Game 154, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20AM PT, TV: SPNLA

Clayton Kershaw has won five straight games and is trying to win his 20th game of the season. He’s 19-3 with a 1.70 ERA. He’ll face old friend Edwin Jackson, who’s coming off the DL, where he was nursing a right lat strain. Before he got hurt he was 6-14 with a 6.09 ERA.

Believe it or not, Jackson, who got his first start with the Dodgers back in 2003 and made it a memorable one, turned 31 years old 10 days ago and has been pitching in the major leagues for 12 years with a lifetime record of 84-103 for mostly bad teams.

Lineup when available.

70 thoughts on “Game 154, 2014”

  3. I didn’t realize there were some health causes for concern:

    “The one-sided score allowed manager Don Mattingly to lift Kemp, Juan Uribe and Hanley Ramirez in the sixth inning. Kemp seemed to have trouble running the bases in the top of the inning, and Uribe had a couple of awkward swings that hit the radar of Stan Conte, VP of medical services, who spoke to Uribe on the field after a fifth-inning strikeout.” http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2014_09_19_lanmlb_chnmlb_1&mode=recap_away&c_id=la

  4. Matt is now 1 HR behind A-gon for the team lead — and he apparently lost two in the wind last night.
    I think the Bison will come out in front there . . . but I hope it’s a spirited competition this final week!

  5. So the two Dodger “name” pitchers are through for this series (and two LA wins, as expected).
    Unless the Giants lose their next two, I’m figuring Haren is saved for the Giants, so these next two could be “interesting.”
    Hopefully the bats continue to give support.

    • Nice to have a Dodger W on the board for SF to see.
      Recently, it seems like it was always the other way around.

  7. I took a nap in the other room and didn’t hear the 9th . . . guess it was too much to ask the bullpen to go four scoreless inning.

    Tho I’m surprised it was Howell who gave up the runs, especially when League was in the mix.

    • Bad luck more than bad pitching. A ball that stayed fair down the 3B line for a run-scoring double following a Cub single and ill-advised throwing error–by Barney, of all people. Then, with 2 out, another very catchable ball lost in the sun by the OF, this time by Pederson, fell in and drove in the runner from 2B.

      Apparently JP had had enough. He struck out the final batter, his 2nd K of his inning. His ERA ballooned all the way to 1.53.

      • Thanks for clarifying . . . and I’m glad it wasn’t JP — there’s gotta be SOME relievers who don’t create a cringe when they are announced!

  9. about the only time I’ve ever been pleased we have grounded into a DP. (I’m going out soon and I want to see the win!)

  10. Isn’t this the game Bob H was going to? If so, he’d have liked to see vintage Kershaw but no doubt is pleased with the offense.

    • It is! — I hope he gets a chance to send us a report.
      Apparently Kersh is undefeated when he’s there.

  11. Since I go down there frequently, I like when I can root for San Diego. . . . Well, never more than this weekend.

    Go, Blue!
    Go, Pads!

    • Don is probably gonna give 4 different pitchers a shot — I agreed with you but it makes sense to work them with a 10+-run lead.

      • I’ve just went through the play by play, I see what you mean. Kershaw is certainly owed some favours by the batters

        • Totally agree re Kersh being owed.
          Mo & Kennedy on the radio said the same thing.
          Not sure if the play by play indicated the part the wind played today — helping other teams, blowing out to left.

  16. Which is more surprising . . .
    Kershaw’s poor outing (for him, anyway)?
    OR
    AJ’s offensive outburst?

    • AJ. Kershaw’s line of 7 hits, 3 runs (all earned), 3 walks and 9 Ks wouldn’t be bad for mere mortals, even if it was spaced over only five innings. On a windy day in Wrigley? Not so bad.

  17. Here’s an incentive for the bullpen — the rare chance to be more effective than Kershaw (at least in this game).

  18. Hearing Matt waved in, then stopping on his own brought the terrible memory of that blowout in D.C. when he hurt himself after just returning from the DL on the will I?/won’t I? hustle play at the plate.

    • Absolutely.
      Who knows — maybe a succession of four one-inning relievers CAN be effective.
      (If it wasn’t one of those location, location, location situations, this would be the perfect time to see what some of the callups can do.)

  24. They need the win . . . but Kersh also has to be strong for the Giants.
    Still — they need the win, especially with a 6-0 lead to start.

      • Agree — I was thinking of Coors as well.
        But some could be prevented, according to Mo — and he should know, having played here . . . he was admonishing Crawford to play deeper.

  27. Link, do you think maybe AJ read your comment yesterday about his seldom being on base and decided to show you, twice even? On the chance he did, keep it up! ;-])

    Just tuned in. WGN announcers talking about wind blowing out, Kershaw not himself.

    Were AJ’s shots legit, or would they not have made it without a tailwind?

    • I don’t think AJ reads the blog (when would he have time? Doesn’t he have a small child?), but maybe my theory transmitted itself through the ether (not Ethier!) to him and he thought, “I’ll show THAT guy!”

  28. KK-ersh!
    Cubs had a Dodger-kind-of offensive inning: 2 doubles, nothing across . . . thankfully!

  30. Just got back after blackout period (the Vegas station is on-air shopping and having a marathon) . . . frustrated to hear ANOTHER LOB RISP, but very happy to hear LA got two more runs and Kersh settled down.

  31. Kershaw just struck out a guy named Mike Olt to end the third inning. He was hitting .155 with 12 HRs and 33 RBI. How can a guy who hits that poorly be in the lineup often enough to hit that many HRs and get that many RBI?

  34. I Watched the video on Gameday. After Ellis’s home run Steiner said (tempting the fates) “the rout is on.”

    Sorry, Charlie. (hey, a Sunkist Tuna commercial line!)

  35. This is not Quality Kershaw . . . walked the first batter, who scored . . . had 2 strikes with a runner on 3rd and gave up a sac fly . . . hope he gets a better rhythm AND the bats stay hot!

  36. Had a bad feeling about this . . . Kersh’s ERA is going to balloon (for him) . . . gotta get the win!

  37. A HR by a Dodger catcher?!
    We’ll take it!
    Sure hope this isn’t a funky game for Kersh — wind is blowing out and he’s been sitting half an hour since the game began.