Sep 27

Game 155, 2015

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

The Dodgers hope lefty Alex Wood (11-11, 3.60 ERA) can get them closer to clinching the division title. He’s alternated wins and losses in his last eight starts and lost the last one, so if you believe in patterns he should win today. His opponent will be lefty Chris Rusin, (5-9, 5.39 ERA), who walked four, gave up six runs on eight hits in just four innings in his last start last Tuesday.

Lineup when available.

Despite Mattingly’s earlier remarks, Adrian’s back must still be sore.

Sep 22

Game 150, 2015

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 16

Game 145, 2015

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 11

Game 140, 2015

Dodgers at D-Backs, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Alex Wood (10-9, 3.51 ERA) goes for the Dodgers against Robbie Ray (3-11, 3.72 ERA). Wood had his best outing as a Dodger in his last start, going seven scoreless innings against the Padres. Lefty Ray’s record doesn’t show it, but of his 18 starts this season, 8 have been quality ones.

Lineup when available.

Stack the lineup with right-handed hitters against the lefty.

Other news:

Sep 05

Game 135, 2015

Dodgers at Padres, 5:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD, MLBN Free Game

The Dodgers send Alex Wood (9-9, 3.67 ERA) to the mound to make his seventh start for them since coming over from Atlanta at the trade deadline. He lost his last game to the Cubs, but since Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter against his team that’s not exactly a surprise. His opponent will be Tyler Ross (10-9, 3.27 ERA). He won his last outing, giving up three hits and no runs in seven innings.

The lineup is a little more familiar today:

Giants at Rockies, 5:10PM PT. Peavy v. Bettis. The Giants have lost seven straight and are 8 games in back of the Cubs for the second wild-card spot.

Aug 30

Game 129, 2015

Cubs at Dodgers, 5:08PM PT, TV: ESPN

The Cubs send Jake Arrieta to the mound to try to salvage one game of the series. He seems to be the guy to do it, since he’s 16-6 with a 2.22 ERA on the season and an even better 5-0 with a 0.54 ERA for August. Facing him will be the Dodgers’ Alex Wood, who’s 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA for the Dodgers and 9-8 with a 3.70 ERA for his overall 2015. MLB has determined that

Alex Wood will be making his sixth start since joining the Dodgers and he’s looking to last longer in games. He’s exited four straight starts without throwing more than 91 pitches or lasting longer than 6 1/3 innings. He’s had just one quality start in five outings with Los Angeles.

Carl Crawford has done pretty well against Arrieta, but he’s one of only two Dodger regulars who have had more than ten at-bats against him. None of the Cubs have had more than five at-bats against Wood.

Lineup when available.

Here’s some “Awwww” for a Sunday: The Greensboro Grasshoppers held a retirement ceremony for their balldog.

Here’s Miss Babe Ruth at work:
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Aug 25

Game 124, 2015

Dodgers at Reds, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

It’s a battle of lefties as the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (8-8, 3.79 ERA) goes against the Reds’ rookie John Lamb (0-1, 6.35 ERA). This will be Lamb’s third big league start and second against the Dodgers. On August 14 he went 6 innings against them, giving up eight hits and five runs, four of them in the fifth inning including a three-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez. Wood started that game for the Dodgers and went 6 1/3 innings as the Dodgers won 5-3.

Lineup when available.

Aug 19

Game 120, 2015

Jerry Hairston, after last night’s bullpen failure: “That’s the 25th time in his career the bullpen has blown a game Kershaw was in line to win.”

Dodgers at Athletics, 12:35PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSNCA

Ordinarily this would be Mat Latos’ turn in the Dodgers’ rotation, but he’s temporarily moving to the bullpen “to get the most starts possible out of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.” In other words, the Dodgers are going to a four-man rotation for a few weeks. They can do this because of days off this week and next.

That means Alex Wood will pitch for the Dodgers today. He’s 8-7 with a 3.74 ERA and got his first win as a Dodger his last time out. He went 6 1/3 innings against the Reds on August 14, giving up five hits and three earned runs while walking three and striking out three.

His opponent will be Jesse Chavez, who’s tied for most losses in the AL with twelve. He’s 4-5 with a 2.92 ERA at home, though, and that’s where the game will be played.

Lineup when available.

Aug 14

Game 116, 2015

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

The Reds trot out rookie (and lefty) John Lamb to make his MLB debut. He was 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA for the Reds’ AAA Louisville Bats this season after going 9-1 for the Royals’ AAA Omaha Storm Chasers. The Dodgers counter with Alex Wood, who is 0-1 in two starts for the Dodgers after his acquisition from the Braves in July.

Lineup when available.

Aug 09

Game 111, 2015

Dodgers at Pirates, 5:00PM PT, TV: ESPN

Alex Wood (7-7, 3.65 ERA) makes his second start for the Dodgers. He went six innings in his first game, then balked (video) with two men on. He walked the next guy to load the bases and was relieved by Peralta, who then gave up a grand slam to Maikel Franco. Wood was saddled with the loss.

He’ll face Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.19 ERA), who was 6-1 through June, lost three in a row in July, and won his last outing in August. This will be his second career start against the Dodgers; the first was five years ago.

Lineup when available.