Watching the Pirates tip the table on the Cardinals in a 7-1 romp that evened the other National League Division Series was a sobering reminder of how short-lived success can be. Zack Greinke will aim to keep things stable in Game 2 for the Dodgers, who will now face a lefty starting pitcher in Atlanta’s Mike Minor.
Be strong, be fierce, be winners.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Skip Schumaker, CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Zack Greinke, P
Coverage of the game will begin on TNT, because of the length of the Tampa Bay-Boston game on TBS.
WinnipegDave
I think Hanley has a big game today. Just a feeling.
John_from_Aus
I just hope his hammy isn’t too sore
Jon Weisman
I’ve e-mailed TBS to ask if they plan to move start of Dodger game to TNT.
WBBsAs
They have indeed done so.
btimmer
It’s good to know you have that kind of clout! Do their emails come with an echo effect?
TAFKA_Gagne55
Go BLUE!!!!
Jon Weisman
Confirmed – Dodger game will start on TNT assuming Boston game doesn’t end on time.
Jon Weisman
If there’s a Game 4 on Monday, it will be a 6:37 game.
Adam Luther
Thank you Jon – have been waiting for that info!!
John_from_Aus
why do games start at a time ending in 7?
KT
because TBS did this years ago so if you start watching on their station you wouldn’t change channels to watch something else because it was already started
btimmer
The 7 minutes also allows all the pregame sponsored segments to get aired.
KT
WHOLE NEW BLUE!!!! WHOLE NEW SEASON…10 more…Come on ZACK!!!!
Bob_Hendley
Bring on the lefty!
John_from_Aus
Way to get on after being 0-2
KT
Let’s go Hanley
Jeffrey Thomas III
Vin is a few seconds ahead for me. How’s it sounding to you guys?
KT
yep
Jeffrey Thomas III
I hope they correct it today as they did last night.
Jon Weisman
It’s only about one or two seconds ahead for me. Last night, before they changed it, Vin was about seven seconds ahead.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Yeah it’s pretty close.
KT
enough time to look up from the computer to see it
WBBsAs
Two pitches behind.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Hanley!
Adam Luther
…and there’s the lead that Zack needs.
Jon Weisman
Hooray – day 2!
KT
Hanley!! Yes!!!!
Bob_Hendley
Pressure on!
John_from_Aus
Nice start
John_from_Aus
Another single from Puig will do
John_from_Aus
Oh well, 1 run, 22 pitches, great start
Jack Dawkins
No close games yet in round 1. Hope dodgers continue the trend now.
Jon Weisman
Worth remembering that Mark Ellis was down 0-2 in the count before working that walk.
WBBsAs
I switched from the iPhone to the computer, and Vin is now a fraction of a second ahead of the broadcast.
Jack Dawkins
TBS announcers carping that every close pitch has gone the dodgers way.
WBBsAs
Nice easy inning.
Bob_Hendley
Shutdown
John_from_Aus
or shutdown or sitdown :)
Bob_Hendley
I live in DC.
WBBsAs
I lived four months in Mount Pleasant, and really enjoyed it.
Bob_Hendley
I think we figured out that you lived down the street from me and just a couple of doors away from where Walter Johnson used to live.
Linkmeister
I lived out in the NoVa suburbs in Annandale all through high school.
WBBsAs
Can’t even remember what street I was on, but it might have been Lamont.
Bob_Hendley
Irving or perhaps Hobart or Adams Mills.
KT
Well we won that inning..I want MOAR Runs
KT
Juanito!
TAFKA_Gagne55
Almost a buntlike swing from Uribear for the single.
Bob_Hendley
Annoucers as bad as the crowd on the pitch calls.
KT
Let’s go Zack…drive him in
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ellis and Ellis doing well again today.
KT
DP Time
John_from_Aus
safe to say the DP won’t be to Puig this time
John_from_Aus
Nice K
Spence
Ripped
KT
Ok let’s get that one back
KT
CC!
Bob_Hendley
Can we run on these guys?
KT
switch channels to TBS
Jon Weisman
Five of 10 Dodgers have reached base so far.
Jack Dawkins
Tempered by 2 GIDP.
KT
Let’s go MEllis
Spence
Wow turned 2 with CC running
Jon Weisman
Just hit to a terrible spot.
scooplew
We’ve been hitting the ball hard but have also been unlikely. I think our luck will change but our hard-hitting won’t, and we will have a big inning very soon.
Jon Weisman
Kind of game I expect in general in this series. Thin margins.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Nice inning for Zack.
Jack Dawkins
Zach is cruising. 33 through 3.
Jeffrey Thomas III
No more Vin til the 7th :(
KT
Gonzo!
Jack Dawkins
Thats a double for anyone else on the team.
TAFKA_Gagne55
Third straight lead off baserunner. Let’s make this one count!
Jack Dawkins
9 pitch ining for Minor. Lot of early swings.
Jon Weisman
Good news – he’s already at 60 pitches. Bad news – Braves bullpen is mean.
