Kenta Maeda was shown in last night’s telecast sitting in the Dodgers dugout with baseball in hand. It looked like he was working on his pitching technique. He slowly moved his arm forward at the elbow and put a finishing wrist-twist on his simulated pitch. What he didn’t know at the time, was his mental homework would pay off, but his quality pitching would be overshadowed by the mighty Yasiel Puig.
1st inning
The Giants pounced on Maeda quickly. They scored one and stubbornly left the inning with two men on.
Things might have been very different, if Carlos Ruiz could have handled Yasiel Puig‘s incredible – and perfect- throw to the plate from right field. *sigh* 0-1
Dodgers
Howie Kendrick and Corey Seager quickly got on with one out, for Adrian Gonzalez.
Butter and eggs, baby! Base hit to score Seager and tie the game. 1-1
With 2 on, up came Yasiel Puig.
KAAA-BOOM!!!
A three-run blast to right-center field! 4-1
Maeda knocked in the final run of the inning to make it 5-1.
2nd inning 5-1
With two out, Maeda gave up a solo home run to some guy who was in Frisco’s minor leagues just a few days ago. 5-2
Dodgers
They came out threatening once again, particularly Corey Seager, who almost took Moore’s head off with a blazing line drive right back at him. Soon the boys had men on the corners and nobody out.
Justin Turner ripped an RBI fly ball to centerfield. 6-2
3rd inning 6-2
Maeda held The Giants scoreless.
The Dodgers came out continuing the hit parade, while the Giants continued their infield hijinks with missed balls and poor infield throws.
Two more Dodger runs scored on Howie Kendrick’s flyball double over Hunter Pence‘s outstretched arm. 8-2
4th inning 8-2
With two out and men on, the Giants looked like they might just put something together with a long fly ball to right field. When it left the bat, it looked like the kind of hit that goes off the wall for a double. Puig, running full speed toward the wall, reached up and made a magnificent over-the-shoulder catch to end the inning.
5th inning 8-2
Six strikeouts for Maeda through five.
Dodgers
Andrew Toles cracked an RBI double to LF, scoring Kiké Enrique Hernandez. 9-2
6th inning 9-2
Julio Urias in for Maeda.
He gave up a couple of big hits for a run. 9-3
After Urias, the bullpen went into roulette mode, and held the Giants scoreless for the rest of the night.
Dodgers Win! 9-2
After the rhubarb with Madison Bumgarner the other night, Yasiel Puig had some fun with t-shirts that read #DontLookAtMe. He even autographed one and sent it to Bumgarner. On the shirt, he wrote “I Like You!” in big, bold letters. Clearly Puig also likes extracting a hunk of flesh with his letting-bygones-be-bygones. The Wild Horse was all over the field, making spectacular plays on both sides of the ball tonight. It was a real joy to see what Puig can do when he gets in a groove, and his Dodger Blue powers are unleashed.
Dodgers with a six-game lead over the second place (and fading) Giants.
Magic number: Cinco!
Kenta Maeda (W 16-9) went five innings with 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 HR, 2 walks, 6 Ks. ERA 3.20
Home Run: Yasiel Puig
Team with RISP: 5 for 14. To think, they could have scored a ton more.
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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Magic #5… Anxiously awaiting MJ’s Magna Carta of Malaise towards the Blue…
Peter
Are you talking about the platoon line up?
If you are, really the difference was mainly Puig, and most of the regular players.
Kike, Ruiz, and Culberson both got infield hits, but most of the regular players, and Puig made the difference in the game.
And I have been saying Puig has to start,but ultimately, the platoon players, we’re not the big difference in this game.
And I am not the only person who has said stuff about the platoon line up.
And I said yesterday that anything can happen in baseball, so I hope this line up suprises me.
I never want to be right, more then I want the Dodgers to do well, and win.
Great Charter of what, general feeling of not being healthy or happy accompanying the onset of an illness….vague sense of mental or moral ill being or of cynicism and despair. Either you didn’t know the meaning of malaise [now you do] or you’re posting about some unknown Magic or MJ. Perhaps you could clarify your post for us. In other words, make some sense dude.
