The Dodger’s recent offensive malaise continued on Thursday evening as they plodded along to a very sad 7-3 loss to the Dbacks in the opening game of this four game series. The Dodger’s sudden offensive drought has popped up only on this road trip. On this current trip the Dodgers are hitting less than .100 (4 for 48 I believe) with runners in scoring position which is a big reason they are not scoring many runs. The Dodgers have scored a grand total of 19 runs in 7 games. That comes out to a little under 3 runs per game on the road trip.
If the hits aren’t dropping in and we all know the Dodgers have little to no base running or speed in the lineup then they simply won’t score. Not to worry, I am sure this is just an end of season lull and the Dodgers will start scoring again. Unfortunately I jinxed poor Rich Hill as he surrendered 4 earned runs in 5.1 innings and suffered his first loss as a Dodger. I just had to write that pregame didn’t I?
Dodgers Lineup @ Arizona
Tonight's lineup:
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Grandal C
Reddick RF
Kendrick LF
Pederson CF
Maeda P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 16, 2016
Kenta Maeda-14-9 vs. Zack Greinke-12-6
Game Time – 6:40 PM – TV- SNLA
Anyways, what better way to kick start the offense then to knock around turncoat Zack Greinke. The Dodgers will face him again tonight as Kenta Maeda will toe the mound for the Dodgers. The Dodgers saw Greinke (12-6 4.54) back on September 5 when they pounded him for 8 earned runs on 9 hits over 4.2 innings pitched. He gave up 5 home runs in that game. Greinke is now 1-1 against the Dodgers this year, and is 3-1 with a 4.17 ERA in 6 career starts.
Greinke vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Chase Utley | 20 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | .263 | .300 | .526 | .826 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 16 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | .063 | .000 | .063 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 14 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .154 | .214 | .462 | .676 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 14 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .214 | .214 | .286 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andre Ethier | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .125 | .222 | .125 | .347 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .222 | .222 | .556 | .778 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Reddick | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .143 | .250 | .143 | .393 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .375 | .375 | .875 | 1.250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Corey Seager | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | .833 | .857 | 2.000 | 2.857 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Culberson | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .400 | .400 | 1.200 | 1.600 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenta Maeda | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Norris | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 119 | 113 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 29 | .221 | .261 | .469 | .730 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
As for Maeda, he is looking for his team leading fifteenth win of the season. Currently he is 14-9 with a 3.29 ERA in 28 starts. He has 159 strikeouts and 49 walks and has posted a 1.09 WHIP. He has a 3.54 FIP and has struck out 9.0 per nine innings of work. Maeda beat Greinke and the Dbacks back on September 5 when he allowed just one earned run on 3 hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out 8 in that start and walked one. This is the sixth time Maeda has faced the Snakes. Overall he is 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 5 career starts against Arizona. Maeda best be careful with Jake Lamb as he is batting .538 (7 for 13) with 3 doubles against him. Jean Segura is also hitting .357 (5 for 14).
Maeda vs. Dbacks
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 15 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .308 | .400 | .308 | .708 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jean Segura | 15 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .357 | .400 | .429 | .829 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jake Lamb | 14 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | .538 | .571 | 1.000 | 1.571 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Welington Castillo | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .375 | .375 | .500 | .875 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmany Tomas | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Socrates Brito | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Owings | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .200 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Pollock | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Archie Bradley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Corbin | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Drury | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zack Godley | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tuffy Gosewisch | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Herrmann | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peter O’Brien | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbie Ray | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zack Greinke | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Jensen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 89 | 85 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 21 | .259 | .292 | .376 | .669 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The Dodgers will be using Alex Wood and Julio Urias out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season. There are only 16 games remaining and the Dodgers could use the additional relief help. Although choosing Bud Norris over Urias is not a smart idea. I do understand that they want to limit Julio’s innings of course. I just want them to win, and for nobody to get hurt, and for Urias to build arm strength while developing into an ace. I’m not greedy or anything right?
The Dodger’s magic number is still 13 while they hold a 4 game lead over the Giants in the NL West. The Giants will be at home against the Cardinals again tonight as Luke Weaver counters Matt Moore at 7:15 PM.
What better way to get back on the winning track then to give Zack Greinke another beat down? It sure would make all of us feel a lot better. Yes it would. Make it happen boys.
Go Blue!
Scott
I just read that Stewart will be starting not Norris.
They said they were holding Stewart back, to make sure Kershaw was ok.
You’re right MJ, I think they just announced it. Good thing too Because Norris kind of sucks
That is sure right!
But Norris is part of FAZ’s depth plan! Or so some would have you think…….
Greinke has not pitched well at home in Az. Lets hope they jump him early. I would be starting Toles instead of Kendrick, but I am not the manager!
most of us would agree with u on that one
Michael
There is a couple of outfielders, that I would start Toles over.
This is the year
Meanwhile, for OKC today, our co-ace Brett Anderson went 5ip, 3hits, 1run, 0bb, 5k. OKC won the game 4-2, so now we’re down 2-1 in the best of 5
Damn, they don’t need an excuse to pitch that sad sack again.
Nice job by Fields there!
That is the best that I have ever saw Fields pitch!
I’m glad Joey Pancakes got out of it. Good for him, but there’s no way I pull Dayton after 1 batter.
Kenley has to pitch to Goldy now.
Magic Number 12
There is no way Reddick should be playing over Toles or Puig.
yup