Another dominating start by Scott Kazmir and an eighth inning rally helped the Dodgers break a scoreless tie and even their series with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday evening. Kazmir out-dueled Jake Arrieta and the Dodgers were able to score off the Chicago bullpen in their 5-0 win. Tonight the Dodgers will give the ball to Mike Bolsinger, while the Cubs counter with left handed veteran Jon Lester.
As I said yesterday, the match-up didn’t originally favor the Dodgers, but they still came out on top. The strategy was simple, wait until Arrieta was out of the game and score off the bullpen. Arrieta went 7 innings and the Dodgers scored five runs in the final two frames. They may have to use a similar approach for tonight’s game.
Dodgers Lineup @ Chicago-TBA
Mike Bolsinger-1-1 vs. Jon Lester-5-3
Game Time – 5:05 PM TV- SNLA-WGN
Bolsinger is making just his third start of the season. An oblique injury derailed his season and he had been on the disabled list since spring training. He was lackluster in his first start against the Angels on May 18, but pitched much better in his last start against the Reds. In that game he allowed two earned runs on three hits across 5.2 innings to earn the win. He struck out 6 and walked one. Overall he is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA. He’s pitched ten innings and struck out 8.
Bolsinger has made just two starts against the Cubs, but pitched well. He is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA versus the Cubs and has whiffed 13 and walked 4 in 11 innings. Both of those starts were at Wrigley Field. The current Cubs have only 26 plate appearances against him, but are hitting .261 (6 for 23) with two extra-base hits.
Bolsinger vs. Cubs
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Jason Heyward | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .500 | .667 | .750 | 1.417 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Rizzo | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kris Bryant | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tommy La Stella | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| John Lackey | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miguel Montero | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Addison Russell | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.500 | 2.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Szczur | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Hendricks | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 26 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | .261 | .346 | .348 | .694 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The Cubs will counter with Jon Lester. The veteran southpaw has pitched very well this season. He is 5-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 10 starts. He’s allowed 17 walks and 51 hits while striking out 59 in 61.2 innings pitched. He’s struck out 8.6 per nine and allowed 7.4 hits per nine with a 3.34 FIP.
Lester won his start by limiting the Phillies to one earned run on 6 hits across 6.1 innings. He’s won three decisions in May and has won three of his last five decisions overall. Lester has made three career starts against the Dodgers and has a 1-2 record with a 5.19 ERA. However the current Dodgers are hitting just .202 (24 for 119) with nine runs driven in and a .532 OPS against. If you look carefully you can see that Lester has lost three games this season. That’s right, and he also lost 12 games last year too. He’s lost 82 games during his career. The Dodgers can beat him.
Lester vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Carl Crawford | 49 | 42 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 14 | .238 | .319 | .262 | .581 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 35 | 34 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7 | .206 | .229 | .324 | .552 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .167 | .375 | .167 | .542 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .200 | .000 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Blanton | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasiel Puig | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 131 | 119 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 35 | .202 | .264 | .269 | .532 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The Dodger pitching staff has done a great job in this series. The boys in blue have limited the Cubs to just two runs on nine hits in the first two games. The bullpen has been very good. The Dodgers are 16-14 at Wrigley Field in night games. The wind is expected to be no more than a zephyr tomorrow.
|
#
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
PCT
|
GB
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
L10
|
||
|
1
|
|
33
|
21
|
.611
|
–
|
16-11
|
17-10
|
8-2
|
||
|
2
|
|
28
|
25
|
.528
|
4.5
|
13-12
|
15-13
|
7-3
|
||
|
3
|
|
24
|
27
|
.471
|
7.5
|
10-13
|
14-14
|
4-6
|
||
|
4
|
|
23
|
31
|
.426
|
10.0
|
9-20
|
14-11
|
3-7
|
||
|
5
|
|
20
|
33
|
.377
|
12.5
|
10-15
|
10-18
|
2-8
|
||
Can the Dodgers get another great pitching performance and some clutch hitting again? Perhaps, but we might need some help from the Billy goat to do it….baaaaaa baaaaaaa Cubs suck….Baaaaaaaaaaaaa!
“It’s not bad luck, the Cubs just suck!” Sorry that’s really catchy.
