Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSBA
It’s a battle of left-handed aces, with Clayton Kershaw (11-3, 1.81 ERA) making his third start since coming off the DL. He’ll face Madison Bumgarner (14-9, 2.66 ERA), who’s not been ace-like against the Dodgers this season, going 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in three starts against them.
This may not be all we need to know about the Giants’ bullpen, but it’s significant:
The Giants’ bullpen has matched a franchise record set in 2004 and ’05 with 28 blown saves this season. Santiago Casilla has nine blown saves alone.
Unlikely masher department: Kiké Hernandez is hitting .579 with three home runs in 19 at-bats against Bumgarner.
Lineup:
Tonight’s Dodger lineup:
Kendrick LF
Hernández CF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Puig RF
Grandal C
Utley 2B
Kershaw P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 19, 2016
NPUT
Everything you need to know about the Carolina Gumbarners: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f86a81f94e537ea822832027e133534caf864f039ae1f8cdc87daa256810f940.png
I have a new favorite Giants video to watch, to replace the “balk off” one.
You misspelled “Gnats,” though…
Mientras tanto, el número mágico es https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/619deb0633f1f8d017ca02aa1942c17b9e8a713254d7934d3480399f8ee58a64.png
I expect BadGums got a goon (sic) night’s sleep…
Good morning everyone. I actually read Jon’s story of the dust up first. Sounds like it was an interesting game, in a non no hitter way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpGx4foRdPw
Andrew Baggarly of the San José Mercury (edited for spelling: “The combination of testosterone and incidental eye contact cost the Gnats their ace, and perhaps the last of their vigor in the NL West.”
Well, what a nice way to end the evening.
Just saw the replay of AGon’s game-winner, and Pence really butchered it. A catch would have probably only delayed the Gnats’ agony, though.
So, we win 3 of the next 12 and the giants lose 3 of the next 12, that’s all she wrote.
To play off of Scoop’s father’s saying .. . ” . . . and Bob’s your uncle.”
The Redbirds are now tied with the Gnats in the “wild card” race. Mets still a game ahead.
Pence really blew that AGon fly ball.
Well, as my late father used to say, “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” which means the truly unexpected has happened. He took me to my first baseball game 61 years ago at Ebbets Field. (My father, not the monkey!).
I was sure Bochy would leave Bumgarner in for the 8th. Do you think it was because of the dust up?
After the encounter with Puig, sure Bochy felt that it was best to end Bum’s night
Actually I called it a night before that incident. Enjoyed the tape this morning though.
Good night everyone. That was fun and I hope it is just as good tomorrow night!
It would have been horrible to lose on a wild pitch.
Certainly one of the most exciting games of the year.
Really hope the only question left for the final series of the season is what Vin will say.
Grant need to rise to the occasion for this one.
It’s the kind that’ll keep him up all night, I think.
Besides the 2-game swing and beating Bumgarner, what a perfect antidote to yesterday’s loss!
Remember when the Dodgers couldn’t win anything when they trailed after 7?
So good! I love it!
On my!
I want to hear an interview with BadGums!
Yes!!!
A-gon AGAIN!!!!
We win!!!
Woo-HOO!!!!!!
Butter and egg man, time to deliver.
Time for an omelette!
Bake a cake!
I thought Seager might have made it to 3rd but better safe than sorry I guess.
Don’t make the first or third out at third.
Vin – giants drive to their knees again by their bullpen.
Kershaw doesn’t get an L!
And MadBum a W.
Thought the same.
The Gnatpen delivers!
Tie game! Tie game!
YES!
Looked away, then saw what you wanted on Gameday — nice call!
Wow. 100 mph.
Hoping for scoring here and no Blanton cuz no 10th!
Probably Kenley if there is a 10th.
Grant is being fitted for a straightjacket at this point.
Hilarious.
A little longer on the sleeves, please.
Maybe not for you all, but here the clock just struck midnight. For the Giants hopefully.
That works too!
In Play, No Outs
We finally got the inch on our side.
Well, these are the guys we want up there.
Just waiting for and dreaming of In Play Run(s).
Bochy doing his one pitcher per batter thing.
Perhaps we can do the one hit per pitcher thing to mess it up.
Great start!
Well, if this game is tied after 9 – Blanton hasn’t thrown many pitches and could go in the 10th.
Glad to see you’re still President of the Optimists Club, Dave!
Here’s the thing – you never know. 🙂
So true!
Well, that sounds a little pessimistic.
Ha – it sorta does. Even saying “being tied” could be viewed as less than optimal optimism.
I so want to win this one. Breathe in, breathe out, RBI.
And the next one. And the one after that…
We need 9th inning magic on our side, collapse on theirs.
They have a track record of ninth-inning collapses.