WBBsAs
Back end is good, but the rest not so much.
Spence
Braves lineup seems better than vs righties than lefties. Getting Freeman/McCann vs a righty really makes them better.
KT
IMPORTANT INFORMATION – NLDS HOME GAME #1 Thank you for purchasing tickets to Home Game #1 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium! A few notes about the game:
Game time is at 5:07 pm PT on Sunday, October 6
Gates will open to all fans at 2:00pm PT
Please plan ahead for traffic. The Dodger Stadium Express will start running from Union Station at 2:00pm PT
Check your ticket – make sure it says Home Game #1
Spence
Greinke’s been hanging his breaking balls too much tonight
ASW1
Time to get some runs!
KT
Need Moar runs now…Let’s go
Jon Weisman
No MLB game has been decided by fewer than three runs since Sunday.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Greinke holding his own, wake up bats!
RBI
Nice K!
RBI
C’mon, Blue! Need hits!
RBI
Hanley!
Jack Dawkins
That would have cut the third baseman in half.
RBI
Such a bad call! Sheesh!
WBBsAs
I’m already suffering Steiner fatigue.
Jeffrey Thomas III
The strike calls are getting worse..
RBI
And worse…
KT
good hustle
Jack Dawkins
Speed never slumps. Ill take my cliche payment now.
WBBsAs
Monday says determination is more important than speed.
Bob_Hendley
Dang
KT
quite swing at ball 4
RBI
Ball four, but a good pitch.
Linkmeister
Rats!
Jack Dawkins
That felt like the big moment in the game. But 9 outs to prove that feeling wrong.
JHT
This is where we miss Ethier/Kemp. Not having that fourth legit bopper in a row.
Jon Weisman
If nothing (much) changes, look for Ethier to hit for Uribe or Schumaker in the ninth inning against Kimbrel.
Jon Weisman
Greinke due up third in the seventh inning. With 83 pitches and his bat, decent chance he stays in.
btimmer
I guess that was not a decent chance.
WBBsAs
An indecent chance?
JHT
Lots of good bullpen arms well rested.
RBI
I disagree with pulling him here, but we’ll see.
scooplew
Playing for the tie now and then hoping to take the lead later.
Jon Weisman
No one in MLB thinks sliding into first is showboating?
scooplew
Showboating, silly or foolish? Or all three?
WinnipegDave
Is it Dee Gordon time here?
Jon Weisman
I don’t think so.
KT
not unless they bat dre and he gets on
WBBsAs
Schu is fast enough to score on a routine single.
Spence
Why you sac bunting when you are losing?
Jon Weisman
Figured after Mattingly watched two GIDP earlier in the game that that bunt was coming.
WBBsAs
Don fooled them. Nobody in Atlanta was anticipating a bunt.
Jon Weisman
Happy just to see Michael Young take the first pitch. Now make me happier.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Thank you!
WinnipegDave
That helps. Thank you!
scooplew
Great hustle by Young. But why did the first baseman go so far to his right to field that ball?
RBI
Sweet. We will take it.
4d3fect
FredI Gonzalez: “FUNDAMENTALS PPL”
WinnipegDave
By name, it hardly feels like the Braves are changing pitchers.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Are you kidding me.
Linkmeister
Consarn it!
WinnipegDave
Next inning we get them.
RBI
UGH!!!
Spence
Thats what you get for bunting
WBBsAs
Don continues to love every bunt except the squeeze.
scooplew
Well, we sure have that DP down pat today. Very frustrating…thus far.
RBI
Eleven hits. One run. Maddening.
RBI
Sorry. Nine hits.
scooplew
Does anyone know or is there any statistical listing that shows how many times we have tried the squeeze this year?
WinnipegDave
At this point last night, the comments were at about the 350 mark.
RBI
Work day.
Linkmeister
A lot more good things to talk about last night.
ASW1
Too damned many wasted chances
RBI
That chop chant is driving me bonkers.
ASW1
So annoying
RBI
We need a DP here.
RBI
This is what I feared. Should have stuck with Greinke,
Linkmeister
All those “breaks” Darling and
whoeverRipken were saying the Dodgers got yesterday have apparently moved over to the Braves’ side of the ledger.Spence
Simmons has 17 dingers and he’s bunting?
RBI
They really want to tack on one more.
Spence
Does bunting ever lead to runs?
WBBsAs
Only by coincidence.
RBI
Beauty.
Jon Weisman
Have mercy – loading the bases for Heyward.
RBI
Making my stomach ache.
Spence
IBB’ing the bases loaded. Really Donnie?
Bob_Hendley
Not understanding this
Spence
Game over
Jeffrey Thomas III
Donnie knows that Paco can get righties out right?
WBBsAs
Conventional wisdom is important to Don, because he lacks anything else.
WBBsAs
Don is a master strategist.
KT
well that backfired
RBI
Who didn’t see that coming? I mean, seriously.
Spence
Braves can possibly win this series without having to face Greinke and Kershaw again. Hopefully Ryu is up to the task on Sunday.
