It was game two of three against the helpless Braves, and the pitcher with the golden arm was taking the mound for the Dodgers.
You would be laughed out of Vegas if you tried to bet against Clayton Kershaw in this one, but the ominous clouds wafting over Chavez Ravine, darkened from a wildfire somewhere in Malibu, reminded that anything can happen.
2nd inning
Braves
They went quickly and Kershaw was standing atop three strikeouts after two innings.
Dodgers
Joc Pederson broke an 0 for 20 hitless streak with an impressive double into the right field corner. Unfortunately, it came with two out, and the Dodgers left him there.
3rd inning
Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw – Single, advanced to second on a walk, and up came a guy who wouldn’t know a hit if it sat next to him on the team bus – Justin Turner.
Base hit, JT! Kershaw was running on the pitch, so he scored the Dodgers first run – as he so often does whenever he pitches.
4th inning Dodgers 1-0
Dodgers
With men on the corners and two out, up came one-man-gang Kershaw.
Howie Kendrick stole second to make it men on second and third.
Eventually, as Vinny said it, “All that running and scurrying and hurrying winds up, no runs.”
6th inning Dodgers 1-0
Braves
This was the first real challenge Kershaw faced in the game. The Braves got two on with one out, but Kershaw pitched his way out of it. It turned out to be his last inning.
7th inning Dodgers 1-0
Braves
Joe Blanton in for the Dodgers. Job done.
8th inning Dodgers 1-0
Braves
Pedro Baez in to pitch. Job done.
Dodgers
With men on the corners and one out, Joc Pederson dragged a bunt past the pitcher and scored Justin Turner from third. 2-0
The Dodgers then pulled off a double steal with Thompson and Pederson.
A.J. Ellis hit a sac fly to score Trayce Thompson. 3-0
Yasmani Grandal – base hit to score another run! 4-0
9th inning Dodgers 4-0
Kenley Jansen vs Braves
Freeman: W, and then advanced when Kenley threw away the ball in play. They charged an error and gave him the base.
Jeff Francouer: F9
Jeff Markakis: K
Tyler flowers: K
Dodgers win! 4-0
Kershaw wasn’t dominant as he had been so many times in the past. By the 6th inning, he only had 4 strike pouts, and the Braves had base runners on in almost every inning. On the night of the slow Calabasas burn, Kershaw was working and earning it.
The Braves weren’t hammering Kershaw by any means, but he pitched a game that kept his defense involved.
As for the Dodgers’ offense, that consisted of mostly walks and stolen bases. Then waiting for base hits that never materialized.
That was, until the eighth inning rolled around. The Braves bullpen melted down in the inning and the Dodgers scored three big insurance runs.
Clayton Kershaw went six innings with 3 hits, o runs, 1 HBP, 1 walks, 4 K’s. ERA 1.46
Double: Joc Pederson
Team with RISP: 3 for 10
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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What was the reason to pull Kershaw after 6 innings? He was pitching a shutout. This was the second game in a row that Roberts pulled him with the team in the lead. The first game, the bullpen blew the lead immediately and Kershaw got no decision.
The timing of this was also curious as Roberts stated in an article yesterday that he learned he should have trusted Kershaw to get the job done. Then this happens today? WTF!
First off they won, so chill. Secondly, even though Kershaw was pitching a shut out, he had a rough inning in the 6th. He was not really on his game. He had a balk, hit the pitcher, and walked one and only struck out 4. And by the 6th inning he was over 90 pitches. Roberts made the right move.
Another nail biter. Norris, no relation, pitched a lot better than expected and the Dodgers did not take advantage when he did let people on. Trayce Thompson had 3 steals, been a while since we have seen that. Turner looked a lot better at the plate. Joc did a great job on the bunt in the 8th and totally surprised every body. Nice win with the Gnats losing in StLoo..
Michael
Good point about the running game. I thought that is what they were going to do different this year, but they haven’t tried much of that.
They have enough players, that are fast enough to do the running game. And they can get even slower players involved if they do it right.
Trayce didn’t have any hits last night, but he had three good at bats, where he walked. He didn’t get his pitch, so he just took his walk.
I wish Puig could be as patient. Kershaw was probably more tired last night, because that was only the second day, that it had been really hot in southern. California this year.
