Oct 07

ALDS Games One, 2021

The first game today is White Sox at Astros, 1:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

Each starting pitcher is named Lance; how about that, as Curt Gowdy would say. It’ll be RHP Lance Lynn (11-6, 2.69 ERA) for the Sox and RHP Lance McCullers (13-5, 3.16 ERA) for the Astros in Minute Maid Park.

I don’t know much at all about the White Sox; I know more than I’d like about the Astros.

The second game is Red Sox at Rays, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-8, 4.74 ERA) takes the mound for the Red Sox at Tropicana Field while LHP Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.43 ERA) does the same for the Rays.

The Sox are somewhat familiar, as are the Rays after last year’s World Series.

On this date in baseball history in 1950 rookie Whitey Ford got his first World Series win (he’d end up with a 10-8 W-L record in the postseason), Curt Flood was traded to the Phillies, precipitating his challenge to the reserve clause, the Dodgers came from behind to win Game Three of the 1977 NLCS against the Phillies, the Dodgers beat the Phillies in Game Four of the 1978 NLCS to win the pennant, and Benny Agbayani hits a homer in the 13th inning of Game Three of the 2000 NLDS to end the longest game in divisional playoff history.

Lineups:
White Sox:

Astros:

Red Sox and Rays:

Aug 29

Game 35, 2020

Dodgers at Rangers, 4:05 PM PDT, TV: FSSW, MLBN free game-of-the-day, SPNLA

The Dodgers send RHP Ross Stripling (3-1, 5.46 ERA) to the mound against the Rangers’ RHP Lance Lynn (4-0, 1.59 ERA). Stripling’s first start was excellent (7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 7 Ks) and he’s been getting progressively worse ever since. In his last start he went just four innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He leads the majors in HRs allowed with 10 in 29 2/3 innings. Lynn has had a great start and is being mentioned as a trade possibility given the woes his Rangers are having. He’s made seven starts against the Dodgers in his career and gone 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA.

Here’s Mitch White’s MLB debut yesterday:

On this day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1939 Wheaties sponsors the first telecast of a baseball game when their ads are aired during the Ebbets Field contest between the Reds and the Dodgers. The commercial broadcast is available only in New York City, where an estimated 500 people own television sets.
  • 1948 Jackie Robinson hits for the backward cycle when he homers in the first inning, triples in the fourth, doubles in the sixth, and completes the rare event with a single in the eighth. In addition to his ten total bases, the Dodger second baseman drives in two runs, scores three times, and steals a base, helping Brooklyn beat the Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park, 12-7.
  • 1951 With his second home run of the game, the sixth time he has accomplished the feat this year, Gil Hodges hits his 36th round-tripper to establish a new franchise record for homers in a season. The Dodger first baseman’s seventh-inning three-run blast in the team’s 13-1 rout of Cincinnati at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field surpasses the mark of 35 set by Babe Herman in 1930.
  • 1989 Giving up just three singles, recently acquired Mets southpaw Frank Viola outduels Orel Hershiser and beats the Dodgers, 1-0. The classic contest between two aces marked the first time in baseball history that the reigning winners of the Cy Young Award have faced one another in the regular season.

Cultural history note: On this date in 1966: On a typically cool night, the Beatles play their final concert at Candlestick Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants. The “Fab Four’s” performance on a five-foot stage, which is located just behind second base surrounded by a six-foot high wire fence, is less than stellar due the ballpark’s inadequate lighting, poor acoustics, and the group’s growing disdain of doing live shows.

Lineup:

Jul 28

Game 107, 2019

Dodgers at Nationals, 10:35 AM PDT, TV: MASN, SPNLA, TBS

RHP Walker Buehler (9-1, 3.23 ERA) goes for win number ten in a day game against the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg (13-4, 3.37 ERA), who’s tied for the MLB lead in wins with Justin Verlander of the Astros and Lance Lynn of the Rangers. Buehler’s last (and only) loss was May 18, while the Nats have won the last six games Strasburg’s started.

Here is young Mr. Smith’s 3-hit 6-RBI game. He spread the wealth: the HR and the sac fly were to the right-center gap while the two-run double was to left-center.

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.

Lineup when available.

Oct 27

World Series Game Four, 2018

This is a 1971 Commemorative Trading Card. Its text is now obsolete.


Red Sox at Dodgers, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Dodgers send Rich Hill to the mound tonight while Alex Cora is still puzzling over who he might start for the Red Sox.

“We’ll sit down now and we’ll go over it, and we’ll decide,” Cora said. “Somebody will start. Most likely a lefty.”

The options range from logical (Eduardo Rodriguez) to highly intriguing (Chris Sale on three days’ rest) to someone who would be utterly stunning (Pomeranz).

The Athletic recounts the Muncy tale from unemployed to Game Three hero.

Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post on momentum:

For those who wonder whether a powerful Game 3 showing by a star pitcher can swing a whole World Series, even if that ace’s team trails by two games when he takes the mound, I refer you to Game 3 of the 1978, ’81 and ’85 World Series. Ron Guidry, Fernando Valenzuela and Bret Saberhagen were the complete-game star pitchers for the Yankees, Dodgers and Royals. All three of their teams came back to win the Series.

Roberts thinks the Dodgers’ bullpen is “in pretty good shape.”

Amazing facts about Game Three.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 2017 Yu Darvish has his first bad outing of the postseason, giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings in Game Three of the World Series. The Dodgers couldn’t come back against the Astros’ Lance McCullers and Brad Peacock and fell behind two games to one.

