The day of reckoning for the Giants has arrived. Today is moving day! This is the day where the Dodgers take over sole possession of first place in the NL West, pushing the sad sack Giants back into second place where they belong. Get comfy Giants; you’re going to be there for the rest of the season. Hopefully.
Pack up your troubles San Francisco, because after Tuesday night’s 9-3 Dodger win over Philadelphia and your pathetic 2-0 shutout loss to the Marlins, Don Mattingly and Tom Koehler gave the Dodgers a share of first place for the first time since May 14. This afternoon the Dodgers will kick the Giants out of their rental causing Giant fans to be sad and miserable.
The Dodger bats were red hot last night. The boys in blue used three home runs (Howie Kendrick, Justin Turner, Yasmani Grandal) and another wonderful performance from the bullpen to improve to a season high 15 games above .500. Kendrick had a day to remember. It was his bobblehead night, his two sons threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and he went 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 runs driven in.
Turner hit his 21st home run of the season becoming just the fifth Dodger third baseman to hit 20 or more in a season. He joins the esteemed company of Adrian Beltre, Ron Cey, Todd Ziele, and Tim Wallach. Dodger catcher Yasmani Grandal hit his 18 home run of the season as well.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Philadelphia-TBA
Jeremy Hellickson-9-7 vs. Scott Kazmir-9-5
Game Time – 12:10 PM – TV-SNLA
Today the Dodgers will look for their fifth straight win and a series sweep of the awful Phillies. Jeremy Hellickson will take on Scott Kazmir in the series finale. The 29-year old right hander was traded to the Phillies from the Dbacks and has had a decent season. Hellickson is 9-7 with a 3.72 ERA in 23 starts. In 138 frames he’s struck out 112 and walked 31. He’s posted a 4.15 FIP and struck out 7.2 per nine innings pitched. Hellickson is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 3 career starts against the Dodgers.
Hellickson vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 28 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | .167 | .286 | .542 | .827 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Howie Kendrick | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .143 | .200 | .143 | .343 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Reddick | 16 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .250 | .400 | .650 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .750 | .750 | 1.750 | 2.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | 2.000 | 2.667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 84 | 73 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 8 | .233 | .313 | .493 | .806 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
As for Scott Kazmir it’s anyone’s guess which Kazmir will show up. Will it be the decent Kazmir that can give the Dodgers a Quality start? Or will it be the awful Kazmir that gives up over 8 runs per outing in the first inning? Last week we saw the awful Kazmir against the Red Sox when he allowed 4 earned runs on 5 hits over 5.1 innings in a 9-0 blowout loss.
Kazmir is 9-5 with a 4.51 ERA in 22 starts. He has an 86 ERA+ and has posted a 1.282 WHIP across 121.2 innings pitched. Kazmir has recorded 126 whiffs and allowed 43 walks. Kazmir is 1-1 with a 7.04 ERA in 3 career starts against the Phillies. The Phillies are batting .250 (7 for 28) against Kazmir.
Kazmir vs. Phillies
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Ryan Howard | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | .167 | .333 | .250 | .583 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .250 | .400 | .375 | .775 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Asche | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .667 | .667 | 1.333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Featherston | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Freddy Galvis | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | 1.000 | 1.333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 34 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | .250 | .364 | .393 | .756 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
While the Dodgers are wrapping up the Philadelphia series, the Giants will be finishing their series in Miami. In that game Jeff Samardzija will counter David Phelps. The Dodgers are off on Thursday and then the Pirates come into town for a weekend series.
The Dodgers will have to do some redecorating once they move into their new first place apartment. That tacky Giants’ decor just won’t do. So settle in and get comfortable. The Dodgers are moving on up! Just thinking about all of the Giants fans upset at work tomorrow makes me smile.
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Go Blue!
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That’s funny!
A day game with Vinny on the radio. Gotta love it 🙂
Don’t we all love Don Mattingly? At least for one more day. Not enough is said about Howie Kendrick. He hit 8th in the order last night. Leadoff the day before, I think. He probably has hit in every lineup spot except 9. He has played 2B, 3B, and LF competently, and most importantly, without complaint. He is a true MLB player, right along side of AGon. A real professional ballplayer. Always has been one of my favorites for his quiet production. His BA isn’t up to his past levels, but he really fits into this team at this moment in time. I agree that there is not reason to get too excited right now, but we had to get to first place before we can try to stay there. giants play in am; Dodgers at noon. Go Marlins.
Puig: 2-4, HR,2RBI,BB.
Who cares, really.
Hill still unable to start Friday due to blister. Stripling to get the start.
Giants won, 1-0.
I like Reddick batting second. Hopefully it works out.
Is this the last midweek day game of the season? At home? If it is then this would be Vinny’s final midweek day game. Yikes!!!!
Is it?
Reddick has hit the ball nicely both times today. Good to see
He’s much better than his average shows.
BTW. It was mentioned before about us getting Chapman. Didn’t we in fact have a deal inplace for him and it was WE who backed out because of his personal issues?
My real question is: If, kin fact, the deal was in place, what players would we have given up. Just curious because I’m not sure it was ever mentioned. Any help out there??
Definitely Peraza and I’m 90% certain Grant Holmes was the other
Thanks Bobby.
Much has been said about the FO pro and con but mostly con. Isn’t this the same FO that also acquired some pretty good players too.
Would we really be tied for 1st without Blanton, Maeda, Sedgelin, Dayton, etc.
Let’s not gripe about the FO failures without telling the good they have done.
Segedin really hasn’t had any impact on the Dodgers being a first place team. Mazda, Blanton, Thompson, and resigning both Kendrick and Utley absolutely yes.
Wow, Grant Dayton is human after all
Bobby
Sorry you went to the wrong game.
It had be hard to watch Kenley collaspe.
Did you know that Reddick only has twenty eight RBIs this year?
Roberts needs to put him farther down in the order.
He has only three hits since he has been with the Dodgers.
We all better hope that Cory is going to be ok, they are getting a scan just to make sure.
Luckily, I had some work stuff come up so I couldn’t go. Thank God!
Seager’s xray came back negative
While the Dodgers generally enjoyed success during this period, in 1951 they fell victim to one of the largest collapses in the history of baseball. Meanwhile, non-stop transcontinental airline travel had become routine during the years since the Second World War, and teams were no longer bound by much slower railroad timetables. Because of civil aviation advances, it became possible to locate teams farther apart – as far west as California – while maintaining the same busy game schedules.