Oct 04

Wild Card Games Two, 2023

FYI: All series are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games are available live internationally (except in Canada). Full game archives are available approximately 90 minutes after the game ends.

Texas at Tampa Bay, 12:08 PM PDT, TV: ABC

RHP Nathan Eovaldi goes for the Rangers against RHP Zach Eflin of the Rays.

Rangers – Rays preview

Toronto at Minnesota, 1:38 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Jays’ RHP José Berríos faces off against the Twins’ RHP Sonny Gray.

Blue Jays – Twins preview

Arizona at Milwaukee, 4:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN2

The D-Backs hand the ball to RHP Zac Gallen and the Brewers give theirs to RHP Freddy Peralta.

Diamondbacks – Brewers preview

Miami at Philadelphia, 5:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

LHP Braxton Garrett takes the ball for the Marlins and RHP Aaron Nola does so for the Phillies.

Marlins – Phillies preview

Today in baseball history:

  • 1916 Reds right-hander Christy Mathewson faces Mordecai Brown of the Cubs in the career finale for each pitcher, marking the first time two future Hall of Famers have made their final appearance in the same game. Both Cooperstown-bound hurlers go the distance in Cincinnati’s 10-8 victory at Chicago’s Weeghman Park.
  • 1951 In Game 1 of the World Series, the first all-black outfield in major league history makes its appearance when Monte Irvin, Willie Mays, and Hank Thompson take the field for the Giants at Yankee Stadium. In a curious move, Leo Durocher replaces the previously injured right fielder Don Mueller with Hank Thompson, a third baseman by trade, using veteran outfielder Bobby Thomson at the hot corner.
  • 1955 After more than half a century of futility, the Dodgers finally win a World Championship, thanks to Johnny Podres’ 2-0 shutout of the Yankees in the Bronx. The turning point of the historic contest proves to be an outstanding catch by defensive replacement Sandy Amoros in the sixth inning that robs Yogi Berra of an extra-base hit with two on, resulting in a rally-robbing double play.

  • 2006 At Shea Stadium, Russell Martin’s double kills a promising two-on and none-out rally as both Dodgers runners become outs at home in the Mets’ eventual 6-5 victory in Game 1 of the NLDS. Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew both try to score, but the relay from right fielder Shawn Green to second baseman Jose Valentin to Paul Lo Duca allows the catcher to tag each runner during their headfirst slides into the plate.

  • 2008 The Dodgers complete a three-game NLDS sweep of Chicago with a 3-1 victory, winning their first postseason series since 1998. The stunning loss in the playoffs extends the World Series drought for the Cubs into another century.
  • 2015 Clayton Kershaw strikes out Melvin Upton to end the third inning of LA’s 6-3 victory over the Padres at Chavez Ravine, becoming the 34th pitcher to record 300 strikeouts in a season, joining Sandy Koufax, who accomplished the feat three times in the 1960’s, as the only the second Dodger to reach the mark. The 27-year-old southpaw is the first pitcher in 13 years to achieve the milestone since Diamondback teammates Curt Schilling (316) and Randy Johnson (334) surpassed the plateau in 2002.
  • 2015 MLB schedules all games to start simultaneously at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time to add more drama to the regular season’s final day. The scheduling, similar to the English Premier League’s “Survival Sunday,” also evens the playing field by limiting teams’ ability to rest potential playoff starters based on the results of contests played earlier in the day.
May 22

Game 40, 2022

Dodgers at Phillies, 10:35 AM PDT, TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), NBCSP, SPNLA

RHP Tony Gonsolin (4-0, 1.64 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers as they try to win their eighth straight. The Phillies counter with RHP Zach Eflin (1-3, 3.90 ERA) and hope to avoid their sixth loss in seven games.

Injury report: LHP Clayton Kershaw’s probably out till mid-June, as is LHP Andrew Heaney. RHP Tommy Kahnle’s return date is uncertain. RHP Blake Treinen is out at least until the All Star break; LHP Victor González won’t be back until late August. LHP Danny Duffy may be back by late June or early July, and RHP Dustin May isn’t expected back until late in the season.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1998 The Mets trade Preston Wilson, Geoff Goetz, and Ed Yarnell to the Marlins for Mike Piazza. Florida had acquired the All-Star catcher last week from the Dodgers, along with Todd Zeile in exchange for Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich, and Manuel Barrios.
  • 1999 Mark McGwire becomes the third player to launch a ball out of Dodger Stadium when one of his two home runs travels 483 feet in the Cardinals’ 10-7 victory at Chavez Ravine. The slugging first baseman joins Willie Stargell, who accomplished the feat twice in 1969 and 1973, and Mike Piazza, whose Ruthian blast cleared the ballpark two seasons ago.