It’s a lot more fun to do Post-Mortems after wins than after losses. I hope they lock it up before that last Giant series so they can rest players then. Added insult to the Giants, of course.
If Giants are still in the wild card race at that time, they are almost obliged to play the “A” team in that series as nobody wants to be seen as rolling over. If they can bury the Giants and crush their playoff dreams, it is all that much better to do that in SF.
This is my dream outcome also. CRUSH the midget playoff dream in SF.
It would be nice if the Cardinals and Mets would help in this effort by winning a few games.
They will have the pitchers pitch enough to stay sharp, but they will definitely rest the pitchers.
Twins shopping for Front Office… Does FAZ have an opt-out clause?
I think they passed on Alex Anthopoulos.
Anthopoulos passed on them. He wants to stay in L A.
Actually, Anthopoulos passed on them.
Do you guys hope FAZ has an opt-out? I hear Stewart and LaRussa (Dumb & Dumber) will soon be available. I know some here have sung the praises of those two, earlier this year, is that what you want? Maybe the SD Padres GM who is currently suspended, many on the board were singing praises about him last year, when he signed several high priced free-agent busts and traded for Matt Kemp.
I think I prefer, going to the playoffs with FAZ!
I am interested in the Dodgers’ decision to start the dynamic duo of Anderson and Kazmir against the Rox. There is a lot of speculation that the Dodgers are trying to figure out who their 4th starter will be in the postseason and this will be an audition of sorts.
Anderson scares me frankly- really, he has 1 awful start on the season and they are considering letting him start against the Nats?
At least with Kazmir, they have a 50/50 chance of getting a good game if he’s healthy. The reports I’ve read say he’s not but I guess we’ll find out.
I would rather see Urias or DeLeon in that role.
The Blue are just 2 games back of the Nats for home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They are 20 games over.500 at home so this really matters. I would like to see them make every effort to win these games and doubt that Anderson and Kazmir give them their best chance to do so.
Urias is at his limit, and there are serious concerns (see his last and first starts) if DeLeon is there yet. Not enough consistent swing and miss.
The 4th starter is essential given Maeda’s pitching schedule and Hill’s finger. Why not solve problems quickly?
So if Anderson and Kazmir get blown up the Dodgers lose 2 games and still don’t have a 4th starter. How does that “solve problems quickly”?
It tells you that neither is the solution and you need to keep looking of course.
Then again, if either works then you have solved the problem quickly.
Not really sure what the point of that exchange was.
It is that loosing 2 games to the Rox (which could potentially cost home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs) is an unacceptable risk to exchange for the unlikely event that either of the oft-wounded lefties will actually pitch well. Just another iffy decision.
Losing not loosing.
“Just another iffy decision”?
In the long line of iffy decisions that has led to a first place team on a wonderful roll?
Not sure why you think it’s unlikely that they will pitch well, or an unacceptable risk, but take comfort that Colletti agrees with you.
?
Dodger rick
I definitely don’t understand giving Anderson a start, unless it is to rest the pitchers, because Anderson won’t be on the team next year.
Even Ned Colletti doesn’t understand why they are starting these two pitchers.
Because he said, that last night’s game was important, because you never know how Kazmir or Anderson, is going to pitch.
I rather watch Brock Stewart pitch, or JDL.
And Colletti never says anything bad about the team, or the moves, so this was unusual for Colletti to say.
Colletti is still very emotionally involved with this team.
He is responsible for a lot of the players on the team, so that is why Ned is still very happy for the team.
Watching Puig last night reminded me why I would hate to see him traded away. This week he knocked out a girl’s tooth and baited Baumgarner as preludes to last night’s dazzling fielding and an early home run. You never know what you are going to get.
Last night Roberts said in the game the Dodgers were almost no hit from Moore, the Dodgers didn’t know that Moore throw a cut fastball.
And not knowing that, affected the players at bats, in that game.
