Dodgers at Padres, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD, MLBN (out-of-market only)
Lefty Alex Wood (8-0, 1.86 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers and YALHP Clayton Richard (5-7, 4.42 ERA) takes the hill for the Padres.
Wood is having the best year of his career, partly because he’s making batters hit the ball on the ground 66.2 percent of the time. Richard is no slouch; he’s getting ground balls 60.1 percent of the time.
RBI asked “When a third strike is dropped by the catcher, why must the runner be thrown out at first?” This SABR article explains the origins and reasons.
The three-strike rule in 1845 takes this form: “Three balls being struck at and missed and the last one caught, is a hand out; if not caught is considered fair, and the striker bound to run.”
There’s lots more interesting history there. Read the whole article.
Kenley Jansen wants to be “the Kershaw of the bullpen.”
“He’s the guy here,” Jansen said. “Me, in my role in the bullpen, I’m the same thing, I’m the ace and the leader in my department. I have to take care of my responsibility.”
Seager’s not hurt, just easing back in to the day-to-day.
This date in Dodgers’ history:
- 1962 Sandy Koufax becomes the first Dodger southpaw to throw a no-hitter since Nap Rucker accomplished the feat in 1908 when he keeps the expansion Mets hitless in the team’s 5-0 victory in Los Angeles. The 26 year-old left-hander, en route to fanning 13, strikes out the first three batters he faces – Richie Ashburn, Rod Kanehl, and Felix Mantilla, on nine pitches to start the game with an immaculate inning.
- 1973 With an 8-7 extra-inning loss to L.A. at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds finish the day 11 games behind the first-place Dodgers. Led by the eventual National League MVP Pete Rose, who will win the batting title with a .338 average, Cincinnati will go on a 60-26 tear to capture the Western Division by 3.5 games.
- 1985 Pedro Guerrero ties a major league record by hitting 15 home runs in June when he goes deep off Bruce Sutter in his final at bat of the month. The eighth inning two-run round-tripper will prove to be the difference in the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory over Atlanta at Chavez Ravine.
- 1997 Rangers’ hurler Bobby Witt becomes the first American League pitcher to hit a home run in a regular-season game in nearly 25 years. His round tripper off Ismael Valdes helps Texas to beat the Dodgers in interleague action, 3-2.
Lineup when available.
Dodgers::
Taylor LF
Hernandez SS
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Forsythe 2B
Barnes C
Thompson CF
Puig RF
Wood P— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) June 30, 2017
NPUT
In honor of Canada Day, we postponed the invasion of Winnipeg… https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/881159461825544192
W00T!
April: 14-12
May: 19-9
June: 21-7
40 wins over 2 months seems pretty decent.
Best understatement since ‘Some presidents don’t act presidential.’ 🙂
That’s a great line. If it was recently said, I must have missed hearing it.
The essence of recent comnents.
Or the win-loss records of McCarthy, Wood and Kershaw at the end of the year.
Why was Doc ejected?
A bit of a fracas with the Pads skipper Greene. Both got tossed for yelling at each other.
Thanks.
Glad those MIA bats were found!
Three-and-a-half game lead, our biggest of the season.
Nice!
Woo-HOO!!!
We win!
Speaking of last night’s scary 8th, here’s Avilan . . . chance to redeem himself?
Romo is done.
Done tonight. Done this series. Done as a Dodger.
True. Truer. Truest.
I’m glad he got his chance to pith for the Dodgers. He and his family were huge fans of the Dodgers. He suffered from Giants flu though while on the Dodgers.
What a shame/waste to have to use another pitcher.
Who is managing since Roberts was ejected?
Geren
Danke
Welcome.
Thanks for your favour.
No problem. I just couldn’t recall how to spell “bitte” until I looked if up.
Ridiculous.
And that’s why bad pitch calls matter.
Oh no Romo.
He needs a mystery injury so he can go on the DL.
He’s already had one.
One bad DL turn deserves another.
10-4 is not okay . . . but not as scary as last night’s 8th inning.
Roger that.
Either Barnes isn’t great at framing, or the ump is blind.
Looked like some really good pitches to me.
At least three were strikes according to Gameday.
No knock on Wood — 🙂 — but who would think that a 9-0 start for the Dodgers would belong to him?
Nice replacement for Zack as Ace Minor
Anyone know what the club record is for most wins by a pitcher without a loss to start the season?
Radio said first 9-0 since Rick Rhoden in ’76
Rhoden gave us a few good years, if I remember correctly. Could also hit and was a good golfer.
From the MLB Preview pages:
That doesn’t say what the longest such streak is, but it shows how long it’s been since anyone got this far along.
