No guessing game today: The Dodgers-Nationals game has been canceled because of rain, with a doubleheader now planned for 10:05 a.m. Pacific on Thursday.
Category: Uncategorized (Page 27 of 63)
All-time single-season leaders in stolen base-walk ratio (minimum 100 plate appearances):
1) Infinity Gus Getz, 1916 Brooklyn Robins: nine steals, zero walks
2) 12.0 Joe Cannon, 1979 Toronto Blue Jays: 12 steals, one walk
3) 8.0 Dee Gordon, 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers: 16 steals, two walks
Dedicated pinch-runner Herb Washington has the most steals in a season without a walk: 29.
Source: Baseball-Reference.com.
The weather forecast for Dodgers-Nationals baseball tonight, with the Washington, D.C. crowd eagerly anticipating a chance to see Dodger lefty Ted Lilly (against their no-name pitcher), is grim. But you never know until you know …
Enjoy …
Sorry for not having a proper wrap to today’s 4-2 Dodger victory and to the homestand. A combination of working on a long-term project for the site and some family time intervened.
Ted Lilly is sure having a weird season, isn’t he?
The Dodgers begin play seven games behind the Giants. The race is on! Or it would have been, if Arizona weren’t making such a decisive worst-to-first run in the National League West.
The Diamondbacks, 15 games behind the fourth-place Dodgers last year, have almost reversed that deficit completely with a 12-game lead this year.
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- Charley Steiner and Rick Monday are about to join the Dodger announcer RSVP parade for 2012, writes Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Jackson also reported Monday that the Dodgers would use a six-man rotation this week, with Dana Eveland a leading choice to start Thursday’s makeup game in Pittsburgh. That pitcher could then stay in the rotation after Nathan Eovaldi makes what is expected to be his final 2011 start (to preserve the 21-year-old’s arm). Roster space will not be an issue.
- I don’t think I’m on board with his “empty prison camp” analogy to describe Dodger Stadium – let’s just say as prisons go, I could deal – but Eric Nusbaum certainly tells a woeful tale of his sadcap adventures at the ballpark on Pitchers & Poets.
- At Blue Heaven, Ernest Reyes writes about Silvio Garcia, a Cuban star of color that Branch Rickey considered bringing to the Dodgers in the Jackie Robinson era.
- Stephen Strasburg, the Washington Nationals prodigy recovering from surgery, is expected to make his first 2011 major-league start September 6 against the Dodgers, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
James Loney’s white-hot walloping has upgraded his Dodger future all the way from non-existent to tenuous.
By doubling and hitting his ninth homer of the season (and third in four games) tonight in support of Clayton Kerhaw and the Dodgers, who beat the Padres, 4-1, Loney extended his swashbuckling slugging streak to 18 for 35 with five doubles and four home runs in eight games: a .541 on-base percentage, 1.000 slugging percentage and 1.541 OPS.
Loney pushed his OPS for the season above .700 for the first time since he doubled in four at-bats on Opening Day. Perhaps more significantly, since he began play on April 24 with his batting average at a season-low .165, Loney has basically been himself, producing an OPS virtually identical to his career .771.
The news won’t light up Times Square, but it has helped Loney reach person-of-interest status. To be less opaque, it has reopened the once-dead discussion of whether the Dodgers would even consider keeping Loney in their 2012 plans.
Because of baseball’s arbitration patterns that reward service time with cash even when the performance wouldn’t seem to justify it, Loney’s salary would almost be guaranteed to rise from the $4.875 million he is earning this year to the neighborhood of $7 million if the Dodgers don’t surrender their exclusive rights to him by non-tendering him for 2012.
Loney got a 57 percent raise last offseason, from $3.1 million, after OPSing only .723 in 2010. Loney’s 2011 OPS right now is .705.
The Dodgers could try to resign Loney after non-tendering him, but as was the case with Russell Martin last winter, that opens the door for any of 29 other teams to decide he’s worth more than the Dodgers think he is, not to mention for Loney to decide that a change of scenery would be good.
Under different ownership, the Dodger might be looking right past Loney to MVP-caliber first basemen like Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols, but that’s not going to happen with this organization this winter. And frankly, a number of healthy owners will stay out of that bidding as well.
