Oct 03

Game 160, 2022

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: ATT SportsNet RM, SPNLA

RHP Jose Ureña (3-8, 5.24 ERA) pitches for the visiting Rockies and LHP Tony Gonsolin (16-1, 2.10 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1947 In Game 4 of the Fall Classic, Bill Bevens comes within one out from pitching the first no-hitter in World Series history. The Yankee hurler loses his claim to fame and the game when Cookie Lavagetto, pinch-hitting for Eddie Stanky, hits a two-out ninth-inning double giving the Dodgers a 3-2 improbable victory.
  • 1951 In Game 3 of the National League playoff series at the Polo Grounds, Bobby Thomson’s one-out three-run homer off Ralph Branca beats the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth, 5-4, and the Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant. The round-tripper, better known as the ‘shot heard around the world,’ becomes one of the famous home runs in baseball history.

  • 1962 At Dodger Stadium, the Giants beat Los Angeles, 6-4, to take the rubber game of the best-of-three National League playoffs, clinching the National League pennant. LA shortstop Maury Wills sets a major league record for the most games played in a season, appearing in all of his team’s 165 games.
  • 1976 After being at the Dodger’s helm for 23 years, Walter Alston’s managerial career ends when the team drops a 3-2 decision to the Padres, finishing the campaign ten games behind the Reds. During his tenure, beginning in Brooklyn in 1954, the skipper known as Smokey to his players compiles a 2040-1613 (.523) record en route to capturing seven pennants and four World Series titles.
  • 1987 Benito Santiago’s consecutive game hitting streak ends at 34 when the backstop is held hitless in three trips to the plate by Dodger hurler Orel Hershiser, who tosses a complete game in a 1-0 loss to the Padres. The stretch of straight games with a hit by the 23-year-old represents a new mark for rookies and catchers.
  • 1993 The Giants, despite winning 103 games, are eliminated from the Western Division race when the Dodgers derail their division dreams, 12-1. Catcher Mike Piazza, who will be named the league’s Rookie of the Year, hits two home runs in the game.
  • 1999 In the final regular-season game played at the Astrodome, Mike Hampton (22-4) beats the Dodgers, 9-4. The victory clinches the division title as the Astros finish one game ahead of the Reds in the National League Central.
  • 2005 The ax begins to fall when two managers lose their jobs the day after the season ends. Skippers Jim Tracy (Dodgers/5 years/427-383) and Alan Trammell (Tigers/3 years/186-300) are the first to go.
  • 2009 Needing only a win or a Colorado loss for the past week, the Dodgers finally clinch the National League West title with a 5-0 victory over the wild-card Rockies. The title marks Joe Torre’s 14th consecutive season in the postseason, having won thirteen previous divisional titles, ten with the Yankees, one with the Braves, and now his second with LA.

Lineups when available:

Jul 28

Game 98, 2022

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:30 PM PDT, TV: ATT SportsNet RM, SPNLA

LHP Tyler Anderson (10-1, 2.79 ERA) pitches for the visiting Dodgers and José Ureña (1-2, 3.13 ERA) does so for the Rockies. Anderson was an All Star but didn’t make an appearance in the game; in his one start since he went six innings, gave up four hits and one run and got no decision. Ureña was DFAed by the Brewers in May when roster sizes were reduced. He signed a minor league deal with the Rockies almost immediately and was called up in July; he’s made four starts since. In those starts he gave up 9 runs on 23 hits in 24 innings.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1991 Expos right-hander Dennis Martinez pitches a perfect game, defeating Los Angeles 2-0 at Dodger Stadium. Ron Hassey becomes the first backstop to ever catch two perfect games, as he also was behind the plate on May 15, 1981 when Indian hurler Len Barker faced 27 batters, beating the Blue Jays, 3-0.
  • 2017 Alex Wood won his twelfth game against just one loss, going seven innings while giving up eight hits and four runs to the Giants. The Dodgers came from behind with four runs in the seventh and won 6-4.

Lineups when available.

Jul 06

Game 81, 2022

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: ATT SportsNet RM, MLBN (out-of-market only), SPNLA

Game 81 marks the mid-point of the season.

