Game 82, 2017

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Dodgers at Padres, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD, MLBN (out-of-market only)

Lefty Alex Wood (8-0, 1.86 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers and YALHP Clayton Richard (5-7, 4.42 ERA) takes the hill for the Padres.

Wood is having the best year of his career, partly because he’s making batters hit the ball on the ground 66.2 percent of the time. Richard is no slouch; he’s getting ground balls 60.1 percent of the time.

RBI asked “When a third strike is dropped by the catcher, why must the runner be thrown out at first?” This SABR article explains the origins and reasons.

The three-strike rule in 1845 takes this form: “Three balls being struck at and missed and the last one caught, is a hand out; if not caught is considered fair, and the striker bound to run.”

There’s lots more interesting history there. Read the whole article.

Kenley Jansen wants to be “the Kershaw of the bullpen.”

“He’s the guy here,” Jansen said. “Me, in my role in the bullpen, I’m the same thing, I’m the ace and the leader in my department. I have to take care of my responsibility.”

Seager’s not hurt, just easing back in to the day-to-day.

This date in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1962 Sandy Koufax becomes the first Dodger southpaw to throw a no-hitter since Nap Rucker accomplished the feat in 1908 when he keeps the expansion Mets hitless in the team’s 5-0 victory in Los Angeles. The 26 year-old left-hander, en route to fanning 13, strikes out the first three batters he faces – Richie Ashburn, Rod Kanehl, and Felix Mantilla, on nine pitches to start the game with an immaculate inning.

     

  • 1973 With an 8-7 extra-inning loss to L.A. at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds finish the day 11 games behind the first-place Dodgers. Led by the eventual National League MVP Pete Rose, who will win the batting title with a .338 average, Cincinnati will go on a 60-26 tear to capture the Western Division by 3.5 games.
  • 1985 Pedro Guerrero ties a major league record by hitting 15 home runs in June when he goes deep off Bruce Sutter in his final at bat of the month. The eighth inning two-run round-tripper will prove to be the difference in the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory over Atlanta at Chavez Ravine.
  • 1997 Rangers’ hurler Bobby Witt becomes the first American League pitcher to hit a home run in a regular-season game in nearly 25 years. His round tripper off Ismael Valdes helps Texas to beat the Dodgers in interleague action, 3-2.

Lineup when available.

115 thoughts on “Game 82, 2017”

  10. Speaking of last night’s scary 8th, here’s Avilan . . . chance to redeem himself?

  17. No knock on Wood — 🙂 — but who would think that a 9-0 start for the Dodgers would belong to him?
    Nice replacement for Zack as Ace Minor

    • Anyone know what the club record is for most wins by a pitcher without a loss to start the season?

        • Rhoden gave us a few good years, if I remember correctly. Could also hit and was a good golfer.

      • From the MLB Preview pages:

        Last Friday vs. the Rockies, Wood became the first Dodgers pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to start a season 8-0. The lefty also became the first Dodgers pitcher since Orel Hershiser since ’85 to remain unbeaten 11 starts into a season, and he is two behind Houston’s Dallas Keuchel longest active streak of starts without a loss.

        That doesn’t say what the longest such streak is, but it shows how long it’s been since anyone got this far along.

  20. This is the sixth time this month, in 28 games, we have scored six or more runs, and the sixth time 10 or more.

  21. Joe Davis said he was rooting for AZ against Colorado – so that the LA-AZ series would be even bigger.
    Orel – I need to think about that.

      • Uh yeah me too.
        Although neither team really bugs me. I know we had that thing a couple of years ago vs AZ – and that Coors is a nightmare – but they aren’t the Giants!

          • Went there last August for a three-game series. The Dodgers were routed twice, there was a rainout, and because of flight schedule missed the Toles grand slam game. The main street downtown is for buses only. They are free. Wide median. Very civilized. It was weird seeing marijuana shops. Visited the state capital building, which is impressive.

          • I lived there briefly when I was 13, and my cousin (my mother’s twin sister’s son) still lives there. Ideally, I would choose Boulder over Denver as a place to live, but my game experience was better than yours. I saw the last game before the strike in 1994 there.

          • I thought it was a unique stadium with right field corner looking like it belonged behind home plate. I got good seats but they were way too narrow. We moved up higher where there were empty seats because we were so squeezed where we were sitting.

            The game we saw was the game Kemp ran into the fence.

    • I’m with the Bulldog. Don’t take anything for granted — look what happened with the Angels series.

  25. Dodgers might be sad to turn the calendar to July. Although the wins keep increasing from April to May to June.

  26. Just joining after attending an Iowa Cub’s game. Watched Kyle Schwarber hit a home run. We left early due to threatening skies.

    • O’ beautiful, for spacious skies
      But now those skies are threatening

      End of the Innocence by Don Henley

  38. Our catchers are on fire these days. Hmm, I guess our outfielders are too. And infielders.
    This team!

  43. Link, thank you! Great reading, and I just forwarded on to my hubby. I am babysitting the four year old tonight, so will be following the game on Game Day.

  44. I knew we could count on Link to address RBI’s question from last night. Thanks for tracking down that article Link!