Still, there remains a ton lined up against a Loney return, because Los Angeles might simply end up trying to address first base more economically.
Loney’s surge has increased the chances that the Dodgers could stomach giving him a raise, but then again, it has also increased the potential size of that raise. Though the decision isn’t getting any easier, the news is that there could be a decision to make at all.
If nothing else, it sure is a pleasure to see Loney look like a real hitter again.
* * *
Clayton Kershaw pitches a complete-game six-hitter against the Padres (despite only five strikeouts against two walks)? Of course.
Andre Ethier gets three hits in his first start after the whole “should he be playing” brou-non-ha-ha? Different sort of of course, but yes, of course.
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesClayton Kershaw briefly becomes fortune’s fool by allowing a game-changing two-run home run to Cody Ransom of Arizona on August 7.
Clayton Kershaw isn’t exactly having a “what might have been” season, but that didn’t stop me from wondering what else might have been.
Kershaw has thrown 2,854 pitches this season. What if the star Dodger lefty could take back just 10. You know, 10 pitches picked entirely at random … by coincidence, these:
1) April 16 vs. St. Louis: After giving up a single and a walk to Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, Kershaw retired David Freese on a fly to left. But one out from escaping with a 2-1 deficit, Kershaw gave up a three-run homer to Allen Craig. With 111 pitches thrown, Kershaw was removed before the fifth inning was over for the only time this season.
If it had been an out: one more out, three fewer runs off Kershaw.
2) April 21 vs. Atlanta: Kershaw was one strike away from a complete-game, 2-1 victory three times. After a two-out single by Chipper Jones, Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman each reached base on 3-2 pitches by Kershaw to load the sacks. With Jonathan Broxton warm in the bullpen, Kershaw threw an 0-2 pitch — his 122nd of the game — that former Dodger David Ross was able to line to left field, driving in two. (The Dodgers rallied to win in 12 innings, 4-2, on Matt Kemp’s walkoff homer.)
If it had been an out: one more out, one more victory, two fewer runs off Kershaw.
3) April 26 at Florida: One of two other times this season Kershaw didn’t complete at least six innings. With one out in a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth, the Marlins loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Mike Stanton lined a 2-2 pitch for a two-run single that provided the final margin of a 4-2 Florida victory. Kershaw actually stayed in to walk the next batter, before Mike MacDougal relieved and minimized the damage with a Greg Dobbs double play.
If it had been an out: one fewer loss, one more out, two fewer runs off Kershaw.
4) May 18 vs. San Francisco: Kershaw had 26 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Giants when he gave up a run in the third inning to break a scoreless tie. Then in the fourth, he was cuffed around, allowing four straight singles to start the inning for another run. “”I felt great, but maybe I was a little too predictable,” Kershaw told The Associated Press. “I threw just two pitches pretty much and maybe should have mixed in a little more stuff.” But the pitch that really had to eat at Kershaw, with the score only 2-0 and pitcher Matt Cain on deck, was the 3-2 fastball that missed against .208-hitting Mike Fontenot, forcing across the third of four runs Kershaw allowed. (Cody Ross later hit a sacrifice fly.) The Dodgers actually rallied to tie this game, 5-5, in the eighth inning, taking Kershaw off the hook, before Lance Cormier served up a three-run homer to Ross in the ninth.
If it had been an out: two fewer runs off Kershaw.
5) June 4 at Cincinnati: This one just killed me. Kershaw was on fire, retiring 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, striking out nine. But in the sixth inning (see, this doesn’t just happen to Chad Billingsley), the Reds broke through with a single, a walk and a two-out RBI single by Brandon Phillips to tie the game, 1-1. The next batter, Joey Votto, torched an 82 mph slider for a three-run home run. Kershaw was saddled with two more runs in the next inning, but not for the first time, the Dodgers came to Kershaw’s rescue, with Kemp hitting two home runs in an 11-8, 11-inning victory.
If it had been an out: three fewer runs off Kershaw.
6) June 9 at Colorado: The only sequence this season in which Kershaw went two consecutive games without a quality start was completed in Denver, when his opponent bit him once again in the sixth and seventh innings. Leading 4-0 going into the bottom of the sixth and having faced only two batters over the minimum, Kershaw let this one get away in a hurry. Troy Tulowitzki’s first-pitch, two-run double put the Rockies on the board in the sixth and prevented Kershaw, who retired the next two batters, from a chance at a clean escape. Relieved after loading the bases with none out in the seventh, Kershaw was charged with six runs in six-plus innings; the Dodgers lost, 9-7.
