Tag Archives: Alex Wood

Jul 20

Game 97, 2018

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Dodgers at Brewers, 5:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, FSWI, Dish455

The visiting Dodgers send LHP Rich Hill (2-4, 4.55 ERA) to start the second not-quite-half of the season. He’ll face lefty Wade Miley (1-1, 2.38 ERA), who’s made just one start since coming off the 60-day DL where he’d been recovering from a right oblique injury (I hope Puig’s injury requires less time than that!). In that start he went five innings, walked five, struck out five, and gave up two runs. After a one-inning relief appearance on Sunday this will be Hill’s first start in ten days.

The Dodgers suddenly find themselves with as many as eight starting pitchers.

A six-man rotation is under consideration, especially for an initial stretch of 17 games in 17 days. It would include, in no particular order, Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, Kenta Maeda and Walker Buehler. But Hyun-Jin Ryu, who is throwing off a mound, could come back next month. And Julio Urias, the lefty phenom who is recovering from shoulder surgery, theoretically could rejoin the rotation by the start of September, if not sooner.

That’s eight starters if everyone stays healthy, and the Dodgers would like to somehow use all of them.

“If healthy” is the operative phrase there.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1906 At St. Louis, Brooklyn hurler Mal Eason no-hits the Cardinals, 2-0. The ‘Kid’ was the losing pitcher when Johnny Lush pitched a no-hitter against the Superbas (Dodgers) in May.
  • 1951 In a game against the Reds with All-Star hurler Ewell Blackwell on the mound, the Giants, for the first time, employ their infamous scheme for stealing catchers’ signs using a telescope positioned in the centerfield clubhouse. The ‘Jints’ beat Cincinnati, 11-6, and New York will win 22 of the remaining 27 games at the Polo Grounds, overtaking the Dodgers to win the National League pennant.
  • 1970 Twenty-six year-old right-hander Bill Singer pitches the first Dodger no-hitter since Sandy Koufax’s departure when he keeps the Philadelphia batters hitless in a 5-0 victory at Chavez Ravine. The ‘Singer Throwing Machine,’ who spent 52 days on the disabled list earlier in the season recuperating from hepatitis, posts a 5-0 record along with a 1.84 ERA in July and will be named NL Player of the Month.
  • 2008 The Dodgers, with a five-run ninth-inning rally at Chase Field, beat the Diamondbacks, 6-5, and move into a flat-footed tie (48-50) with Arizona for first place in the National League West. Andre Ethier has the key hit in the comeback victory, a go-ahead triple off the center-field wall, as D-Back closer Brandon Lyon, pitching in his third consecutive game, couldn’t hold a three-run lead.

Lineup when available. This is the first one with newly-hired Manny Machado in it.


As long as Turner’s ailing, it puts off the “where do we play Muncy” decision.

Speaking of JT, he and Alex Wood had a boisterous reaction to Machado’s acquisition:


Jul 14

Game 95, 2018

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Angels at Dodgers, 4:15 PM PDT, TV: FOX

LHP Andrew Heaney (5-6, 3.84 ERA) pitches for the Angels this afternoon while LHP Alex Wood (5-5, 3.88 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. These two guys faced each other last Sunday. Heaney gave up three runs to the Dodgers over the course of seven innings and got the win, while Wood went six innings, also surrendering three runs but not figuring in the decision. Shohei Ohtani hit a pinch-hit HR off JT Chargois in the seventh to win it for the Angels. This was also the game in which Puig hurt his oblique after hitting a three-run home run off Heaney in the second inning.

The Dodgers optioned Walker Buehler to AAA OKC and activated LHP Zac Rosscup, who was just claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1968 In the nightcap of a twin bill, Don Wilson strikes out eighteen batters in a nine-inning game to tie the then major league record, shared by Bob Feller (Indians, 1938) and Sandy Koufax (Dodgers, 1959 and 1962). The Astros right-hander fans future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for the last out of his 6-1 victory over the Reds on a wind-swept night at Crosley Field.

