Jun 25

Game 77, 2017

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

YALHP Tyler Anderson (3-5, 5.75 ERA) goes for the Rockies and RHP Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.87 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers.

Anderson has been on the DL for much of June with an inflamed left knee. He’d had a bad April but a good May. He’s 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA in three starts vs. L.A. this year. McCarthy’s had right knee tendinitis since Spring Training and it flared up on May 27, when he threw six scoreless innings in a victory over the Cubs. In the four starts since then he has a 1.59 ERA while holding opponents to a .218 batting average.

Seager is still day-to-day, and we may get some news about Puig, who looked like he twisted or pulled something when he took second base in the 7th inning Saturday night.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1937 Augie Galan becomes the first National Leaguer to hit a homer from each side of the plate. The switch-hitter’s pair of round-trippers, a homer from the left side off Freddie Fitzsimmons in the fourth frame and from the right side in the eighth against Ralph Birkofer, helps the Cubs beat Brooklyn at Wrigley Field, 11-2.
  • 1968 Bobby Bonds hits a grand slam in his third at-bat of his first major league game, going deep off Dodger right-hander John Purdin in the Giants’ 9-0 victory at Candlestick Park. The 22 year-old Giant outfielder joins Philadelphia National pitcher Bill Duggelby (1898 – first at-bat) as the only other player to hit a base-loaded home run in his major league debut.
  • 1984 Dodger infielder Bill Russell plays his 1,953rd game to become the team’s leader in games played. The shortstop, who will extend the mark to 2181 during his 18-year tenure with the club, is hitless in three trips to the plate, but will walk twice in LA’s 9-4 loss to San Diego at Chavez Ravine.

Lineup when available.

As I suspected, Puig is not in the lineup. Gutierrez has been put on the 10-day DL with an episode of ankylosis spondylitis and his roster spot taken by Mike Freeman. Also, according to management, Seager is feeling much better today.

May 26

Game 49, 2017

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.