Tonight was the opening game of a weekend series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Snakes brought suitcases full of ridiculous uniforms, and the Dodgers brought Kenta Maeda to the party.
Oh yeah, they also brought big blue Dodger hearts that would not give up.
2nd inning
Dodgers
Single for Adrian Gonzalez.
Walk to Andrew Toles.
Then Joc Pederson came up with a clutch, two out double to score both runners. 2-0
3rd inning Dodgers 2-0
Snakes
Kenta Maeda getting the job done, holding the Snakes scoreless after three.
4th inning Dodgers 2-0
Dodgers
Howie Kendrick walked. Then he got two wild pitches to advance him to third with one out.
Andrew Toles slapped one of his patented doubles down the first base line to score Kendrick. 3-0
5th inning Dodgers 3-0
Snakes
Maeda made it twice through the Snake’s lineup without giving up any runs. He ended the fifth inning at 73 pitches.
6th inning Dodgers 3-0
Maeda went 1,2,3 with an easy inning. Seven in a row retired.
Dodgers
The Dodgers returned the favor by going quietly. Eight Dodgers in a row kind of quietly.
Batten down the hatches and hold on to your hats. This next inning was the wildest of the season.
7th inning Dodgers 3-0
Snakes
Maeda began the inning at 81 pitches.
He gave up a single to Paul Goldschmidt.
Castillo doubled to right-center, scoring Goldy. 3-1
That was it for Maeda. He left at 93 pitches, giving up only one run, and leaving a runner on second.
Adam Liberatore in. This was his first time back on the mound after a reported tweaked knee.
He walked his first batter.
Liberatore out. Joe Blanton in.
Base hit. Bases loaded.
Base hit. Move ’em up 90 feet. 3-2 with bases still loaded and only one out.
Blanton, pitching scared, or just lousy, walked in the tying run. 3-3
Blanton finally got the second out. Luis Avilan in.
(bases still loaded)
An infield single brought in another run and took the lead from the Dodgers. 4-3
Avilan out. Pedro Baez in.
Paul Goldschmidt came up for the second time in the inning, and on an 0-2 count, he blasted a bases clearing, Dodgers killing double, deep into the left-field corner. 7-3
Dodgers
With Andrew Toles on, Joc Pederson went down low and golfed one out and over the center field wall for a two run homerun. 7-5
Then with Scott Van Slyke on, Chase Utley smacked a two-run home run to tie the game! 7-7
Corey Seager hit a double, and the Snakes walked Adrian Gonzalez with one out, to face PH Yasiel Puig.
He sac flied to advance Seager to third.
Yasmani Grandal came through! A base hit right in the middle brought in Seager to break the tie – and retake the lead. 8-7
Whew! That wild and wooly seventh inning took 1 hour, 13 minutes to complete. It had 11 pitchers, 21 batters, and 12 runs.
8th inning Dodgers 8-7
Snakes
With two out, the skipper brought in Kenley Jansen for a four-out save. One pitch, job done.
Dodgers
Chase Utley walked.
Corey Seager rapped a single to center that was bobbled, allowing Utley to score. 9-7
9th inning Dodgers 9-7
Kenley Jansen vs Snakes
Owings: F9
Gosselin: K
Segura: 4-3
Dodgers win a crazy one 9-7!
Kenta Maeda had a good night on the mound, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings. His fastball hovered around 90 mph. Every now and then he dropped in a beautiful 12 to 6 curveball for watched strikes.
Maeda made it 2 1/2 times through the Snake’s lineup, only giving up one run. Then he was pulled and hell was unleashed.
The bullpen absolutely set fire to everything in the seventh. A legitimate rally is one thing, but that crazy bases-loaded situation that the Dodgers bullpen just couldn’t clean up became a slow death by 1,000 singles. Then came what appeared at the time to be the deathblow – Goldschmidt’s three run double.
But the Dodgers didn’t give up. They put together an incredible comeback rally that featured twin two-run taters by Utley and Pederson. That was the most impressive comeback I’ve seen from the Dodgers all year.
Wow File: The seventh was a 52 pitch inning for the Dodgers.
Attaboy! Joc Pederson had 4 RBIs.
Cherry on top: Giants lost, so the Dodgers are only one game behind.
