Aug 20

Game 123, 2021

Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), SNY, SPNLA

The Mets send RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 10.32 ERA) to the hill to face the Dodgers’ RHP Walker Buehler (12-2, 2.09 ERA).

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1945 Dodger shortstop Tommy Brown becomes the youngest player (17 years, eight months, and 14 days) in major league history to hit a home run. The round-tripper by ‘Buckshot,’ who started his career as a 16 year-old high school student, will be the only run Brooklyn scores off 30 year-old Pirates southpaw Preacher Roe, who goes the distance in the 11-1 rout of the home team at Ebbets Field.
  • 1974 In an 18-8 rout of the Cubs, the Dodgers collect 24 hits and set a club record with 48 total bases, including Davey Lopes’ three home runs, double, and single. The Dodger second baseman’s 15 total bases are the most ever for a leadoff hitter.
  • 1978 In the visitors’ clubhouse at Shea Stadium, Dodger Blue becomes black and blue when Steve Garvey confronts teammate Don Sutton about a Washington Post story in which the pitcher is critical of him. After the right-hander confirms he had made the comments, the argument becomes physical when he makes an inappropriate remark about the first baseman’s wife.

Lineup when available.

Aug 15

Game 118, 2021

Dodgers at Mets, 4:00 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Dodgers send RHP Max Scherzer (9-4, 2.67 ERA) to the mound to face the Mets’ RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-0, 6.75 ERA).

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1914 Brooklyn’s Jake Daubert sets a National League record with four sacrifices in one game. The first baseman’s efforts aren’t enough when the Dodgers drop an 8-7 decision to Philadelphia at Ebbets Field.
  • 1926 When Babe Herman doubles with the bases loaded, three Dodgers wind up on third base. The runner on second rounds third but decides to go back as the runner from first reaches the same base, and a few seconds later Herman slides in to join his two teammates.
  • 1951 With one out in the top of the eighth inning and a runner on third base in a 1-1 tied game, Willie Mays, running at full speed, makes an incredible catch of Carl Furillo’s drive to deep centerfield. After grabbing the ball, the rookie outfielder turns counterclockwise and throws a perfect strike to home to nail a surprised Billy Cox at home to complete the double play. Some believe the catch, in the Giants’ eventual 3-1 Polo Grounds victory over the Dodgers, is the impetus for the beginning of the team’s incredible comeback from an 11 1/2 game deficit to win the National League pennant.
  • 2006 The Dodgers, with their 4-0 blanking of the Marlins, win their sixth consecutive game and 17th in the last 18 contests. The stretch is the team’s best run since the Brooklyn Superbas went 20-1 in 1899.

Lineup when available.

Sep 30

AL Wild Card Series Game Two, 2020

Astros at Twins, 10:08 AM PDT, TV: ESPN2

Good ol’ TBD starts for the Astros while RHP José Berrios goes for the Twins. The Astros lead the series 1-0.

White Sox at Athletics, 12:07 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

LHP Dallas Kuechel starts for the White Sox and RHP Chris Bassitt does the same for the Athletics. The White Sox lead the series 1-0.

Blue Jays at Rays, 1:07 PM PDT, TV: TBS

The Blue Jays give the ball to old friend Hyun-Jin Ryu, whose first year with the Jays has been very successful. He was 5-2 with a 2.69 ERA in twelve starts, and in his last one he threw seven shutout innings against the Yankees. He’ll face the Rays’ RHP Tyler Glasnow. The Rays lead the series 1-0.

Yankees at Indians, 4:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Yankees send RHP Masahiro Tanaka to the Progessive Field mound to face RHP Carlos Carrasco. The Yankees lead the series 1-0.

Oct 06

ALDS Games Two, 2018

The first game today is Indians at Astros, 1:37 PDT, TV: TBS. The Astros lead the series 1-0.

The Indians send RHP Carlos Carrasco (17-10, 3.38 ERA) to the mound to try to stop the Astros’ juggernaut. He’ll face Houston’s RHP Gerrit Cole (15-5, 2.88 ERA). In his career Cole is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in the postseason, all with the Pirates. Carrasco is 0-0 with 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball in the postseason, against the Yankees in 2017.

Indians lineup:


Astros lineup:


The second game today is Yankees at Red Sox, 5:15 PM PDT, TV: TBS. The Red Sox lead the series 1-0.

The Yankees send RHP Masahiro Tanaka (12-6, 3.75 ERA) to the mound in Fenway Park. He’ll face the Red Sox’ LHP David Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA). Tanaka is 2-2 with a 1.44 ERA in the postseason and is coming in cold; in his last two starts he gave up eight earned runs in eight innings. Additionally he had a 7.58 ERA against the Red Sox this season. Price has been on a roll, going 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA since the All Star break, but he’s got to overcome the memory of his postseason career (2-8, 5.03 ERA).

Lineups when available.

Oct 08

ALDS Games Three, 2017

This applies to both of today’s games: Teams with 2-0 leads have won the series 66 times and lost nine.

First game: Astros at Red Sox, 11:30 AM PT, TV: FS1

The Astros try to close out the Sox today, sending RHP Brad Peacock (13-2, 3.00 ERA) to the mound to face the Red Sox’ RHP Doug Fister (5-9, 4.88 ERA). Peacock beat the Sox in his only appearance against them on September 28. He’s had no prior postseason experience. Fister lost to the Astros in his only start against them on September 29. He’s made eight postseason starts but none since 2014 with the Nats.

Second game: Indians at Yankees, 4:30 PM PT, TV: FS1

RHP Carlos Carrasco (18-6, 3.29 ERA) takes the hill for the Indians in the Bronx tonight. He’ll face the Yankees’ RHP Masahiro Tanaka (13-12, 4.74 ERA). Carrasco has had the best year of his career, but what’s even more germane is that on the road as he’ll be tonight he’s 11-2 with a 2.65 ERA and a .210/.266/.336 opponents’ slash line. Similarly, Tanaka is 9-5 with a 3.22 ERA at home in Yankee Stadium, far better than on the road.

Today in baseball history: It’s the anniversary of Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game Five of the 1956 World Series. It’s also the date of Ernie Lombardi’s “Swoon” in 1939, when the Reds’ catcher was run over at home plate by Charlie Keller of the Yankees and was so dazed that Joe DiMaggio was able to score all the way from first before he recovered. And in 1959 the Dodgers beat the White Sox in Game Six to win the World Series. More at National Pastime.