If it had been an out: maybe more, but we’ll say two fewer runs off Kershaw.
7) June 26 vs. Angels: One strike from finishing the ninth inning in a 1-1, Kershaw gives up a go-ahead home run to Vernon Wells. But thanks to the murderers row of Juan Uribe, Dioner Navarro, Aaron Miles and Tony Gwynn Jr., the Dodgers push two across in the bottom of the ninth to win.
If it had been an out: one fewer run off Kershaw.
8) July 2 at Angels: Kershaw falls behind 2-0 in the count, then throws a 95 mph fastball that Wells (what, again?) blasts for a two-run homer. And it could have been avoided if not for Dee Gordon’s ill-advised throw home on a one-out grounder with Jeff Mathis on third base. For the third time this season, Kershaw was charged with a season-worst six earned runs.
If it had been an out: two fewer runs off Kershaw.
9) and 10) August 7 at Arizona: Kelly Johnson soon after packed his bags for Toronto. Cody Ransom had just arrived from the minors. But when their paths crossed Kershaw on this Sunday, with the Dodgers going for a three-game sweep that could have actually put them within eight games of first place in the National League West with about eight weeks to go, each hit a two-run home run — just enough for the Diamondbacks to put the Dodgers back in their place, 4-3.
If they had been outs: one more victory, one fewer loss, one more out, three fewer runs off Kershaw. (Arizona would have still scored a run in the seventh on the Sean Burroughs double that came after Ransom’s homer.)
So, what would all this have meant, if we could have our way and we didn’t believe in the Butterfly Effect? Instead of being 16-5 with a 2.51 ERA, Kershaw would have saved 20 earned runs with those 10 pitches and would be heading into tonight’s game 18-3 with a 1.55 ERA.
Oh well. Guess we’ll just have to settle for him as is …
Batting average
.336 Jose Reyes, Mets
.332 Ryan Braun, Brewers
.324 Joey Votto, Reds
.323 Matt Kemp, Dodgers
.320 Daniel Murphy, Mets
Home runs
31 Matt Kemp, Dodgers
31 Albert Pujols, Cardinals
30 Lance Berkman, Cardinals
30 Mike Stanton, Marlins
30 Dan Uggla, Braves
Runs batted in
102 Prince Fielder, Brewers
100 Matt Kemp, Dodgers
99 Ryan Howard, Phillies
93 Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
87 Ryan Braun, Brewers
On August 1, Kemp was .024 behind in batting average, two behind in home runs and one ahead in RBI.
Mark J. Terrill/APMr. 30-33, Matt Kemp, is now on pace for 37 homers to go with 41 steals this season.
Ted Lilly giving up an early home run? Typical game.
The Dodger offense struggling to put a single run on the scoreboard? Typical game.
A six-run rally driven by two balks, a James Loney homer and a Dodger joining the 30-30 club? Not such a typical game.
Mark J. Terrill/APJim Tracy wasn’t seeing straight after two balks were called on his team in the seventh inning.
The Dodgers trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but they rolled a six on the Rockies and moved directly to a 6-1 victory.
It was the Dodgers’ fourth straight victory, their second in a row with a six-run inning, and their first with confirmation that Vin Scully would be back for more in 2012.
Working on a 1-0 shutout, Colorado starter Esmeril Rogers walked Andre Ethier and Aaron Miles, and Rod Barajas (after being forced to bunt for two pitches) singled to load the bases. However, the Dodgers seemed doomed – rather typically doomed, as it were – when Ethier tried to score on Jamey Carroll’s fly ball to center field and was thrown out, as we’ll get to continue hearing Vinny say, “from you to me.”
But after pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn was intentionally walked – I’m not sure about the smarts behind that one, by the way – Miles goaded Rogers into committing a balk that moved everyone up and tied the game. And then, with runners on second and third, Justin Sellers’ single drove in two more runs to give the Dodgers the lead.