Today in Red Sox’ history:

  • 2013 Johnny Gomes hit a three-run homer off the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn in the sixth inning and the Red Sox won Game Four of the World Series.

Lineups when available.

Dodgers:


Red Sox:


May 23

Game 46, 2017

Cardinals at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN, FS-M

RHP Lance Lynn (4-2, 2.78 ERA) goes for the Redbirds and LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.15 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers.

Five of Lynn’s six career starts against the Dodgers have come in LA, where he hasn’t pitched past the sixth inning and has a 4.68 ERA. This season he’s given up eight HRs in eight starts, only five fewer than he gave up in 31 starts last year.

Kershaw is 6-5 against the Cardinals in the regular season, but 0-4 in the postseason. On the other hand, he has a career 3.18 ERA in 15 regular-season appearances against them — and an even better one (2.75) at home. He’s coming off a win against the Giants in which he went seven scoreless innings.

This day in Dodgers history:

  • 2002 Shawn Green hits four home runs (video) in one game to become the 14th player in major league history, the second this month, to accomplish the feat. The Dodger right fielder’s 6-for-6 performance in Milwaukee’s Miller Park, which also includes a single and double, breaks Joe Adcock’s 1954 mark for total bases by one, with a total of 19.
  • 2002 In the same game the Dodgers set a franchise mark when the team hits eight home runs in one game, bashing the Brewers, 16-3. Shawn Green’s four homers account for half of the record-breaking barrage with Brian Jordan, Hiram Bocachica, Adrian Beltre, and Dave Hansen also contributing round-trippers in the Miller Park contest.

The Dodgers reinstated Logan Forsythe from the DL and optioned Josh Ravin to OKC.

Lineup when available.

Jun 07

Game 57, 2015

Cardinals at Dodgers, 5:00PM PT, TV: ESPN

The Cards and Dodgers play Sunday Night Baseball. It’ll be Zack Greinke for the Dodgers versus Lance Lynn for the Cardinals. Greinke’s last game was astonishing because it was the first bad one he’s had all year: he gave up ten hits and five runs to the Rockies over six innings. Even with that aberration, he’s 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA on the year. Lynn is 4-4 with a 3.03 ERA on the year. His last start was his best of the season: he went 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Brewers.

Matt Carpenter’s bruised triceps makes him day-to-day for the Cardinals.

Lineup when available.

Turner hitting cleanup? I’ll bet he hasn’t done that since high school!

Oct 12

NLCS Day Two, 2014

I know, I know, nobody cares. Well, in the interest of full documentation, I’m putting up a post about these games anyway.

Giants at Cardinals, 2:00PM HST/5:00PM PT, TV: Fox

Jake Peavy for the Giants, Lance Lynn for the Cardinals. The Cardinals need to win to even the series at a game apiece. Peavy is 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA in 12 starts with the Giants this year after going 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA with the Red Sox. Lynn was 15-10 for the second year in a row while shaving his ERA from 3.97 to 2.74.

Here. This may brighten your day.

Oct 04

NLDS Day Two, 2014

Giants at Nationals, 2:30PM PT, TV: Fox Sports 1

After winning Game One the Giants hope Tim Hudson (9-13, 3.57 ERA; 1-3, 3.46 ERA postseason) can keep the momentum going. They’re facing Jordan Zimmermann (14-5, 2.66 ERA; 0-1, 11.25 ERA postseason), and all he did his last time out was pitch a no-hitter for his fourteenth win.

The Giants have won nine straight postseason games. The record is twelve, held by the Yankees (twice), the As and the Red Sox.

Cardinals at Dodgers, 6:30PM PT, TV: MLBN

The Dodgers have to shrug off yesterday’s stunning loss and regroup, and they’ll send Zack Greinke (17-8, 2.71 ERA; 2-2, 4.30 ERA postseason) out to face Lance Lynn (15-10, 2.74 ERA; 5-4, 4.81 ERA postseason).

Jul 18

Game 98, 2014

Dodgers at Cardinals, 5:15PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN

Dan Haren (8-6, 4.23 ERA) starts for the Dodgers. He undoubtedly hopes to stop giving up home runs in great numbers (17 in his last 12 starts!) for the remainder of the season. Lance Lynn (10-6, 3.14 ERA) will pitch for the Redbirds.

Despite Yasiel Puig’s 3 Ks in the All Star Game and his goose egg in the HR Derby, he had a good first half:

The 23-year-old, second-year pro became one of six players in Dodgers history to record 100-plus hits, 40-plus extra-base hits and 50-plus RBIs before the All-Star break with 106 hits, 44 extra-base hits and 52 RBIs.

Other players in Dodgers history to accomplish the feat include Duke Snider (1954), Willie Davis (1973), Steve Garvey (1977), Gary Sheffield (2000) and Matt Kemp (2011).

That’s some pretty good company right there.

Lineup when available.

Also from Twitter: The #Dodgers today recalled Paco Rodriguez from @AbqTopes. They had roster space because they optioned Pedro Baez back to the Isotopes on July 13.

Jun 28

Game 83, 2014

Cardinals at Dodgers, 4:15PM PT, TV: Fox

Zack Greinke (9-4, 2.89 ERA) and Lance Lynn (8-4, 2.90 ERA) are two of the league’s leading righthanders. They face off against one another this afternoon on national television. Lynn last pitched against the Rockies and gave up three hits and no runs in 8 innings. Greinke is coming off what might be his worst outing of the year, giving up five runs and eleven hits to the Royals in 5 2/3 innings.

Lineup when available.