Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

Sep 23

Game 151, 2015

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN

First, this is not good news:

The Diamondbacks start Chase Anderson (6-6, 4.52 ERA) against the perennial All Star To Be Determined (as of 1:45PM PT). Anderson is taking the place of Rubby De La Rosa, who’s had a tough time with the Dodgers this season (0-3, 11.21 ERA).

Lineup (and pitcher) when available.

Carlos Frias starts for the Dodgers.

Sep 22

Game 150, 2015

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A, MLBN

Alex Wood (11-10,3.63 ERA) goes for the Dodgers against Robbie Ray (4-12, 3.72 ERA) of the D-Backs. Wood’s last start was an eight-inning one-hitter against the Rockies. Ray’s last win was against the Dodgers on September 11, Wood’s worst outing of the year as a Dodger. That was the game in which he gave up eight runs in only 1 2/3 innings.

Goldsmith likes Wood’s pitching: He’s 4-for-7 lifetime off him with two home runs, including one in that Sept. 11 game.

Lineup:

Utley and Pederson sit to start, as does Ethier since Ray is left-handed.

Sep 21

Game 149, 2015

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Point of fact: up until this Pirates series the Dodgers had won seven consecutive series. They’ve been playing very well. Sometimes we don’t realize it.

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Brett Anderson is 9-8 with a 3.35 ERA and hunting win number 10. The lefty hasn’t won that many since his rookie year of 2009, thanks to injuries. He’s made four starts against the D-Backs this season, going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA. His opponent will be Jhoulys Chacin, who’s 0-1 with a 2.95 ERA in the big leagues this season. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Diamondbacks in June. He pitched for the Rockies for six years amassing a record of 38-48 and an ERA of 3.78.

Lineup when available.

The grand experiment of putting Chase Utley at third base begins.

Sep 20

Game 148, 2015

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Pirates at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Dodgers ask Mike Bolsinger (6-3, 3.13 ERA) to keep the Pirates in check while hoping they can get some runs of the Buccos’ ace Gerrit Cole (16-8, 2.60 ERA). Oddly, the California-born Cole has ne3ver lost in his home state; he’s 4-0, with one win each in San Francisco, San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles.

The Dodgers’ magic number to win the division is seven. The Pirates need to win to keep ahead of the Cubs in the second wild card spot by remaining in second place in the NL Central behind the Cardinals. Their magic number to lock up that spot is four. The Cards clinched a postseason spot today by virtue of the Diamondbacks’ win over the Giants. Their magic number to win the division is eleven, and they have one more game against the Cubs and three against the Pirates to cut that down.

Lineup when available.

There’s also this news: Bolsinger is officially part of the rotation for the rest of the season.

Sep 19

Game 147, 2015

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Pirates at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (14-6, 2.12 ERA) pitches tonight against the Pirates’ Francisco Liriano (10-7, 3.45 ERA). Kershaw has an unusual streak going: in each of his last seven starts he’s given up no more than one run. He’s going for his tenth straight win tonight. The left-handed Liriano had a lousy outing last time he pitched, but he’s 3-0 lifetime against the Dodgers. Two guys who’ve had success against him in the past are Heisey (.333 in 15 ABs) and Kendrick (.438 in 16 ABs).

Lineup when available.

Sep 18

Game 146, 2015

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Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Zack Greinke goes for win number 18 against only three losses this season. He’s 12-1 with a 1.53 ERA over his last fourteen starts. He’ll face the Pirates’ Jeff Locke, who’s 8-10 with a 4.43 ERA but coming off an excellent start against the Brewers.

In case you missed it, the Dodgers designated Mat Latos for assignment.

Then there’s this:

Lineup when available.

In addition, they’ve activated Howie Kendrick from the DL, but since he hasn’t played any rehab games they’re going to go slowly with him.

Sep 16

Game 145, 2015

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Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Just as last night, two lefties take the mound against one another this evening in the rubber match of the series. Alex Wood (10-10, 3.81 ERA) goes for the Dodgers, trying to recover from his worst outing since he joined the team in July. In that one he went only 1 2/3 innings and gave up home runs to two Diamondbacks. His Rockies’ opponent will be Jorge De La Rosa (9-6, 4.28 ERA). Somehow he’s pitched enough against the Dodgers to achieve a 7-10 lifetime record against them.

Lineup when available.

If I’m Wood I’m wondering if I need to throw a shutout to win.

No, no, that’s not fair. Most of those guys can hit perfectly well.

Sep 15

Game 144, 2015

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Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Two lefties face one another: Brett Anderson for the Dodgers (9-8, 3.36 ERA in 158 innings this season, more than he’s had since his rookie year of 2009) and Chris Rusin for the Rockies (5-8, 5.14 ERA in 110 innings). Rusin started off well this year, going 3-2 through June, but he’s 2-6 in 18 starts since. Anderson left his last start after 5 2/3 innings with a calf cramp and has had three extra days of rest to help it heal. He’s done well limiting opponents: he’s given up three runs or fewer in 24 of his 27 starts.

Lineup:

Sep 14

Game 143, 2015

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Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Kershaw v. Gray. One’s 13-6 with a 2.15 ERA, the other is 0-0 with a 5.17 ERA. His team is 1-6 in his seven starts since he was called up. Looks like a walkover, right? No bets. Kershaw could have an off night, and the Rockies have some hot hitters in Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez.

Here’s a sign:

The Rockies are 7-26 against left-handed starters and are expected to face three lefties in Los Angeles: Kershaw, Brett Anderson and Alex Wood.

Lineup:

Sep 13

Game 142, 2015

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-D

Zack Greinke (16-3, 1.68 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. He last faced the D-Backs on April 12 when he shut them out for seven innings, giving up only five hits and getting his first win of the year. He’ll face the left-handed Patrick Corbin (5-3, 3.32 ERA), who missed the first three months of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery in March of 2014. Corbin has won his last two starts, although he’s not gotten past the sixth inning in either one.

Lineup:

Bonus coverage: Cory Seager on his first big league home run.

Bonus bonus coverage: Padres at Giants.