The Dodgers made a nice recovery to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon with a 7-2 win over the Cardinals. Kenta Maeda pitched 5.2 effecting innings and the Dodgers scored 4 runs early in the game to give Maeda plenty of cushion. Outfielder Andrew Toles collected 3 hits and Ross Stripling provided two scoreless innings of relief as the Dodgers evened the series. Today the Dodgers will look earn consecutive road series wins as Scott Kazmir will counter 24-year old rookie Mike Mayers.
Kazmir is coming off of a dominant performance against the Nationals. Kazmir (8-3 4.30 ERA) has not lost a decision since May 9. That’s 4 wins and 6 no-decisions. Kazmir has allowed more than 3 earned runs in a start just once since May 9. So he’s actually been pitching well enough. The only problem is getting him through that dreaded first inning. He defeated the Cardinals back on May 14 when he limited the Red Birds to 2 earned runs on 5 hits across 8.2 innings pitched. In 3 career starts against the Cardinals he is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA. This is his second career start at Busch Stadium. Matt Holiday has hit Kazmir well in the past but the rest of the current Cardinals have not.
Dodgers @ St. Louis
Scott Kazmir-8-3 vs. Mike Mayers-0-0
Game Time – 5:08 PM – TV -ESPN
Kazmir vs. Cardinals
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Matt Holliday | 15 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .308 | .400 | .769 | 1.169 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yadier Molina | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Randal Grichuk | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .500 | .500 | .750 | 1.250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Piscotty | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aledmys Diaz | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jedd Gyorko | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Martinez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremy Hazelbaker | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 4.000 | 5.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Wainwright | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 39 | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | .257 | .308 | .543 | .851 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Cardinals will give the ball to rookie right hander Mike Mayers. The Grove City, Ohio native was a third round draft pick by the Cardinals back in 2013. Mayers has split time between the double-A Springfield Cardinals and the triple-A Memphis Red Birds of the Pacific Coast League. In the minors this year he has posted an 8-5 record and a 2.62 ERA in 18 starts. He’s struck out 7.4 per nine and has a 19-24 record with a 3.49 ERA in 9 minor league seasons.
Mayers has overcome a lot to make it to the majors including thoracic outlet surgery. Mayers uses a four-pitch arsenal which includes a nice 97 mph heater. He has a two-seamer that he uses to induce grounders and a slider and changeup. The Cardinals consider him to be a quality pitching prospect. He’ll be making his MLB debut so naturally that means he’ll pitch a 4-hit shutout against the Dodgers.
I joke, but seriously the Dodgers have a great chance to take this series and come home on a good note. The Cardinals don’t hit Kazmir well and there is a rookie on the mound. ESPN has picked up the game so everyone should be able to watch on Sunday. The Dodgers are 55-43 and remain 4 games behind the Giants in the NL West. The Giants are finishing their weekend interleague series against the Yankees in the Bronx. The Dodgers also remain one game ahead of the Marlins for the top wild card spot in the National League.
The boys in blue will fly home after the game to play their first game at Dodger Stadium since July 10. Monday is a scheduled off-day and then the Dodgers will face the Tampa Bay Rays for two games on Tuesday and Wednesday. That will kick off a five game home stand that will take them through the end of the month. The club is going to use a four-man rotation for now, but I think there will be a trade coming soon. This week should be very interesting. Things are starting to heat up!
Go Blue!
Here’s something that I don’t like that I am hearing here and there: Some players are coming together and upping their game in response to Kershaw’s injury. BS!!!
If that is true, the players “should be held accountable” if they were playing with lesser effort before the injury. If everybody had a reserve that they were holding back, theoretically the Dodgers would be leading the division if only they had given a 100% earlier in the year.
I think that such talk should be the property of MGM when they make the movie of the Dodgers 2016.
I am just glad that the Cardinals starting pitcher that the Dodgers are facing today, is a rightie pitcher.
I think you are misunderstanding. I for one, have said that some good might come out of the Kershaw injury, in that it might cause others to step up. I don’t think that anyone is saying they weren’t trying 100% – it’s just that sometimes you are forced to dig deeper. The Dodgers did it in 1988 when they lost their MVP. When you suddenly realize that it’s on you, many up their game.
Never underestimate the power of the human spirit.
“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead
I’m sorry if you you have never seen or experienced that. I have done both!