Yea, Rockies! Keep rolling the whole weekend!
Romo does not inspire confidence. I blame the beard.
It wasn’t his fault that Taylor and Joc let the fly ball drop.
No eyes. I didn’t know, so assumed the worst.
Either of them could have caught it easily. You or I could have caught it easily.
This is the sixth time this month, in 28 games, we have scored six or more runs, and the sixth time 10 or more.
Joe Davis said he was rooting for AZ against Colorado – so that the LA-AZ series would be even bigger.
Orel – I need to think about that.
Not me. Rockies all the way.
Uh yeah me too.
Although neither team really bugs me. I know we had that thing a couple of years ago vs AZ – and that Coors is a nightmare – but they aren’t the Giants!
And by “that thing” I mean the whole jumping into the pool stuff.
Coors is a great place to see a ballgame.
Good sightlines?
Great setting, nice people, wonderfully redeveloped area.
Went there last August for a three-game series. The Dodgers were routed twice, there was a rainout, and because of flight schedule missed the Toles grand slam game. The main street downtown is for buses only. They are free. Wide median. Very civilized. It was weird seeing marijuana shops. Visited the state capital building, which is impressive.
I lived there briefly when I was 13, and my cousin (my mother’s twin sister’s son) still lives there. Ideally, I would choose Boulder over Denver as a place to live, but my game experience was better than yours. I saw the last game before the strike in 1994 there.
Must have been bittersweet to see that game.
I thought it was a unique stadium with right field corner looking like it belonged behind home plate. I got good seats but they were way too narrow. We moved up higher where there were empty seats because we were so squeezed where we were sitting.
The game we saw was the game Kemp ran into the fence.
I’m with the Bulldog. Don’t take anything for granted — look what happened with the Angels series.
I would now call this lead comfortable.
Shades of Game 1 of the season.
I’m guessing the babysitting is done for the evening?
I am still at their house, but young Jack is snoozing upstairs now.
The amazing sleep and dreams of a 4 year old.
Austin Barnes!!!
Barnes has a chance for more rbi’s here.
I knew it. Another HR and 3 more rbi’s for him!!
Prescient.
Um, yeah!
I was so tempted to call it. I could feel it in my bones that he would hit another one.
Impressive.
I realize I didn’t call it and so no guts no glory.
But he has been squaring it up all night and it just felt so right.
Maybe a little glory…
Dodgers might be sad to turn the calendar to July. Although the wins keep increasing from April to May to June.
Just joining after attending an Iowa Cub’s game. Watched Kyle Schwarber hit a home run. We left early due to threatening skies.
O’ beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
End of the Innocence by Don Henley
Turner!
Nice move by Richards to pick Taylor off second.
Taylor hopefully getting back on track.
Wood is amped UP! Don’t mess with him right now. 6 K’s in a row!
Alex Wood is good.
Night all. Hate to leave this game. It feels like it could get rowdy.
Make sure to lock your door.
Yikes, Taylor 4 for last 32
Game thread maybe not best time to post this, but only time I could.
Good and fair–but kinda long–piece on Kemp and his bounceback.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2717087-the-resurgence-of-matt-kemp-how-he-went-from-160m-bust-to-potential-all-star?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb
Good for the Bison. I hope it continues for him.
That looked like it was all Green that was being a jerk.
Puig!
Puig style. Very entertaining guy.
No video yet. What did he do?
Short pop into shallow right. Puig made a head first dive and somehow caught it. Stayed on the ground lying on his stomach and kissed the ball, then got up. Classic.
Oh my. Thanks.
On-field delay?
Our catchers are on fire these days. Hmm, I guess our outfielders are too. And infielders.
This team!
Wow!
Holy Cow!
Dodgers open Barnes door and cows scamper home.
You really milked that one!
I was a little worried about what was going to be said when I saw someone typing.
What you typed was udderly brilliant.
Austin Barnes!
Rox take a 1-0 lead over the Snakes, but blow a chance to blow it wide open.
Link, thank you! Great reading, and I just forwarded on to my hubby. I am babysitting the four year old tonight, so will be following the game on Game Day.
I knew we could count on Link to address RBI’s question from last night. Thanks for tracking down that article Link!
That rule reads like a Proverb or something from Confucius.
But really your whole Post – and the items below – it’s all gold. Love the audio of Vin!
Thank you!
Link: That was great. Thank you.
Alineación en la Caja de Arena… https://twitter.com/LosDodgers/status/880922376111783936
Turn your heads, children!
Trust your co-worker but don’t give him a chance to embarrass you.