Lineups when available.

Jun 15

Game 67, 2021

Phillies at Dodgers, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), NBCSP, SPNLA

The visiting Phillies send RHP Zach Eflin (2-5, 3.89 ERA) to the hill to face the Dodgers’ LHP Julio Urias (9-2, 3.56 ERA). Eflin has gone 0-4 in his last five starts, while Urias is tied for the league lead in wins.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1938 In the first night game played in New York City, Johnny Vander Meer pitches his second consecutive no-hitter, beating the Dodgers at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, 6-0. Four days ago, the Reds’ southpaw held the Braves hitless in a 3-0 victory at Crosley Field.
  • 1951 The Cubs trade Andy Pafko along with Johnny Schmitz, Wayne Terwilliger, and Rube Walker to the Dodgers for Bruce Edwards, Joe Hatten, Eddie Miksis, and Gene Hermanski. The deal, which prevents the coveted ‘Handy Andy’ from going to the rival Giants, is the first of many to be made by Buzzy Bavasi, Brooklyn’s new general manager.
  • 1996 In the first inning of their 6-2 victory over the Braves, the Dodgers turn their first triple play in forty-seven years. After making a running, back-to-the-plate grab of Chipper Jones’s popup to short left with runners on first and second, Juan Castro throws to second baseman Delino Deshields to double up Marquis Grissom, then the ball is relayed to first baseman Eric Karros to get Mark Lemke, who was also running on the pitch.

Lineup:

Jul 15

Game 96, 2019

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 PM PDT, TV: ESPN, NBCSP, SPNLA

The Dodgers send LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 3.09 ERA) to the mound in Philadelphia to face RHP Zach Eflin (7-8, 3.78 ERA) of the Phillies. This will be Kershaw’s first start since he went seven innings against the Padres ten days ago, giving up two runs and striking out nine. He didn’t figure in the decision, though, as Yimi Garcia gave up a solo 8th-inning HR to Hunter Renfroe and the Dodgers lost 3-2. Kershaw is 2-3 with a 4.01 ERA in his career at Citizens Bank Park. Eflin was doing well until his last three starts, when he went 1-1 with a 9.64 ERA while giving up 15 earned runs in 14 innings. In his three-year career he’s faced the Dodgers four times and is 0-2 with a 9.18 ERA.

ESPN doesn’t offer an “embed” option for its videos, but here’s a link to a clip of the Dodgers’ 12th-inning heroics on Sunday.

Today 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.
  • 2017 Cody Bellinger becomes the first Dodger rookie to hit for the cycle when he collects a seventh-inning triple in the team’s 7-1 victory over the Marlins in Miami. The 22-year old freshman goes 4-for-5, driving in three runs en route to his historic accomplishment.

Also: in 1939 National League president Ford Frick orders two-foot screens affixed inside all foul poles after Billy Jurges of the Giants and umpire George Magerkurth spit at each other after a foul ball call down the left field line is disputed at the Polo Grounds. The American League will soon follow the Senior Circuit lead and will also install foul ball screens.

And: in 1994 after being confiscated in the first inning of the Indians-White Sox contest at Comiskey Park, Albert Belle’s bat, suspected of being corked, is placed in umpire Dave Phillips’ locker for further examination. The attempt to take and replace the suspected bat by a bungling burglar, who gains access to the umpire’s room by squirming through the stadium’s overhead crawl space, a thievery Jason Grimsley will confess to five-years later, is immediately uncovered with the discovery of pieces of broken ceiling tile on the floor, and a new name on the “clean” bat which now reads Paul Sorrento.

Lineup when available.


Jul 23

Game 100, 2018

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, NBCSP

The Dodgers send RHP Ross Stripling (8-2, 2.08 ERA) to the hill to face the Phillies’ RHP Zach Eflin (7-2,3.15 ERA). Stripling threw six shutout innings against the Padres in his last start before the All Star Break, while Eflin has been on a hot streak. He’s 6-0 in his last seven starts, putting up a 2.32 ERA in that stretch.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1939 Using yellow dyed balls, the Cardinals beat the Dodgers 5-2 at Sportsman’s Park. The experimenting with the use of the colored sphere, which is designed to make the ball easier to see for the players and the fans, started in Brooklyn last week and will be tested once more, in a September game played at Wrigley Field.
  • 1962 Jackie Robinson becomes the first black player inducted into the Hall of Fame. Joining the Dodger infielder in the Cooperstown ceremony are fireballer Bob Feller, veteran manager Bill McKechnie, and outfielder Edd Roush.