Go Blue!
I was driving back from Vegas yesterday listening to the game. So I don’t know how Kazmir stuff looked, or how hard he was throwing. But the announcers were saying he was really hitting his spots.
Either way, fantastic game by him, when we needed it most.
Bobby
Vegas do tell!
what happens in vegas stays in vegas
Good one Bobby!
Usually it’s the $ that stays in Vegas!
“The Dodgers can beat him”. Of course they can. All we have to do is get on maybe play a little hit and run, be more aggressive on the bases, etc.
Isn’t Lester the pitcher who had trouble holding runners on, had trouble throwing to 1st base? If he still has, we should exploit that by any means necessary.
Yep, he is. It amazes me that teams do not bunt, bunt and bunt again on him. At the very least it would pull the 3rd baseman way in.
Well we DFA’d Guerrero. Why are we waiting to do the same with Arruebuena? He’s already been suspended twice and we certainly don’t need his horrible attitude.
He’s supposed to be a great fielder but the numbers don’t back that up.
Arruebarrena is on the restricted list, and suspended for the rest of the 2016 season. He will most likely be released at the end of the year. He is not on the 40 man roster so there is no rush to release the bone head..
I said a week ago that the guy was gone. They have 10 days to either trade or release him or have him picked up on waivers by another team, which does not seem likely since he stunk up the joint in his re-hab stint.
There’s been talk of Lucroy being on the trading block. I don’t know what it would take but I’d love to get him. His salary is very team friendly but he’s a FA after next year. He would be a blessing to us as a catcher.
Grandal has been terrible and Ellis is over the hill(CK not withstanding).
I already offered Grandal and ca$h. They turned it down, insisting on Seager and Urias.
Imagine that…..everyone knows we have Seager and Urias so they don’t listen to anything else we offer.
I say Grandal, (Stripling or Bolsinger) and Zack Lee might get it done. That would be my offer this year(now). Next year it drops to Grandal and one of the 3 pitchers.
Ellis is doing what he has done almost every year he has been a Dodger, and he is far from over the hill. He still calls a great game, and works the count better than anyone on the team. He is no longer an everyday guy, but he is a valuable piece. I do not see them trading for Lucroy because of what they would have to give up to get the guy. Probably a couple of their top prospects, but I do agree Grandal has been a huge bust and should be gone. He can’t hit in the clutch, and lately he is as bad as he was at the tail end of last year. I say bring up Barnes, trade Grandal, and have Ellis and Barnes share the job the rest of the year…
I think Grandal is battling residuals from his injuries. He may be toast.
He is injury prone, and oh did we not trade Kemp because of that, or was it the bull shit clubhouse cancer rumor. Kemp has 13 HR’s and over 30 ribbies, while our end is hitting under the Mendoza line with 4 dingers……..Grandal was a bad deal from the get go.
It’s hard to bring in a new catcher in the middle of the season like this. He has to learn 15 new pitchers, how they like things done, etc. Every pitcher has to learn how this new guy calls a game, or sets up at the plate, etc.
Our guys are very familiar with Ellis, familiar with Grandal the past year plus, and even familiar with Barnes coming up and down. I’m confident Grandal will wake up; he’s not a .200 hitter.
A more likely trade target from Milwaukee is Ryan Braun. Plug him in batting 3 rd for us, and our offense gets a huge jolt. He is what Puig was supposed to be for us this year. Trayce can move to RF, and Joc in CF. That is unless Milwaukee wants Trayce
I think anything we can do to make us better is ok with me. It’s possible Lucroy peaked ’12-’14, ages 26-28 and is still better than what we have. However I don’t see us doing this.
Badger
I don’t know why some go after you. Even if you are not happy with this front office, and there moves, you don’t get joy if the Dodgers lose, like others do. And you do give credit, when credit is due.
I know why they do MJ. It’s ok. I have thick skin.
Bobby – hope you enjoyed Vegas.
You know, I was thinking today about how Braun would be a great pick up for us.
We need a thumper in there to kick start the offense, and suddenly we look like a decent team.
The starting rotation are doing a better job, but are hitters are slumping except Utley & AGon.
Trouble is they will want a decent return.
Yeah, and they should want a decent return for an all star like that.
