Aug 11

Game 120, 2019

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 1:10 PM PDT, TV: FS-A, MLBN (out-of-market only), SPNLA

RHP Mike Leake (9-8, 4.24 ERA) pitches for the D-Backs in the rubber game of this series against LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (11-2, 1.53 ERA) of the Dodgers. Ryu is freshly off the injured list while Leake is starting his second game for the D-Backs after coming over from the Mariners in a trade for INF Jose Caballero. Leake went 5 1/3 innings in his first start NL start in several years, giving up 11 hits and walking one but allowing the Phillies just three runs, only two of them earned. Ryu’s last start was July 31 when he shut out the Rockies for six innings. He didn’t get the win because the Dodgers were shut out until the ninth when Will Smith hit a three-run HR and Khristopher Negron followed with a two-run blast of his own to win the game.

Muncy opens the scoring in Saturday’s game with a solo blast to center field:

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1940 Bees hurler Nick Strincevich completes an unusual 1-1 unassisted twin killing when he doubles up Joe Vosmik, the runner trying to score on attempted squeeze play signaled by Dodger skipper Leo Durocher. The Boston southpaw catches Vito Tamulis’ bunt in the air and continues running until he steps on third base, completing the double play to end the top of the seventh inning in the team’s 3-0 loss to Brooklyn at Braves Field.
  • 1946 Sweeping a doubleheader, the Phillies end the Dodgers’ 18-game winning streak, a major league record, in Philadelphia. The Dodgers hadn’t lost in the City of Brotherly Love since May 5, 1945.
  • 1950 Vern Bickford, throwing just 97 pitches, no-hits the Dodgers at Braves’ Field, 7-0. The 29 year-old right-hander hurls the first hitless game for Boston since Jim Tobin accomplished the feat, also against Brooklyn, on April 27, 1944.
  • 1951 WCBS-TV televises the first baseball game broadcast in color, a Braves’ 8-1 victory over the hometown Dodgers in the first game of a twin bill at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn’s announcers Red Barber and Connie Desmond provide the play-by-play commentary.
  • 1969 Don Drysdale announces his retirement. The last Dodger to have played in Brooklyn, Drysdale will be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984.
  • 2015 The Blue Jays, Rays, Marlins, Mets, Indians, Cubs, Royals, White Sox, Twins, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Padres, Dodgers, and Giants all win, making it the first time in the live ball era that every contest is won by the home team in a full slate of games. The unique occurrence became a reality when the two last games to finish end in extra innings, with the host clubs enjoying a walk-off victory.
  • 2020 For the first time in over a century, games are played at three different New York major league ballparks when the Toronto Blue Jays face the Marlins at Buffalo’s Sahlen Field, joining contests at Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium. The last time this happened in the Empire State occurred on September 8, 1915, with the Polo Grounds (Yankees), Ebbets Field (Dodgers), and Federal League Park (Buffalo Blues) hosting big-league teams.

Lineup when available.

May 29

Game 52, 2017

Dodgers at Cardinals, 11:15 AM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-M

Rich Hill (1-2, 4.76 ERA) for the Dodgers, Mike Leake (5-2, 1.91 ERA) for the Cardinals.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1905 According to legend, Dodger hurler Elmer Stricklett introduces the spitball, helping Brooklyn to beat the Giants, 4-3. Prior to the the 1921 season, the spitball will be totally banned except for 17 existing spitballers who are allowed to keep throwing the slippery pitch legally until they are retired, including including Burleigh Grimes, who will be the last player to legally throw a doctored pitch before retiring in 1934.
  • 1928 At Ebbets Field, Bill Terry hits for the cycle to pace the Giants to a 12-5 victory over the Robins (Dodgers). The New York first baseman is the first player in major league history to include a grand slam as part of the cycle.
  • 1956 In a 10-1 loss to the Dodgers at Forbes Field, Dale Long is held hitless by Don Newcombe, ending his consecutive-game home run streak. The Pirates’ first baseman had established a new major league mark by homering in the last eight Pittsburgh contests.
  • 1979 At Dodger Stadium, Dusty Baker, Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Garvey, Gary Thomasson, Derrel Thomas, Joe Ferguson, and Davey Lopes set a team record by hitting seven home runs as the Dodgers crush the Reds, 17-6.
  • 2000 At the age of 104, Fred Roberts, the oldest living Dodger fan, makes his first visit to Dodger Stadium. Wearing a jersey with the number 104, the World War I veteran cheers as Shawn Green’s sixth inning grand slam helps to beat Al Leiter and the Mets, 4-1.

Alex Wood to the 10-day DL with shoulder joint inflammation.

Lineup:

May 24

Game 47, 2017

Cardinals at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-M, MLBN (out-of-market only)

RHP Mike Leake (4-2, 2.03 ERA) tries to recapture his lead in the NL ERA race one night after he was overtaken by the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (2.01 ERA after last night’s gem). He’ll face the Dodgers’ Rich Hill (1-1, 2.77 ERA), who’ll be pitching on seven days’ rest.

