Dodgers 000 000 000 000 000 000– 0 12 1 Giants 430 010 00x 000 200 00x–10 21 0
For the first time since 2002 and the sixth time since the teams moved West in 1958, the Giants have thrown back-to-back shutouts against the Dodgers, completing the feat with tonight’s 2-0 victory over Los Angeles and Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw had one bad inning, but in the current run-scoring environment, it was costly. In the fourth inning, he surrendered a leadoff homer to Melky Cabrera, then a pair of singles with a stolen base in between for the other San Francisco run. Kershaw had to strike out the final two batters of the inning with the bases loaded to escape further damage.
Speaking of escapes, Kershaw took a liner to the ribs in the fifth inning, bringing forth flashes of every bad thing that’s ever happened to a pitcher, but nonetheless made his way through until the end of the sixth, leaving with eight strikeouts against 10 baserunners. Half of those 10 baserunners reached base in the fourth.
Paiving the way for their two shutouts, the Dodgers had another rare back-to-back feat when for the second night in a row, Dee Gordon drew a leadoff walk but was erased when Elian Herrera grounded into a double play. The team’s best look at the game was in the seventh inning, when Juniors Jerry Hairston and Tony Gwynn each singled with one out. But A.J. Ellis, who was 2 for 2, struck out on a 2-2 sinker in the dirt, and then, batting for Kershaw, James Loney hit what for him constituted a long drive – a fly to medium center field.
Ryan Vogelsong pitched seven innings for San Francisco, allowing seven hits and no walks after Gordon. He struck out three. Jeremy Affeldt and Santiago Casilla finshed things up.
Scoreless in their past 21 innings, the Dodgers have 13 runs in their past eight games, with one home run and 18 walks.
Anonymous
Yup. That about sums it up. Team meeting, anyone?
Christopher Staaf
First, a question: who will melt down first tomorrow? Bills or Lincecum?
Second, June is almost over, boys. As strange as it sounds, I hope the Giants take the lead in the division. I think if that happens, Mattingly will actually make some real changes like take Gordon out of the leadoff spot and stop playing Uribe and Kennedy altogether. At least I hope so.
Anonymous
Dang, we have to hit rock bottom before changes happen. :/
Anonymous
Neither Uribe nor Kennedy played last night. It’s not because of them that we are a bad hitting team.
Anonymous
Hard to believe Uribe actually helps the team!
Jon Weisman
The batting order is not the reason the Dodgers aren’t scoring.
Anonymous
Where is the drop button and free agent pick up list, I can do that in Yahoo, why not now?
bcmaiden
Seems like we say “he just had one bad inning” to describe a lot of losses this year. Maybe we should get some players who can hit and score runs against the opposing pitcher. Acquiring more pitching doesn’t solve this glaring weakness.
Anonymous
While all teams go through highs and lows and struggle scoring runs at times – they picked the worst possible time to bottom out while playing the Giants of all teams. If they can’t score off Lincecum – one of the worst pitchers in the game right now – tomorrow, then this team is going to have some real psychological damage.
Jon Weisman
You mean like the psychological damage the Giants got when the Dodgers dominated their series in May?
Anonymous
Yeah! like that!
Old Bear
Thus far, I see a big difference. The Giants were not shut out, won one of those three games and got a total of five runs and 23 hits in the May series. I hope we can reach those runs and hits totals for this series after Wednesday’s game. We are now at zero runs and 12 hits after two games.
Jon Weisman
The point is, this idea of lasting psychological damage is a bit much. Every team, good and bad, hits a bad patch.
Anonymous
OK, I’ll admit it – I was being a bit facetious, and breaking rule #6 there – sometimes I just can’t help it.
Eric Enders
Ugh. I don’t even know what to say about that game.
Jason Ungar
it was hella brutal
veryolddodgerfan
Man do i hate the word regression when it’s used for baseball.
veryolddodgerfan
btw nice headline. they should put you on the copy desk.
