Game 117, 2014

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Dodgers at Brewers, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Dodgers will trot out their brand-new pitcher Roberto Hernandez, who’s been pretty good lately: he’s won his past three decisions, pitching at least seven innings in three of his past five starts. He admits to butterflies:

“It’s the first time that I’ve been traded,” Hernandez said through a translator. “Obviously it’s a nice feeling going to a team that has a chance. I’m really nervous right now. I wasn’t expecting this. I’m excited, but at the same time, I’m nervous.”

The Brewers counter with Kyle Lohse, who lasted only four innings Saturday against the Cardinals, giving up nine runs. Overall he’s 11-6 with a 3.40 ERA.

It may be a surprise, but this is a series between two first-place teams. The Dodgers lead the Giants by 3 1/2 games in the NL West, as you know, but the Brewers lead the Cardinals by a game in the NL Central.

Update: SI has a discussion of the Dodgers’ rotation with the loss of Beckett and Maholm as well as Haren’s recent troubles and the loss to the DL of Chris Perez and Paco Rodriguez.

Lineup when available.


I am amused that our second baseman’s name is now Dee rather than Gordon.

79 thoughts on “Game 117, 2014”

  4. If last night and his several most recent starts are the norm, the Dodgers may need to send a big thank you card to the Phillies for FaustoHernandez. It’s early, but looks like Ned did good.

    A very economical 65 pitches over 6 IP. Said he was too amped in the first, then settled down. Results bear that out…also, only 3 hits with 5 Ks, tho he’s reported not to K many.

    • Yea!
      Hopefully a good night’s sleep and some tweaking and the Dodgers can take care of their own business the rest of this weekend.

  9. Seems like the two correctable problems the Dodgers still face are:
    Too many bullpen walks.
    Baserunning blunders.

  11. On the one hand, might as well get all the bad out in this game.
    On the other hand, Mo and Kennedy pointed out you want to make the Brewers have to use their closer.

      • I believe you’ve cited the opposition announcers before. Do you listen to them for their perspective?

        • Often the only feed I get. These guys seem to be fairly knowledgable about the Dodgers. I guess they did their research, this being a meeting of division leaders and all.

        • While the Brewers (along with the Dodgers) are among the better offenses in the NL, they too complain about variability in performance.

  18. Baseball can be soo fickle: Turner hits for Hernandez and gets the basehit which starts the rally.
    Then he starts the bottom of the 7th with the great catch.
    Then came the rest of that half-inning.

  25. Hernandez’s great effort for naught . . . except he kept the Dodgers in a position to do something.

    • League should have taken the out at first. It didn’t look like he had much of a chance for a play at the plate.

    • Not happy with J.P.’s walk . . . but in general, happier with him than League.

  30. Have the Dodger announcers said anything about Hanley’s injury? I hope it isn’t the oblique, which, until a few seasons ago, I did not know was part of one’s body.

  31. From the Ya Never Know Dept:
    Of the last five games, the weakest from the starting pitchers were from the two aces (tho many would love to have Kersh’s weak effort).

  33. Shoot!
    I hear A-gon went back standing up, but did he lead off too much?
    Mo said it’s the 2nd time something like that happened tonight?
    If these are more blunders, Donnie REALLY needs to talk to them. They shaped up after the call-out re defense.

    • He went back standing up, but he wasn’t far off the bag and I think a slide would have slowed him down. His mistake was not freezing on a line drive to see what happened to it. Kemp hit it really hard, so Adrian’s instinct was to take off.

      • Thanks.
        The “not freezing” seems to be a common occurrence for Dodger baserunners.

        • Yes, I’ve noticed that. When I was coaching high school JV baseball a few years ago, the other coach and I stressed that all the time. We weren’t always successful.

  38. Just checking in — looks like Hernandez did great and Blue bats MUCH less effective than yesterday . . . so far.

  49. I will continue to call the new acquisition “Fausto,” which is a far more memorable name.