Leake has been impressive all season; in fact he’s the only NL pitcher to post a quality start every time he’s gone to the mound in 2017. This will be Hill’s second start since coming off the 10-DL; he hasn’t faced the Cardinals since 2008.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1947 Carl Furillo hits a three-run homer as a pinch-hitter in the first frame of the Dodgers’ 4-3 ten-inning loss to Philadelphia at Ebbets Field. The unusual substitution occurs when Phillies manager Ben Chapman uses his right-handed starter Al Jurisch to pitch only to Brooklyn’s first two hitters, Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson, and then brings in southpaw Oscar Judd, who had been warming up from the start of the game, to face the next three lefty hitters, Pete Reiser, Dixie Walker, and Gene Hermanski, the batter replaced by Furillo.
  • 1973 In a 19-inning marathon, LA outfielder Willie Davis collects six hits in a 7-3 loss to the Mets at Dodger Stadium. The two clubs establish a National League mark by hitting into a combined nine double plays.
  • 2000 Sixteen Dodger players and three coaches are suspended by the commissioner’s office for going into the stands during the Wrigley Field scuffle with fans on May 16. The suspensions totaling 60 games for players and 24 games for coaches is the harshest penalty ever handed down by major league baseball.

In non-Dodger history I thought this was interesting:

  • 1964 The major league mark for shutouts in one day is broken as seven of the twenty major league teams do not cross home plate. The Twins, White Sox, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, and Pirates are all blanked. The record is now eight, set on June 4, 1972. Yes, the Dodgers were participants. Claude Osteen lost to Bob Gibson 4-0.

Lineup when available.

Puig’s ribs can’t hurt him too much if he’s in the outfield again tonight.

Jul 23

Game 99, 2016

Dodgers at Cardinals, 4:15PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-M

Kenta Maeda (8-7, 3.25 ERA) tries to bounce back from a poor start his last time out against the D-Backs in which he gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings. He’ll face Mike Leake (7-7, 4.00 ERA), who has won his last two starts.

Also: “Dodgers have recalled RHP Ross Stripling from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Grant Dayton to OKC.”

Lineup when available.

May 15

Game 38, 2016

Cardinals at Dodgers, 5:05PM PT, TV: ESPN

It’s Sunday Night Baseball! If ESPN’s producers were smart they’d go back to something the network did years ago; it would pick up the local TV feed (if there is one) or ask the team broadcaster to come into the booth and do play-by-play so the national viewer could get a taste of what the home teams’ fans hear every day. Baseball lovers all over the country should get a half-inning of Vin Scully, particularly in his last year.

The Cardinals send out Mike Leake (1-3, 5.10 ERA) to try for his second win as a Redbird. It took him six starts to get his first, which he did his last time out. He’ll face the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (1-3, 4.58 ERA), who’s been a much better pitcher at home than on the road so far this season, posting a 1.33 ERA at Dodger Stadium and a horrible 8.05 ERA elsewhere.

In other baseball news and notes, congratulations to Marcus Stroman of the Blue Jays, who graduated and took part in the customary ceremonies at Duke today.

And then there’s this amazing scoring play in a softball game between Notre Dame and Army yesterday:

Lineup when available.

Sep 30

Game 158, 2015

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-BA

The Dodgers (88-69) have clinched the division title, but if they want home field advantage in the NLDS they need to continue winning and hope the Mets lose while they do so. They trail the Mets (89-68) by one game in the overall standings. To that end they send Mike Bolsinger to the hill tonight. Bolsinger has not shown himself to be the pitcher he was in the first half of the season; since his September callup he’s got an 8.66 ERA in four starts. In his last one on September 25 he gave up seven hits and seven runs, four earned, in just four innings. He may be pitching for a long relief spot on the NLDS playoff roster.

Bolsinger’s opponent will be Mike Leake, who was acquired by the Giants from the Reds at this year’s trade deadline. He too has been a disappointment to his team; he’s gone 1-5 with a 4.86 ERA since his arrival.

Lineup when available.

Grandal at first base, huh?

Sep 02

Game 132, 2015

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-BA

Can the Dodgers sweep? You gotta like their chances with Clayton Kershaw (11-6, 2.24 ERA, and did you know he’s just gone two straight months with a sub-2.00 ERA?) going against mid-season acquisition Mike Leake (9-6, 3.53 ERA). Leake’s been no slouch since coming over from the Reds, giving up seven runs in 18 2/3 innings with the Giants. He’s got no wins to show for it, though.

This will be the last series between the two teams until a four-game set to end the season starting September 28.

Lineup:

Jun 10

Game 66, 2014

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

Josh Beckett (3-3, 2.57 ERA) goes for the Dodgers against Mike Leake (3-5, 3.29 ERA) of the Reds. In five career appearances (four starts) against the Dodgers, he is 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA. Another thing: in the last eight games the two teams have played, each team has won four. Six have been one-run affairs.

Bob Welch, who won 211 games in the major leagues for the Dodgers and As, died yesterday. He was only 57. Here’s Jon Weisman’s appreciation of the former pitcher.

Gordon and Puig are both in the lineup, so hopefully their respective hips are fully recovered.