Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

Jun 03

Game 57, 2017

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Dodgers at Brewers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSWI

The Dodgers send LHP Rich Hill (2-2, 4.09 ERA) to the mound to face the Brewers’ RHP Matt Garza (2-2, 3.98 ERA). Hill went five innings in his last start and threw 86 pitches, the most he’s thrown all year. He got the win against the Cardinals. Garza has lost two straight and given up ten runs in the 11 innings he pitched in those games.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1989 In a 22-inning game played at the Astrodome, Houston beats the Dodgers, 5-4, when Rafael Ramirez’ run-scoring single plates Bill Doran to end the contest at 2:50 a.m., seven hours and 14-minutes after it started. The longest game in National League history features L.A. center fielder John Shelby going 0-for-10 and southpaw Fernando Valenzuela finishing the game at first base.

Lineup when available.

Jun 02

Game 56, 2017

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Dodgers at Brewers, 5:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSWI

LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.37 ERA) will start against RHP Jimmy Nelson (3-3, 3.83 ERA).

Kershaw’s last outing was very unlike him; he lasted only 4 1/3 innings and gave up 11 hits (three of them HRs) and four runs. Eric Sogard is the only Brewers batter with a previous at-bat against Kershaw, and he’s 0-3. Nelson went seven innings and gave up only one run to the D-backs his last time out. His record should probably be better, but the Brewers have scored three or fewer runs in five of Nelson’s 10 starts.

May awards to the Dodgers: Alex Wood is NL Pitcher of the Month and Cody Bellinger is NL Rookie of the Month.

McCarthy left the game with a blister on his right index finger.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1995 Hideo Nomo, limiting the Mets to one run on two hits in 8+ innings of work, picks up his first major league win, a 2-1 decision at Dodger Stadium. The 26 year-old former Japanese All-Star was signed by L.A. in the off-season.

Lineup when available.

Jun 01

Game 55, 2017

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Dodgers at Cardinals, 10:45 AM PT (that’s 7:45PM CEST for Bob Hendley), TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), ESPN, SPNLA, FS-M

RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-1, 3.28 ERA) goes for the Dodgers and RHP Adam Wainwright (5-3, 4.20 ERA) will go for the Cards. McCarthy left his last start against the Cubs after six scoreless innings, complaining of knee tendinitis, which he says he’s had since spring training. Wainwright has made three consecutive quality starts, giving up just one run in his last 20 1/3 innings. This will be his 331st game in a Cardinals uniform, which moves him past Larry Jackson into 10th place on the all time games-pitched list for the Redbirds.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1955 Duke Snider blasts three home runs in the Dodgers’ 11-8 win over Milwaukee. Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, and Roy Campanella also go deep in the Ebbets Field’s contest, helping Brooklyn set a franchise record with six home runs.
  • 1962 In the nightcap of a twin bill at Shibe Park, Don Drysdale beats the Phillies for the 13th consecutive time, continuing a streak which started in 1958. The Dodger right-hander, however, will drop his next seven decisions against Philadelphia after today’s victory.
  • 1997 When Wilton Guerrero scurries to pick up pieces of his shattered bat after grounding out to start the game, home plate ump Steve Ripley becomes suspicious and discovers that the bat has been altered. The rookie Dodgers second baseman is immediately ejected from the game by crew chief Bruce Froemming, and the 21 year-old infielder will also receive an eight-day suspension and a $1,000 fine for his use of a corked bat.

Lineup when available.

May 31

Game 54, 2017

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Dodgers at Cardinals, 5:15 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN (out-of-market only), FS-M

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-5, 4.28 ERA) comes off a four-inning relief stint last Thursday in which he got his first career save. He’ll take the place of Alex Wood, currently on the 10-day DL. Ryu will pitch against hard-luck RHP Carlos Martinez (3-4, 3.32 ERA). Two starts ago Martinez pitched nine innings of shutout ball against the Giants and got no decision, and his last time out he gave up three runs in 7 1/3 innings against the Rockies and lost. He’s 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA in five starts in May.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1937 In Game 1 of a Memorial Day doubleheader, Carl Hubbell’s consecutive-game winning streak, compiled over two seasons, ends at 24 when the Dodgers, led by Babe Phelps’ 5-for-6 performance, defeat the Giants at the Polo Grounds, 10-3. ‘King Carl’ is honored between games when the southpaw is presented with the National League’s 1936 MVP Award by Babe Ruth.
  • 1948 Tommy Lasorda, best known as the Dodgers’ Hall of Fame skipper, strikes out 25 batters and collects the game-winning hit when the Schenectady Blue Jays defeat the Amsterdam Rugmakers, 6-5, in 15 innings. The promising southpaw, who goes the distance in the CanAm minor-league contest played in McNearney Stadium, believes he probably threw more than 300 pitches during the game.
  • 1965 For the first time in history, an all-switch-hitting infield starts a big league game. In the nightcap of a twin bill, the Dodgers, with Wes Parker at first base, Jim Lefebvre at second, Maury Wills at shortstop, and Jim Gilliam at third, lose to the visiting Reds, 6-1.
  • 1968 Don Drysdale’s shutout streak stays intact when home plate umpire Harry Wendelstedt rules that Dick Dietz, who is hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, did not make an attempt to get out of the way of the right-hander’s delivery. The Giants catcher finishes the at-bat by popping up‚ and the next two batters also make outs to give ‘Big D” his fifth straight shutout, tying a major league established by White Sox hurler Doc White in 1904.

