Giants vs. Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: ESPN (out-of-market only), NBCS BA, SPNLA
The Giants send off-season acquisition LHP Drew Pomeranz to the mound at Dodger Stadium for his season debut. He’ll face the Dodgers’ 22-year-old lefty Julio Urías, who’ll be making his first start in nearly two years. Pomeranz made 26 appearances for the Red Sox last season, starting 11. He posted a 6.08 ERA over the 74 innings he accumulated in those games. He had a WHIP of 1.77, walking 44 and striking out 66. Urías was scheduled to start the year in Oklahoma City, but then Kershaw and Hill got hurt. The youngster had a superb spring in which he put up a 1.72 ERA and 0.51 WHIP with 15 strikeouts over 15.2 innings pitched. The Dodgers still want to limit his innings this season, so he may only go five innings tonight, if that.
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1937 The Reds sell Babe Herman to the Tigers. The 34 year-old outfielder, batting .300 for his new team, will appear in only 17 contests with Detroit before effectively retiring from the game, although he will return to play briefly for the war-time Dodgers in 1945.
- 1963 Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. The 36 year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star Game, will be told at the end of the season by Buzzi Bavasi, his former GM, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before he was dealt to the team the across the river.
- 2008 On Opening Day in Los Angeles, Juan Pierre’s 434 consecutive game streak, the longest current one in the major leagues, comes to an end when the Dodger outfielder does not play in the 3-2 victory over the Giants. New skipper Joe Torre plays Andre Ethier in left field in place of the highly paid but light-hitting fly chaser.
Lineup:
Tonight’s Dodger lineup vs. Giants:
Hernández 2B
Turner 3B
Seager SS
Pollock CF
Freese 1B
Bellinger RF
Taylor LF
Barnes C
Urías P#Dodgers | @Biofreeze pic.twitter.com/NRZF2hZK7F— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 1, 2019
NPUT
Well, we won the first five innings.
Joe Kelly is certainly making one heckuva first impression on the fandom.
In retrospect, I’m not sorry I missed last night’s game, but even the talent-free Gnats will beat elite teams like the Dodgers several times over the course of a season.
Is it redundant to say we have some big boppers coming up when the whole team feels big? Max. AJ. Belli.
First Turner hits into a DP and then Seager is robbed of a double.
Trying to further distance myself from Joe Kelly, there was the once-upon-a-time famous Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly, whom my father told me about (and, no, I am not losing my marbles). This Kelly’s life:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_%22Shipwreck%22_Kelly
One cool pole cat.
I could imagine his story as a musical.
My favorite Kelly with the Dodger was Emmett Kelly, the circus clown (Tightened from Wikipedia):
“From 1942–1956 Kelly performed with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, where he was a major attraction, though he took the 1956 season off to perform as the mascot for the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. . . . Kelly’s ‘Weary Willie’ inspired New York sports cartoonist Willard Mullin to sketch a version of him to represent the Brooklyn Dodgers as ‘Dem Bums’ during the 1930s. The caricature, which was drawn to speak an exaggerated Brooklynese, caught on with Dodger fans and Mullin was subsequently hired to illustrate the covers of team yearbooks with variations of the ‘Brooklyn Bum.’ “
Scoop with the fun history lesson!
scoop, do you like team mascots? Any ideas for the Dodgers?
9 different Dodgers have hit at least 1 HR so far this year.
Still need Turner, Freese, and Martin to hit a home run. Probably won’t all happen tonight.
From the MLB wrap-up: “Belt, who improved to 6-for-7 against Kelly in his career.”
Also from MLB: Kershaw “threw a bullpen session Monday as a final tune-up for Thursday, which will be Opening Day for Oklahoma City.”
Tomorrow they score 8 or something like that. Hopefully!
Let’s go CT.
A glimmer of hope.
I don’t like this Smith-Muncy matchup.
I changed my mind.
It will be strange not having Puig when we face Bumgarner tomorrow night.
Yasiel got his first hit of the season tonight.
Kemp is still waiting for his.
Kemp also got ejected for disputing a called third strike – which I thought was too close to take.
But at least we still have Kiké.
That was our first error of the season.
Thought Turner had one.
Nope. You’re right.
As we had scored 42 runs in our first four games and the Giants had scored 5 in theirs, I was afraid something like tonight’s game would happen.
Yeah. Classic Dodgers – Giants.
Yeah, neither was going to last, no matter how good the Dodgers are and how bad the giants are.
True. Still, I hate it when we have the better team and lose to the Giants.
Yup. Regress to the mean.
Now would be a great time for JT … not to hit into a DP. ARGGH.
More 8th inning magic?
Baez was on point.
At this exact moment both Baez and Kelly have 18 eras.
And that moment is now over.
It’s an 11 p.m. start in Santiago, so I won’t see the results until tomorrow morning. It’s been a long day here.
Anyone know the deal with Kelly’s pitching? He’s definitely got enough heat. He hit a lot of 97s and 98s. Too flat? Not enough movement?
Missing his spots? I don’t know but I’m sure he will work it out eventually.
If the giants have any “strength”, it’s their pen.
Does it feature guys with eras under 18?
So far.
Well still 3 innings left for the Dodgers to score at least 2 runs.
Kelly with a classy 18.00 era.
Still need an out.
I’m trying to will it from the stadium.
Slip sliding away…
Need this out.
I wish they had sent Panda.
But I don’t like the boos either.
Yeah, no one feels worse than he does. Why pile on.
Exactly.
Thank goodness Panda was running.
Anyone else would have scored. Twice.
Kelly is not impressing me so far.
Don’t like the outcome, but really don’t like the boos.
There goes the possible win for Urías.
Kelley however…
Here’s hoping!
Panda!
Ugh.
Phlablo!
Kelly working his second inning. Looking to get his very early season era under 10.
But instead goes up to 12.
Max thought he had that one.
Just missed it.
He’s now getting his bat flip played.
Well, bat drop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI9Z4_VI5T4
Thanks. Boy, someone has too much time on their hands.
That was a pretty sweet play at third by Longoria.
Kelley looked a lot better those last 3 batters.
Has great stuff, as it were.
Doc trying to put him in a less pressure spot.
Kelly hurts the Dodgers whether he pitches against them or for them.
Oh Joe. Really?
Kelley special.
Not. Great.
Low fastball to Belt!?
Say it’s not so Joe.
Viva Mexico!
Unloads!
Dugo!!
Verdugo with the great walk up tune.
CT!
Taylor made!
Last inning for Urías?
Pomeranz has really settled down.
Where oh where did our bats go?
Currently being slammed into the turf down the first baseline.
Dodgers are in a scoring drought. It’s been 4 innings already.
Dodgers are really hitting this pitcher.
Pretty much cruising.
Strong start by Urías through 4.
Love how Julio raises his arms and then hides his face before taking the sign.
Great d, Kiké!
Great catch!
My first stadium game! A friend invited me to the Club Suites. Tomorrow I’m back with the riffraff.
How’s club life?
Would doubly love to see the team fatten up on these guys.