…and it is amazing!
OK. 110%.
😉
Toles is starting again!
I like what he’s done so far, but Toles is a rather improbable hero. I hope he keeps it up.
He is. I’m hoping he’s a later bloomer like Maury Wills and Dave Roberts!
Toles is only 24. He’s not very late!
Was Agone’s last hit good enough to everyone?
Yes. Last night and tonight hr showed great power. Hopefully he’s back !
Bobby
I could tell
Agone was mad yesterday before he hit that HR.
And Agone doesn’t get mad that often, but he was mad at himself
Bobby
I like Toles too!
He was suppose to have a problem with anxiety.
He looks chill to me out there.
Tough luck kid. A few off the fists that dribble through and the debut gets blowed up. With Grammy and Grampy in the park. Bummer for them.
Things are going our way. I like it when that happens.
Badger
Why can’t the Dodgers hit this pitcher?
This is the same pitcher, that pitched a bunch of innings, in the over time game.
Howie made up for his misplay.
This game is ours. 3 back now
Yes and I wasn’t upset with Howie, before he hit it out.
He has inproved and has been pretty good out there.
Bobby
Please don’t tempt fate.
haha
Son of a b…..
“According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the Cubs and Yankees are working to finalize an Aroldis Chapman trade.”
I was just going to post that as well. Looks like the Cubs gave up some stud young SS, who’s the 24th ranked player in the minors. Wow
That’s ok, the Cubs don’t have good hitters, for the post season.
Power hitters don’t usually hit good pitching.
That is why they Mets beat them in the post season.
What? Have you never heard of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig? Duke Snider and Mickey Mantle? Power hitters don’t hit well in the post -season? REally?
Runs are harder to come by in the playoffs and WS. Speed, defense, and pitching are present more than is power in the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean that a Duke Snider or Reggie Jackson don’t have their moments.
Dodgerrick
Those were great hitters, and great players.
Babe Ruth was not just a power hitter.
He had a great batting average too.
Non of those Cubs players right now, are comparable to those superstars, and hall of famers.
It’s funny – we haven’t recently heard many complaints about “Why did FAZ sign Kendrick? He’s washed up!”
Haven’t heard you proposing to trade him either 🙂
Bums thanks
I was in favor of the Kendrick signing. (Not Utley – but I was wrong about that one).
Not so wild about Kazmir though. Another 5 inning start. They get him 9 runs early and he can only go 5 innings on 98 pitches? And gave up 3 runs?
Maeda – couldn’t go 6 innings yesterday either.
What is going on here?
Heat and humidity could be a contributing factor
ya, Kaz didn’t have his swing and miss stuff today. Too many balls fouled off, ala Urias
Either way, we’re this close to being 3 games out now. This week, SF hosts Cincy for 3 and Wash for 4 while we host Tampa for 2 and AZ for 3.
As the season stretches deep into summer, would we expect Kazmir and Maeda to get stronger?
I don’t recall anyone saying Kendrick was washed up. Kendrick was superfluous. We had a young traded for Kiké Hernandez, 24 years old coming off a 131 OPS+ year, why did we need another RH hitting second baseman? The move threw a bucket of water on Kiké. Personally I think it sent a horrible message.
If Kike is that mentally weak, he shouldn’t be playing, and yes it was said that Kendrick was washed up. Several times!
It seems like Kazmir pitches well, every other game.
I don’t know if that is true, but it seems like that.
I’ve been nervous all night with this game. And the Dodgers haven’t helped despite their lead. As is typical of the Dodgers, they score a bunch of runs early and then shut down the offense. And instead of breaking the game open with runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out in the 6th and the bases loaded no one out in the 7th, we now have a relatively close game that could still break our hearts.
Brookyn
I have too.
You don’t let good teams back into games.
You bury them!
Why did Scott swing at the first pitch, when the bases were loaded, with no outs?
The pressure is on the pitcher, when the bases are loaded with no outs!
Didn’t Scott learn that, in little league?
Brooklyn
They think they are in this game, why would they have there closer closing.
Thank you Joc!
In a word. Whew!!!
Brooklyn
I couldn’t breath until the last out!
We have had so many bad things happen, while playing the Cardinals.
We are really lucky that we won this game.
Of course the Cardinals started coming back, in the 7th inning.