  • 1965 Dick Stuart homers in the first inning in the Phillies’ 5-1 win over New York at Shea Stadium. ‘Dr. Strangeglove’, who played in Boston for the previous two seasons, becomes the first player to have gone deep in each of the 19 major league ballparks now in use. (Ed. note – Nineteen ballparks because both Los Angeles teams, the Angels and Dodgers, share the ballpark in Chavez Ravine. – LP)
  • 1974 At Three Rivers Stadium, Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey, a write-in All-Star starter, singles and doubles to help the National League beat the Junior circuit, 7-2. Mike Schmidt, also a write-in, plays in his first Midsummer Classic thanks to radio intern Howard Eskin’s on-air campaign which urged Phillies fans to stuff the ballot box for their young third baseman.

Also, Nomah! In 2002 Nomar Garciaparra establishes the record for consecutive home runs in the shortest time in terms of innings. In a 22-4 rout of the Devil Rays at Fenway Park, the Red Sox shortstop homers three times in two frames – two two-run homers in the second and a grand slam in the third.

Lineup when available.


May 30

Game 55, 2018

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: SPNLA, NBCSP

RHP Zach Eflin (1-1, 3.27 ERA) goes for the Phillies while RHP Ross Stripling (2-1, 1.74 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. This will be Eflin’s fifth start in the big leagues. He gave up only one run in his first 12 2/3 innings, but he hasn’t gotten past the fifth in his last two starts. Stripling has filled both the long relief and spot-start roles for the Dodgers this season and done both equally well.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1946 In Boston’s 10-8 victory over the Dodgers, Bama Rowell’s long drive hits the Bulova clock located above the right field scoreboard, making the left-fielder the first major leaguer to reach the famous landmark at Ebbets Field. The crushing four-bagger, that shatters the face of the clock causing glass to cascade onto Dodgers right fielder Dixie Walker, is believed to be the inspiration for author Bernard Malamud having Roy Hobbs, the hero of his 1952 novel, The Natural, belt a similar home run, which also rains glass over the diamond.
  • 1962 Frank Thomas strokes a double off Sandy Koufax in the Mets’ 13-6 loss to Los Angeles, extending his franchise mark of consecutive games with a hit to 18 for the expansion team. The streak, which will be only one shy of Maury Wills’ league-leading total for the season, is halted when the New York left fielder goes 0-for-4 in the nightcap of the Dodgers’ sweep at the Polo Grounds.
  • 1986 In a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers at Three Rivers Stadium, future home run king Barry Bonds goes 0-for-5 in his major league debut. The Pirates center fielder, batting leadoff, strikes out three times.

Lineup:


Apr 29

Game 25, 2017

Phillies at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-P, MLBN (out-of-market only)

RHP Zach Eflin (0-0, 1.50 ERA) takes the hill for the Fightin’ Phils against RHP Brandon McCarthy (3-0, 2.25 ERA) of the Blue Crew. The last time the Dodgers saw Eflin they scored seven runs and hit three homers in three innings in his final start of 2016.

McCarthy last faced the Phillies in April of 2014 when he was with the Diamondbacks. A.J. Burnett beat him with help from his now-teammate Chase Utley despite McCarthy’s seven innings and 12 strikeouts.

Justin Turner has a 14-game hitting streak.

The Number One prospect in the MLB draft is a kid named Hunter Greene from Notre Dame HS in Sherman Oaks, Ca. He pitches and plays shortstop. He visited the Dodgers and tweeted these photos this morning:

It’s unlikely he’ll still be available by the time the Dodgers select in the first round, folks.

Lineup when available.

Aug 08

Game 112, 2016

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-P

The Dodgers keep putting youngster Julio Urias (1-2, 4.98 ERA) on the hill despite their efforts to minimize his number of pitches this year because their other options keep getting injured. Tonight he’ll face RHP Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.77 ERA), whose last two starts have been forgettable. In one of them his team got six runs against Madison Bumgarner, no less, and he couldn’t hold the lead.

This will be the first time Chase Utley faces his former team.

Lineup:

Joe Blanton went on the bereavement list and Josh Ravin was called up to fill his slot.