick did put a clog in our offense in yesterday’s game.
Reddick came up three times with runners in scoring position, and left the runners on, and he didn’t hit the ball hard, or get a hit.
That worries me, because the Phillies pitching, is not that good.
I hope now Roberts will stop hitting him in the fourth position.
If this continues with Reddick, our front office will have to stop looking at just numbers on players, and take in consideration that some of these players with good numbers on teams not in the pennant race, are not always going to produce in pressure situations.
That was one of Johnson’s big problems last year.
I just hope that Hill can do much better, then Reddick has, once he is able to pitch.
I have concerns about Hill’s problem with blisters.
They are having him pitch in Arizona because it is dryer, and a better place, to have blisters heal.
What are they going to do when Hill gets into the rotation, and have to pitch where ever the Dodgers are playing?
Hopefully that rodeo stuff, will help prevent Hill’s blisters, or we are in trouble.
Michael
I know Fein wasn’t the main cause, I just hate when a pitcher puts the tying, or go ahead run on base.
Because that almost always seems to kills us in a close game.
I am glad that Libertore is coming back, I hope he can come back and pitch like he has all year.
I know the offense should have done more, and I agree about Reddick.
He had three opportunities to hit a run in, and he did nothing.
I feel having Reddick batting forth, is not taking advantage of Agone’s hot streak, and it can cause teams, to pitch around Turner, if they are smart.
Reddick just isn’t that kind of hitter, that should bat at the top of the Dodgers order.
That writer from the LA Times, that travels with the team, was trying to say, that Reddick batting forth, has helped Agone’s hitting, in some way.
Of course I don’t buy that at all.
And Michael thank you for telling me about that hanger, I didn’t see that
dodgerrick: “You can’t expect the ‘pen to pitch 4 or more innings per night without slipups. Unless things change, there will be trouble. The Dodgers can’t play catch up in the post-season — their starters will have to pitch more than 5”.
Sounds to me, that you’re trying to set yourself up as some kind of a prophet if Dodgers don’t win the WS. I believe playoff success (i.e. winning the WS) is about a 12.5% probability. Calculated as 50% chance of winning a playoff series times 3 playoff series. (50% x 50% x 50%). We all wish Dodgers had multiple Koufax/Drysdale/Valenzuela types, but, they don’t.
Where was FAZ supposed to get the Koufax/Drysdale/Valenzuela types over the last 20 months? I know some here would have traded Pederson for a reliever. Should be, plain to see, the trade market would have been very very expensive. Free Agent market, Cueto is about the only free agent that has lived up to his contract SO FAR, but, it looks like the FAZ plan is to utilize the great “depth” of starting pitchers they have in the minors. Makes sense if you have a budget. Budgets don’t make fans happy, but, they are reality.
Here is a link to a story about Pederson. I think he might be able to duplicate his minor league production in MLB, minus the steals. I am glad FAZ kept him.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17341934/joc-pederson-new-approach-gets-chase-utley-seal-approval
The bullpen might have to continue to pitch 4 or more innings, but fortunately, starting in September there will be much more help. Only 12 days away.
dodgerpatch: “You seem to making the argument that, because a guy seems to be injury prone, a GM under no circumstances should ever sign him because there is absolute certainty that he will be injured. That’s nonsensical”.
Yes, “it is nonsensical”. What should Dodgers do when a certain 31 yr old (after 2018 season) pitcher, with a history of back problems, opts out of his contract? Most of us know that back problems are recurring. The signing of “injury prone” players is just ONE strategy FAZ employs to obtain “depth”. The critics of this strategy always point out McCarthy and Anderson, but, usually fail to mention Maeda. Very creative signing by FAZ to account for his potential injury issues.
What about J.A. Happ??? He is 17-3 and was signed by Toronto as a free agent. I would say he has done a lot to earn his pay, and at a lot lower check than Queto got. And an awful lot can happen in 12 days. They need to go into Cincy and take 3 of 4 at least.
