Pirates at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA
The Dodgers ask Mike Bolsinger (6-3, 3.13 ERA) to keep the Pirates in check while hoping they can get some runs of the Buccos’ ace Gerrit Cole (16-8, 2.60 ERA). Oddly, the California-born Cole has ne3ver lost in his home state; he’s 4-0, with one win each in San Francisco, San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles.
The Dodgers’ magic number to win the division is seven. The Pirates need to win to keep ahead of the Cubs in the second wild card spot by remaining in second place in the NL Central behind the Cardinals. Their magic number to lock up that spot is four. The Cards clinched a postseason spot today by virtue of the Diamondbacks’ win over the Giants. Their magic number to win the division is eleven, and they have one more game against the Cubs and three against the Pirates to cut that down.
Lineup when available.
Today's #Dodgers lineup:
Dodgers:
Crawford LF
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Ethier RF
Grandal C
Van Slyke 1B
Pederson CF
Guerrero 3B
Bolsinger P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2015
There’s also this news: Bolsinger is officially part of the rotation for the rest of the season.
So the Magic Number is Seven. And we have seven games before we play the Giants. I figure even playing badly we will win two, maybe more. And the crappy Giants should lose at least two in the next week. So we will probably go head to head with a Magic Number of Three… or less. Good likelihood we will clinch the Division on their turf. Too bad they don’t have a swimming pool the Dodgers could invade… How about the whole Dodger team mooning the Giant fans and their “Beat LA” signs?
Pretty funny exchange between Felix and old friend Adrian. http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/09/20/150738822/felix-hernandez-flips-ball-to-adrian-beltre
NPUT at 1:00PM PT.
Point of fact: up until this Pirates series the Dodgers had won seven consecutive series. They’ve been playing very well. Sometimes we don’t realize it.
Mets just gave up 4 unearned runs on two errors. Sound familiar?
Check in #2 – oh we lost by one run. Again.
Arizona did us a favour by beating SF 2 out of 3. Let’s thank them by beating them 3 out of 4.
Over the weekend, we won one, the Giants lost two, so the magic number dropped by three to seven. There are seven days remaining until we go to San Francisco for the four-game series. Let’s get the magic number to ZERO by then, so the Giants fans can chant “Beat L.A.” to their collective hearts’ content.
What fun is that? I would prefer that we beat them there to win the division.
Fine. You do it.
I’d rather be leading them by 8 games, thank you very much. 😉
The fun is being able to arrive at The Phone Booth To Be Named Later and being able to stick out your tongues at them because there’s nothing they can do about it.
Ellis and Barnes need to be doing more catching until Grandal is recovered from whatever ailment(s) he has.
Especially with Ellis hitting so much better.
But Mattingly insists on righty/lefty matchups. Can aJ learn to hit lefthanded?
And well he should. While AJ has a phenomenal OPS+ of 161 against lefties, he is only 75 against righties.
Losing 2 of 3 to a potential playoff opponent is not what I hoped for.
it shows where we are at as a team unfortunately
Well, a team without its regular first and third basemen, its once-regular right-fielder (Puig) and its regular second baseman as well. Oh, and without its regular shortstop, although his replacement is hitting better than he is right now.
Good point.
when you put it that way, it gives me hope 🙂
A team team that’s been playing exceptionally well and is running with the division loses two straight. Time to panic!
I think we’ll be fine. But Turner’s knee is worrisome.
And A-Gon’s back stiffness as well. Where’s Hee-Sop Choi when we need him?!?
There’s another Korean first baseman going to be available this winter.
Other injuries are also a concern, but it looks as if Quique may be back.
The Pirates offense never gives up, and they play with unstoppable energy. We seemed, well, older.
Well, phooey.
Okay, Dre. Time for some magic.
Can we do it?!?!?!
3 errors is 3 too many.
Juan’s error might work out for him.
Wow.
If I were a pitcher I would pay not to have to pitch to McClutch.
He’s really fun to watch. I wish it wasn’t against us.
He reminds me some of Bobby Bonds when he wore that Pirate uniform — slender, fast, spraying hits all over the place.
Bobby was the alcoholic of the family, and never played for the Bucs. B*rry was the drug abuser, who did play for them.
Whoops.
Ump not doing him any favors.
Stadium went nuts. Many boos.
Pirates continue to mess with our heads.
Yeah! Doctor-ordered DP!
Et tu, Howell?
It’s a balmy 93 now.
“Barmy?” As in “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun?”
Dare I say “Elementary, my dear Watson?”
Well, that was quick.
Both Ruggiano and Kendrick got under those pitches.
Johnson is a magician! Ha ha
Phew!
Well that was my first check in. Time to eat and I will check in later.
I will be so thrilled to be wrong here.
Regarding Johnson, what is the opposite of “to the rescue”?
We’re screwed. (Sorry, is that a violation of something?)
Nah, it’s part of the vernacular.
Johnson not getting it done. Again.
He’s been reasonably good in September.
I know. I’m still suffering from August.
His pitching is not for the faint of heart, but in the 11 innings since the debacle against the Pirates (Aug 9) he has an ERA of 3.97 (not great) but only 1 of 6 inherited runners has scored.
My brain accepts this. My stomach does not.
Should have said faint of stomach. His ERA since then is now 3.64 (small sample size)
I’m talking to you, Johnson…
Channeling your inner De Niro in Taxi Driver.
We need to keep them from adding any this inning.
When was Alex’s last home run, I wonder?
Been a while.
July 31.
Almost, Joc!
SVS!
SVS!!!!!