    Courtesy of the Houston Astros network
    via Astrosdaily.com

  • 1995 Ramon Martinez throws the 22nd no-hitter in franchise history when he beats the Marlins at Dodger Stadium, 7-0. The Dodger right-hander, who was booed by the home crowd in his last outing, was perfect before walking Tommy Gregg on a 3-2 pitch after getting the first out in the seventh inning.
  • 2005 Defeating their historical arch rivals, the Giants become the first team to win 10,000 games as a franchise by edging the Dodgers in LA, 4-3. The Giants, who started as the New York Gothams in 1899, have posted a 10,000-8,511 record during the club’s 123 seasons in the National League.

Lineup:


Jul 08

Game 89, 2018

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Dodgers at Angels, 5:15 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

LHP Alex Wood (5-5, 3.84 ERA) takes the hill for the Dodgers in the rubber match of this three-game series. He’ll face the Angels’ briefly-a-Dodger LHP Andrew Heaney (4-6, 3.94 ERA). Wood has won his last four starts after a three-game slump, while Heaney took the loss in his last start despite giving up only three runs over seven innings to the Mariners. He’s 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA in his only two career starts against the Dodgers.

An aside: I suspect the people who write these previews look up and add the career numbers as filler. Logically, if some pitcher is 12-2 over his lifetime against one team (or 2-12) he’s faced numerous iterations of that team. In these days of nearly-unfettered player movement it might be more useful to look at his career stats against each player he’s expecting to face in the game.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1949 Hank Thompson, who broke into the majors as a member of the St. Louis Browns twelve days after Larry Doby’s American League debut with the Indians in 1947, becomes the first African-American to play for the Giants. When the former Kansas City Monarchs’ standout faces Dodger right-hander Don Newcombe, it marks the first time a pitcher-batter confrontation takes place between black players in the major leagues.

In the “Dubious Moments in Baseball History” column comes this item: in 1979 the Mets announce the selection of Mettle as the name for the team’s new mascot mule. Dolores Mapps of Mercerville, N.J., who submitted the winning entry, believes the moniker captures the team’s “spirit, ardor, stamina, and courage, all of which the Mets have in abundance.”

In a slightly more aesthetic moment, back in 1994 Red Sox shortstop John Valentin snares Marc Newfield’s sixth-inning line drive, steps on second to retire Mike Blowers, and then tags the runner coming from first, Kevin Mitchell, to turn an unassisted triple play. After completing the rare feat, accomplishing a play that has occurred only ten times in major league history, the infielder begins a three-homer outburst by Boston in the bottom of the frame, helping the team defeat the Mariners at Fenway Park, 4-3.

Lineup when available.


Jul 02

Game 84, 2018

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Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, ATT SportsNet-PIT, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The 40-43 Buccaneers come to LA losers of 6 of their last 10 games. They hope to right their ship with RHP Nick Kingham (2-3, 3.82 ERA), who has been on an elevator between AAA Indianapolis and Pittsburgh this season. He’s made six starts for the Pirates, the last on June 9. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (4-5, 4.00 ERA), who has resolved whatever was plaguing him earlier in the year and won his last three starts.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1962 Johnny Podres ties a major league mark record, striking out eight consecutive batters in LA’s 5-1 victory over Philadelphia. The 29 year-old southpaw’s streak begins with the third out in the top of the fourth frame and ends after the first out in the seventh inning of the Dodger Stadium contest.
  • 1995 Dodger right-hander Hideo Nomo, who is leading the National League in strikeouts, becomes the first player from Japan to be selected for the major league All-Star game. As the starter for the Senior Circuit, the 26 year-old rookie tosses two scoreless innings in the National League’s 3-2 victory over their American League rivals at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Lineup:


Jun 27

Game 79, 2018

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Cubs at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, NBC Sports Chicago, ESPN (out-of-market only)