Good point! I knew someone would throw him out there about 5 minutes after I wrote the above. Should have said “Big Free Agent”. Happ has been awesome, but, was under the radar. Hindsight is 20/20, we all wish FAZ would have signed 33 yr old Happ now.
Michael
Happ has said his improvement, is because he has watched Kershaw pitch a lot, and he has learned by watching Clayton pitch.
Boxout 7
I know this is not a response to me, but Maeda and Anderson and McCarthy, don’t have the same injury history.
Maeda has been able to pitch 200 innings, in almost every year he has pitched.
His career records, make Anderson and McCarthy, look just like there career records look, undependable.
MJ, you are correct, Maeda doesn’t have same injury history, but, he does have something going on in his elbow. His elbow scared alot of teams away. FAZ wisely took a chance on him with a creative contract that accounted for the possible “big” injury risk.
I recently read an article where some scout who was in Japan scouting Tanaka before he signed with Yankees, came away thinking Maeda was the jewel between the two. Good, high injury risk signing by FAZ.
Boxout 7
I would assume that most pitchers have something funny looking with there elbows or arms, if we saw scans on them, and if we understood what we were looking at.
And actually Tanaka has already had a problem with his elbow, and he has missed starts for the Yankees, in these last couple of years.
Tanaka has more velocity then Maeda, but I think Maeda will improve every year he pitches, and gets to know the league, and gains more confidence, as he pitches.
Even though he is still having problems, facing the line up the third time around.
The reason the front office was able to get a good contract from Maeda, had more to do with Maeda himself.
Because the fact that Maeda had that bad looking scan, and Maeda wanted to be a Dodger badly, so he signed a team friendly contract.
The Astros have requested unconditional release waivers on outfielder Carlos Gomez
Could he help us? At least it would be an excuse to DFA Reddick…
He was released this morning. At least he could be a RH power bat. If he has his head together the guy is a player..
Michael
I heard a person on the MLB Channel say that Gomez has continually kept swinging from his heels, on every pitch he gets, even though he has been putrid the entire time he was with the Astros.
If he didn’t make any adjustments after that time, who knows if he could help us.
But I do understand everybody’s concerns about
Reddick.
I don’t think this front office will get rid of Reddick, because of the GM’s history with Reddick.
I understand Mark saying that front offices tend to deal with teams they are familar with, but if these teams are not really winning, it is still not a good idea to deal with them, unless you know they have that one player, that could make a difference.
Because there is a reason that they are not winning, and have not been in a pennant race, in the last couple of years.
I just hope Roberts realizes that batting Reddick forth, is not doing what is best for the team, or doing what is best for Reddick.
Reddick would probably hit better, farther down in the line up, where pitchers, don’t pitch the hitters, as tough.
Reddick is not even close to the hitter, and RBI guy, that Agone is, so hitting him forth is putting extreme pressure on a guy, that only has hit in 28 runs this year.
Safe to assume that he (Gomez) is not on top of his game otherwise would not have been released and not have passed through waivers. Puig would be a better addition. And Reddick is not going anywhere.
I agree on that, but I think they are intent on teaching Puig a lesson. Doubt he will be back before the September call up’s.
Chili
I don’t think they will bring Puig up now that Reddick is on the team, and I agree that Reddick isn’t going any where, because our GM likes him.
Ironically, the Dodgers both this year and last year have played better when Puig was nowhere around the team. Coincidence?
Chili
I read that Friedman went down to AAA, and visited with Puig, so maybe I am wrong about Puig.
Of course Friedman said that Puig was doing well, and made a good adjustment with his swing.
I just think they are not going to take Howie out of leftfield, except when a leftie pitcher, is pitching, so there isn’t many times, that the outfield, is going to have an opening that would allow another player, to play.
Except if Roberts sits Reddick against leftie pitcher, which should be done, since Reddick doesn’t hit lefties well.