Cardinals at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN (out-of-market only)
Tonight’s pitchers: The Cardinals’ Michael Wacha (2-3, 3.12 ERA) will pitch against the Dodgers’ Ross Stripling (0-2, 3.82 ERA). They were teammates at Texas A&M for three years and were each drafted in 2012. That winter they even roomed together and they work out together in the off-season. Knowing how these things work, they’ll probably try to beat each other’s brains out on the diamond tonight.
Wacha has lost his last three starts and Stripling’s most recent was the best since his first of the year. In those starts the Cards’ pitcher has given up four home runs which cost him dearly. The Dodgers’ home run production seems to be picking up a little, so maybe…
Lineup when available.
NPUT
Where every field is Coors: https://twitter.com/sbsf/status/715824042582872064
And where the sheep and cows are the groundskeepers.
Just a couple miles from the border.
Nice to wake up this morning to a Dodgers’ win, but then I realized I could have watched the game on Fox Midwest last night. I already have a post it note up to remind me tonight.
It was a sloppy game, but nevertheless interesting. I can’t recall ever seeing such a good-hit, no-field shortstop as Aledmys Díaz – unless perhaps José Offerman.
Funny. I was actually thinking the same thing last night.
Díaz appears to have a bit more pop than Offerman did.
Just saw the game using the MLB summary, which is quite something. Provides the outcome of each plate appearance and video of significant plays.
I’m not familiar with that. Got a link?
It’s an app on my phone. Mlb.com At Bat
Ah. Thanks.
Woo-HOO!!!
The Dodgers havent won three in a row since mid-April. Hopefully they can win at least 1 more in this series. No way Cards give up so many unearned runs so it won’t be so easy!
The Dodgers took advantage of their opportunities, though.
We win!
I hate those bloop singles. Here comes Kenley! I think this is wise.
I would have given Blanton more rope. Frustrating to have to go to Jansen with a 4 run lead. I know it is a save situation.
Two beasts at bat.
And he only faced one, what with the double play. 4-pitch night for Kenley (plus warmups, but still, not a lot of strain this evening).
First base runner allowed by the pen tonight.
Dodgers going for the rare (to this point in the season) win in the first game of the series.
Two more, Blanton. You can do it!
On to the ninth. Non save situation.
And thus Blanton and not Jansen.
Broxton! For several years I thought he was the bees knees.
Nice to see him again.
Not against the Dodgers but I wish him well in general.
For a time, Brox was one of baseball’s best relievers – until he got Torre’d.
A few more batters for Baez and then bring in Jansen in the middle of the 8th and finish the 9th?
Is Kikè a better fielder than Trayce?
Steadier, I think.
Mix and match Doc. Do what you need to bring this one home.
Jocular!
Have Dodgers scored in 5 straight innings before this evening this year? Certainly not often.
In general, teams should have a pretty good winning percentage when they score 5 innings in a row.
Not when I’ve been in the stadium.
Sorry RBI. It has to change soon for you/the Dodgers.
Puig!!!
Nice little homerun from Puig! He has been hitting the ball hard or long or both in the last couple of games with no success so it is great he is finally rewarded tonight.
On Gameday that last strike did look high. But I don’t completely trust Gameday to show the exact pitch location.
Too close to take.
The bullpen will need to be on its game this evening. Need 4 innings of work for them.
As Vinnie says, this is not exactly an elegant game.
Free runs for everyone tonight apparently.
Diaz has butter feet tonight.
It took me a few moments but I finally understood the beauty of butter feet (as opposed to butter fingers).
Thanks. I kind of liked it myself.
Well of course you should. Once I got it, I wanted to let you know I got it! 🙂
The Dodger hitting and the Cardinal defense are like totally bff’s tonight.
7 runs but only 2 earned.
Isn’t this just for accounting purposes (i.e to calculate ERA?). I mean, we all make mistakes. A pitcher makes mistakes as well on grooving the ball over the plate.
Yes. It wasn’t pretty or clean but only one run scored. I’m sure Roberts will be able to manage it so Stripling comes out still in front.
Love to see Stripling go a full 6 or even 7 innings tonight.
It could happen, but he needs to avoid any more walks.
I just down graded it to getting through 5. Hope he gives himself a chance for the win.
Your (downgraded) wish, she is granted.
Tracye could blow this open with a hit here. Bases loaded and two outs.
Or not.
Saving some for the next inning!
I like how this is going so far.
Nice that the Dodgers got that run back.
Cards not on their game fielding tonight.
Stripling on base for the second time tonight. And now Dodgers have 2 on and nobody out.
The Cards number 8 hitter is hitting way better than the Dodgers number 8 hitter. Actually he is hitting better than any Dodger hitter.
I imagine Stripling would be extra thrilled to get his first MLB win going up against his former roommate.
Not that it has to happen this inning but hope the Dodgers score a few more times because I don’t think the Cards will be limited to one run.
2 out rbi’s are fun when they happen for the Dodgers.
Nice situational hitting by the Dodgers that inning.
Nice to see some hits with runners in scoring position.
It’s approaching midnight here, and my day included an international border crossing which always tires me out. I’m about to say good night, though I’ll watch a while on the iPad.
Drat. The Cards score first. This giving up runs before we even get to hit is becoming a trend.
The Rangers have just called up this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Bush_(baseball)#Legal_troubles
Debt to society and all that, I guess.
Yeah, but from all the other info he seems to a self-entitled jerk – “I’m Matt Bush!”
Hmm. Wonder if he’s related to…nah, never mind.
The Onion’s “American Voices,” on Obama’s upcoming visit to Hiroshima.
When I was on a journalism fellowship in Asia 25 years ago, I took in a game between the Hiroshima Carp and Yomiuri Giants. It started to drizzle. Two elderly gentlemen a couple of rows in front of us had their umbrellas open. My friend and I gently asked them to put them down, and they graciously and apologetically did so. We then offered them our Carp caps to wear to keep their heads dry. They put them on, and we all forgot about it. They left with our hats. Unintentionally.
I saw the Foreman-Roman fight at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo in 1973; since it’s enclosed I had no worries about rain.
Remind me about that fight.
Lasted less than one round. Roman fit the definition of the word “palooka,” and Foreman was nearly at the top of his game. You can watch the whole thing here.
Nine hours ahead here in Lago Di Como, so best of luck to you all. Like WBBAs I will be checking back in tomorrow.
I keep telling my wife to claim her Italian citizenship, so I can be a Tano too.
I had a real good steak for lunch along the lakefront once.
Kobe beef?
My Italian wasn’t and still isn’t good enough to get the details. I heard entrecot and remembered the word and its meaning from an Alistair MacLean novel. 😉
Uruguay is the only Latin American country where I’ve ever heard the word.
First time I ran across it was in Caravan to Vaccares.
That is an absolutely beautiful spot. We spent some time in Como on a slow trip through Italy nearly 20 years ago when our daughter was 10. She and I played catch with a tennis ball in a piazza, much to the amusement of Italians. Piazza? Hmm, that name strikes a bell. The hovercraft across the lake is great, as is lunch in Bellagio and a walk through that hilly town. See if you can visit the Rockefeller Center in Bellagio. Magnificent grounds.
That’s about when my sister-in-law first moved here to a house right on the lake in Carate Urio, a stones throw from Clooney’s place. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been.