Aaron Harang gave up a leadoff single to Cameron Maybin, then fanned the next nine batters tonight against the Padres to break the Dodgers’ record for consecutive strikeouts set 49 years and nine months ago by Johnny Podres on July 2, 1962.
Harang needs to strike out Will Venable in the fourth inning to tie Tom Seaver for the major-league record and needs to fan Chase Headley to break it.
A strikeout in the fourth would also get Harang halfway to the MLB record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game held by Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood. The Dodger record for strikeouts in a game is 18, held by Sandy Koufax and Ramon Martinez.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have parlayed an error, a two-run infield single (!) by Mark Ellis, walks to Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera and a broken-bat two-run single by Andre Ethier for four runs in the bottom of the third – great for the team, maybe not so great for Harang’s groove.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have parlayed an error, a two-run infield single (!) by Mark Ellis, walks to Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera and a broken-bat two-run single by Andre Ethier (who now leads the majors with 12 RBI) for four runs in the bottom of the third – great for the team, maybe not so great for Harang’s groove.
Update: Well, you could almost see that coming after Harang sat in the dugout for so long. Starting the fourth, Venable hit a 3-1 pitch for an opposite field home run to left field. Harang gave up two more runs in the fourth before notching his 10th strikeout – but the Dodgers came back with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth, capped by Kemp’s two-run homer, for an 8-3 lead.
Update 2: Harang struck out one in a perfect fifth and two in a perfect sixth to tie his career high with 13 strikeouts. He has thrown 97 pitches.
Remember, Harang threw six no-hit innings at his last Dodger Stadium appearance, pitching for the Padres on July 9. So if you could ignore the fourth inning tonight, Harang would have allowed one hit with 19 strikeouts in his past 11 innings at Dodger Stadium.
D.J. Short of Hardball Talk notes that Harang, who led the National League in strikeouts in 2006, had gone 44 straight starts before tonight without fanning nine in a game.
Update 3: After giving up a one-out walk in the seventh inning on his 109th pitch, Harang’s night ends with 6 1/3 innings, four hits, two walks and 13 strikeouts. Reliever Todd Coffey gave up consecutive hits to allow a fourth run to score off Harang, whose season ERA slivered from 6.23 before the game to 5.91.
Update 4: Josh Lindblom put out the fire set by Harang, Coffey and Scott Elbert, retiring all three batters he faced in the eighth inning to protect an 8-6 lead. With Javy Guerra scheduled for a night off after saving three games in a row, Kenley Jansen came in for the ninth. He gave up a walk, struck out the next two … and then, one out from victory, surrendered a game-tying home run to Headley.
Jansen then gave up a double to Yonder Alonso off yonder outfield wall. Jeremy Hermida was intentionally walked, but Orlando Hudson struck out to end the ninth inning.
Troy Sexton
Who knew a 4th inning bases empty Harang-Venable match up will have one on the edge of their seat?
Anonymous
Amazing Stuff! Hope He K’s Venable Next! BTW 2-0 Dodgers!
KT
in reply to Aussie Jon
two out running on the play …kept rounding third on a slow roller up the middle that O-dog had to field and had a weak throw….the 1st baseman looked at the ump after a close play with mark ellis at 1st and hesitated with the throw home
Anonymous
thanks
KT
Come on Dre
Anonymous
Suddenly leading 2-0 seems sort of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things
underdog
Hope this prolonged inning — not that it’s not important to get runs! — won’t break his rhythm! Of course, he wasn’t around long at the plate at least.
underdog
Richard’s control was a problem this inning but otherwise I feel a little sorry for him, hasn’t had much luck at all.
KT
DRE!!!! come through with 2 more and makes the inning so much bigger
Jon Weisman
The DT server wasn’t ready for Aaron Harang’s record.
Anonymous
Hello?
KT
good to be back…Nice HR by Matty and great to get back the 3 spot plus 1 the padres put up….Raining hard here, I might lose my “eyes” soon….getting pixelized a little
KT
thought it was only me for a while…belay my e-mail to your variety account
Anonymous
Belay? You old salt.
KT
yea old habits are hard to break
Jack Dawkins
Belay that is so useful. Ive used it ever since my Navy days too.
KT
your reply function isn’t working jon…maybe it’s my reply function because Bob replied to me
Jon Weisman
Let me be the first to launch Matt Kemp Triple Crown Watch 2012: BA .419 (1st in NL), HR 3 (tied for 2nd), RBI 11 (tied for 2nd).
KT
Love it…add me to that watch (bandwagon)
Jon Weisman
Take away the fourth inning, and here are Harang’s past 10 innings at Dodger Stadium: no runs, one hit, 16 strikeouts.
Anonymous
OK, that’s it. He bunks with Vinnie when we hit the road.
Anonymous
lots have happened since the meltdown. Too much excitement!!
KT
13 K’s for Aaron
KT
AZ & the Rocks tied @ 6 after 7
Jon Weisman
This post has been updated.