Sometimes it takes a little while to get use to playing in the heat, when they haven’t done that this year. I was glad to see Joc bunt, because we had runner on third, a couple times, in previous games, that would have been a good time to bunt.
I think some managers don’t ask certain players to bunt, because they don’t think they can get it down, but everyone should know how to bunt.
Jeff, you are second guessing. Kershaw had a rough night. Kershaw is great, and he hung in there, and gave us a chance to win. He had a rough 6th inning. Roberts made the right decision. We won. Be happy.
We beat the Braves, the worst the team in the league, and we did it rather quietly (6 for 29). At least Kershaw picked the right night to be off. He does that against the gnats – different outcome.
I am still waiting for the breakout series, followed by a long win streak. 30-10 over 40 would be cool. This series could be the beginning, followed by 2 out 3 against the Rockies, then sweeps of the midgets and snakes. So it is now written, so let it be then done.
Turner may be coming out of his slump. I sure hope so, because his bat is needed. If Turner does come out of his slump, it will make Roberts decision to stay with Turner, in the third position, a good non move.
I couldn’t have stuck with him this long, but everyone here already knows that. And it wasn’t because I don’t like Turner, I just wanted the best for the team. And If Turner starts hitting, that will be best for the team.
I hope Urias watches how Bolsinger pitches against the Rockies, to get some help when he makes his start, in the next game. The Rockies are a good hitting team.
And they are good fastball hitters. I have noticed pitchers like Ryu, and Maeda, that have good off speed pitches, pitch much better against the Rockies.
So Urias is going to have to, make sure his fastballs, don’t run back over the middle of the plate, when he is pitching against the Rockies.
I think keeping Urias with the big team, instead of shipping him back to AAA, is is a good idea. It gives Urias some stability, that he really needs.
Shouldn’t they start having Urias, throwing more then ninety pitches a game, so he is working up, to be able to pitch deeper into games? I would think he should be trying to pitch more then ninety pitches.
He should at least be able to pitch through the eighth inning, so he can get use to facing the order, the third time around. Are does that sound like to much?
Badger
I thought the Mets series, was there break though series, but it wasn’t.
They have said that Ryu has resumed throwing.
They said he is throwing long toss, at 90 to 120 feet.
What does that tell you about, where Ryu is in his recovery?
It doesn’t tell me much MJ. I’ve been among those that, considering the nature of his injury, wonder if he will ever be the same. I have no idea about any of those pitchers that are out with injuries, especially those who have been out before. I don’t now, nor have I ever, counted on injured pitchers. I look at who we have now. For me the band is still C K and the Mysterians. So far they have brought us an 85 win pace. And actually better than that if you look at the 9 blown saves. I still look for this team to be close enough at the deadline to be in a position for a bold move. And do I trust FAZ to pull something off? No. I don’t. And I say that only because bold moves would require trading assets that are in the future plans, and FAZ will not forfeit the future by using it to subsidize the now. Past behaviors predict future behaviors. We should pay attention to that principle.
1. I am starting to see some flashes from JT. I think the reason Doc is keeping him at the top of the lineup is because it is in his head. He is moving laterally and back as well or better than I have ever seen. He dives and pops right back up. If you have knee issues, you don’t pop up that quick. It appears that he has had those issues for two years – maybe not compensating has messed him up a little. It is just a guess, but I think he will get hot soon and carry this team for a few weeks.
2. So Grandal should be on the DL too? Just bring Branes up and let him get healthy. They may not want to send Barnes back down. Barnes leads OKC with 12 SB (caught 2 times).
3. Howie is hustling his a$$ off – I like his aggression.
4. The possibility exists that Chase Utley will taper off and Howie or Kike will be at 2B more… or not.
5. Trayce Thompson is looking like a better option than Yasiel Puig. We have a month to find out while Puig is on the DL and rehabbing. I would start Thompson about every day.
6. I like Seager at #3, Turner at #4, Gonzo at #5 and Thompson at #6. L/R/L/R. Austin Barnes would fit nicely at #2.
7. Frankie Montas- 2 IP last night, 2 Hits, 0 Runs , 3 K’s , 1 BB. I believe they aren’t trying to stretch him out yet – maybe he’s being groomed for the pen. 100 MPH plays well there.
8. After struggling at AA in the beginning of the season, Cody Bellinger is putting up similar stats to what he did at A. I expect we will see him really raking there soon. He MAY be ready NEXT year!