The visiting Cubbies send RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 3.73 ERA) to the mound to face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (3-5, 4.13 ERA). In Hendricks’ last start he walked four and gave up four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and lost. In Wood’s last start he went six innings, gave up only two hits and two runs while striking out seven and got the win.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1980 Dodger southpaw Jerry Reuss, facing only 28 batters, no-hits the Giants at Candlestick Park, 8-0. Shortstop Bill Russell’s errant throw on Jack Clark’s grounder with two outs in the first inning deprives the 31 year-old left-hander from tossing a perfect game.
  • 2011 Citing MLB refusal to sign off on a transaction that would provide the team with $385 million, the Dodgers file for bankruptcy protection in a Delaware court. Although there will be no disruption to the day-to-day status of the franchise, the Chapter 11 financing permits the Dodgers to use $150 million for daily operations and gives owner Frank McCourt time to seek a media deal that will ensure the club’s long-term financial stability.

If you believe USA Today’s Bob Nightengale’s sources, the Dodgers are front-runners in the hunt to acquire the Orioles’ infielder Manny Machado.

Per Nightengale, Baltimore has recently placed increased focus on scouting Los Angeles’ Minor League system as the market for Machado begins to pick up steam. The Dodgers, who are 26-10 since May 17 after opening the season 16-26, ranked 10th on MLB Pipeline’s preseason list of the top farm systems in baseball.

Lineup when available.


Try the “translate this tweet” option. You’ll probably have to click the time stamp to see it at Twitter. Microsoft didn’t work very hard on that function, I’m thinkin’.

Jun 22

Game 74, 2018

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Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, SNY, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The Dodgers send LHP Alex Wood (2-5, 4.22 ERA) to the hill to face the Mets’ RHP Zack Wheeler (2-5, 4.82 ERA). Wood’s had an uneven season so far, but his last outing showed signs he may be coming out of it. He went 5 2/3 innings against the Giants on Saturday, giving up four hits and just one run and getting his second win of the year. Wheeler has had a rough first half but shown some improvement recently. Over his last eight games he’s got a 4.24 ERA in 46 2/3 innings even though he’s 0-3 over that period.

With perhaps only one significant financial bullet in their holster, the Dodgers must determine what their most pressing need is, says Andy McCullough of the LA Times.

Kemp’s resurgence could take him to the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Utley has been reactivated from the DL.

The Dodgers Foundation just dedicated its 48th and 49th “Dreamfields,” baseball and softball fields in underserved communities.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1936 At Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, Ival Goodman hits an unusual home run when his fifth-inning fly ball lands and stays on top of the scoreboard in right field. With the perched ball considered in play, the three Dodger outfielders watch the Reds’ right fielder round the bases for an easy inside-the park round-tripper in their 7-2 loss to Cincinnati.

  • 1947 After pitching a no-hitter four days ago against the Braves, Reds hurler Ewell Blackwell loses his chance for a second consecutive no-hitter when Dodger second baseman Eddie Stanky singles with one out the ninth inning at Crosley Field.
  • 1959 Sandy Koufax goes the distance, beating Philadelphia at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, 6-2. The Dodger southpaw fans 16 Phillies to set a new record for strikeouts in a night game.
  • 1966 At the Astrodome, Houston sets a home attendance mark which will last for 22 years. Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax, who tosses a complete game to improve his record to 13-2, beats the hometown team, 5-2, in front of the 50,908 fans attending the Wednesday contest.

Lineup:


Jun 16

Game 69, 2018

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Giants at Dodgers, 5:15 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Giants’ LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-1, 4.76 ERA) got a late start thanks to a broken finger on his pitching hand, so this is just his third start of the year. He gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Marlins his last time out. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (1-5, 4.43 ERA), who’s still trying to find the form which made him 16-3 last season. He’s had hamstring and abductor muscle “issues” this season.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1933 Last year’s National League batting champ, Lefty O’Doul, and pitcher Watty Clark, a 20-game winner last season, are traded by the Dodgers to the Giants for first baseman Sam Leslie. Brooklyn’s newest infielder will bat .311 during his three seasons with the team, before returning to New York in 1936.