Last night the team had a team strategy, to hit the ball the other way against Moore, and that along with knowing about his cutter, made the difference last night is what Roberts said.
And I could be wrong, but I don’t think Puig played in that game against Moore, when Moore one hit the team.
But I am very proud of the team, on how they came out, and took it to the Giants, and there leftie pitcher.
They got that leftie monkey off there back, for a least last night, but I sure hope they can continue to hit and play like that.
I hope Maddon and Baker, saw that game last night, so they might second guess themselves a little, before sticking every leftie they have, in the game.
Humility not in Puigs playbook. He did make some good plays last night. His head resembles a …. Doubt if last night cured Dodger problems with leftys, or off speed pitches. Still think the best option for announcers after Vin is Monday and Kennedy, though listening to them every game would probably change my mind on that. They are very knowledgeable about baseball and how it should be played. Though I do disagree with some of their opinions, like whether the shift works. It does. Very satisfying game to watch last night. Go Dodgers.
Puig’s over the shoulder catch was awesome. Hunter Pence looks stiff.Must be banged up. Not the defender he was.
Have you heard Joe Davis and Nomar and Orel together?
Three’s a crowd. I liked the broadcasts with Joe and Oral better than with all three together. Joe and Nomar would also be better than all three. Joe was eased in this year.
Three is definitely a crowd. It started with Monday Night Football, which worked because of the Howard. Then CBS adopted it with Palmer and McCarver and it’s been downhill ever since. Nomar was on the radio for a few games and struck me as Captain Obvious, but maybe he grows on you.
One would think someone would have the sense to try having just one announcer at a time since it worked for so many years for Vin Scully.
I think it’s pretty obvious no one man could do the job as well as Vin…
I hated listening to Cosell in that World Series against the Yankees when Jackson hit those three HRs.
Bum
I like it with Nomar, Orel, and Joe.
Because Orel can give a good analysis of pitching, and Nomar can give a good analysis of hitting, and defense.
And I like that Nomar will say what he really thinks, where Orel is much more polished and try’s to be more optimistic, with what he says.
Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved the Bull Dog as a pitcher and the last great pitcher who the Dodgers rode to a WS. As an announcer not so much. Too talky about nothing. Needs to learn to just be quiet. Like Nomar a little better but he is not as knowledgeable as either Kennedy or Monday IMO. Davis is just an other ESPN mediocre announcer, he should just stay with ESPN. All JMO of course.
Since 1958
I just love that you are honest.
If you don’t like Orel as an announcer I respect that, and I know it isn’t because you don’t like him as a player, or a person.
It is just your preference.
I just thought you might like them better, because they are younger, and you like all of the modern saber metrics, and ways, in baseball.
I actually kind of like Nomar better, because Nomar tells almost exactly what is on his mind.
He doesn’t try to polish everything he says.
And remember that was one of the first things, that Red Barber taught Vinny.
He told Vinny it is ok to be quiet and listen to the crowd, and have silence on the broadcast.
Wondering
You are so right!
Not even two or three people, can do the job that Vinny does.
And if you take in consideration the age of Vinny, that just blows you away, that he is still so good, at his age.
He makes mistakes occasionally, but so do a lot of other announcers, that are not alone, and are not even close to Vinny’s age. age.
I agree with 58. Too much is just too much. Vinny is pretty much the only one left who works by himself, and there fore he is a dying breed. I have not been impressed with Davis at all. I would like Monday and Kennedy but that is not going to happen. They will keep Rick on the radio with Charlie. There is absolutely no need for 2 analysts in the booth. First off, sometimes they get pretty snarky with each other, and That gets old. They often tend to repeat themselves…A LOT! Nomar is better than Orel as an analyst, and he does not ramble on as Orel tends to do. I loved the Bull Dog as a competitor, but I could care less about his revelations of his time as an Indian.
Who hasn’t? They are boring as a trio…I liked Peter Paul and Mary better.