9. From Daniel Birm at DD: “ A.J. Ellis is catching. Yes, it’s a Clayton Kershaw start, but Yasmani Grandal has now sat out three of the last four games and four of the last seven. Grandal is in a slump, of course, but he’s still taking walks and it’s not like Ellis is a masher. It feels like the Dodgers may be hiding an injury here, and if Grandal is hurt they should just put him on the DL. If he’s not hurt, he still offers quite a bit of upside over Ellis. In 2016 Grandal holds an 82 wRC+ to Ellis’ 67, and Grandal is significantly better on defense. If Grandal is healthy, he’s riding the bench way too much. If he’s not, bring up Austin Barnes instead.
Yes Vinny brought up that Grandal had hurt his hand. I don’t think that Barnes is ready to hit in the heart of order. He hasn’t proven , he can hit big League pitching yet.
But if Grandal is hurt, they need to bring Barnes up. It would be crazy, to keep playing Grandal, when he is hurting, like they did last year!
That wasn’t good for Grandal, or the team. And this might be a good time for Barnes, to try to prove he can hit big league pitching, if Grandal is out for a while.
Hopefully the bullpen, is getting enough rest, so they can be ready to pitch, because Bolsinger, and Urias, don’t pitch deep into games. And I believe they are starting the first two games, next week.
You had me until you quoted the guy who thinks Grandal is “significantly” better on defense. Not lately, he hasn’t.
Kershaw was pitching on an extra day’s rest. Could that have thrown him off?
As for Urias, I think they will build his pitch count up slowly, but none of our starters except Kershaw can pitch into the eighth. The better he pitches, the deeper into the game he will go.
Hitters hit. And they all go through slumps. This is why we see Roberts giving opportunities to those veterans who have proved themselves in the past. I would do the same thing if I were leading this group. As long as I see them working hard behind the scenes there is no reason not to trust them to come out of any stretches that are less than their career numbers. I still believe these guys can hit as a team.
Thompson looks like a keeper, but Pederson and Puig are a concern for me. They don’t appear to be working on their weaknesses. But then, I’m not there for practice sessions. Maybe they are working on them. It hasn’t shown in their at bats. Both are making the same mistakes. Both are easy outs. Pitch to the glaring holes in their swings, don’t make mistakes, and they won’t hurt you. I would put Grandal in there with them too. I don’t know what’s wrong with him, maybe this is just who he is. All that said, I’m fine with giving Barnes his shot and I am ok with Thompson in center. Both those moves could make us better offensively.
Badger
No one was saying to not play Turner. We were just saying to move Turner down in the order. And Vinny said that Grandal hand was hurt.
Something on Grandal is always hurt.
You move Turner down, who you move up? This has been something of a team schneid. Roberts knows the real hitters will snap back into it any day. It’s going to take patience with this team, and with this organization.
It was mentioned on another Dodger site that 22 of our losses happened when we scored 3 runs or less. If we could have turned just half of those losses into wins, we’d a 6 1/2 game lead.
Perhaps we should take Utley out of the leadoff position and consider putting Trayce there. JMO.
Utley was never meant to be the leadoff hitter and Thompson wasn’t meant to be on the 25 man. So, wtf, why not?
Richie
Are bullpen in the last few years, have given away so many games, that we should ran away with the national league.
And I wouldn’t take Utley out of the lead off position. He may not have the speed, but he has the Guiles, and the experience, and that is what makes him, a good lead off person, even though, he is not a speedster.
He has had only a couple of games, that he hasn’t able to get to get on base, or start a rally. And he has to much experience, and smarts, to not adjust and start playing good again.
Wow Carl Crawford designated for assignment!
Austin Barnes is up
Happy days are here again!!! Drinks on the house!!!
It has happened. CC has been designated for assignment. Barnes has been called up.
This is interesting for many reasons.
1 – Crawford is done – he has been done all year. It’s about time.
2 – Barnes gives them a 3rd catcher. They don’t need 3 unless Grandal is hurt in which case they should send him down.
3 – This undoubtedly means more Kendrick, Hernandez and Van Slyke in LF. (I assume that Thompson will start in RF while Puig is on the DL and Pederson in CF.) It still leaves them with a logjam in the OF if Ethier comes back. I am not a fan of Kendrick in the OF – he doesn’t move like an OF – he looks really awkward out there.
