The Dodger’s regulars returned to the lineup for the series finale against the dbacks on Sunday afternoon. Thus far the Dodgers have been spanked like a little girl in this series by Arizona. The boys in blue have been outscored 24-10 in the first two games, and the pitching has been a disaster. Of course it’s not surprising as the rotation has been unable to provide the Dodgers with the innings that they desperately need to keep the workload off of the bullpen.
Dodgers 6 9 0
Dbacks 2 7 1
WP-McCarthy-3-0
LP-Miller-2-2
HR-Goldschmidt-3-Grandal-3
I’ll get back to the pitching in a minute. It was a refreshing delight to see the regulars return to the lineup. There were no backups or scrubs in the lineup save for Chase Utley at second base. Not surprisingly the regulars came through scoring six runs on eight hits, with all six runs coming in the top of the fifth inning. Adrian Gonzalez, and Yasmani Grandal each had two runs driven in and Corey Seager went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Grandal slammed a home run into the right field seats, missing the pool, but hopefully hitting a dback fan in the ass. Five of the Dodger’s eight hits were extra-bases, and they were 4 for 7 with runners in scoring position. It’s very interesting how the Dodgers win when there are no minor league nobodies or utility bums in the lineup…..hmmmmmm.
Wait so you mean to tell me that the Dodgers played all of their regulars and they scored a bunch of runs and actually won? Is what you would say to me with wide eyes. Yes that is what happened as the Dodgers avoided a sweep by defeating the dbacks 6-2. Before the game the Dodgers called up left hander Adam Liberatore and sent down Brett Eibner because the bullpen has been to trashed they needed an extra reliever over having a short bench. Fortunately they wouldn’t need him in this one.
Dodger starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy tossed another quality outing. I admit that so far McCarthy has been pretty damned good. He’s been the Dodger’s second best starter this season. I’m kind of scared though because I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop. So far so good though for BMac as he tossed seven innings allowing just two earned runs, on five hits and striking out six against just one walk. The difference for McCarthy has been his ability to challenge hitters and pound the strike zone. No more nibbling for this guy anymore. McCarthy threw 98 pitches and gets his third win of the season. The lone blemish on the night for him was the bottom of the first inning.
In that frame David Peralta singled, and then Dodger killer Paul Goldschmidt homered over the left field fence to put the Snakes up 2-0 early. The Dodgers would rally against opposing starter Shelby Miller but it took them a while to get to him.
Miller exhibited the control problems that plagued him in 2016 as he walked 5 batters across four innings of work. He was able to wriggle out of a jam in the first inning when the Dodgers wasted a walk and a Gonzo double.
The fateful fifth inning for the Snakes started when McCarthy drew a walk. I just love it when pitchers help themselves at the plate. Then Joc Pederson walked and both runners scored when Seager doubled them in. Shoutout to Brandon Drury who missed the relay throw.
Randal Delgado replaced Miller and the Dodgers were fine with that because they have a good history of hitting him as much as they have hitting Miller. Justin Turner’s single advances Seager to third, and he scores on Gonzo’s second double of the game. Grandal’s two-run bomb to right field puts the Dodgers up 6-2. Everyone is happy!
The bullpen got a huge reprieve as Pedro Baez pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth and Sergio Romo pitched the ninth inning. That inning was a bit of an adventure but the Dodgers got out of it. Note to Kike, try not to run into Puig while he is making a catch.
Of course we can’t just have one game where the Dodgers win and we feel good. No, not these days. Joc was removed from the game with groin tightness and is listed as day-to-day.
The Dodgers improve to 9-10 on the season and will now travel to San Francisco to play the Giants for a four game series from Monday through Thursday. Hyun-jin Ryu is scheduled to take the ball for the Dodgers as Matt Cain will counter for San Francisco in a battle of washed up hurlers. First pitch is set for 7:15 PM. Have we talked about how bad the Giants are? Oh they’re bad alright, really bad. We’ll discuss this tomorrow. In the meantime have a happy Sunday guys!
Go Blue!
At least we won. Happy Sunday to all who write/read LADR 🙂
Squirrel!
Hey, we scored 6 after scoring 5 twice. It’s not like suddenly the offense woke up. We got more hits yesterday. The difference today was pitching.
8 runs. I believe I had that.
On to sf. We can get over .500 up there.
Had a funny thought the other day… Do you suppose Fred Claire ever told Tommy LaSorda which players to play and in which order they should hit? I really don’t think so…
Oh hell no. But then, they weren’t collecting mountains of data back then and designing game and season strategies around platoons. I think this is more than a trend. It’s here to stay.
Until it isn’t. Everything old is new again.
Like 8 tracks?
The way technology is advancing and information is being gathered and distributed, it is not likely to go backward.
Scherzer went 8. Who does that anymore? I guess he does. 6 times last year. Went at least 7 20 times.
I don’t take much away from this win, although I do like the way McCarthy has been pitching. He has been mostly consistent. Quite refreshing. Otoh, the Dodgers seem to be a team that puts together a big inning and then fizzle. Their M.O. has been power, not hitting consistently. This needs to change for anything real to happen.
