Game 157, 2017

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

What incentives do the Dodgers have to win these games beyond pride? Well,

Los Angeles holds a 4 1/2-game lead on the Nationals for the best record in the NL, positioning the Dodgers for home-field advantage up to the World Series. The Indians trail the Dodgers by one game for the best record in baseball, which will determine home-field advantage in the Fall Classic.

LHP Travis Wood (4-6, 6.55 ERA) pitches for the Friars while RHP Yu Darvish (9-12, 3.96 ERA) goes for the Dodgers.

Wood held the D-Backs to two runs over six innings in his last start, a marked improvement over his previous two when he gave up 15 earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings. Darvish is hoping to finish the season with a third consecutive good outing. In his previous two he gave up just one run in 12 1/3 innings.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1941 Combined with a Cardinal defeat, the Dodgers win their first pennant in 21 years when they beat Boston at Braves Field, 6-0. Whitlow Wyatt throws a five-hitter and Pete Reiser hits a homer in the winning cause.
  • 1956 Dodger right-hander Sal Maglie no-hits the Phillies at Ebbets Field, 5-0. The ‘Barber’s’ gem helps second-place Brooklyn to keep pace in the pennant race with Milwaukee and Cincinnati.

  • 1962 After appearing in 60 games over a two-year span, Dodger reliever Ed Roebuck suffers his first loss. The LA right-hander gives up a 10th inning home run to Houston’s Al Spanger, breaking the 2-2 deadlock at Chavez Ravine.
  • 1974 In a first-of-its-kind operation, Dr. Frank Jobe transplants a tendon from Tommy John’s right wrist to the Dodger pitcher’s left elbow. The revolutionary ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, which will become a commonplace surgical procedure better known as Tommy John surgery, enables the southpaw to win an additional 164 games, more than half of his career total of 288 victories.
  • 1996 Giants slugger Barry Bonds draws an intentional walk which gives him the National League record with 149 bases-on-balls in a season. The free pass is issued in the seventh inning by LA’s Mark Guthrie with two outs and a runner on third base in the team’s 7-5 loss at Dodger Stadium.
  • 2008 The Diamondbacks, defending division champions, lose to St. Louis, allowing the Dodgers to clinch the NL West. Los Angeles first-year skipper Joe Torre’s 13-year postseason streak continues, unlike the Yankees, his former team.

Lineup:

Apparently Roberts is still annoyed and frustrated by Puig. I can’t imagine any other reason for him not to play, considering he’s 5-for-8 off Wood in his career, reaching in seven of his 10 plate appearances.

82 thoughts on “Game 157, 2017”

  2. I will be satisfied if the Dodgers win three of the next five, to finish with their best record ever since moving to LA.

    • I don’t want them to knock the Rox out of the WC. But, on the other hand, I don’t want to play in Coors.

  3. Thanks Yu for brightening the postseason horizon.
    And Yu thanks the bats for showing midsummer form.
    Nice win!

  8. This is weird but whenever I see Gonzo I feel nostalgia. As if he was a regular years ago, rather than months.

    • Which is not to say I want him to be a regular again. More like – ah Gonzo – we had some good times together.

    • Maeda should definitely be out of this inning already – with less runs scored against him.

  15. Sigh. Another ground ball by Seager. He may need to drop down to in the lineup to 6th or 7th.

  37. Starting Hernandez in rightfield over Puig, and batting Hernandez third, very hard to comprehend.

      • Thanks for the explanation. However, Puig strikes me as high-strung person, and I hope that this doesn’t impact his mood and his play the rest of the way. He is very important to the club’s success the rest of the way.

        • You’re certainly right about Quique’s splits against lefties this year: .262/.359/.579/.939. Here are Puig’s: .172/.312/.241/.553/

          • Puig over his career has hit righties somewhat better, but the splits are extreme this year.

        • I know. I am feeling
          for Yasiel. It feels scape-goatish to me, especially with the long leashes for Forsythe and Granderson over the past many many games.

          • I think Doc is judging by attitude, not performance. We all knew Puig had the talent to perform extremely well. His attitude/maturity/baseball wisdom were what held him back.

          • This is not performance related according to what Doc has said. Believe that he wants to rein in the Wild Horse before the playoffs. Puig has a strong desire to win, but that doesn’t always translate into the best decisions.