Game 73, 2017

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Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, SNY, ESPN (out-of-market only)

The Mets ask RHP Tyler Pill (0-2, 3.75 ERA) to take the hill tonight. They’d originally planned that Rafael Montero would start this game, but he had to throw 3 2/3 innings of long relief Monday night. LHP Rich Hill (3-3, 5.14 ERA) will get the start for the Dodgers.

PIll, a San Dimas native, made two starts earlier this season, posting a 3.48 ERA despite a fastball that averages less than 90 mph. His manager says he has to change speeds or he won’t be effective. Hill is coming off his worst start of the year; he gave up seven runs in four innings against the Indians last week. He has yet to record an out in the sixth inning this season.

Even more astonishing, perhaps, is that the guys holding down positions 2 and 3 are not only active but are in tonight’s lineup: Seager and Pederson each hit 26 in their respective rookie years.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1957 In his first major league start, Von McDaniel‚ who graduated from Oklahoma’s Hollis High School last month, two-hits the Dodgers at Busch Stadium‚ 2-0. Brooklyn does not get a hit off the 18 year-old bonus baby until the sixth inning.
  • 1998 Bill Russell is released as Dodger manager and is replaced in the dugout by Glenn Hoffmann. In the front office, Tommy Lasorda assumes the general manager duties of the third-place club from Fred Claire.
  • 2016 Dean Kremer becomes the first-ever Israeli to sign a contract with a Major League baseball team when he comes to terms with the Dodgers, after being selected in the annual amateur draft earlier this month. The 20-year-old right-hander, who won Europe’s Most Valuable Pitcher award in both 2014 and 2015, has hurled for Israel’s national baseball team for the past three seasons. (Note: Kremer is currently 1-3 with a 6.69 ERA for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Dodgers’ Advanced A team in the California League)

Lineup when available.

103 thoughts on “Game 73, 2017”

  2. Being the fatalist I am, I did not check in on the game last night, since Hill was pitching, but I did enjoy the fifteen hours of sunlight, going for a daylight walk at 9:30 pm was very enjoyable. I am glad Hill made it to five innings and the bullpen backed him up.

  3. Great contribution by the 6-8 batters: 3 hits (dingers all!), 4 BB, 6 runs and 5 RBI.

  10. I really like the Joe and Orel duo. They have good chemistry. They know when to talk and when to shut up, and banter, but mostly talk about the players and not themselves.

    • Orel is knowledgeable, but his references to the Dodgers as “we” annoy me. Something that Vin would never do.

  19. Weird stat from ESPN. Hill first pitcher in MLB history to have 9 starts in a row going 5 IP or fewer.

  24. I would be surprised if Hill pitches the 6th. He’s at 90 pitches already.

  25. My MLBTV is awful tonight. Puig’s AB took about ten minutes of buffering (probably a local issue).

    • Jinx! — you owe me a water.
      PLENTY of water, with another record-tying day here, I believe (what’s another digit or two when it’s at least 115?)

      • Actually you beat me to the punch. I was finishing up my exercise routine, whooping as I stretched.

  32. Bellinger with the single stretched into a double ending up on third with the error!

  34. I’ll be honest. I am Canadian. I have followed hockey for a very long time. I still have no clue as to what most of the NHL awards represent.

    • To be clear – I know the Hart is MVP and Vezina is top goalie. Beyond that – Lindsay? Selke? Masterton? – I always have to look them up.

  38. Watching the game on a Canadian sports channel. Man, I love the Dodger home uniform. And Dodger Stadium.

  41. It was a delight for me last night to meet RBI and her husband at the game: friendly, charming and thoughtful people. WOO-HOO! to them both. (And the game was n’t half bad either.)

  46. Game on tv here again, but it might be more of a tape it and watch it later job. Currently college World Series is on LSU vs Florida state, with the Dodgers to follow.

  47. The Snakes have now scored 10 in the fourth, and it would appear the Dodgers have a good chance of taking over first place tonight.

  49. They need to pound Pill early and often tonight, because I have the feeling that the Mets will be doing the same to HIll.

  50. I vaguely recall Von McDaniel (mentioned above), whose career was brief. These days, it’s impossible to think of having a high school kid come straight to the majors, let alone letting him throw a complete game. His older brother Lindy debuted at 19, but had a longer career trajectory and is still alive at 81; Von died young, at 56.

    • I don’t remember Von at all, but Lindy was a pretty good pitcher for a very long time for some very bad clubs (like the early 70’s Yankee teams). And now that I’ve looked his record up, 21 years of 110 ERA+, mostly as a reliever. Never played in a post-season game, which is a shame.

  52. It was delightful to watch A.J. break up Scherzer’s no-no – in the eighth, with an infield single! – and then see the Nats (gnot the Gnats) lose the game. Washington still has a good record, but they’ve played the weakest schedule of any contender.

    • Big time problems with their pen. Hatcher has a better ERA than their current closer.

      • They’ll probably have to overpay to address that issue. They’re fortunate to be in a weak division with a big lead.

        Are you still in bacalao-land?

        • In pastaville now. With team back on west coast, these games are 4am starts for me, but enjoying the good news over an espresso each morning. Next week on to Greece.

          • Where in Pastalia? My wife’s family came from the north, and she’s entitled to Italian citizenship though she doesn’t have it yet.