KT
you think kersh is pitching on short rest?
Spence
He threw 124 yesterday. I suppose its possible if the Dodgers lose game 3 that Donnie would go back to him over Nolasco.
Bob_in_Vegas
I was thinking about pitching Kersh on Monday — but that count was soooo high last night.
As throughout this season, great pitching still needs SOME runs to win.
Bob_Hendley
That’s like something he would have done with Paco early in the season.
Bob_in_Vegas
Back to Dodger Stadium and hopefully back to the future . . . and away from the early-season offense (all tease, no production) and bullpen (gasoline on the fire).
RBI
No reason to give that walk away. Really so frustrating.
Linkmeister
If you’re going to give some guy an IBB, why not have the outgoing pitcher do the work? Why have the incoming guy have to locate pitches outside the zone and then try to come back in with a new hitter?
Bob_in_Vegas
Thought the same as it was happening. Except bringing him in made them go to a new PH.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I hate the intentional walk, but they did that to make sure Braves didn’t bring up a different hitter.
Spence
I dont understand why Donnie didnt think Withrow could get out Jose Constanza.
Jeffrey Thomas III
One of many questions to be asked of Donnie in this inning.
RBI
Ahhh! Beli!
RBI
And furthermore, I do feel any close pitches are called strikes for them and balls for us.
Jon Weisman
I disagree. Greinke got some healthy calls. Not undeserved but certainly close.
RBI
Hmmm. Must have missed those. Felt lopsided to me.
Jon Weisman
Ellis, Ramirez, Gonzalez, Puig in the eighth inning,
Bob_Hendley
Let’s own the eighth!
RBI
We need a huge inning! Puttin’ on my rally cap, takin’ off my shoes so my toe nails are showing.
KT
Let’s go…score Moar runs
KT
Positive vibes everyone
KT
Nice eye Mark
Bob_Hendley
Hopefully the Braves’ lead takes the bunt out of Donnie’s arsenal.
WBBsAs
From from it, unless the situation calls for a squeeze.
Jon Weisman
Just realized Dodgers will probably lose this game 4-3.
Bob_Hendley
There you go!
KT
HANLEY!!!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Vin’s call was so subdued I thought it was a lazy fly ball. Wow.
WBBsAs
The Anti-Steiner
KT
MOAR Positive vibes
twaseverthus
Getting Vin in sync sure is confounding. The digital feed thru the MLB app is unlistenable for me – strangely hollow, with crowd noise at a minimum, Vin sounding removed from the game. My theory? Their feed is uncompressed, straight from the board, with none those AM radio limiters that give baseball broadcasts their magic. So I continue to fumble around in vain to get AM 570 in sync with DirecTV, where Vin remains about 2 seconds ahead. Sigh.
KT
I like the slight advance notice…I get to look up from my keyboard in time to see it happen
twaseverthus
My commercial-break thought aboe aside, my eyes are on the TV.
scooplew
Donnie’s in-game managing strategy is open for discussion, particularly in a very short series.
KT
he didn’t hit into the 3 DP’s
scooplew
True, but I am thinking of removing Greinke, with plenty of pitches remaining in his arm, for a pinch-hitter and then some of the pitching decisions he made.
KT
yea I didn’t like that either
Bob_Hendley
I don’t like how it got there (Withrow should be able to get Constanza), but Paco should be able to deal with Heyward.
Jeffrey Thomas III
At least we get the free BJ Upton out every night.
KT
Nice inning BW
scooplew
I see the name Gerald Laird for Atlanta and I go back four decades and I think of Gerald Ford and Melvin Laird.
scooplew
Ethier for Schumaker?
KT
Time to stick the stake in the heart of the Barves…beat kimbrel at home
Bob_Hendley
Get on for Dre!
Jeffrey Thomas III
I imagine Dee runs if anybody gets on.
KT
Nice AJ!
Adam Luther
Send Gordon…wow!!!
Bob_Hendley
Now Dre has to hit it out (Dee already used)
Jeffrey Thomas III
Safe.
KT
bad call
Adam Luther
Scully: tag on the left side of the body before hand hits the bag…
Jeffrey Thomas III
With the glove sure, ball wasn’t in there yet.
Adam Luther
Thanks-I’m only listening on radio…
Jeffrey Thomas III
That’s what it looks like to me. But oh well.
Adam Luther
Mattingly has to send him there to stay out of another DP.
KT
nope…have video evidence
twaseverthus
He also thought AJ Ellis was hit by ball 4.
twaseverthus
Folks, that’s what I call a bunk call.
Jeffrey Thomas III
At least we made their closer throw a bunch of pitches.
Bob_Hendley
After all that, we only lose by one.
Linkmeister
Small consolation.
Jon Weisman
NPUT
KT
all jon’s fault:
“Jon Weisman Mod 35 minutes ago
Just realized Dodgers will probably lose this game 4-3.” ^_^
Linkmeister
Don Orsillo, Dennis Eckersley and Buck Martinez doing the As – Tigers game being discussed here if any of y’all feel like it.