Game 161, 2016

Dodgers at Giants, 1:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, KTLA, CS-BA

It’s a mound mismatch, if you look at the records of the two starters. The Dodgers send out Clayton Kershaw (12-3, 1.65 ERA) to face the Giants’ rookie lefthander Ty Blach (0-0, 2.00 ERA). Kershaw has been pretty successful in the Giants’ home park; he’s 10-3 with a 1.30 ERA lifetime. This will be Blach’s second major league start, but he’s seen the Dodgers before: he pitched three scoreless innings against them on September 21. The Giants need to win badly: they’re a game ahead of the Cardinals for the second Wild Card and need both a win and a St. Louis loss today to clinch a spot in the postseason. If they get one but not the other they clinch a tiebreaker game in St. Louis.

Charlie Culberson asked Vin Scully to sign the bat Charlie hit the walkoff HR with last weekend.

Lineup:

50 thoughts on “Game 161, 2016

    • That was the strike-shortened year, right? So it ended up being like these days: play two series before the WS.

    • So you are saying the 1981 Dodgers had a better record over their last 6 games than this year’s playoff bound team. (He says while cherry picking arbitrary end points.)

      • To be honest – the Gold Standard for reverse momentum leading into the playoffs are likely the 2000 NYY. They went 3-15 in their last 18 games, including 7 losses in a row to end the season.

        Unfortunately that didn’t stop them from winning the WS that year.

  1. I finally got caught up. Taped the game and started watching the beginning while the game was in the 4th. Glad tomorrow’s game does not determine the Division championship.

    I admit that I am enjoying the crowd and the Giants excitement about having another chance at a WS.

    • (Guess it’s an official loss — my TV stream is still showing the “game.”)
      Better hope they don’t advance, if they make the playoffs.

  2. Might as well get all their sloppy, lackluster play out of the way now.
    True, it hasn’t mattered, but they have not looked like a winning team since they clinched.
    And they haven’t been a winning team.

      • Sure — but 3 hits?
        Rushed at-bats?
        If they can flip a switch and win, great. But as a fan, it doesn’t feel good going into the playoffs looking like they have.

  3. The Cards must be as frustrated with the Dodger bats as we are — probably more.
    Any right-handed Nats pitcher on the roster bubble should practice until they can reach the plate as a lefty.

  4. Would’ve been nice (other than getting the out) to have had Blach on the basepath the whole inning. But maybe the long inning throws him.

    C’mon, bats!

  5. Gee whiz. Is today getaway day or something? This game is going fast. Not that I’m complaining too much seeing as how I have to go out for the evening in 1 hour.

    • I was thinking the same thing. Didn’t see, but heard how quickly LA rolled over.
      This is what I’m afraid of in the postseason (actually always) — bats going MIA . . . especially since EVERYONE knows their weakness vs. southpaws.

  6. So Posey complained last night to Ruiz that Hill was showing too much emotion on strikeouts.

    MadBum glares at Posey.

    • I know. I had a small dream Vin might call one last perfect game. It was a million to one shot, but with Kershaw maybe it was more like a million to two.

  7. It didn’t matter for the team, but it would’ve been great to see what Kersh would’ve accomplished had he not been injured.
    That K/BB ratio is incredible!

  8. The only good thing about the Dodgers rolling over is I’m going to try to take a quick nap when Vin leaves the radio . . . but I honestly would’ve waited!

    • Not that I usually care, but I hope LA helps out StL– I like the idea of the two of them having to play in before the playoffs.

      • True. At very least, I’m hoping SF and St. Louis tie for the last wild card spot.

  9. So October 1st happens to be my birthday. Always loved that it always started the best month for baseball (if not always for the Dodgers). Here’s hoping for a memorable October 2016!

    • I came to write that you can’t get more A-ish than this lineup (counting on Puig continuing as his post-exile self).

      But I agree about the auditions — you can’t turn winning on and off and it will be MUCH better to go into next week with a 2-game winning streak, than otherwise, especially since 1-3 since clinching.