THIS WEEK'S COVER: Led by a former journeyman, the Dodgers may be the greatest team the game has ever seen https://t.co/xz9cnad9Mj pic.twitter.com/owvvdlk42h
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 23, 2017
Dodgers at Pirates, 4:05 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ATT SportsNet-PIT
The Dodgers’ lefty Rich Hill (9-4, 3.54 ERA) tries to keep the team’s momentum going today when he faces the Pirates’ RHP Trevor Williams (5-6, 4.71 ERA). Hill got a five-inning win last week against the Tigers despite giving up a couple of runs in the first inning. He’s walked five in his last ten innings, but when he has runners on base in scoring position behind him he’s got a .172 expected average allowed — based on the quality of contact against him, plus his actual strikeouts, which ranks third lowest in either the NL or all of MLB (it’s not stated). Williams’ first big league start was against the Dodgers on May 8, and it was awful: he gave up eight runs (six earned) in three innings to them. His last start was similar: he gave up eight runs to the Cardinals in three-plus innings. In between, he’s thrown 97 innings and has a 3.62 ERA.
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1958 Gil Hodges hits his 14th career grand slam in the Dodgers’ 10-1 victory over Milwaukee at LA Memorial Coliseum. The first baseman’s bases-full round-tripper establishes a new National League record, but is far fewer than Lou Gehrig’s major league mark of 23.
- 1989 In the 11th frame of an eventual 22-inning 1-0 loss, the Expos’ Youppi! becomes the first mascot to be thrown out of a game when Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda complains to the umpires about the hairy orange giant’s behavior at Olympic Stadium. The L.A. skipper takes exception to the loud noise caused by the hairy creature’s running leap onto the visitors’ dugout before sneaking back into a front row seat.
- 1989 In that same game, the second-longest shutout in big league history ends when Rick Dempsey hits a home run in the top of the 22nd inning, giving the Dodgers an eventual 1-0 victory over the Expos at Olympic Stadium. The Astros blanked the Mets for 24 frames en route to a 1-0 win at the Astrodome in 1968.
- 2000 Team president Bob Graziano apologizes to a female couple who were asked to leave Dodger Stadium on August 8th because the two shared a kiss during a game. The pair felt the action of the eight security guards was discriminatory because the couple’s friends, a man and a woman, also kissed but were not ejected.
- 2013 At a Dodger Stadium press conference, LA announces Vin Scully will continue to broadcast Dodgers’ games for his 65th consecutive season. Some of the historic moments the Hall of Fame broadcaster has called include Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, 19 no-hitters, including four thrown by Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, and Kirk Gibson’s dramatic walk-off in the 1988 Fall Classic.
Lineup when available.
Last day the Dodgers lost and the Rox won was June 15.
Astonishing. Not much difference with the Snakes either.
NPUT @ 0800 HST, 1100 PDT
Does Hawai’i remain on standard time? What’s the difference with the mainland?
Yeah, we don’t do Daylight Savings. When the Mainland does it’s three hours to the West Coast and six to the East.
Not having seen and barely heard the game, I hope this isn’t a sign of what the bats do when there is a really important game (i.e. postseason).
Did it seem like they were pressing? Did the Pirates make great plays against them? Talk about big wheels spinning . . . and getting nowhere.
Williams just pitched a heckuva game, “scattering” eight hits over eight innings. Then Rivero and Nicasio did their jobs in the ninth and tenth.
Dodgers created several opportunities based on getting good wood on the ball and taking walks. Several defensive plays by the Pirates, a couple good and one, at least, spectacular, kept them off the board.
Thanks — ditto above. reply.
Stat heads would point out that the Dodgers had the top 8 Hit Probability batted balls in the game over the first nine innings. There were 4 balls hit farther than the Harrison dinger and 11 were hit harder. So hard to blame it on the bats. More like, it’s baseball.
Good. I was afraid of pressing, especially in the playoffs, where everything is magnified (as it is going for a perfecto)..
Time to worry? The Gnats have crept within 39 games of the Dodgers – oh, wait…
ESPN Stats & InfoVerified account @ESPNStatsInfo
Rich Hill is the first pitcher in the last 100 seasons to throw at
least 9 innings, allow 1 or fewer hits with no walks, and get a loss.
Well, at least the bullpen got the night off.
— and that’s why you’re the president of our Optimists Club! 🙂
Hill’s game score plummeted to 93.
Hill should really stop giving up HRs.
What a terrible shame! Bats must feel terrible!
Only watched via At Bat updates but will look later at the night of futility.
When does Bellinger return?
Looking for a taller outfielder to rob HR balls?
The team misses Bellinger, even though it has won a few games without him.
Missed him more than they have missed Kershaw – which is an interesting thought. Bellinger plays every day, but Kershaw has been out longer.
