Jun 03

Game 59, 2023

Yankees at Dddgers, 7:15 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Yankees give the ball to RHP Gerrit Cole (6-0, 2.93 ERA); the Dodgers hand theirs to the newly-activated RHP Michael Grove (0-1, 8.44 ERA).

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.

Lineups when available.

Jun 03

Game 52, 2022

Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: SNY, SPNLA

RHP Chris Bassitt (4-2, 3.66 ERA) takes the hill for the Mets and LHP Tyler Anderson (6-0, 2.90 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. Bassitt has been in the big leagues since 2014; he had Tommy John surgery in 2016 and missed all of the 2017 season as a result. He’s got a lifetime record of 35-27 with a 3.48 ERA in 116 games. Anderson has been a godsend to the Dodgers, whose rotation has been hit with the loss of Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney and the continued absence of Dustin May. He and Tony Gonsolin are a combined 12-0 so far this season, which not even the most cock-eyed optimist would have suggested in March.

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.

The Athletic’s Jayson Stark notices the Pirates – Dodgers series just past:

On that note, we present the Strange But True case of the Pirates versus the Dodgers.

Pirates vs. Dodgers this season: 5-1

Pirates vs. everyone else: 17-26

Pirates vs. all other teams .500 or better: 3-15

Pirates vs. Dodgers (2017-21): 2-23*

Pirates series won vs. Dodgers in 2022: 2-for-2

Pirates series won vs. all other teams .500 or better in 2022: 0-for-6

(* h/t Jim Passon)

You just can’t explain some things in life. But especially …

Baseball!

Lineups when available.

Jun 03

Game 61, 2019

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 PM PDT, TV: FS-A, SPNLA

The Dodgers’ RHP Walker Buehler (5-1, 4.03 ERA) takes the hill at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks’ RHP Robbie Ray (4-2, 3.59 ERA). Buehler struggled against the Mets his last time out, giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings, but before that he’d had four consecutive quality starts. Ray also struggled in his last outing against the Rockies, giving up five runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He’s 4-0 in his last eight starts against the Dodgers.

Houston Mitchell of the LA Times looks at the history and concludes that Cody Bellinger is having the best season in Dodgers history. He uses OPS+ to prove it.


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.

Jun 03

Game 59, 2018

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.