4 -As others have opined, maybe dumping Crawford will prove to the players on the roster that management is serious about keeping the players who will help the team win. This may be an incentive in more ways than one.
5 – I still think “the trade” was a net plus. Would anyone have wanted to see this Dodgers team without Gonzalez at 1B the past few years. And we would have missed out on Nick Punto!
6 – The roster is still a mess. The bench is too shallow because we carry too many relievers. There are too many guys who play the same positions. There are too many injured starting pitchers and the uninjured are uninspiring (except for Kershaw of course). A further course correction is needed but I still don’t expect major help from outside of the organization this year.
THE DODGERS WIN THE PENNANT, THE DODGERS WIN THE PENNANT, THE DODGERS WIN THE PENNANT!
FAZ READ MY COMMENT YESTERDAY!
CRAWFISH WAS DFA’ED.
SO, MUCH FOR ALL OF THAT BS BADGER HAS SPEWED!
THE TRADE WAS HORRIBLE!
WRITE IT DOWN.
WATCH AND LEARN…
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!
Happy days?
All caps and bold. Impressive, in a sad and pathetic way.
It’s about me? Really? You continue to embarrass yourself.
Crawford DFA’d brings only the shallow and wholly unconscious joy. And to believe this has something to do with “the trade” furthers that point. You’re obsessed with that and it clouds what little judgment you have left. Not having Crawford here will have zero impact on the play of this team. Hopefully what this means is something most have have called for – more at bats for Thompson.
What’s next for Carl?
Badger
Don’t let Mark get to
You. I still value your opinion. And that doesn’t mean the trade was bad. The Dodgers did win the west three times in a row, and that was the first time, that the Dodgers, have ever done that! And I was thinking the same about Thompson too!
I’m not upset, I’m sad for him. Must be awful to be so pissed off all the time. I’ve had women obsess over me, but never a guy. It’s kind of creepy.
I wonder if in his dreams he’s stuck in agony, unable to escape the shade of the trade. That could keep him from sleeping well, and be the reason he is so crabby.
The women were creepy?
Badger
Maybe you should remind Mark who gave Crawford that multi year contract. Didn’t Theo Epstein orignally give Crawford, that multi year contract?
That’s high comedy Badger. You want to turn the tables when it becomes obvious you were talking out of your ass! You defended THE TRADE ad nauseum, and now when even Ray Charles can see you were wrong, you want to make me to be the bad guy!
Oh, I forget – you are never wrong and I always am according to you! The only problem is that what you generally paraphrase as what I said is usually not the truth. You are always twisting and turning the facts. I’m not pisssed off – you just don’t like being pissed on!
Wondering – yeah, I guess some of them were. You must have dated some head cases, or known a few, in your time. But at least they were women. To be so prevalent in a man’s mind is even creepier.
Many times, by many different writers on this blog and several others, the trade has been explained and the effect on what Dodgers are doing has not been effected. The money is not the issue, the players are! It’s not the money! We will pay for Crawford, just like we paid for so many others long term and we will still swallow up all the Cubans we can get our hands in and still be able to offer both Kershaw AND Greinke $30 million. We got what we went after in that trade, 3 shots at a title. Didn’t work. Time to regroup. But $250 million plus another $250 million in international signings is a drop in the Guggen-bucket and a small price to pay for a World Championship. And if, baseball gods forbid, we turn into the Tampa Rays, count me out. I’m done.
Bum
You were right! Remember you said that Crawford would be DF’A, and a lot of people said, that wouldn’t happen? I remember!
This could be a precursor to a trade, the recall of Barnes. They really don’t need another infielder or outfielder. If Barnes is to replace Grandal, why not just DL him? I think someone else on the 25 man roster will be leaving in the next few days, sic Barnes’ recall…
The Giants will pickup Crawford when he gets his release and he will hit .350 for them and beat us several times in the bargain. Can’t be helped…
Wondering
I already thought about that, but I don’t think Crawford can play defense well enough in the Giants big park.
They need a rightfielder, and Crawford doesn’t have the arm to really play leftfield, let alone, rightfield.
I think he will go to Houston.
He has to go to a team that has the DH!
No way the Giants take him.
