It was a night of comebacks of a sort. Clayton Kershaw returned to the form that’s been missing for most of this season, Justin Turner returned to hitting consistency, and long lost Andrew Toles returned to the big club’s dugout. (Spoiler) Good ol’ Tolesy did not disappoint.
The Dodgers opened a four-game series against the Padres down in San Diego tonight, and they returned to the well-oiled blue machine that went missing in Anaheim over the weekend. Clayton Kershaw took the mound and he was magnificent. Kershaw went six stress-free scoreless innings. It was Kershaw’s first shutout start of the season. He punched out five Padres and allowed just two hits, while walking one. Granted, this was the hapless Padres, a team of free swing-and-missers, that matched up perfectly for the old ace, but Kershaw still had to mow them down, and that he did.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Dodgers took advantage of Padres starter Perdomo in a five run, fourth inning. Yasmani Grandal got the scoring going with a double that scored Cody Bellinger, who had doubled to lead off the inning himself. Chris Taylor singled in Matt Kemp for the second run of the inning, and then Andrew Toles banged out the third double of the inning – right off the base of the CF wall – to score Grandal and Taylor. Toles brought home the fifth and final run of the inning on a FC by Joc Pederson.
The Dodgers later rallied home one more run in the seventh and two in the eighth. Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger’s bats gained some heat tonight as Justin Turner knocked in two RBIs and Bellinger made up for two atrocious rally killing double plays last night against the Angels. Cody’s swing was much more disciplined and accurate, which resulted in two crisp doubles.
Andrew Toles had a very good night in his return to the Dodgers. He went two for three with a walk and two hits. He had two RBIs, and he also scored two of the Dodgers’ runs, which included one spark plug score from third on an infield bouncer. Toles had a good secondary lead from third at the time and he broke for home on contact. He flew into home with a slide under the tag that took him on his belly a few feet beyond home plate. It was beautiful!
The Dodgers left eight men on base tonight, but the real stat to pay attention to is they also scored eight runs, all without hitting a single home run. By the way, Wil Meyers ruined the shutout with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, and the Padres scored one more to end things at 8-2.
With the Diamondbacks taking a day off, tonight’s win brings the Dodgers within a half-game of first place. Game two against the Pads tomorrow night.
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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For whom the bell Toles. Welcome back to the big league!
Why am I being asked to fill in my name and email every time I want to post something? This just started happening today?
Not sure. Might be because you’re using a different email address, or different computer with different IP address. I’ll look into it though. It shouldn’t be doing that.
Jeff, just under your name, email, etc., there is a little box which says: Save my name, email, etc,. on this browser. Make sure the box is checked.
It is a win against a last place club and a starting pitcher with an ERA over 7. We should drive into the break on cruise control. Has anyone checked the post break schedule? Gulp.
I regurgitate, Muncy in the Home Run Contest? I don’t like it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’d rather our players go home and rest.
All we can do is be optimistic.
Well Badger, one of the Angels starters also had an era that high, yet we didn’t do a thing.
But like I already said, I think the Angels have good scouting, because they made the proper adjustments that stopped most of our players.
And not all of our players did get a hit yesterday.
I know this is the Padres, but it is pretty good that Kershaw didn’t give up a cheap HR, because as Badger always says, these squirrels do get a nut, every once and a while.
And I am talking about the Padres line up, because they are more of a all or nothing bunch, then even we are.
The Angels and the Padre’s pitching is probably not going to get our hitters ready, for the pitching we will be facing once we come back from the Allstar break, and in to August, so I hope our hitters, continue to keep some discipline when they are up at the plate.
F Manny
F Baltimore
F FAZ
OK, no Manny unless they want to send him straight up for Forsythe. I can’t believe FAZ had their heart in those negotiations. That’s alright, all we really need is a couple of good relief pitchers, not the waiver wire specials he keeps buying… Realmuto makes a lot more sense, Grandal reaches free agency this fall. My guess the reason they’re not wearing out Miami’s telephone is that they’ve already decided to try to resign Grandal. His agent will know how to take advantage of that…
Verdugo and three other prospects for Realmuto and their best relief pitcher. Now we can rent out Grandal, that out to get a good reliever or a couple of prospects. Washington or the Red Sox should be interested…
Don’t think Realmuto is being traded, much less with one of their “best” relievers, but reality rarely impacts trade daydreams these days.
If we’re dreaming and talking about players not on the market, I say the Dodgers go after Trout.
That said, Wilson Ramos may be available from the Rays, but Grandal is already better.
One never knows. If I remember correctly, the lower their payroll, the more money Jeter gets. Exchanging Realmuto for maybe Barnes would buy him a few Big Macs.
Non of the trades the so called experts say may happen, don’t always happen either.
And when any of us are trying to suggest a good trade for the trade deadline, most of those same trades don’t happen either.
But most still make trade suggestions for the fun of it.
Except that it insults Lord Bluto who thinks we should limit ourselves to passing around postings given to “professional” sports writers by the clubs and officials they suck up to for handouts (propaganda). Too Orwellian for me.
I don’t see making a catcher change mid season. For all we know the staff loves Grandal. Changing infielders and outfielders every few minutes is one thing, changing catchers is different. It could happen of course, but I think the FO is still in love with their butterfingered Squirrel.