Larry, Moe,& Curly
This is off topic, but in this era of disrespecting the flag and National Anthem, my 17 year-old son, who is captain of the football team decided to make a statement when they ran onto the field for his High School Football Game. I am very proud! (He’s #6)
You should be proud! Our kids are inheriting a huge mess, largely caused by globalists who seek to destroy our sovereignty. Very nice to see kids, support and unite behind the symbol of our country.
America, an idea that has given so much to so many.
Kudo’s to your son and his team..as Vet they have my utmost respect.
I have absolutely nothing against the Old Glory, long may it wave. One thing should be kept in mind however. Protest is as American as apple pie and Chevy [or Ford]. Our soldiers fight for our right to freedom of speech. I love and am proud of our individual soldiers, but definitely not with our military industrial complex. So, let it wave in peace…eventually, I pray.
Protest yes……disrespect the National anthem…NO!
Last nights game reminded me why the Dodgers should never consider trading Puig. He is still the most exciting player on this team. Corey Seager is a work horse. He goes about his business the same way Gonzo and Turner and Utley do. One at bat at a time. Puig takes chances, and sometimes he wins and sometimes he doesn’t. But just think how Bumgarner felt watching that ball fly out of the yard……..And Puig was 30 minutes from becoming a Brewer……aren’t you glad he isn’t???
I am glad he’s not a Brewer right now. I have never questioned his ability, just his commitment and drive. Corey Seager grinds it out every day. You can see that Corey works hard on his game. He studies film diligently and makes in-game adjustments. Puigs problems are between the ears – when he is flying high, not one can stop him. He’s superman…. but we haven’t seen that guy a lot.
I think it was very smart sending him back to OKC for a month and then making him “earn” his way back. No entitlement was given to him and he is earning his time. He could be our “secret weapon.” It has occurred to me that FAZ may have never intended to really trade him. Maybe they were just putting the fear of God in him. The deal collapsed because FAZ would not do what Milwaukee wanted. Maybe they never intended to do so.
We may never know that, but that might have been a poker game… 😉 Just to shake up Puig!
I’ll say this: Corey Seager will be a Superstar. Yasiel Puig could be the best player in baseball.
Agree Mark and Box.
Right about now, I would try Toles at Leadoff. Here’s what I think could be our best lineup:
1. Toles LF
2. Seager SS
3. Puig RF
4. Turner 3B
5. Gonzo 1B
6. Grandal C
7. Pederson CF
8. Utley/Kendrick 2B
Roll with it Doc!
I like it….
me too
Mark
I don’t think I want Puig batting third right now.
He tends to put to much pressure on himself, when he is hitting higher in the line up.
Roberts batted Puig fourth, and he went back to his old way, and not being patient.
And I don’t want Puig getting more at bats, then Turner.
If a leftie is pitching, I probably wouldn’t mind Puig hitting higher then Turner.
But I still don’t think Puig is ready to bat that high in the line up.
The rest of the line looks ok, but Utley when he is leading off, doesn’t only try to get on base, he try’s to see a lot of different pitches, so he tell the other players, more about the pitcher, and his pitches.
I like it with Nomar, Orel, and Joe. Most likely I favor them because I am not as versed in Baseball as most of you who played baseball into your adulthoods. I think Vince is the greatest announcer of all time, and because you have been with him so long, you hear even more in him than a newer fan would. Nomar, Orel, and Joe move it along a little faster, and are probably more interesting to a younger generation. I scratched my head a few nights ago when Vince, down to the last batter, was conducting a quiz of improbable answers, e.g., How long was the 100 years War? ( A list of questions I saw many years ago) It was as though the game was not interesting enough and this was carried on to the last batter. May God continue to bless Vince. There will never be another.
And no matter what he says, his voice is pure poetry. Thing is, since the 1st game I ever listened to in 1959, that voice , that pure poetry, has been a constant every season…for ever. Sure there was Jerry and then Stu, but always that voice. Not unlike all those years with Johnny Carson on the tonight show, we won’t know what we’ve lost till it’s gone.
I like it.