Anonymous
Okay, so some levity Dodger fans. The reason why the Dodgers are doing so lousy is Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. On Mother’s Day, the columnist started the article with the following quote: “Who can catch the Dodgers?”Wow. Not really a responsible statement to make in May. Thanks a lot Dylan…
Anonymous
Hernandez, like just about every writer employed by the Times, isn’t really a Dodger fan, so I’m sure he doesn’t care.
“Are you a Dodger fan?
I watched them growing up, but when I watched sports, I was always a fan of individual players than of teams. I don’t have that blind devotion gene in me. We used to go to a couple Dodger games, growing up with my Dad.
So, it must be a thrill for your Dad now that you are the Dodgers beat writer.
I don’t know, I mean what’s different? I think for him he’s relieved and saying, ‘Thank God my son’s not living with me still.’ With me, it’s not so much I’m covering the Dodgers it’s the kind of people I get to work with. T.J. Simers is a great guy – he’s really interesting and really fun to work with.”
http://laist.com/2009/04/13/meet_dylan_hernandez_dodgers_beat_w.php
Anonymous
Hang together.
Jibin Park
Live together, die alone.
bcmaiden
Clear eyes, full hearts.
Anonymous
Wear out, don’t rust out
Anonymous
the early bird gets the worm (not sure why that is relevant, but there it is)
Jibin Park
Can’t lose.
Anonymous
Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing.
bcmaiden
LOL I thought I left something out.
Anonymous
Memo to management: we need bats, not pitching (but who is availiable who would really help us)
Louis Rasky
That is the problem. Who is available. Am wondering if Josh Willingham could be had-the second wild card is really going to hurt the non-waiver trade deadline.
Terry Pruett
Some thoughts…
1. With the lineup we’re playing, can you really expect long term results? We’re essentially playing 6 bench players every game…in the starting lineup.
2. Kershaw is getting squared up more frequently this year than any previous year…but I’ll still take him.
3. We need Kemp (obviously), but we need bats, bats, bats….and by the way…
4. I’m not a Loney fan…but anybody that can’t see that he would have been a better choice than Rivera today against Vogelsong is an imbecile.
foul tip
Magic on Morning Joe at MSNBC this AM. Well-known Dodger Fan Chuck Todd (I’d still like to know how that happened, since he grew up in Miami) was on set at the time.
At one point he said he had to ask a Dodger question. Asked Magic about the team, specifically if Loney would be traded. Magic said he’d leave trades up to Stan Kasten (maybe a generic safe answer…but note who did NOT get mentioned as whom trades would be left to).
Also said standard stuff about long season, getting good pitching and defense but struggling on offense and going through a slump, as every team does during a season.
At least he’s not sitting on the panic button. He’s been around sports long enough to know how counterproductive that is.
Of course his was a TV answer for public consumption. But pretty sure no one is ownership is panicking privately either. They’re too professional.
Given that and the goal of rebuilding the Dodgers, like most here, I expect Loney, Uribe, and maybe a few others to be dispatched elsewhere or to the bench just as soon as better options can be had.
Most fans–us included–want trades and moves to be right now, especially when things don’t go well. In the real world, it just doesn’t work that quickly.
Anonymous
Maybe Magic doesn’t know who the Dodgers’ GM is.
foul tip
I’d be astounded–and many others probably would be–if Ned can do a thing without running it by Kasten first. Ned may not be totally irrelevant, but if he’s not on a very short leash that would be equally astounding.
underdog
Agree, I get sense that Kasten will be involved pretty well in any moves. Which I find a little reassuring. Heard that Kasten will be on Dodgers post-game today, btw.
Jason Ungar
or, maybe magic knows exactly who the GM has been.
