Game 44, 2020

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:30 PM PDT, TV: FS-A, MLBN (out-of-market only), SPNLA

The Dodgers’ LHP Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.50 ERA) takes the mound to face the D-Backs’ RHP Taylor Clarke (1-0, 2.96 ERA). Kershaw’s third strikeout today will move him ahead of Christy Mathewson on the all-time strikeout leader list. If he strikes out nine he’ll surpass A. J. Burnett. This will be Clarke’s fourth start but tenth appearance of the year; he took Merrill Kelly’s spot in the rotation after Kelly was injured (first a blood clot in his shoulder, then thoracic outlet syndrome surgery). In Clarke’s last start he went three innings, allowing three runs on six hits to the Giants.

Here’s the Dodgers’ late-inning comeback last night:

On this day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1948 At the Polo Grounds, Dodger Rex Barney no-hits the Giants, 2-0. The Brooklyn 23 year-old right-hander had to endure a one-hour rain delay, as well as showers in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings to finish his gem.
  • 1965 Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Cubs bests Bob Hendley’s one hit effort, 1-0. The Dodger Stadium gem is the southpaw’s record fourth no-hitter.“And there’s 29,000 people in the ballpark and a million butterflies.” – Vin Scully’s description of Koufax’s masterpiece.

  • 2013 Juan Uribe homers in each of his first three trips to the plate in the Dodgers’ 8-1 victory over Arizona. Los Angeles goes yard six times in the Chavez Ravine contest, falling two shy of the franchise record established in 2002.

Lineup:

130 thoughts on “Game 44, 2020

  1. In the bottom of the seventh, the Barves have 29 runs on 22 hits. Hawai’i-born Jordan Yamamoto of the Fish allowed 13 runs, 12 earned, in 2-2/3 innings. He now has an ERA of 18.26, but his successor Alex Vesia is at 18.69.

  2. Kershaw deserved a better fate. The bullpen was magnificent: five innings of two-hit shutout ball.

  3. Re RBI’s post, with some spurts, Bellinger has been lost most of the season, just as he was in the NLCS vs. Washington last year.

  4. Dodgers have had help in almost every extra inning game they have played. An error or passed ball etc to help advance or score the runner.

  5. Nuts. Now Lacastro will start on 2nd in the bottom of the tenth for AZ. I might have considered waking him this inning to avoid that. Ok maybe not but it flashed in my mind.

  6. According to Gameday, the pitch that Seager struck out on almost hit him in the foot. Is that right?

  7. It’s like Ferguson was auditioning to pitch in extra innings this season. Start with a runner on second and nobody out. Then go K, K, groundout!

  8. In the “old” (pre-Bill James days), Arizona would have asked Rojas to try to bunt Escobar over to third. (I am not watching or listening, did he try to sacrifice?)

  9. I guess if we’re going to hit a small wall it’s better now than later. But I can sense the Pads smelling blood.

  10. Tonight is the anniversary of my first MLB game, when my older brother drove us all the way to DS from San Bernardino. My tribute to the Perfecto is my handle for the fellow who tossed the one-hitter.

  11. Another inning like that and Kershaw will be back to averaging 15 pitches per inning. He might still complete 6

  12. Eight of the players in Arizona’s starting lineup tonight are hitting under .240, including one who is 0-for-7 in his career. I think Kershaw plus the momentum from last night will carry us to a win. Earl Weaver: “Momentum? Momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher.”

  13. This afternoon, walking the dog, I found a clean hardcover copy of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Wait Till Next Year.