Lineup when available.

May 30

Game 53, 2017

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Dodgers at Cardinals, 4:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN, FS-M, MLBN free game of the day in non-blackout regions

RHP Kenta Maeda (4-2, 5.08 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers. He hopes his second start against the Cardinals within a week goes as well as the first, when he gave up three runs in the first but righted the ship, went five innings and got the win. RHP Michael Wacha (2-2, 3.66 ERA), on the other hand, wants to improve on his performance last Thursday against the Dodgers, when he went only four innings, allowed seven hits, six earned runs, two walks and lost the game.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1946 In Boston’s 10-8 victory over the Dodgers, Bama Rowell’s long drive hits the Bulova clock located above the right field scoreboard, making the left-fielder the first major leaguer to reach the famous landmark at Ebbets Field. The crushing four-bagger that shatters the face of the clock causing glass to cascade onto Dodgers right fielder Dixie Walker is believed to be the inspiration for author Bernard Malamud having Roy Hobbs, the hero of his 1952 novel, The Natural, belt a similar home run, which also rains glass over the diamond.
  • 1962 Frank Thomas strokes a double off Sandy Koufax in the Mets’ 13-6 loss to Los Angeles, extending his franchise mark of consecutive games with a hit to 18 for the expansion team. The streak, which will be only one shy of Maury Wills’ league-leading total for the season, is halted when the New York left fielder goes 0-for-4 in the nightcap of the Dodgers’ sweep at the Polo Grounds.
  • 1986 In a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers at Three Rivers Stadium, future home run king Barry Bonds goes 0-for-5 in his major league debut. The Pirates center fielder, batting leadoff, strikes out three times.
  • 1930 Not Dodgers’ history, but for the economists among us, get a load of this prize: Rogers Hornsby receives his MVP award and is given a thousand gold coins by National League president John Heydler at a ceremony at home plate prior to the Cubs’ contest against St. Louis. Ironically, the ‘Rajah’ will break his ankle while advancing to third base during the Wrigley Field contest and will not play again until the middle of August. Ah, when there was a gold standard! (For the record, the price of an ounce of gold was pegged at $20.67 in 1930. If each coin weighed an ounce that was $20,670, not an insignificant amount of cash in that Depression year)

Early returns from this year’s All Star Game voting: Seager at the top, Turner and A-Gon in top five at their respective positions.

Lineup:

May 29

Game 52, 2017

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Dodgers at Cardinals, 11:15 AM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-M

Rich Hill (1-2, 4.76 ERA) for the Dodgers, Mike Leake (5-2, 1.91 ERA) for the Cardinals.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1905 According to legend, Dodger hurler Elmer Stricklett introduces the spitball, helping Brooklyn to beat the Giants, 4-3. Prior to the the 1921 season, the spitball will be totally banned except for 17 existing spitballers who are allowed to keep throwing the slippery pitch legally until they are retired, including including Burleigh Grimes, who will be the last player to legally throw a doctored pitch before retiring in 1934.
  • 1928 At Ebbets Field, Bill Terry hits for the cycle to pace the Giants to a 12-5 victory over the Robins (Dodgers). The New York first baseman is the first player in major league history to include a grand slam as part of the cycle.
  • 1956 In a 10-1 loss to the Dodgers at Forbes Field, Dale Long is held hitless by Don Newcombe, ending his consecutive-game home run streak. The Pirates’ first baseman had established a new major league mark by homering in the last eight Pittsburgh contests.
  • 1979 At Dodger Stadium, Dusty Baker, Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Garvey, Gary Thomasson, Derrel Thomas, Joe Ferguson, and Davey Lopes set a team record by hitting seven home runs as the Dodgers crush the Reds, 17-6.
  • 2000 At the age of 104, Fred Roberts, the oldest living Dodger fan, makes his first visit to Dodger Stadium. Wearing a jersey with the number 104, the World War I veteran cheers as Shawn Green’s sixth inning grand slam helps to beat Al Leiter and the Mets, 4-1.

Alex Wood to the 10-day DL with shoulder joint inflammation.

Lineup:

May 28

Game 51, 2017

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Cubs at Dodgers, 1:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-C, MLBN (out-of-market only)

Two lefties go at one another in a Sunday afternoon game: Jon Lester (3-2, 3.19 ERA) of the Cubs faces Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.01 ERA) of the Dodgers. The last six times the Dodgers have beaten the Cubs they’ve shut them out.

Lester pitched a four-hit complete game against the Giants his last time on the mound, giving up one run, striking out ten and still keeping his pitch count at 99. Kershaw didn’t get a decision in his last outing against the Cardinals despite going nine innings and giving up only one run and three hits with a pitch count of 104.