Yes, I believe they will extend or resign him. Maybe we’ll get lucky and somebody will outbid us.
Yeah, I just don’t agree.
Find It both pointless and stupid. But have fun!
I don’t think the Front Office LOVES Grandal. I’d be quite surprised if he was brought back.
I do think they value his framing, but he’s going to get a big sum on the open market and will he still be a value at that inflated cost?
Color me dubious….
I’m like Jesus Christ.”
The man who said this was convicted of raping two boys he trained to play baseball. On prison work release, he was again allowed to train boys to play baseball.
The frustrating culture of the game in the Dominican Republic:
https://yhoo.it/2zoOFol
Well, that’s a creepy story. Informative, but ugly.
It could and should be cleaned up. Unfortunately morality and millions in profit don’t necessarily travel in the same lane. I’m wondering how much influence and involvement millionaire players from that area might have.
Hey, Badger, be sure to order your blue Dodger themed shaker cup. (See next post), Scott gets a commission….
Just saw that Jonah. I have no comment.
Badger
Kemp will probably only get 2 or3 abs tonight. It depends on Dummy. You, however will get closer to the 50 pushups. I know it is not many but it will be great!
Oh by the way Badger, don’t expect many trades before the deadline. I forgot that Friedman just puts it out there He very seldom ever does anything.
Agree with Package here.
1-3 trades seems to be the front offices modus operandi. One big one (in the past starting pitchers) and tweaks around the edges (Fields, Cingrani, Reddick, Chavez, Watson.)
Nothing at massive scale.
I’m surprised how important this is to you pack. I really don’t care how many at bats he gets. I care he’s still standing in September and October. It appears that winning a bet may be more important to you than Kemp’s health. I hope that is not the case. And for 50 push-ups? If that is really a big deal to you, I find that funny. I’ll give you double or nothing no problem. Push-ups don’t frighten me. I welcome them. And I am thrilled Kemp has stayed hot. We need his presence for the big games later in the year.
Who was the big one Bluto? You mean Darvish? We only got him cuz he came cheap. Machado won’t be that easy.
Darvish and Hill. Both rentals. Both relatively cheap (in hindsight)
Machado is also a rental. I believe he’ll cost less than many are projecting, 2-3 prospects from the 5-25 range.
Then again, based on whose ranking? Or based on what criteria? I have no clue.
Why do you keep insisting that Hill was a great pickup? You defend him when the numbers he put up just don’t support that position. He pitched 34 innings in 2 months. We know you love the guy, but unless he is a relative of yours, you don’t have to keep selling us on him.
Somebody will overpay for Machado and part of the reason is to keep rivals from getting him. He’s a game changer. They are rare.
In this case I am not arguing that Hill was a great pickup.
I am arguing he was a major acquisition. He cost three top twenty five prospects, and nobody said then (nor now) that it was an overpay.
I did Bluto. I thought picking up a 36 year old who was on the DL was a mistake. I wanted Matt Moore, who was twice the pitcher Hill was after the deadline. Literally. Twice the starts, twice the innings, twice the wins – on an inferior club.
Again Badger you are using hindsight.
Hill was a major acquisition.
Was he the most productive? No, he was not.
Do I prefer him to Matt Moore? I assuredly do.
Do you? I guess not.
To each there own on the subsequent value/worth. Not my point in this instance.
Not hindsight Bluto. I just told you what I was thinking AT THE TIME. Were you around here when this all went down? Apparently not.
You think a 36 year old journeyman pitcher on the DL is a major acquisition. I thought it was a mistake. I was right. That’s not hindsight. It’s the opposite. It’s actually foresight. And then we signed him. I thought we could do better for $48 million.
No matter how passionate or convinced you are about an opinion, it’s still an opinion.
Why was Hill traded for? Was it to win the division or perform in the playoffs? I bet we both agree that it’s a combination of both. We differ in that you give more weight to the former, i to the latter.
Both ways it was a major acquisition. Because of the above you view it as a mistake. Good on you.
Because of the above and because I love watching the guy and am biased, I don’t. Good on me.
You are going to lecture me about opinion when you love the guy, no matter results? I post numbers, and they make no difference to you because your mind is made up.
His weak ‘16 performance, due to being on the DL a month in the pennant race, was predictable and in fact predicted. I think the difference here is that you buy everything FAZ does. I don’t.
Didn’t mean to lecture at all. Believe what you do, I’m quite happy that you do and defend/advocate it.
Not trying to lecture here either.
Gee Badger
I am just playing. If you don’t want to do the pushups, it is OK with me. I am just having fun. However, I am serious about no big moves from this FO. Period. If they ever leave, I will give you 50 pushups and raise a glass to you.
Pack I’m playing too. Hey, I figured Pederson and his career .840 OPS against RHP would be getting a lot more playing time than he has. I’m not at all sorry it’s worked out for Kemp.
Well, it looks like Dummy just laid down on that hit by Forysthe. What a jerk.
Forsythe got a hit? Must have missed it. All I’ve seen are strikeouts. I guess they intend to give him continued opportunity until the end of the month.
Hill being Hill. At least he’s chewing up some outs.