However, we can absorb his entire salary, thus lessening the cost in prospects for us. Let’s see if any rumors start flying!
Did everyone hear that Marlon Byrd tested positve, and got suspended?
We sure could use a power hitter, but I think that Braun has a five year contract. I still don’t like what Braun did, and I don’t like that he got the MVP, over Matt Kemp! Kemp was robbed!
There is no way I would be happy with Braun on the Dodgers and Kemp not.
Braun, a Dodger>? Never will happen. His contract makes that a no-brainer. No way Zilcho and Fried Brains add money to the payroll. They are probably going to eat the 10 mil still owed to Guererro. And who says Lucroy will do well in LA> ?? He has to learn a whole new staff, and we have a pretty good catcher at AAA Barnes. Trade Grandal for some new sox, and a couple of balls. Bring up Barnes, who is a contact hitter, and rotate him and AJ. Why give up our prospects for their trash? And trade Thompson? Moronic idea.
But Grandal can hit left handed, making catcher another right/lefty platoon. Losing that would freak the FAZ out.
Bum
We haven’t heard from you today!
Been playing golf.
I would actually have someone who can hit the damn ball. Grandal is so far south of the Mendoza line that he can see Argentina…..and screw Faz, most of his so called upgrades have been down grades….
How do you know what we would have to give up. Moronic idea? To call Lucroy trash is insanely moronic!! He’s a lifetime .283 hitter and 2 years ago when he was healthy, he led the NL in doubles(53) and led NL hitters in WAR. I would hardly call that trash, YOU MORON!!
LAD
Bolsinger
(1-1, 4.50 ERA)
Hernandez, 2B
Turner, 3B
Seager, SS
Kendrick, 1B
Thompson, RF
Pederson, CF
Ellis, C
Crawford, LF
Bolsinger, P
Wow Kike back in the starting lineup. What’s the weather like on the north side?
Grandal will be given another 30 days. If he can’t fix whatever is wrong by then, it could be Barnes Time although Barnes has been playing other positions too:
C – 25 Games
2B – 6 Games
3B – 5 Games
CF -1 Game
I still see Grandal as a 25+ HR hitter and Zack Greinke thinks he’s the best catcher he’s ever pitched to. It’s early Grasshopper. This too shall pass.
I also think Barnes is perfect #2 hitter. I would not be afraid to have him start at 2B or 3B next year… or this year for that matter.
I would also consider Ryan Braun, but it would precipitate other deals. I think the Dodgers could swing a BLOCKBUSTER fo Braun and Lucroy. How about this:
Mike Bolsinger
Zach Lee
Carl Crawford (and $20 million)
Alex Guerrero
Kyle Farmer
Julian Leon
Yasmani Grandal
Jose De Leon (this hurts)
Then I would trade Puig for a great bullpen arm.
This would be my lineup:
1. Utley 2B
2. Thompson RF
3. Seager SS
4. Braun LF
5. Gonzalez 1B
6. Lucroy C
7. Turner 3B
8. Pederson
… just a thought!
Like it. Make a direct call with the RED phone.
The thought of getting Braun after dumping Kemp doesn’t make any sense to me. Both are right handed power hitters who don’t play good defense and both make too much $$. Plus, Braun had the PED scandal. He’s also injury prone.
If we wanted an injury prone overpaid right-handed power hitting OF who doesn’t play defense, we should have just kept Kemp.
Surely there are better ways to improve the offense.
Andy if you were the Brewers, why would you do this deal? The only real prospect is DeLeon and everyone else is spare parts.
I’d hate to include Farmer and de Leon in that trade but I’d do it. Tell your friend FAZ to go ahead…
I think the Brewers would strongly consider that trade but I think they would say ‘you can keep Crawford.’
They have no use for him.
My other concern is that Utley & Turner are both probably not with the team next year so there would be ‘others’ in those slots next year.
Braun will not be a Dodger, Grandal is a slug, and no way he goes over 20 homers. You trading the 2 best catching prospects in our system for a guy who is a free agent after next year? You need serious psychiatric help my friend….
Mmm – not sure about the anaemic looking lineup.
Watford
Your not alone with those feelings. Let’s hope for the best!
Grandal is injured in my opinion.