Better swing there from Grandal.
Dre getting his workout today!
Well, I need to go get some supper going but I will check in every so often.
Oh, no! We need you here!
I’d say try to avoid hitting near McCutcheon, but he’s everywhere.
Utley as a Phil this year in 73 games: .217/.284/.333/.617.
As a Dodger in 22 games (before today): .216/.303/.375/.678
I know that Bob H was saying Utley was hitting better but he has regressed again me thinks.
When you start out at “horrible”, “better” can be a small increment. Like I said, we shouldn’t have signed him.
Given that Kiké and Kendrick are/were both out, and Turner has to rest a couple of days a week too, he was a darned good acquisition, at least defensively.
He’s been Ut(ter)ley unimpressive.
Here was Eric Stephen’s analysis of the Utley acquisition. Take note it was written before Hernandez got hurt.
Consistent, but improving a little. He was hurt for a long long time.
Okay, offense. Third time through’s the charm.
Great play!
Gnats up 4-0. We need to do it ourselves today. C’mon, Dodgers!
We are getting out played.
Cole still throwing in the high 90s. Even so, Rollins not impressive w that at bat.
Fool me once…
And on an 0-2 pitch.
Here goes the BP again. You can sense the Pirates licking their chops.
Nice stolen base/hit and run by Pittsburgh.
Bolsinger only gave up two earned runs (and they were very earned as they were no doubt home run solo shots). But could have been helped out even more by defense today.
Pulling Bolsinger at 77 pitches? Opinions?
Frias perhaps?
Yimi.
Jinx – you owe me a coke! (As my 9 year old son would say.)
Doesn’t one have to count to 10 first before claiming your beverage?
And hook pinkies…
What! I have heard of the count to 10 sometimes, but hook pinkies as well? Nevermind, I’ll get my own coke!
Yimi
Now it’s Frias!
Bolsinger doesn’t inspire confidence. I think the Pirates are just one hit away from breaking this game wide open. Pulling him doesn’t annoy me.
But the Pirates feast on fast balls.
Does anyone know if Grandal is injured? Even including his two hits the other day, he is now 3-for-57 with 22 Ks. Unfortunately, he is a weak imitation of what he showed us for most of the season.
I’m thinking they’ve been saying his shoulder still isn’t right.
Thank you.
Or is it hip?
I guess you mean is he still injured? Yes, he must be banged up and bruised as a catcher but i wonder if he is still just getting his batting eye back after being slumping for so long.
Polanco with the drag bunt again! Very sly.
Remember when Raffy Furcsl used to do that all the time?
First fast inning for Cole.
Solo homers still count against you in the run column, Mr. Bolsinger.
Solid play by Guerrero on the bunt attempt. Good thing it was the catcher running though.
Cole and Bolsinger have very different styles as pitchers but doing equally well today.
Until right about now.
Love Seager’s eye. Wow!
Well, I guess it is time to take the lead again.
Tight DP!
Corey! My inner fan-boy is crushin’.
Man these Pirates have a tough line up.
Bolsinger was headed to first on that last pitch. Threw his bat away towards the Dodger dugout and took a few steps towards first base. He looked surprised to see Cole walking off the mound!
Cole having a day like Kershaw did yesterday. Not at his sharpest so far.
Nice to see Guerrero come up with a big hit. He hasn’t had many lately.
Score! But a perfect throw got Guerrero.
And it really was a perfect throw. A thing of beauty.
Joc hit that one hard.
I can’t even describe what that looked like from up here.
Comedy of errors there.
SVS should not have thrown home obviously.
But really bad defense this inning.
Brutal!
Oh Utley. Lucky to end up getting the runner at first.
Smooth compared to the next series of fumbles…
Little did I realize what was to come!
25 or so pitches for Cole.
Nice to get to Cole early here.
The Dodgers are tied for last in the big leagues in sac flies with the Phillies. Each has 28 on the year.
Wow – that seems really low. What does the top team have?
Nevermind – just checked your handy link to see the Jays have 59.
We’ll take the single from Dre!
Up to Andre.
Cole’s off speed is faster than Bolsinger’s fast ball. He just threw a 98 mph strike at Seager.
Chase chased…
Almost thought it was going to be another lead off homerun – of the inside the park variety!
His hammy must be better.
Healthy wheels are a good thing!
We have nearly as many comments before getting to the bottom of the first inning as we did for the entire (Kershaw!) game last night.
Ahh – I was going to comment on that once we got to 30!
Gabby RBI is back.
Ha – yeah we did miss you that’s for sure.
Crawford!
So RBI – are you there solo or with fam?
Some nasty pitches there to Walker!
Okay, Bolsinger. Need out three here.
Mini jam but fortunately 2 out.
Just missed getting McCutch on ball 4.
There ya go!
Nice to see SVS back in the lineup.
Scotty long-legs.
Vin was calling Polanco that last night.
I lied. It’s 100 degrees.
Vin said “We will call it warm – instead of hot.”
Too warm for a warm dog, that’s for sure.
Ha! I guess if it was me at the park, Package would want me to eat ice cream. 🙂
Courtesy of LADodgers.com
LF — Crawford
2B — Utley
SS — Seager
RF — Ethier
C — Grandal
1B — Van Slyke
CF — Pederson
3B — Guerrero
P — Bolsinger
Hi all. Home from the East Coast, and on my way to the stadium. It’s 93 out, so I expect to be baked to a crisp. Luckily, my seats have shade. Go Bolsinger!
Hey RBI. Have a great time at the park and hope they are able to win for you!