Kenta Maeda went 6 1/3 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 5 K’s ERA 3.23
Home runs: Pederson, Utley
Team with RISP: 3 for 11 They actually should have scored plenty more tonight.
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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This Dodger team is the most fun team I have watched in many years. They are resilient and never-say-die. I have seen them comeback more times this year than in the last three years combined. Clayton says it’s the best clubhouse he has been in. This attitude is extremely important. Dave Roberts may be a lot like Tommy – maybe not the greatest tactician, but a great leader and motivator! These guys will go to war with Doc!
The Dodgers need to be careful at the trade deadline not to upset that balance. Chris Sale is the better pitcher but Chris Archer may be the better teammate and I have a feeling that Archer’s stuff will play well in the NL. I’m not even sure we should be chasing Josh Reddick or Jay Bruce. Andrew Toles is a spark and he loses his roster spot if they are acquired! Even Puig is being a good teammate.
These guys are picking each other up. The Dodgers 3-4-5 hitters (Turner, Gonzo, Howie) were 1-10 last night and they scored 9 runs. Let’s give Howie some props – he is hitting like he ALWAYS does and is playing very well in LF. He gets better every game. I think it’s safe to say that he’s the starting left-fielder. Solid… if not spectacular!
Toles looks to be a find and Joc seems to be progressing again instead of regressing. His defense in CF is stellar. In fact, with Puig or Toles in RF and Kendrick in LF along with Pederson in CF, this outfield is very solid – very good if not great!
I hear Thompson could be out for the season, but SVS seems healthy. They say Thompson’s back is much worse than Kershaw’s. Speaking of BACKS, barring a setBACK, Brett Anderson will be BACK in a couple of weeks. All jokes aside, he’s solid pitcher who, like Maeda can give you six innings. BTW, Meada should pitch every 6th day and only be allowed to pitch 6 innings.
That is becoming a problem all over MLB – fewer and fewer pitchers are pitching late into games. I believe I know why, but that’s a discussion for another day.
I know many of you have been clamouring for the Dodgers to make some big trades, but look at the last two NL West teams to do that: The Padres did that in 2015 and were praised by man. The D-Bags did it in 2016 and were the underdog favorites – That’s now how you build a team. In the post-steroid era, the Yankees way of spending is a dead model as Free Agent players no longer play as well as they age. That’s why I say the Giants will regret Cueto like the D-Bags regret Greinke… but I digress.
Corey Seager is pushing .900 OPS! WOW!
We are going to see some electric arms in August and especially September!
Trevor Oaks – 7 IP / 6 Hits /2 ER at AAA last night!
The pitcher injuries, the increasing DL usage is not just a Dodger thing, it’s baseball wide. I don’t understand why they don’t increase the 25 man roster to 28, use 6 starters and rest the relievers more. Money? Three extra players at minimum salary, what club couldn’t afford that? They could also eliminate a couple of coach positions or Front Office staff, like advisors to the GM etc. The players association should certainly be demanding this.
You mention Toles losing his roster spot if we get another outfielder; How about making that SVS losing his spot. He once was a good hitter but now he is at the bottom on my roster. I’d rather have a left handed hitter that can hit rather than a right hander who can’t. Matchups be damned!
Wondering
The Nationals just got the Pirates closer for there pen.
I hope that the front office gets an arm for the pen, because we need one badly.
I have been reading Thompson might start a rehab program next week. You have any inside info?
I know they are strengthening his “core” but I hear he needs surgery. Not really “inside” info – more like “beside” info.
Boxout 7
I read that Trayce will be going out a rehab assignment next week too.
And I think they said that on the Dodger pre game show too.
Mark
Those moves were in the off season.
Look what Cespedes did for the Mets last year, and look what Kendry Morales did for the Royals.
I am not saying to trade or not to trade, this is just two examples, of teams, that benefited greatly at the trade deadline.
HELP! We have been defrauded!
Please someone, I didn’t bookmark that blogger so many here admire. You know, the one who wants to boycott the boring Dodgers. The guy who says Dodgers are only pursuing evil profits. Fielding players with no heart or talent, players with no fight in them. Yes, I have seen the light, time to boycott the Dodgers. I am with him and all you naysayers, please help, somebody post a link to his blog, so I can tell him what a visionary he is.
NOT!!
There are several who aren’t here who said they were even ashamed of this team and being a Dodger fan.
