Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports Arizona Extra, SPNLA
LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 1.50 ERA) makes his 400th regular season start at Chase Field. He’ll face fellow LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-1, 11.25 ERA); this will be his 353rd regular season start. I think it’s safe to say that, based on recent performances, Bumgarner is closer to the end of his career than Kershaw is.
- 1969 After throwing just two pitches to start the season, Don Drysdale finds himself and his team trailing by two runs when Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan hit back-to-back homers. The 32 year-old right-hander settles down, and the Dodgers come back to win the Crosley Field contest, 3-2.
- 1969 Bill Singer becomes the first major league reliever to officially record a save, a new stat which will be kept starting this season, in the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over Cincinnati in the season-opener at Crosley Field. The ‘Singer Throwing Machine’ does not allow a hit, hurling three scoreless innings en route to saving Don Drysdale’s victory.
- 1977 Gary Thomasson starts the game by walloping the first pitch in the Dodgers’ opener for a home run off Don Sutton, who had apparently thrown a gopher ball. Unbeknownst to the Giants’ leadoff hitter, the ball was to be taken for a pitch and handed to the home plate umpire to be sent to Cooperstown.
- 1977 Frank Sinatra keeps his promise to Tommy Lasorda by singing the Star-Spangled Banner on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. ‘Old Blue Eyes’ had told the team’s new skipper he would perform the National Anthem if his friend ever became the L.A. manager.
- 2012 Octavio Dotel, playing for his 13th team, breaks a major league record he previously shared with Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs, and Ron Villone. The 39 year-old Tiger reliever, who throws 1.1 scoreless innings against Boston, has also appeared with the Mets, Astros, A’s, Yankees, Royals, Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Rockies, Blue Jays, and Cardinals.
Lineups when available.
Tonight’s #Dodgers lineup at D-backs: pic.twitter.com/8yFLkGaL25
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 7, 2023
Game 8. #ArizonaBorn pic.twitter.com/BcpkVJBILP
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 7, 2023
NPUT
Bummer. 0 for 4 RISP, 10 LOB, 10 SO in 30 AB. Unacceptable.
Two terrible at bats.
Dang
Will Smith not an option here instead of Max?
No one to play 3B.
No one pinch hits for their cleanup hitter. That’s the RBI spot.
Muncy is a poor excuse for a clean up hitter.
At least he was good last year
No one biting on that one.
He had a good couple of months. Otherwise, he stank.
Tonight it wasn’t.
Tonight?
Muncy has 1 RBI to date.
She’s married.
LOL. Good one. Probably good as he has a limp bat.
Oh JD.
9 walks.
9 SO.
Outman allowed to start against a lefty and did well.
Should start everyday regardless.
Our starting pitching has been very good so far. Our bullpen has been inconsistent.
I would have left Castro in.
I was wrong. Their bullpen is very good.
Kershaw losses are my least favourite kind of losses.
AZ is not going to be a pushover.
They are much improved. Should finish ahead of the Gnats.
They might even challenge the Pads for second.
Sloppy baseball tonight
Muncy is not a good 3B.
Arenado wouldn’t have made that play.
We’ll never know.
He might have. Max just didn’t grip it.
Well that hurts.
Until then, Max.
Extremely difficult play, do or die.
Max looks much better tonight.
Until right now. Tough play. But makable.
Here we go. See above.
Your fault?
Pretty sad to be given 8 walks and not have any of them come around to score.
Walking ain’t running
Barnes is due.
The ump really squeezing Dodger batters
RALLY TIME!! Clap…Clap
Vargas not wanting to add to the LOB totals apparently.
Frustrating because the 5th looked so good – so can’t really say he shouldn’t have started the 6th.
Not nice inning this inning.
Rats!!
¡Miércoles!
Double phooey!!!
Well, phooey.
Nice inning from Clayton there.
Outman: home run, strike out, walk–what do you call that
Kershaw may not be at his sharpest, but he’s a heckuva lot sharper than Bumgarner.
Seems to be getting sharper as he goes.
BadGums is dead meat. He should probably get back into dirt-biking.
So many LOB tonight. I’m sure that won’t be a problem later in the game.
0 for 4 RISP, 8 LOB so far.
Ok CT. A double will do nicely here.
I’ll take a single, PB, WP, BB. Just don’t SO.
CT3 is a contact hitter.
Kersh not very sharp tonight.
Vargas is looking very comfy at 2B.
Vargas with a solid play on the ball through Kershaw’s legs.
Hit it out man!!
OUT-STANDING!!
Well on his way to Rookie of the Month
Well on his way to moving up in the batting order. Muncy should not be batting 4th or 5th. More like 7th, 8th, or 9th.
Kershaw struggling here
Beat BadGums!
Dodgers (5-2)
Diamondbacks (3-4)
Clayton Kershaw L
1-0 1.50 ERA 6IP 9K
M. Bumgarner L
0-1 11.25 ERA 4IP 2K
Lineup:
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
DH J. Martinez R
3B Max Muncy L
2B M. Vargas R
CF T. Thompson R
LF James Outman L
SS Chris Taylor R
C A. Barnes R
WBBsAs linked to Molly Knight’s Substack in the previous post. Within her post was a link to an article she wrote for Vulture which looked into the history of White House visits by sports champions. It’s a fun read.