KT
not a double paragraph jon but a lot of repeated info
KT
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have parlayed an error, a two-run infield single (!) by Mark Ellis, walks to Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera and a broken-bat two-run single by Andre Ethier for four runs in the bottom of the third – great for the team, maybe not so great for Harang’s groove.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have parlayed an error, a two-run infield single (!) by Mark Ellis, walks to Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera and a broken-bat two-run single by Andre Ethier (who now leads the majors with 12 RBI) for four runs in the bottom of the third – great for the team, maybe not so great for Harang’s groove.
Anonymous
So have I missed anything? :-)
Anonymous
Twitter confidante reports hail in Pasadena. Hope it avoids Dodger Stadium.
KT
lets go Aaron
Anonymous
I might be a little overtired and emotional, but to see the team play so well, score runs and a pitcher that many of us weren’t thrilled about have a gem of a night, makes me close to weepy. Add the developments in Delaware and …. Well, sheesh, I don’t know what to do.
KT
what’s going on in DEL.?
Jeffrey Thomas III
That’s where the court hearing took place in which the Dodgers sale was OK’d.
KT
thanks
Anonymous
Oh, KT, I thought you were kidding. Sorry.
KT
NP
Anonymous
Good show, Aaron.
KT
Ditto
Jon Weisman
Critical moment in the game here. 8-4, runners on second and third, one out, Coffey struggling.
KT
Come on Coffey…Good job Don…why not use Lindblom if your going to send him down tomorrow
Jon Weisman
And now the tying run is up for Will Venable, who homered earlier.
Anonymous
Coffey over Lindbloom?
Jon Weisman
Colorado 7, Arizona 6, top of the ninth.
KT
Come on DP…throw strikes Elbert
Jon Weisman
Elbert brought in, and righty Jesus Guzman pinch-hits for the guy who homered earlier.
Anonymous
Yeah, but if Guzman does something special (actually, if he doesn’t), Bud Black gets to yell: “JESUS!” Might be worth it just for that!
KT
do we have anyone up and throwing?
Anonymous
Well, with Kershaw the other day we had someone who was…
Anonymous
Ugh.
Anonymous
Double ugh.
KT
looks like lindblom is ready…hope we don’t need him
Gobias Bluth
Coffey needs to go. I hate to focus on negatives when (almost) everything else seems to be going so well but in my opinion, Coffey should’ve never made the team. And he’s done exactly nothing to prove me and other detractors wrong. How long do they put up with his ineptitude?
Anonymous
Ned kept George Sherrill for a long time last season.
Gobias Bluth
Oof, I tried to forget that….but that is definitely cause for concern.
Anonymous
Yeah, but Joe aggravated the situation by repeatedly using him in leverage situations, even against righthanded batters. One would hope that Donnie just uses Coffey as mop-up until he starts showing something.
Anonymous
Actually Coffey pitched well on April 7th in SD which was Capuano’s first start. Coffey pitched the bottom of the 10th and the Dodgers won in the 11th.
KT
we need to put up another 4 spot
Anonymous
Scotty whatty?
Jon Weisman
Coffey pitched decently in 2009 and 2011. I’d certainly give him more than 10 days this season before cutting him.
Gobias Bluth
So he’s effective every other year? Does that mean he’s on track for a decent 2013? We signed him a year too early/late.
I agree that 10 days is a small sample size but he wasn’t exactly instilling any kind of confidence in spring training either. I was worried about his performance before camp broke, now I would say I am concerned. Given the struggles of Josh Johnson, Tim Lincecum, and a whole host of other established veterans that have started on the wrong foot, I’m inclined to think/hope/pray that he’ll right the ship. However Coffey is not in the elite company of a Lincecum or Johnson, etc.. so there’s that.
Jon Weisman
Ignore Spring Training stats, which are meaningless, and just see what happens.
Anonymous
Yeah, he’s not going anywhere. I know it bucks conventional wisdom, but Elbert should be the guy to go down tomorrow. Better going without a lefty than pitching him right now. He’s all out of whack and needs to right the ship. He’s got options left, right?
Jon Weisman
No.
Gobias Bluth
So who is the odd man out tomorrow? Sorry if this has been discussed already.
Anonymous
As of now it’s a save situation. Does Javy come in again?
KT
they said he was unavailable today
Jon Weisman
I’d be surprised if he pitched four days in a row. It could be Lindblom or Guerrier to finish the eighth and Jansen in the ninth. Some combo of those three after Elbert, I’m guessing.
Anonymous
Lyons suggesting that maybe Scotty should stay in the game, as there are no lefties left in the bullpen. Did I hear right?
KT
There are no lefties in the pen this yr besides Elbert…but he shouldn’t stay in because Lindblom is a better pitcher with more control
Anonymous
Mattingly should never bring in Scotty, so that he always has a lefty in the pen.
Anonymous
Ok, I was sort of wrong with my 1-0 prediction
KT
just a little bit
KT
Good going Josh…one more
KT
Nice inning Josh…shut them down Kenley
Anonymous
Josh isn’t going anywhere.