Numerology: “Kershaw has a 2.18 ERA vs. the Cubs and has limited Chicago batters to a .218 batting average.”

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1957 Walter O’Malley and Horace Stoneham are given permission by the National League to negotiate deals with cities on the West Coast, with the proviso that the future location of their respective clubs, the Dodgers and the Giants, be known by October 1. The Brooklyn and New York owners both deny there is any significance to the unanimous vote other than being given an opportunity to explore all the available options for their possible relocation of their clubs.
  • 1988 The Expos scored a run in the 10th off Jay Howell in Montreal as the Dodgers wasted a nine-inning five-hitter from Fernando Valenzuela.
  • 2001 In an 11-inning slugfest with Colorado, LA catcher Paul Lo Duca goes 6-for-6 in the team’s 11-10 victory at Dodger Stadium. The backstop’s five singles and a three-run homer tie a National League record for hits in an extra-inning game.

Lineup when available.

May 27

Game 50, 2017

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Cubs at Dodgers, 4:15 PM PT, TV: Fox

RHP John Lackey (4-4, 4.82 ERA) goes for the Cubs in this late-afternoon game on Big Fox. His opponent will be the Dodgers’ RHP Brandon McCarthy (4-1, 3.76 ERA). Lackey had a three-game winning streak snapped his last time out when he gave up five runs on seven hits in five innings against the Giants. McCarthy had his best outing of the year in his last start when he went six innings and gave up three hits to the Marlins. He beat the Cubs in April, too. In fact, in four career starts against the Baby Bears he’s 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA, 18 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP. But wait! Lackey holds a 1.73 ERA against the Dodgers in 12 career starts!

This day in Dodgers’ history: The source site is unreachable so far today, so here’s an old game.

  • 1955 Oisk lost to The Barber 3-1, giving up all three runs in the 7th and 8th innings. The first was on a home run by Bobby Hofman, a lifetime .248 hitter with 32 career HRs to his credit. Oddly, Hofman was pinch-hitting for Davey Williams, a lifetime .252 hitter who also had 32 career HRs. The second and third runs were provided by the much more notable Willie Mays, who homered with a man on in the 8th.

Lineup:

May 26

Game 49, 2017

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Cubs at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ABC 7, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The Cubbies come to LA for the only time this season. Tonight’s opener of the three-game series features the Cubs’ RHP Jake Arrieta (5-3, 4.80 ERA) returning to the scene of his first no-hitter in August of 2015. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (5-0, 1.88 ERA), who’s been far better than anyone thought he’d be going into the season.

Arrieta is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers, but in his last 16 innings he’s shut them out. Wood started against the Cubs in April, giving up two runs in 3 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers claimed infielder Mike Freeman and RHP Chris Heston from the Mariners and transferred Andrew Toles & Scott Kazmir to the 60-day DL.

Today in Dodgers’ history: Nothing unusual happened. In the pennant-winning year of 1974 the Dodgers beat the Giants 9-5 behind Doug Rau, with Mike Marshall going 3 1/3 innings to get his sixth save of the year. Elsewhere:

  • 1959 Pirates’ hurler Harvey Haddix pitches 12 perfect innings, but loses 1-0 to the Braves in the 13th inning. The heart-breaking winning run scores on a Don Hoak error, a sacrifice, a walk, and a two-bagger by Joe Adcock. A subsequent rules change stupidly removes this game from baseball’s list of no-hitters (Ed.).
  • 1993 Carlos Martinez hits a fly ball to Jose Canseco that caroms off the Ranger outfielder’s head over the fence for a home run. The fourth inning solo homer will prove to be the difference when the Indians edge Texas at Cleveland Stadium, 7-6. (Video)

Lineup when available.

May 25

Game 48, 2017

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Cardinals at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-M, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The Cardinals’ RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 2.74 ERA) will face the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda (3-2, 5.03 ERA) in the rubber game of the series.

In Wacha’s last start he went six innings and allowed four hits and no runs to the Giants. He’s gone into the sixth or longer in every start he’s made in 2017. He’s 1-2 with a 3.57 ERA against the Dodgers in four career starts. Maeda is coming off the 10-day DL for hamstring tightness, but in his last start prior to that he went 8 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits to the Pirates. He’s faced the Cards only once in his career and got a win.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1919 Casey Stengel, traded by the Dodgers in the off-season to the Pirates, calls time, steps out of the batter’s box to give the razzing Ebbets Field fans the ‘bird’. The Pittsburgh right fielder doffs his hat, allowing a sparrow to fly out, much to the amazement and amusement of the fans.
  • 2002 With four homers on Thursday (5/23), one on Friday (5/24), and two more on Saturday (5/25), Shawn Green becomes the first major leaguer to hit seven round-trippers in three games. The Dodger outfielder’s nine big flies in a week also breaks a National League record, established by Ralph Kiner with eight and tied by Ted Kluszewski and Nate Colbert.

The Dodgers reinstated Maeda from the 10-day DL and placed Pederson on the 7-day concussion DL.

Lineup when available.