Lineup when available.


Jun 10

Game 65, 2018

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Braves at Dodgers, 1:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, FSSO

The Braves’ LHP Sean Newcomb (7-1, 2.49 ERA) is having the kind of year the Dodgers’ Alex Wood did last season when he started off 10-0 and was selected for the All Star Game. Newcomb lost his first start of the year but has made eight quality starts since then, including five scoreless outings of six innings or more. The Dodgers counter with RHP Ross Stripling (4-1, 1.52 ERA), who’s won his last four starts and given up only four earned runs in his last seven starts going back to May 3.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 2012 Bobby Abreu, who was tied with Mickey Mantle for 109th place on the all-time hit list, surpasses the Yankee legend with a second-inning double in L.A.’s 8-2 interleague victory over Seattle at Safeco Field. The 38 year-old outfielder has collected 2,416 hits playing for the Astros, Phillies, Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers.

Lineup when available.


Jun 09

Game 64, 2018

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Braves at Dodgers, 6:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, FSSO

The Braves send RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 2.16 ERA) to the mound to face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (1-4, 4.48 ERA). Sanchez is coming off his best start of the season; he went seven innings against the Nationals last Friday and gave up only two hits and two unearned runs in a no-decision. He didn’t sign with the Braves until March 16, so he’s just rounding into form. Wood is coming off a bad outing in which he gave up six runs on five hits in just two innings to the Rockies. He’s not gotten a lot of help from his teammates this year, but he hasn’t helped himself much either: his WHIP is 1.13 and opponents’ batting average against is .246.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1919 Dodger standout pitcher Rube Marquard breaks his leg running the bases, ending his season with a record of 3-3. The hard-throwing southpaw will finish his 18-year Hall of Fame career in 1925, after compiling a 201-177 record along with an ERA of 3.08.
  • 1973 Rightfielder Rusty Staub becomes the pivot man in a very unusual double play during a 4-2 Mets victory against the Dodgers at Shea Stadium. Racing in from the outfield, ‘Le Grand Orange’ gets a throw near second base from first baseman John Milner and tags Davey Lopes, who was picked-off from first, and then throws home to nail Tom Paciorek trying to score from second during the P-1B-SS-1B-2B-1B-2B-RF-C rundown.
  • 1990 Eddie Murray ties Mickey Mantle’s major league mark, hitting a homer from both sides of the plate for the tenth time in his career. The switch-hitting first baseman’s second home run of the game, batting left-handed against Eric Show, proves to be the eventual winning run in the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory over San Diego in the 11th inning at Jack Murphy Stadium.

This surprised me. We think nothing of baseball games being scheduled on Sunday nights now, and in fact ESPN has made Sunday Night Baseball a feature, but it was anything but until 1963. In the first major league game ever played on a Sunday night, the Colt .45’s extend the Giants’ losing streak to seven games, blanking the visiting team, 3-0. Due to the extreme heat during the days of the Texas summer months, baseball grants permission for games to be played in the evening at Colt Stadium.

Lineup when available.


Jun 03

Game 59, 2018

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Dodgers at Rockies, 12:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, ATTSportsNet-RM

The Dodgers send LHP Alex Wood (1-4, 3.75 ERA) to the hill two days after he would ordinarily have started. He’s had hamstring cramps and the idea apparently was that he should spend two days hydrating in Colorado’s altitude to get acclimated. We’ll see if it worked. His opponent will be RHP Chad Bettis (4-1, 3.68 ERA), whose sole loss this season was to the Dodgers on May 22 when he went just five innings. In his latest start on Monday he gave up 10 hits to the Giants.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1969 Tom Seaver strikes out 14 batters in eight innings en route to the Mets’ 5-2 win over LA at Shea Stadium. The victory, fueled by Ed Kranepool’s two home runs, improves the second-place team’s record to 24-23, the latest they have been above .500 in franchise 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.