Nice contribution box. You are consistent.
Why make any trades? All we need to do is play .500 and watch as the midgets fall apart. That sounds like an easy path to the playoffs.
BADGERm, you sound angry and bitter. I guess if I had predicted the Dbags winning the division, I might feel the same.
Go Dodgers!
Fact check.
And why would we expect that from you?
I said I thought it would be a three team race. I never said I thought the Dbacks would win the division. When pressed, the team I picked to win the Division was the giants. I still believe they are the favorites, though I haven’t double checked this morning. I’d ask you, but you seem to only reference your own opinion, and I already know what that is.
The Dbacks are an enormous disappointment to their fan base. They are measuring some possible moves. The giants just need to snap out of it and Colorado is proving to be better than expected. I still suspect it will go down as I thought it would, only without Arizona. The third team might be the Rockies. Still a long way to go.
I ask again, why make any moves?
I could see Archer if we don’t give up De Leon or Urias!
…but I have mixed emotions about it!
Archer would probably be a good fit with this group. But why would Tampa accept any package that doesn’t include at least one of our top 3 prospects?
I would rather have Archer too.
I think he will hold up better then Sale, and cost less.
And he has a good contract too.
Yes, Archer is who I would pursue. Sale is too expensive. Picking up Archer shouldn’t require De Leon or Urias. If it does, PASS!
I am OK, if there isn’t ANY moves. Like you said, we should be seeing some “electric” arms in September. It has been an organizational “all hands on deck” season and enjoyable to watch.
I am ready to roll with this team, we could use more pitching (can never have too much), but, even though the farm is stacked and might even benefit from a little thinning, no dope fiend moves. Our prospects will bring back more value in the offseason.
The giants lose…and lose….and lose. I love the sound of that. Mark and others appear correct when you said the giants would falter. They are getting healthy, so this is the time to bury them. Behind Colorado sounds nice. Nothing much to add about the game last night. It must have been fun to be there. It’s Kazmir’s turn tonight. Goldschmidt is hot, so watch out.
Personally I don’t see the giants being “buried”. They are going through what a lot of teams do at some point in the season. They aren’t Minnesota. They could easily reel off 6 in a row at any time.
What I like about our team is the apparent chemistry. Nice to see a no quit attitude out there.
I don’t see the Giants that way either.
The thing is why haven’t we seen DeLeon up with the big team yet?
I would have thought he would have been up by now.
Bum said something about worrying about DeLeon getting injured, so why have we not seen him yet.
It seems like the front office has a lot of the pitchers at AAA on pitching limits.
We need them to be building up there arms.
Joc had a big game last night, and has started hitting much better.
Nomar thinks that Toles has made Joc adjust and examen his swing.
And because of that, Joc is having better at bats, and having better success.
I have always liked Joc in the eighth position, because he has to wait for his pitch, because the pitcher is coming after him to bat.
And Joc can pick up walks if he doesn’t get a good pitch to hit, from the pitcher.
I think Roberts should keep Joc batting eighth.
Toles continues to contribute too.
Toles has been better then Puig, in pressure situations this year.
Toles sure doesn’t look like a player, that started in A, when he is up to bat.
And what can you say about Utley, he has been a big part of turning this team around, when they are down.
He has had a lot of clutch hits, off lefties
relievers late in games.
And he did that again last night.
Utley makes really good decisions and is a good example for all the young players, when he is up to bat, or on the field, or running the bases.
Utley is not the just the veteran cliche, that teams want on the team, because of there experience, he is the real thing.
He teaches with his actions, and at the same time, he is still contributing to the team.
It makes me wonder, what Utley could have done last year, in the play offs, if Mattingly would have played him.
I know last year, he started the season slow, because he hurt his ankle.
But when he came to the Dodgers, he had just had a really good month, and was finally healthly, and hitting well.
Just read that our bottom of the 7th was posted on the giants’ scoreboard and about the same time that they hit into a triple play, late in their game. Wish I was there.
ME TOO!
I can tell you, Midget fans are not happy right now. The few I talk with are full of excuses. Hopefully, I will have a chance to discuss that triple play with some today. Loving it.
Bobbie 17
I would have liked to see the crowds reaction, after the Dbacks went a head, and after we went ahead, in that same inning.
That triple play, was a very unlucky play for the Giants.