Let’s go Dodgers, clap clap, clap clap clap.
Micah in now?
Pinch running for Ruiz.
My first thought after the hit.
It’s go time.
In our last two home games against the Giants’ Moore and Bumgarner we have two hits in 16 innings.
Can the Giants bullpen be our saving grace tonight?
Bumgarner clearly can’t stand Puig for some reason. And now Bumgarner is out, pinch hit for.
So the Dodgers have 2 innings of SF bullpen. Here’s hoping…
Hold them here. Dudgeons are high.
BadGums is a flagrant racist.
Watching him mouth at Puig, I actually wondered about that.
Hope that lights a spark under the Dodgers.
I agree.
Bumgarner almost shoved Puig.
Kenley loves it. Puig got under Bumgarner’s skin.
I hate this team.
Pray we can get to their bullpen, but not looking likely at the moment.
We would get the lights out Bumgarner.
Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party.
It is painful to see all this near misses. Like that one with Puig!
Corey, hold up on that pitch, would you please?
Great, Bumgarner. Throw at his head, knock him down, then ask if he went around.
Kiké cannot see that slider without swinging at it…and almost hit one out!
So many near misses tonight.
And they’ve been getting some weird breaks. Like last night’s game – inches falling their way.
Our BABIP is not great tonight.
Kershaw clearly still not being allowed to go maximum distance quite yet.
Which is fine. Build for October I say.
Let’s get some runs, now, Boys in Blue!
Sweet catch by Puig.
That looked like a strike three against Pagan, though.
Well, yeah. I guess if you consider a pitch thrown right down the middle of the plate a strike, then sure. Pagan disagrees with you, the ump and everyone else however.
Along with Pence, my least favorite Gnat.
Strike zone is expanding this inning big time.
Hope it stays that way when Kershaw is pitching.
And yet, no.
These dinky hits are killing me!
But it was nice of Pence to hit that one hard so that the Dodgers could get the DP.
They’re Gnatballs.
That was a really stupid run. He just dribbled it past Kershaw in the first place to get his single.
And then the catcher with the bad elbow throws the ball into CF to let the runner go to third. What is it about Grandal that he plays hurt even though he hasn’t shown an ability to do so well.
Nice Puigie.
Can’t say that about Kike’ yet though.
Very eager, but Mad Bum won’t throw him a fastball over the plate and Quique hasn’t adjusted to that.
I am headed to sleep. I will have to check in the morning to see what our magic number will be.
Expect it to be Steve Yeager.
East coaster?
Another blackout, but Vin’s voice is still better than any video, even if it’s only for three innings.
I have to say that, though we own a Prius, I detest the new Busted Poseur commercial. At first, though, I was amused when it appeared he was seated in a wheelchair.
That’s a bit cruel don’t you think? And a little too close to home considering Campy.
Well, he is injury-prone. Campy had an accident.
Exactly – a car crash. Seemed a little gauche to me considering it was a car commercial.
The Poseur gets injured because he never learned how to play his position properly.
One would hope that wouldn’t be cause for less compassion.
Do we want to hire De Jon Watson back?
Why? Did he lose his job?
Arizona let him go. I thought he was a good FO person when he was with the Dodgers.
Probably only the beginning of the Dbags’ purge.
Farm director. Can’t see him getting that job back, at least.
This evening, in Denver, Carlos Martínez of the Redbirds threw 35 pitches in the first inning, but escaped with a single run.
Hopefully we can put SF out of their misery soon. Or out of our misery soon. Either way, it feels like we are going up against a wounded animal which can be dangerous. Funny to call them wounded I know, when LA has had all the injuries. But I think you know what I mean.
Quique is actually a known masher of southpaws with, as noted, career OPS of 1.842 against Mad Bum, as well as 1.313 against Robbie Ray and .917 against Lester. Last year he led all NLers hitters (with more than 5 PA) against southpaw with OPS 1.215. Obviously having a major down year to date, he has still managed to have OPS+ 101 agin’ them. Perhaps more telling this is second to only Yas among team regulars from the right side against lefties. Justin, for example, only has OPS+ 67.
Eric Stephen previews tonight’s matchup between the two pitchers.
I dispute the description of BadGums as an “ace.” Had he been on the Dodgers last year, he would have been no better than their No. 3 starter, and this year he’s not even as good as Cueto. Neither of them is remotely close to a healthy Kershaw. Several of the Cubbies’ starters are better than either of them.
The press has told me he’s an ace. Ergo, he’s an ace.
No?
Play the hand that is dealt you? I have always understood “ace” as being the best pitcher on a given team’s staff. Mad Bum no longer fits that billing.
He had a Jack Morris-like post-season run, and is living off that reputation. Morris himself was a good pitcher, but his press was also better than his career.