Maybe Crawford will just retire, and stay home with is girlfriend, and his new child. After all, he is pretty banged up, from playing all of those years, on artificial grass.
Good point.
Yes, it does involve you Badger, because I have listened to the BS for years! I have listened to Badger since THE TRADE as to how good it was. It is my opinion that if I had praised management for THE TRADE, Badger would have been against it, but it’s only that – opinion.
Rick said:
I still think “the trade” was a net plus. Would anyone have wanted to see this Dodgers team without Gonzalez at 1B the past few years. And we would have missed out on Nick Punto!
I’ll give you Punto! 😉 But without having to pay Beckett, Crawford and Gonzo, the Dodgers could have had two or three guys as good as Gonzo and let’s face it – Gonzo is on his downhill slide. He’s untradeable unless the Dodgers pay a lot of his salary.
Without THE TRADE, the team would have been better the season AFTER the trade. They didn’t make the playoffs that year anyway! They could have signed Free Agents or made a better deal for players with better contracts.
This is why many long term deals are so bad. Let’s face it, Gonzo is now a #5 hitter at best! Next year, maybe #6. I said that the Dodgers would rue the day they acquired CC and they have. Ned and Stan pulled the trade off so as to get Gonzo. I know that! Essentially, they are paying A-Gon $43 million a year. I dare anyone to tell me that is a good deal and that the Dodgers could not have done a lot better!
Who would have played 1B? As you will recall, the Reds extended Joey Votto – many other big time 1B suddenly went off the market as well, and the Dodgers had no one in the pipeline at the time.
Dodger rick
Just the fact that the Dodgers were able to win the west, three years in a row, for the first time ever, is reason enough!
Worked for me. We were one relief specialist short one year, one #3 in another – and a broken rib away from a World Series appearance. The gap has now widened. Reboot. Who knows, might work. Thompson, Barnes, Urias – all here before the first week of June is over. Who’s next?
Mark
Agone is a good player, and he has had to be the big bat in this line up, all by himself, after both Kemp and Hanley, were moved off the team.
And he still has been the Dodgers best situational hitter, and most consistent offensive performer, since he came to the Dodgers.
And it wasn’t right, for this new front office, to expect Agone, to continue to carry the offense, all by himself. Instead, this front office, should have brought a right hand power bat, to help
Agone with this offense.
To make up, for the two strong bats, that that were lost, when Kemp and Hanley, were moved. And the front office didn’t bring Agone to the Dodgers, just because of the player he is.
The Dodgers have a big Mexican American fan base, and that is another reason, that Agone, was brought to the team. And Agone is also a team friendly guy.
OK, I’ll bite. The Dodgers looked at the upcoming free-agent market and decided they could not do better. Ned and Mt. Baldy did not foresee Crawford spending most of two seasons on the DL just like your boys did not foresee McCarthy, Grandal, and Anderson being hurt, or Latos and Johnson being awful.
Barnes can play C, 2B, 3B and the outfield in a pinch!
I would expect to see him play today. He did not play last night as he was on a plane.
Hit him #2!
Mark
But can Barnes hit major league hitting!
He hasn’t yet. Will the team give him opportunity to learn?
Any thoughts on whether Urias being here could be a factor in calling up Barnes?
That’s a good point. Give him some familiarity! But, Barnes is also here on his merits!
Wondering
Really good point! Also Grandal has a bad hand.
Roberts is pulling a Mattingly today. Turner finally got two hits last night, and he is not in the line up today.
That thread of genius runs through all major league managers….
That’s been his MO all year. Running around the bases tires the player out, but strikeouts don’t.
Rick,
Kendrys Morrales was available to play 1B on a 1 year deal. Ethier could have went there as well and they could have traded for Hunter Pence and kept Kemp. Mark Trumbo comes to mind as well.
I also think that they could have gotten Gonzo with the same package of players in the offseason. Stan and Ned were just in a “dope-fiend mode” right after the sale. THE TRADE was why they traded Kemp – he was the only one they could get value and relief from.
But, I’ll humor those of you who think it helped the Dodgers win 3 titles. If it did, it is now shackling them as well. You can’t have it both ways.
… and I do like A-Gon – he’s a solid citizen. I just think if they had waited, they could have gotten Him for Loney and the prospects. With the money saved they could have signed another stud starter and instead of 3 titles, they might have a championship instead!