Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA
Dan Haren goes for the Dodgers. He’s 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his last four starts and 13-10 with a 3.99 ERA for the season. After that mid-season slump he’s seemingly reduced the number of sinkers he’s thrown by 12 percent, says one statistical outfit, and that may have helped the turnaround. He’ll face Tyler Matzek, a rookie whose 5-10 and 4.23 ERA look bad, but may be misleading. In his last four starts he’s given up just four earned runs, including a three-hit shutout against the Padres. He’s 3-1 over those games. The loss was a four-hit 6 1/3 inning performance in which he gave up two runs but got no run support.
In other news, Ryu’s shoulder MRI on Monday showed no damage. He got a cortisone shot and will meet the team in Chicago. He’ll miss his next scheduled start but he’ll throw a little in Chicago and see how the shoulder feels.
Nobody on the Dodgers’ side is explaining what the cause of the mild flareup of tempers between Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig was during last night’s game. The press and we bloggers have therefore been free to speculate, as Steve Dilbeck of the Times notes and sneers at.
Via Twitter: “The Dodgers select the contract of LHP Daniel Coulombe from Double-A. RHP Stephen Fife was recalled from Triple-A and placed on 60-day DL.”
Lineup:
Tonight's Dodgers lineup:
Gordon 2B
Puig CF
Gonzalez 1B
Kemp RF
Ramirez SS
Van Slyke LF
Uribe 3B
Ellis C
Haren P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 16, 2014
Testing
NPUT
Gee Gordon made 2 great plays in the field today
The double play glove flip was amazing.
Just saw it — he definitely IS “Gee” Gordon! . . . one of the great stories of this year.
16 hits, just 4 runs — big wheels keep on spinning
How is that even possible? I missed most of the game, babysitting my grandson.
It’s 2014 and they lacked your namesake — but excelled in your old one.
Still better than the worst example of Dodger offensive ineptness I recall — 11 hits, 1 run.
Would’ve been nice in the 6th but good for Puig!
Agree and agree.
Daniel already is more effective than League.
League has a 2.81 ERA over 57 innings this season.
League’s traditional numbers are deceptive.
I was referring to the fact Daniel got the first man out. Last night, League hit his first two batters, tonight he walked his first.
Amazing, Dee, amazing.
Shaking my head.
And counting on AZ.
Does bringing in League mean Donnie is conceding?
I was wondering the same thing. We know League has rarely pitched well lately. We are now learning he can’t field (based on what Gameday said). With all the arms in the bullpen, I am mystified why Donnie turns to League so often.
League hasn’t pitched before the 7th inning since May.
We continue to pile up the hits tonight, but with the exception of Turner we can’t strike the big blow. In our last four innings, we have eight singles, a double and a walk . . . for a total of two runs. Still, we have three innings remaining and are only down by three.
The first sentence sums up the year.
Your last sentence reflects the hope the Dodgers of the last week have resurrected. (But, is it too dangerous to raise expectations? . . . RBI?)
Always, Bob_in_Vegas, always.
I didn’t see the pitches, but all I know is that Puig has looked at strike three in back-to-back innings with ducks on the pond.
I was going to say this is similar to earlier in the game and year — much ado about nothing.
But the radio guys say Puig and the Dodgers WERE robbed. I hope they score more, just to bounce back.
As in, wasn’t a strike, or the earlier run should have scored? I am watching on gameday, and missed the last pitch.
Not a strike. The first Rockie hitter of the game walked on a very similar pitch, and the Rockies immediately got two runs.
Thanks. Frustrating.
Twice on that pitch Puig has watched strike three.
And, apparently, swung at ball 2.
Bummer x 2 — hit with RISP but no run.
Bases loaded — ’nuff said (tho they did well yesterday).
Rox 0-6 RISP.
Darn!
That should’ve been a given!
The bats have arrived!
Now bring in JT!
trust Turner to get us some runs on the board!
another chance
Drat it, Haren. That’s 26 HRs on the year.
He’s now tied for the second-most in the National League.
We’re getting them on. Now it’s time to start bringing them in.
Regarding the bottom of the first, was Puig’s decision to throw to third a good one? Or should he have hit the cutoff man or thrown it low off for there to be a possible cutoff?
I was wondering the same thing
He shoulda thrown to second.
Thanks.
Not the best start
A two-run lead in Colorado is, of course, insurmountable.
I am guessing that Donnie was being facetious with the ’72 A’s comparison and putting the writers on. If there was anything remotely like that going one would think that we would have heard something other than this by-chance clip from the Rox feed.
Re the speculation from the article, I’m tending to think it’s frustration from everyone over Puig’s attitude/work habits being voiced by Matt, the once and future (?) leader.