Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports Arizona, ESPN (out-of-market only), SPNLA
RHP Merrill Kelly (7-9, 4.30 ERA) goes for the D-Backs and LHP Julio Urías (17-3, 2.98 ERA) does the same for the Dodgers. With that W-L record and a falling ERA, Urías may be close to entering the Cy Young award conversation along with his teammates Max Scherzer and Walker Buehler.
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1946 In Brooklyn, a giant swarm of gnats engulfs Ebbets Field at the end of the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader. The nightcap is called due to the bothersome insects and the impending darkness, resulting in a 2-0 Dodger victory over the Cubs.
- 1950 At Ebbets Field, Cardinal starter Cloyd Boyer hurts his arm while warming up and is replaced by Red Munger. The reliever goes the distance, beating the Dodgers, 6-2, getting credit for a complete game, but not for a game started.
- 1978 Don Sutton, in front of 47,188 fans at Dodger Stadium, throws a six-hitter to beat Atlanta, 5-0. Los Angeles, with tonight’s attendance, becomes the first major league team in history to draw three million fans at home.
- 1995 Ozzie Smith takes part in the 1,554th twin killing of his career to set a new big league record for double plays. The Cardinals’ shortstop’s wizardry isn’t enough to prevent the Redbirds’ 7-6 loss to the Dodgers at Busch Stadium.
Lineup when available.
Tonight's #Dodgers lineup vs. D-backs: pic.twitter.com/XjisLHk75m
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 15, 2021
NPUT
What’s in store for CT3? https://twitter.com/mlbtraderumors/status/1438649479188684802?s=20
Speculation I have been reading has it any where from 4 years $56M to 5 years $80M. No matter what, he will be getting a substancial raise.
Kiké is set to make $8M with the BoSox next season after getting $6M this year. That’s a potential benchmark.
This weekend could determine whether the Gnats host the Redbirds or the Pads in the mild card game.
Pads tack on some insurance in the eighth, as the Gnatpen fizzles. It’s now 7-3 going to the ninth.
The Padpen is shaky in the late going, but Friars still lead 4-2 after seven.
7-4 Padres, bottom of ninth, one out, one on.
2 out.
Gnats swatted!
One game back, 15 to go.
Gnats sneaking closer – two on, no outs.
Not good, Belt got a HR on review when a fan sitting just on the foul side of the foul pole reached across into fair territory to catch it. Very interesting to see if they got that call correct
Well, I really didn’t think 1 run would win this game. Lets go boys. Get some runs.
I swear – if the Dodgers lose tonight… with the Giants currently losing
Re the above intro, how did that swarm of Gnats make it all the way from the Polo Grounds to Ebbets Field? They weren’t even on the schedule.
Ha!
Here’s their starting lineup. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8c9d5e23865fa890967e7dac34a531011715973fcdeeb1ef72f591bdc5cad37a.png
Very clever. You’ve been waiting all season for something like this, and it arrived like a meatball from the pitcher which, speaking of gnats, you swatted 500 feet.
15 games to catch San Francisco. Tomorrow’s an off-day.
Finally! 1 1/2 back!
Hard to believe the Gnats were only predicted to win 74 games and finish 4th in the NL West by Pecota. Farhan and Gabe are the Penn and Teller of baseball.
Don’t forget Victor Conte. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/00700f1b08e5081c8a90e5680eb2cd881b1da81d86f04f8be8c7aa7d8825f40a.png
Gnats lose. Yippee!!
I think we are hitting good form at just the right time
It’s now 9-5 Pads going into the bottom of the ninth.
Gameday: 9-5 Padres!
I swear this looks like a different team than last week.
KKKenley!!!!!
Just 11 pitches.
Woo-HOO!!!
Holy cow, Kenley!
BALLGAME!!
Pads have extended their lead to 8-5 and have a runner on third with one out in the ninth.
Now 9-5
Padres on 2nd and 3rd with no outs!
Yes, Padres escape the jam with no damage
Somehow!
Treinen wasn’t sharp, but got it done.
Marte walks on strike three.
But then Kelly returns the favor with a GIDP.
Night all. I have 2 early morning meetings so I need to grab some shuteye.
Good night. Catch you down the road.
Night night. I am in bed watching with one eye myself.
Ah the convenience of it being 3.25 in the afternoon
Or 7:25 pm in Hawai’i.
Dodgers at 17 base runners through 6. Almost 3 runners per inning. That will play.
At Software Stadium, the Pads have extended their lead to 7-3 in the seventh.
Wonderful. Here’s hoping that the baseball standings in the NL West are finally starting to come back to the natural order of things.
But now the Padpen is trying to give it back.
7-5.
BALCO Flaxseed Oil is powerful stuff.
Coulda used some on this shoot. I was doing a lot of schlepping.
I like to think that the random cheering was the crowd just finding out that RBI is back in town!
Now that is a sweet thing to say.
Sittinger is a Buckeye and born on D-Day.