Bellinger and Turner were not playing today. Well, I could add Joc but….
How can the Dodgers be the best team ever and lose a game like this?
Rich is asking the same question.
Crazy.
We never do things in an ordinary way, do we?
Shades of Harvey Haddix.
Baseball ain’t fair.
He should have hit Harrison for all the grief he had caused already.
What a heartbreaker.
Rich Hill – looking to get the win!
That is pitch the 10th, Dodgers score in the 11th, and KJ in for the save.
Or something like that.
Or not.
Dodgers look weak at bat now. The air has gone out of them now it seems.
Through 9 innings, Rich Hill’s game score is 104.
Dave Roberts’ Rich Hill pitching decision Part 2.
He’s at only 95 pitches.
But if the Dodgers don’t score this inning, Rich would have to pitch at least 2 more innings to complete this thing.
That seems unlikely.
So do you let him pitch the 10, knowing he realistically won’t pitch the 11th?
Yes, I was thinking that.
Roberts should have told the batters to do their part to save the bullpen.
Ha!
Free baseball – as someone likes to say.
I just went through the play-by-play of the Dodgers at bats. Kinda glad that I just got home in the 9th inning and didn’t have to experience the first eight.
Oh my goodness.
If the Pirates go 1 for 1 with RISP, I will not be happy.
1 for 2 – not happy either.
Pirates have a better chance to win this game than the Dodgers.
Error. Ugh.
Fairly high on the difficulty scale.
Hit so hard could have been ruled a hit.
He had a choice of back handing the ball or get in front of it. By getting in front of it, the ball handcuffed him. It happens fast at third.
Robbed twice and then this.
Roberts wants a run soo badly.
Not enough to PH for Hill.
Nope. Not yet anyway. How far will he let him stay in? 120 pitches?
Oh man. Nothing is easy.
Oh my. I just got home and saw what’s up.
Welcome here Scoop. All hands on deck at this point.
Do you have any fingernails left?
Yes, starting to get blisters, though.
Pedro Martinez had a situation like this against the Dodgers once.
Could this be 1989 all over again? (See notes aboveboard)
Has the mascot even made an appearance?
I love that game. My dad and I watched that whole game – on the Canadian French TV channel – together long into the night.
Rivero in.
Time to hit one of them thar dingers.
Apparently there are two ways to shut out a team. One way is to allow 7 hits and 4 walks.
“What’s the other Bob?” he says with baited breath.
*bated.
Grrr spelling.
Friend of mine used to say “worm on tongue.”
Interesting question.
And the other is to play great defense.
Blue giveth, and blue taketh away…
Absolutely agree. The curve was a strike and that last one was a ball.
I consider that good umpiring.
Checking in to find that apparently Hill was told to see if he could go deep into the game and spare the pen from overwork since it has thrown a lot of innings lately.
Apparently Hill follows directions very well.
Maybe he should be told this before every start.
Baseball Dad with the diving catch.
Utley with an amazing catch.
If it comes to such, will Doc lift Hill for a PH?
Ideally, Barnes hits a dinger.
Yes but not until the 11th or 12th inning.
That was a wonderful at bat. Which ended with a nice defensive play by the shortstop.
Logan robbed again.
Off the bat, it sure looked like a hit.
Rats!
Exactly.
Back from Mom’s eye doc appt. Why do we have seven hits and no runs?
Because we are playing like it is April.
Ha.
Great play by Harrison kept us off the board.
Hi all! Back from an amazing week, and watching an amazing game!
Hi
Historic game–Hill made contact and got the ball all the way to the outfield.
Lots of wasted opportunities tonight.
Okay, this looks promising.
Or not.
I wish the Dodgers had already scored about 6 runs in this game.
Or even 1.
To spare your nerves a bit?
To spare the Dodgers a bit mostly. They don’t want to waste this outing by Hill.
Winner’s dividend. They are up by 20.
Though would be nice to avoid a Harvey Haddix.
Funny you should say that.
Feel sick to my stomach.
Actually, they’re still up by 21.
Six interesting innings.
Been watching the game but afraid to jinx things. Let’s just say Hill’s pitch count is good.
Don’t count your pitches until…?
Guy sure seems beatable. Now to beat him…
Hill, on the other hand.
Fine play to kill that rally.
Hill is a pathetic bunter. Maybe he should just stand there and hope for a walk.
Hill sharp.
Though he looked out, amazed that was overturned.
To me, it didn’t show enough to be overturned.
Hmmm….how important will this be?
Yikes! That cover photo is great, but best team ever? Lets win the World Series first.
Then it wouldn’t be a question.
That was a great pic though
Wiliams didn’t fool anybody that inning, but still got out of it with no damage.