Anonymous
Does Coffey have any options left? Kidding.
KT
coffey or wright I hope
Anonymous
or Uribe.
KT
Nice at bat again justin
Anonymous
Do you think Elbert would clear options?
Anonymous
Not a good option, but interesting question. I don’t think he would.
KT
Throw strikes Kenley
KT
Come on DP
Anonymous
I keep thinking maybe Sellers got the start tonight because he is being sent down to make room for Lilly and like Lyons said Hairston can spell Gordon at short occasionally. Again, especially after tonight, I just don’t see how you can send Linblom out. If Elbert can’t even get lefties out, what purpose does he serve? I don’t think it will be wright or they would have used him tonight.
Jon Weisman
That’s 16 strikeouts by Dodger pitchers with one out in the ninth.
KT
Nice Kenley…1 more
KT
I hate defensive indifference (1st time this yr)
Anonymous
Ughly.
Anonymous
Thanks for the jinx, Steiner.
KT
I say bat dee for the pitcher in the bottom of the inning
Anonymous
Ugh
Jeffrey Thomas III
Oh Kenley.
Gobias Bluth
Who took Jansen deep in San Diego? Was it Headley or Maybin?
KT
maybin…I was at that game
KT
tony almost had him at second
Wes
BS hurts!
KT
That’s 18 K’s for the game…time to win this one…bat DEE
Anonymous
Who cares? Who’s feeling the years first walk-off?.?
Anonymous
Literally?
KT
Come on Dee start it off
Anonymous
Thank heaven for the 0-Dog.
Wes
c’mon kemp!
Anonymous
Please Matty! Don’t let us suffer through McDougal.
KT
is he warming up
Gobias Bluth
Yes.
Anonymous
Oh no… Now or never, boys!
Wes
Loney time!
KT
Come on Dre…beat that lefty
Anonymous
Anybody else noticing Lyons should pop his “P” a little more when he says the word “pitch” or am I just hearing things?
Anonymous
He needs to mind his Ps and Qs.
KT
I wish I could FFWD through these comercials to get back to the action…one of the drawbacks of watching live events
Anonymous
Did the Mark Ellis steal take the bat out of Kemp’s hands or did Cashner try to pitch to him?
KT
was wild and almost threw away ball 4
Anonymous
Hahahaha. I’ll take it.
KT
good eye Dre
KT
DRE!!!! with the walk off walk YES!!!!
Anonymous
Landonkk called the walk-off.
Anonymous
The literal walk — off.
Anonymous
That was easy.
Anonymous
Awful loss for the Padres. 4 walks in a row?
KT
as bad as our saturday game in SD
Anonymous
Well, thats one way to look at it.
Anonymous
Strange, strange game. But I am glad for the win.
Anonymous
Jeepers.
KT
does that walkoff count in Dre’s 16 count to make it 17 for the 3rd most since 2008 behind Fielder and Cabrera?
Anonymous
I must say I’ve been very pleasantly surprised and happy by Mark Ellis’s contributions so far this year. I hope it continues.
Jon Weisman
Two new posts up top.
Anonymous
Probably put too much on Harang–great outing for the start, but it’s a lot of pitches early for a 4th starter. But this is something you expect to learn early on in the season. The bullpen is always learning early on in the season, espescially when the ninth inning guy has been (thankfully) very busy (and effective). So figuring out who is who is part of the process. And Jansen is consistently good (strikes out the side!), but he just converted from a catcher a couple of years ago (remember, he caught Kershaw in the minors). And it all worked out, so Jon is right.
But I am going to beat on this other drum (Mike_Tink will disagree)–once again, we are sitting out Loney against a left-handed pitcher. Are we really committing to a platoon at this point? Loney has literally sat against every left-handed starter we faced (although he played when Richards started in SD). Is there a left-hander he will be allowed to face? You can’t really know if he can do the job unless you give him the shot.
And further to this point, why change the line-up against left-handers. Ethier is proving he can hit them, so why move him to 5th? The inconsistency in the line-up against Left-handers nearly cost us here. Rivera came out of the game for a defensive replacement (here, Loney, but he will come out of every game for a defensive replacement, if possible). So Ellis walks, steals second with Kemp at bat. And someone asked does that take the bat out of Kemp’s hands? Well, if Ethier is coming up behind him, then no–you really don’t want to pitch to Ethier in that situation, either. If Rivera is behind him, maybe. I don’t really want to pitch to Rivera with two on, but I probably feel better about pitching to Rivera than Matt Kemp. But if Rivera’s defensive replacement is hitting behind Kemp (either Tony Gwynn, or the version of James Loney that we apparently do not think is good enough to start), then absolutely walk Kemp. Here, we got lucky because the Padres pitchers couldn’t throw strikes.
It’s like playing BlackJack–you play the best percentages and you will have the best odds. If you go on wild hunches and hit on 12 against a 15, your odds are not as good. The best solution is to put out the best line-up every time and you have the best odds of it working.