The Rockies hand the ball to RHP Jose Ureña (0-0, 3.52 ERA), while the Dodgers hand theirs to RHP Mitch Wbite (1-1, 3.93 ERA). Ureña hasn’t gone more than three innings in any start this year, and he’s only made four appearances altogether, all starts and all in April. He’s no rookie, though; he’s pitched six full years in the AL with Miami and Detroit. White has made 11 appearances this year, six of them starts. His K/BB ratio this season is a tidy 3 to 1.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1938 At Crosley Field, Yankees’ hurler Lefty Gomez is defeated for the first time in four All-Star starts as the NL wins the All-Star game 4-1. National League shortstop Leo Durocher becomes the first Dodger to start in an All-Star Game and gets a ‘bunt’ home run.
  • 1953 In his first major league start, 24 year-old right-hander Al Worthington throws a two-hitter, blanking the Pirates, 6-0. The Giants’ rookie, known as ‘Red’, will become the first National League freshman to throw consecutive shutouts at the start of a career, when he repeats the feat in his next outing, also blanking the Dodgers, 6-0.
  • 2000 Vin Scully, 72, is voted the No. 1 sportscaster of the 20th century by members of the American Sportscasters Association. The Dodger veteran broadcaster’s 51-year career has included play-by-play of 25 Fall Classics and a dozen All-Star Games.

Lineups when available.

Jul 15

Game 92, 2017

Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

The Dodgers’ lefty ace #2 Alex Wood (10-0, 1.67 ERA) tries to win his eleventh against the Marlins RHP Jose Urena (7-3, 3.54 ERA).

In his last start on July 5 Wood went seven shutout innings against the D-Backs, giving up three hits while striking out ten and walking only two. It’s the fourth consecutive start and eighth in his last nine starts in which he’s given up no more than one run. Urena has been on fire too. He’s won six of his last seven starts, although he’s faltered a little in his last two, going only five innings in each. Wood’s beaten the Marlins in five straight games, while Urena has made three appearances against the Dodgers and allowed them just one earned run over 15 1/3 innings for a 0.59 ERA.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1960 Home plate umpire Frank Dascoli stops play for 24 minutes when Willie McCovey hits a pitch into shallow left field that no one can see because of the dense fog. The Giants first baseman’s second inning ‘invisible triple’ doesn’t deter the Dodgers when they go on to win the Candlestick Park contest, 5-3.
  • 2003 At the All-Star Game played in Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field, Angels outfielder Garret Anderson goes 3-for-4, including a two-run homer and a double, helping the American League to beat the NL, 7-6. Pinch-hitting in the eighth inning, Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock hits a go-ahead two-run homer off the usually untouchable reliever of the Dodgers, Eric Gagne.
  • 2004 Eric Gagne surpasses Jeff Shaw for the most career saves in franchise history, collecting his 130th save in a Dodger uniform. The 28 year-old right-handed closer pitches a perfect ninth, striking out the side in the team’s 5–2 victory over Arizona at Bank One Ballpark.

Non-Dodger lowlights: it’s the anniversary of the 1967 game in which Cardinals’ pitcher Bob Gibson’s right fibula is fractured by a Roberto Clemente line drive. It’s also the anniversary of the 1973 game in which Norm Cash tried to use a piano leg instead of a bat in the ninth inning of the second of Nolan Ryan’s no-hitters that season.

Lineup:

Jun 28

Game 77, 2015

Dodgers at Marlins, 10:10AM PT, TV: SPNLA

Zack Greinke (5-2, 1.70 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts, but he hasn’t gotten a win in either game. The Dodgers’ offense remains mired in a team-wide slump, at least when Kershaw and Greinke start. The Marlins send rookie Jose Urena to the hill. He’s 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA, but 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA at home.

The Marlins have their own scoring problems, now that it’s known they won’t have Major League home run leader Giancarlo Stanton for about a month due to a broken bone in his wrist.

The Marlins have declared it Josh Beckett Appreciation Day. Beckett pitched the last three injury-plagued seasons of his career with the Dodgers, but he broke in with the Marlins in 2001 and pitched the next four seasons for them, including their 2003 World Series-winning season when he was named MVP of the Fall Classic.

Lineup when available.