In the first inning on Monday I saw him visit the mound after having trouble catching the ball and secretly trying to pull on his left thumb. I think there is something wrong with that thumb and one of his feet/ankles.
I want Braun.
Mark, I do those trades.
You also are delusional. Braun will never be a Dodger, and no way Fried Brains trades for a guy with huge money left on his deal. That is not ownerships plan. And you need a #2 pitcher more than you need a over priced drug user. You can want Braun all you like, but it ain’t happening……..Grandal may be hurt and you may be right about that. But I bring up Barnes………and trade Grandal for a relief pitcher or package him for a starter…….maybe the Reds would like him back
Creative trade idea, but I think the Brewers could do better. Both those players are solid Major League starters. None of our guys are.
Kike is a leftie killer again, but he always has been a decent hitter, it is just that he is not getting that many consistent at bats.
horse pucky….he has lost AB’s because he was not hitting. His performance dictated his benching, nothing more. He went 1-30…….not very productive
So the “B” squad got the start tonight: Hernandez, Kendrick, Thompson, Ellis, and Crawford.
Add to that with Turner and Pederson struggling — that leaves only Seager who is somewhat hot.
Amazing team — and tonight the Dodgers might just win.
I wonder when Deleon is going to start pitching again? And how about Stripling.
Guys,
https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/738177814059352064
Let’s hope that Urias pitches a good game tomorrow!
Urias might work for that amount of time.
Another bullpen game. Gulp.
Badger
We knew this would happen, with the starting pitchers, that they signed, that don’t pitch deep into the games. We also knew the bad injury history, of the starting pitchers, they also signed. We just didn’t know, when some, would finally, hit the DL. And I am wondering about Stripling now.
This line up, and Bolsinger pitching, looks like a throw away game.
Boy they stink
Scott
The Cubs don’t look much better, epecially against Bolsinger, and this line up!
Bad news about Wood. He was starting to really come around. Hopefully Franchise Part 2 is ready to take over
Bobby
Let’s hope that Urias learned from his first start in the majors.
And he will pitch well tomorrow.
And his first start, has made him, more then ready, to take on the Cubbies.
And he only looks at his catcher’s mitt, this time!
Well it looks like the Dodgers can pitch with the Cubs and with Dodger pitching doing the work, the Dodgers can hit with the Cubs as well. Close game.
Bum
I would say that is what I am thinking too, but we were facing Lester, and the Cubs were facing Bolsinger.
And to top everything else, the Giants lost there series against the Braves today, if it was only a three game series.
And they lost in walk off fashion!
And that sounds good, to any Dodger fan!
Meanwhile, I was so wrong about this Fien guy. His stuff really moves!
Maybe we got a steal here
Keep playing percentage baseball Dodgers, it’s gotten you lots of mediocrity
Another terrific effort by the pitching staff spoiled by a hanging curveball and an anemic offense. Can any of you SABR guys explain why Roberts sat Utley and Gonzalez to get Crawford into the lineup?
Sad
OK. I have the Timmons syndrome. My work email has slotim and everything else has my name. Does that make us Bros?
You guys are nothing alike.
Siamese twins, separated at birth Tim!
Giants lost too. What a shame. .
Well, the Dodgers ARE a tease.
Win 1, lose 1. They get a big win against the Cubbies yesterday, and fold like a cheap tent today.
The offense is pathetic and it doesn’t seem to matter which “hitters” play.
Maybe they are a .500 team. They are 28-26, .519. They have now played exactly 1/3 of the season. They are on a pace to win 84 games at this point.
UGH! I was so jazzed yesterday – maybe I should know better.
It’s the Cubs. They are really good. I was hoping for a split, so far that’s what we got. It was close, so, tee it up tomorrow with the Kid. Maybe he goes 6 and gets his first win. Yeah, maybe that happens. And the midgets lost their game and Hunter Pence has a hammy. Not a total loss for the Blue. Still…. 4 for 31? 0 for 2 WRISP. 2? We had a runner in scoring position only twice? More suckage. Oh well. No loss in the standings.
Badger
That is good to hear. The Giants lost there series, against the Braves. And they lost in walk off fashion!
Dodger rick
They are doing better, against teams, that are over 500.