I bet they were questioning there fate, after that play.
I see it differently, very skillfully done by the Nats. Midgets foolishly ran themselves out of a promising inning. Partially kidding, but, the guy on third should have watched it go through before breaking to plate.
Again, I hope to discuss with enemy fans.
That runner was Span, and Giant fans, are not to happy with Span right now.
Boxout 7
When I first saw that play, it didn’t look like a double play to me, because I never saw the runner on third, because he already had crossed the plate.
They are always told to freeze on a line drive, but that can happen to anyone.
I was, as usual, watching both games at once. The Giant announcers kept showing the Dodger score on the scoreboard out in rightfield. They were rather excited when 3-0 Dodgers became 3-2 Dodgers, then 3-3, then 7-3 AZ. Then they were like “wait, how the F did it just become 7-7 that fast???” Fun to see both teams at once, and the bad side lose and the good side win.
If you haven’t seen the Nats triple play with the bases loaded, it was great. That stunned and silenced the giant crowd so fast!
As far as Archer, he’s too good for us NOT to have to give up DeLeon. DeLeon is 23; Archer is 27. I’d be estatic if in 2020, when DeLeon is 27, he has the stuff of Archer. You have to give to get in this market, so I’d give. But not Urias. Urias only goes for Sale, or Jose Fernandez etc.
Tonight we should just tell Kazmir (or whichver of our #4 starters is going) to aim for 6ip only. Throw hard. Don’t save your pitches. Go all out and get us 6. We don’t expect any more from you anyway. So go make it a great 6 and this time I believe Liberatore and Blanton will do their job
But i still want a real 8th inning guy.
Good point about Archer requiring De Leon. You might be right. If FAZ is OK with that trade, so am I. I hope since Archer has been having a down season (for him) the price might be a little lower. But 27 yrs old and controllable at the trade deadline, is going to cost.
Why did Baez throw three straight fastballs, to Goldy last night?
That might have been ok if Baez didn’t throw the two strike pitch, anywhere around the plate.
But Baez throw that pitch right down the middle of the plate.
Also Grandal had a good clutch hit last night too, so I want to give him credit, for his two out RBI, that put us ahead again.
MJ:
You answered your own question with your 4th word in the 1st sentence. Also 9th word in 2nd sentence and 3rd word in 3rd sentence.
He’s a hard throwing THROWER not a pitcher yet. I hope he doesn’t have the same mindset as Puig(nothing in-nothing out).
I know he has another pitch but he doesn’t THROW it that often. Maybe he doesn’t have any confidence in it. Even Chapman with his 100+mph fastball has another pitch(Slider, I think).
When a batter knows what pitch to look for, especially as good as Goldy is, not too hard to put the ball in play especially if it’s straight and down the middle.
Richie
Even though Baez is mostly a fastball pitcher, he can still pitch with that fastball, if he can just get good command and pitch to the tough part of the plate, that is a weakness, for the hitter he is facing.
If he had got that pitch up at Goldy’s shoulders, Goldy would have had a tougher time hitting that pitch.
Rick Monday was asking the same question last night.
Artieboy
It sounds like me and Richie and you and Monday, we’re all asking these same questions in our minds.
And probably every other Dodger fan, at that time of the game.
If you have read the book Money Ball, the A’s set a record for consecutive wins. I think it was 20. On their record setting win, the bullpen collapsed, gave away a huge lead, only to have the offense come back to win the game in the 9th. After the game Billy Beane said it was just another win. Despite its importance, within the realm of a long season, it was just one victory.
I guess I see last night’s game like that. It was fun. Especially after a frustrating carnival of pitchers in the 7th. But in the end just a win, though an important one as we crawl closer to 1st place. I’m glad the fans got their $ worth.
Artieboy
This game not only made the fans happy, it made this team even closer, and give Joc a lot of confidence, that he can hit major league pitching, without having to swing from his heels all the time.
When Joc hit that HR, it didn’t look to me, that he swung from his heels.
It looked like a much more controlled swing, and he still was able to hit the ball out.
They just said that the Nationals got the Pirates closer.
I hope the front office realize the Dodger’s bullpen, needs a strong arm, to get them through the rest of the season.
And like Bobby has said, a good set up guy, will really help the Dodgers the rest of the season, and bring more stability to the bullpen.