Jon Weisman
Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Kobe Bryant, David Beckham, Jonathan Quick (2), Darryl Sutter, L.A. Kings (2) nominated for ESPYS es.pn/MTVFYz
underdog
Any word on whether Donnie’s done the “Lollygaggers!” speech yet? (complete with bats being thrown) With I guess Trey Hillman in Robert Wuhl role.
Anonymous
Wallach would be good in the Wuhl role for that one.
Jason Ungar
someone needs to get a live chicken in the club house for Uribe.
Anonymous
Every team has dry spells, but I agree with many of the comments about the negative impact of Rivera and Uribe being inserted back into the lineup. Rivera was grossly overvalued by Ned or Donnie (or both). Rivera is a part timer, with an ok bat off the bench. Uribe is shot. He has a ring, has a fat contract, and has nothing left. My main problem is with the Gordon, who now gets on base, but doesn’t steal – or isn’t allowed to steal. What is Donnie thinking? Right now, Gordon’s speed IS our offense and twice he WALKS and gets doubled up. Mark Ellis can’t come back soon enough!
Anonymous
Have to agree with most of this. Time to recognize that while the bench was a huge asset and piece of the early success, the Dodger line up currently consists of bench players that are just that. This includes Hairston, Abreu, Rivera, Herrera, and Gwynn. Great contributors, but not everyday players. Sad part is that due to lacking of production from Loney and Uribe, they will have to be in the lineup far more than they should be.
Anonymous
Billingsley > Lincecum
;^)
Anonymous
We are 75 games into the season. If we divide it up into 15 game segments we get:
W-L Scored-Scored upon
12-3 68-46
7-8 57-60
11-4 77-53
8-7 58-55
5-10 42-56
Note the consistency in the runs scored against us and the huge swing in runs scored. 42 runs in 15 games which includes this (so far) 8 game road trip with 13 runs scored. I wonder what our OPS is by position and where that stands in the league.
Anonymous
This is excellent research. The Dodgers pitchers have consistently allowed 3.6 runs per game–a pretty good RA. When they’ve been able to score more than that, they win. Over the last 15 games, however, they’ve averaged almost a full run less than that.
We knew from the start of the season that this wasn’t a very good hitting team. And without Matt Kemp or even Mark Ellis, they’re even worse. Getting those guys back will help, but I still think they need one more corner infielder to provide some offense for the days when KempEthier struggle.
Anonymous
Was Rivera given an error on his terrible throw to home last night?
Jon Weisman
What’s interesting is that the Dodgers are no more a 2.8 runs per game team than they are a 5.1 runs per game team. The true Dodgers are very likely in the middle – the group that either goes 7-8 or 8-7. Over a 162-game season, that translates to winning 76 games vs. winning 86 games. Tossup.
Anonymous
Disagree. The lineup without Kemp and Ellis is very much a 2.8 runs per game team. Loney, Gwynn, Uribe, and Gordon are all getting on base less than 31% of the time, an OPS-ing less than .650. You can’t score a lot of runs when half your regulars make quiet outs 7 out of 10 times. Gwynn’s playing time will reduce when Kemp returns, but Uribe’s, Loney’s and Gordon’s won’t without an acquisition. BTW, Rivera is no better than Loney with the stick, and worse with the leather.
foul tip
This isn’t intended as a Uribe putdown, just as a snapshot of how things have gone for the Dodgers the last little while…
Don’t remember the game or situation–you guys who see games may–but I saved this:
“Jemile Weeks bunted a ball fielded by Lindblom, who whirled to throw to third base, only to find third baseman Juan Uribe standing next to him.”
Anonymous
That happened twice :(
Jon Weisman
NPUT
foul tip
Item at fannation.com comes up with the first 4 teams likely to sell, using criteria of 10 games or more out of a playoff spot–
Seattle, Cubs, Rockies, Padres. Says Cubs & Padres likely to be most active of those.
In comments below the item, one says Cubs need more than a rebuild, more like an overhaul.
Answer: “Call in an air strike and just start over.”