Game 56, 2020

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Athletics at Dodgers, 6:40 PM PDT, TV: NBCSCA, SPNLA

LHP Sean Manaea (4-3, 4.50 ERA) goes for the visiting As and LHP Julio Urias (3-0, 3.49 ERA) does the same for the Dodgers. Manaea’s record belies his performance: in his last five starts he’s given up more than one earned run only once, and his team has won six of his last eight starts. Urias has trouble in the first inning of nearly every game he starts (maybe he should pitch it in the bullpen before the actual game starts?), but he usually settles down. In his last start he gave up two runs early and then retired 13 consecutive Rockies in 5 2/3 innings.

Here’s the final out of the Dodgers’ NL West-clinching win yesterday:

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1901 The Superbas establish a new franchise record for runs scored in a game when they rout the Reds, 25-6. Brooklyn tallies 11 times in the fifth inning during the League Park contest played in Cincinnati.
  • 1916 Allowing only just one walk during a twin bill with the Cincinnati Reds, Grover Alexander of the Phillies wins both ends of a doubleheader, 7-3 and 4-0,to establish a National League record. The future Hall of Famer will repeat the feat on September 3, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field.
  • 1939 In the first game of a twin bill, Brooklyn’s third baseman Cookie Lavagetto reaches base seven consecutive times as the Dodgers rout the Phillies, 22-4. The 26-run Shibe Park contest takes only two hours and five minutes to complete.
  • 1947 Prior to a game against the Giants in a sold-out Ebbets Field, the Dodgers staged Jackie Robinson Day. The Brooklyn rookie, who endured much grief this season as the game’s first black player in modern times, is moved when his teammates crowd around home plate to take part of the ceremony.
  • 1956 Due to the enforcement of a curfew, the Sunday contest between the Dodgers and Pirates is postponed with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, sending the 44,932 fans, the largest crowd in Forbes Field’s history, home. The game will be completed tomorrow with Brooklyn maintaining their 8-3 advantage over Pittsburgh.
  • 1969 In his last major league at-bat, John Miller homers, making the Dodger the only player in history to have hit a home run in his first and last plate appearance in the major leagues. In 1966, as a Yankee, he went deep in the first of only 61 big league career at-bats in which he would collect only 10 hits, including the two memorable round-trippers to start and end his 32-game career.
  • 1986 Astros rookie starter Jim Deshaies sets a major league record by striking out the first eight batters he faces. The young left-hander will finish with a two-hitter and ten strikeouts, beating the Dodgers, 4-0.
  • 1992 Lead-off hitter Bip Roberts ties the National league record with his 10th consecutive hit, a first-inning single in the Reds’ 3-0 victory over Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine. The Cincinnati left fielder’s streak ends when he grounds out in the fifth inning, facing Dodger starter Pedro Astacio.
  • 2006 With one home game left on the schedule, the Dodgers break their single-season attendance record established in 1982 as the team sells 3,708,723 tickets to its games played in Chavez Ravine. The previous record of 3,608,881 was determined by former National League rules which counted fans by turnstile count.
  • 2009 Trailing 8-0 at Dodger Stadium, the Giants take the lead, scoring nine runs in the top of the seventh inning. Although L.A. will come back twice to tie the score with clutch two-out hits in the eighth and ninth, San Francisco tallies four runs in the top of the tenth frame for the 14-10 victory.

Also, in 1908 Fred Merkle’s failure to touch second after an apparent game-winning hit by Al Bridwell scoring Mike McCormick from third costs the Giants a 2-1 win over the Cubs when the ump calls him out and rules the game a tie. Merkle’s ‘boner’ will eventually cost the Giants the flag.

Lineup when available.

115 thoughts on “Game 56, 2020”

  5. If I were hitting against the Dodgers, I would be more relaxed knowing that rib buster Kelly was already out of the game.

  8. Very little riding on the next five games – no pressure or agony! – but JT is back in the starting lineup at 3B.

  30. Another inning for Julio seems like a stretch, though he is pitching well. Good to see him survive under pressure.

    • I think a lot of time that when trying to frame pitches, catchers jerk the mitt too much. Being more subtle would seem to be the way to go.

  42. Maybe the Dodgers are trying to avoid the A’s bullpen as long as possible by keeping the starters pitch count low.

    • Elections go south – you go north. It’s like a paraphrase from Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” quote from 2016.

      Anyway – we got the spare room ready for all y’all.

  45. Oakland with the number 1 bullpen and Dodgers with the #2 bullpen and that is with Blake changing teams.

    • Blake’s numbers last year was a case of addition by subtraction for the A’s. Blake’s numbers this year is addition by addition for the Dodger’s.

  46. Usually we talk of pitchers getting stretched out. It seems to be happening to Max over there at first the last couple of games…

  47. Since I have no video, I may duck out and watch Midsomer Murders with my wife. Good to see Munster hit another one, though.

    • Tough error. The throw was on line to JT but JT was blocked by the incoming runner and didn’t see the throw.

  61. Second and third runs that Kelly has allowed this year, although, at least for the time being, the third one is unearned.

      • Was thinking along the lines that the only thing left to play for is home field in the WS. They ar up 3 for that with 5 to play, so maybe the intensity of these last 5 games doesnt seem so pressing.

        • As well, think Doc will be experimenting with things, like last night’s 4 person outfield.

  64. Doc Roberts to Kelly: You are opening for Urias.
    Kelly: I need to pitch like Urias in the first inning.

  65. John Miller to Ted Williams et al.: It’s not how you start. It’s not how you finish. It’s how you start AND finish!