My late uncle, shot down over France in late 1943, escaped to Switzerland with help from the Resistance. On the morning of his 23rd birthday, he awoke to wild cheers from his fellow escapees – on June 6th, 1944.
Wow. Great story.
The details are even greater.
Did he fly bombers? What was his job? Those guys had guts.
He was a side gunner. Parachuted into the forest, hid his chute under fallen leaves even as the Germans walked by, and then found a farmhouse with Resistance sympathizers.
Fascinating. Did he go back flying after that?
No. The Swiss held all escapees until the war was over. Neutrality in action.
When was the last time that the Dodgers had 13 hits in a game?
I don’t know, but it kinda feels like the most frustratingly annoying 13 hit game ever. Lol
Seems like we should have scored more than we have. 9 LOB.
Meanwhile, AZ has 3 RBI’s off of 2 separate hits – the single to score 2 and the solo home run. (I realize they have more than 2 hits in total)
Not a good throw to first. That helped.
It was a play in slow motion (except for Trea).
Turner speeeeeeed!!!!!
Beep Beep
Way to hustle Trea. Speed does not slump.
Woot!
Woosh.
Exactly!
WPO.
Uuugh
Max is not running well.
C’mon Max. Light this Hokie up.
Need more runs.
In another reality, this game would already be something like 8-3 for the Dodgers and a much more comfortable ride to the end.
However they seem to be much more focused and effective offensively to me, since last week. Finding holes, not trying to hit every one out of the park, etc.
Locked in on some mediocre pitching recently for sure.
The bullpen is not looking as good recently. Troubling.
Bickford especially.
Agreed. Although Trienen has looked a bit less sharp as well.
Julio at 76 pitches. I am surprised he got pulled.
Up to Luxy
Surprised they didn’t bring in a lefty.
Another big spot for Belli. C’mon Cody.
A bit surprised they walked him to get to Lux, who’s been hitting well.
Don’t need to slide into second on that one Max!
Hot Pocket!!
Max!!!
That was impressive.
Nice play.
Wowser!
Wow! What a catch!
Rats!!
True. But I applaud the effort.
For what it’s worth, Dave, a friend of mine who’s an elected BART director (the rapid transit system is an autonomous government) tells me the system is now running again until midnight. Presumably the Gnats could start games later if they wanted to.
Thanks for the update! Watch it will be the Giants undoing… which you have all your chips in on the table to have happen!
My guess is that, having started on this schedule, they’ve decided to keep it through the season.
Well then I guess it will have to be old age and regression to the mean that will be the Giants undoing!
Hi all. Back from our wild and woolly indie short film shoot, full of lightning storms, Sequoia fires, you name it! But very pleased, if exhausted. Meanwhile, woo-HOO times… five? Six?
Welcome back! Here’s hoping the Dodgers keep on rolling with you back too!
Thanks! Rocking crowd tonight, sounds like.
Good to see you. We missed you.
Surprised they didn’t just walk Lux.
LUXurious.
Lux!!!
Ground out to score a run is one of my least favourite ways to score.
Not glamorous, but a run is a run.
Productive AB for Belli.
Sweet William. Most underrated player on our roster.
Son of a ………….
Starting to look like St Louis will prevail as the second WC.
So, they’ll have to play in SF.
I hope so.
Ouch. That hurt.
An argument for the DH (which I don’t want in the NL by the way)
I have always been against it, but have excepted the fact that it is inevitably coming to the NL. Also, it worked out really well for the Dodgers last year.
The AL needs to acknowledge its mistake and dump the DH. We also need to end interleague play except for the Series.
Unfortunately, both those trains left the station long ago.
It’s never too late to acknowledge a blunder.
How do you feel about wild card teams? And how about wild card teams that win the World Series?
I hate the 1 game WC playoff. But it does really magnify the importance of winning the division. Got no problem with wild card team winning the whole enchilada. If you earn a seat at the table, then you are entitled to eat what everyone else is having.
Time to end the mild card.
And go back to 2 divisions in each league? Or keep the 3 divisions and have a bye for the top team? (Genuinely curious how you would work it.)
MLB needs to expand and add 2 teams. Then have 2 leagues of 4 divisions of 4 teams. No more wild card.
The classic “32 teams makes the best number” proposition.
“We”? I kinda thought you didn’t go for the we/us language in regards to baseball teams…
Julito’s a pretty good hitter, actually.
Beautiful. Lux with the rbi.
Big spot for Belli.
It’s early, but the Pads have taken a 2-0 lead over the Gnats and are threatening more.
Make that 5-0 in the second.
Fingers crossed!
The Pads have their best surviving starter on the mound.
Good start Julio. Lets get some early runs.
https://twitter.com/SportsNetLA/status/1438311925440335873?s=20
https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/1438281906206896130?s=20
An analysis of the Dodgers’ season from the nerds at Five Thirty Eight.
That’s an excellent piece of writing and statistics. It puts in black and white just how bad Bellinger has been this season. Sad.