Every year, either Joc, or Puig, Agone, and Grandal go into slumps for long periods. Agone usually pulls out of it and hits consistently and drives in runs. He is the best hitter from this group and I am definitely supportive of him. Grandal I can live with. Puig and Joc are hard to live with at this point. Neither have lived up to expectations, no matter how you cut it. Puig was hot earlier, now he has cooled off and is slumping once again. This kind of fluctuation is not good for a team. We need to upgrade the outfield as it is subpar. Platooning is a joke. It’s a way to hide mediocrity. FAZ can earn the respect with some clever trades, but their track record is abysmal. They are masters of mediocrity, no doubt. They can produce a winning club with it, but it is so so unsatisfying to a real fan of the game. They are a business franchise, not baseball minds. Sort of the same criticism that many have of L.A. itself, commercialized, plastic, and sort of unreal. Personally, I love L.A., it’s a unique place. Many creative people. Lots of bullshitters, too.
Add the best weather in the world (as far as the world I know) and the fact that you can find anything there. You really appreciate that when you live in a place like this where you can’t find a decent hamburger or even a doughnut fit to eat. Don’t even think about a Danish.
Jonah
Do you want me to send you a decent donut, of your choice?
I don’t think a good burger would hold up.
What is your favorite burger joint?
“They are masters of mediocrity, no doubt.” Now that is a great line!
This one also: “Lots of bullshitters, too.”
“Don’t even think about a Danish”
Too late.
There was this Black Forest Bakery in Fountain Valley near where I lived. Best pastry in the world (hyperbole). And there were literally dozens of doughnut shops run by VietNamese who made world class doughnuts, croissants, and rolls. Did you ever have a blueberry burrito? Or a croissant stuffed with ham, cheese, and scrambled eggs?
48 year vegetarian. Don’t eat eggs. But there are places that know how to make these items vegan. Ronald’s in Las Vegas best I ever tasted. I believe they are owned by Vietnamese as well.
Jonah
That is a lot of donut shops in one town, I am surprised that they all, could flourish.
There are not many here where I live, in fact the closes place, went out of business, not to long ago.
I don’t eat donuts often, but once in a while, it does sound good.
Badger do you drink milk?
Only in my lattes. I try to use goat milk products when I do dairy, which isn’t often.
Badger
I was just wondering because as you know, Milk comes, from animals.
I use the lactose free, non fat milk.
I like it because it has a longer period, of lasting off the self, like a month or two, until you open it, and then, it expires like regular, milk does.
I’m talking all of Orange County, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Westminster (little Saigon) itself had a dozen or more.
Westminster. I had family there. Westminster High was in the Sunset League when I played. Rikki Aldridge, USC, was playing then. I can remember the first time I tackled him. It was an “oh sh*t” moment. Rung my bell pretty good. We went at it all night. He was bigger. And better.
Jonah
I guess Vietnamese people don’t flock to the desert, do they?
I’m not in Phoenix much so I have no idea. I’m at 4600′, on the Mogollon Rim. Not seeing any Vietnamese flocking going on around here.
Yeah, I’m aware milk comes from animals. Except milk thistle maybe. I’m lacto veggie, that allows me to eat ice cream.
Badger
I wasn’t sure what a total vegan, eliminates, from there diet.
And Jonah lives in the real, desert.
Vegan consists of only plant-derived foods.
BR Power Rankings out. We made the Top 10.
The real desert? There’s an unreal one? Like the Mohave? The heat there? – unreal.
I must give McCarthy credit with how he has pitched up to now, but like Scott, I don’t know if he will hold up, but he has pitched really well up to now, and I don’t mind giving credit when it is due.
It was really good to see Agone hit the wall yesterday, and I believe he said he is feeling a little better.
But I am like Jeff, when it comes to Agone, because he has been a consistently good player for the team, so I don’t like to say anything harsh about him, because he has earned respect from me, with the way he has played, since he joined the team.
I do have to give Grandal a lot of credit, for working hard in the off season, and for what he has done, up to now.
This might only be his third HR since opening day, but he is hitting 300 against righties right now, and has his over all average, at 250 so that is good for him.
Roberts needs to give Grandal days off, when we are facing a lefties, because he isn’t hitting them well, and Barnes has started to hit better lately, especially against lefties, and a regular catcher, needs to stay fresh, so this would be good both for Barnes, and
Grandal.
It is still early so we need to give the players more time, but these platoons don’t help the team that much, and they sure don’t help the players, hit as well, as they probably would, if they were getting more consistent at bats.
It is hard for hitters to keep up with the adjustments, that pitchers are making on them, day to day.
And platoons are not worth any value, when they are not getting the team an advantage, on offense.
And all last year, this platoon team ranked last in offense, in all of baseball, and we have most of the same players, that kept that offensive mark, this year too.
I wish Turner would have took a couple more days off to heal better, but he is still helping with his bat, but I think his hand, is still bothering him a little.
I hope they can jump on Cain early, to give Ryu some runs, to work with tonight.
But it doesn’t matter whether the Giants are in a losing streak, they are always up and ready to play us, so don’t be surprised if the Giants put up a good fight.
And they are only a few games back from us, so they may have the worse record in baseball, but that is not that much worse, from where we are, so we will need to fight for every game we play against them, in the next few days.
Badger
I am not good with geography, but think where Jonah lives, it is a lot hotter, then where you live.
But I could be wrong.
New post guys
Here in Canon….we have 1 donut shop. Opens at 5 closes at 1. Donuts are very good. There is a decent bakery in the local market. I have cut way down on the number of donuts I consume. They go straight to the waistline. Actually what is weird is there is a French restaurant here….Never been there, but there is a bakery attached to it.
Walmart and both super markets here have in-house bakeries. Their French bread is pretty good, the other breads are OK but on donuts and pastries they just flat stink.