May 14

Game 44, 2019

Padres at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: FSSD, SPNLA

Incipient ace RHP Chris Paddack (3-1, 1.55 ERA) pitches for the Padres while LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.31 ERA) goes to the mound for the Dodgers. Paddack has had seven days rest since his last start, a 7 2/3 inning effort in which he struck out 11 Mets and got the win. From an article at MLB.com discussing the early front-runners for the Cy Young award: “Paddack pitched 90 innings of Minor League ball last season in his return from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, and he hasn’t pitched on fewer than five days of rest as he approaches the 50-inning mark this season.”

Kershaw is 18-6 with a 1.97 ERA lifetime against the Padres. In his last start he went 6 2/3 innings and got the win against the Braves. This is the only time I can remember Kershaw’s opponent having a lower ERA than the Dodgers’ ace going into a game.

By the way, Kershaw made an appearance on The Ellen Show recently:


Late Breaking News: Julio Urias has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery after an incident last night.

Urias’ arrest came after officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a domestic violence incident in the parking lot of the Beverly Center at 8500 Beverly Blvd. Witnesses told police they saw a man later identified as Urias shove a woman, who then fell over.

Authorities reviewed surveillance footage, which indicated the woman had been pushed, according to a source familiar with the police probe who was not authorized to speak about it. LAPD officers in domestic violence cases typically seek independent evidence of violent acts, such as video, physical marks or other confirmation.

In this investigation, the woman — who has not been identified — and Urias denied the incident was anything more than a verbal altercation, but officers are trained to examine other facts, even when a victim is uncooperative, according to two law enforcement sources.

Urias, a 22-year-old left-hander from Mexico, was arrested around 9:30 p.m. and released on $20,000 bond about four hours later, according to an LAPD arrest log and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s jail inmate locator.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1956 The Orioles, taking a gamble, purchase sore-armed Billy Loes from the Dodgers for a reported $25,000. The 26 year-old right-hander, who will be selected for American League All-Star team next season, will post a 21-30 (.412) record during his four years with Baltimore.
  • 1981 With a 3-2 win over Montreal in front of the largest Dodger Stadium crowd in seven years, rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela improves his record to 8-0. The 20 year-old southpaw, who has started the season with five shutouts and a minuscule ERA of 0.50, gets the victory when right fielder Pedro Guerrero hits a leadoff game-ending home run off Steve Ratzer in the bottom of the ninth inning at Chavez Ravine.
  • 2011 For the first time since 1914, the Dodgers are defeated after allowing just one hit, losing to the visiting Diamondbacks,1-0. Chad Billingsley, the hard-luck loser, gives up a leadoff double in the second to Stephen Drew, who scores the game’s only run when shortstop Jamey Carroll fails to cover the bag in an attempted pick-off play.

Lineup when available.