A bitter Rogers was relieved by Matt Reynolds, who immediately picked off Sellers – only to have another balk called. That was all Jim Tracy could stand, and he couldn’t stands no more, his determination to protest the call getting him thrown out of the game.
With the reprieve, the Dodgers doubled their fun. Loney hit his seventh home run of the season – five of them against Colorado – to make the score 5-1. And then Kemp hit his crowning-glory absolute rocket to center.
Loney, 2 for 4, is now 13 for his last 21 with a walk and 22 total bases: a .636 on-base percentage, 1.048 slugging percentage and 1.684 OPS.
Kenley Jansen made a successful return from the disabled list with a 14-pitch perfect eighth inning, and Scott Elbert took on the ninth, allowing two hits but no runs. Lilly got the win with his fourth outstanding start out of his past five, a stretch in which he has a 2.20 ERA.
* * *
Tweets from Beto Duran of ESPN Radio:
- Vin Scully held impromptu press conference in elevator after game. By far coolest ride ever!
- Vin “winning and losing doesn’t bother me, it’s just love of people. Just don’t know what I’d do”
- Vin on announcing return during game. “Didn’t want to make big deal. Not trying to be a Brett Favre”
Matt Kemp slammed his 30th home run of the season to center field to cap a six-run seventh inning and become the second Dodger (after Raul Mondesi) ever with 30 home runs and 30 steals in the same season.
The ball went almost to the same exact spot as Jose Canseco’s grand slam in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesVin Scully at Jackie Robinson Day in 2007
Vin bless us every one.
Vin Scully told fans watching the Dodgers-Rockies game tonight that he would return to broadcast Dodger games in 2012, his 63rd season behind the mic with the team.
As he has in recent years, Scully will call Dodger home games and road games in Colorado and west of the Rockies.
Scully began speaking by holding up a chocolate-chip cookie:
“Every year this time of year a nice lady in Woodland Hills named Mrs. Marti Squires sends me some chocolate-chip cookies. This year when she sent them in the letter it said, ‘This is a bribe to get you to come back next year.’ Well, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, I mean, you and I have been friends a long time. But after a lot of soul searching and a few prayers, I’ve decided that maybe we can do it. We’ve decided that we will come back with the Dodgers for next year. God’s been awfully good to me, allowing me to do the things that I’ve always wanted to do. I asked him one more year at least and he said, ‘Okay and be quiet and eat your cookie.’ I’ll do the same thing. Let’s go back …”
The timing of the announcement isn’t unusual – in fact, it came only four days earlier in 2010 – but it comes in the wake of T.J. Simers’ column in the Times this week about a Dodgers marketing survey that included an evaluation of Scully among its questions. The ensuing controversy – driven by the idea that the survey was a path toward the Dodgers letting Scully go – grew way out of proportion, however weird the question seemed, especially considering that right in Simers’ column was a quote from the Dodgers saying that Vin’s job “is his as long as he wants it.”
But in any case, there’s no more welcome news this year than this.
Catching up on some news …
- Kenley Jansen has been activated from the disabled list. Josh Lindblom was sent to Double-A Chattanooga, where he will bide his time until he can return, in 10 days when rosters expand or sooner if there’s another Dodger injury.
- Dee Gordon was scheduled to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, but Gordon did not play Thursday. It does not appear that the Dodgers will wait until when rosters expand September 1 to activate Gordon, which would mean that Eugenio Velez might not remain on the 25-man roster for long (though would no doubt clear waivers).
- Ted Lilly is responding well to acupuncture treatment, he told Gurnick.
- Don Drysdale’s daughter Drew is scheduled to sing National Anthem and God Bless America at Dodger Stadium on Monday.
- While much talk about the Cubs’ general manager vacancy has centered on Ned Colletti, it’s former Dodger general manager Dan Evans who might be a more likely choice, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Dodger prospect Jerry Sands is breaking some eggs – that is, making some significant adjustments with the hopes of deriving long-term benefit. From Christopher Jackson at Albuquerque Baseball Examiner:
… “It’s been real tough, cause I came back down and I knew I needed to change some things, but it’s tough to totally overhaul in the middle of the season and be productive,” Sands said. “I want to get back up there, but I want to look like I learned something.
“It was tough having to change things I’d done for years and then change them right over. The hot and the cold stretches have been a part of me learning, just a process of what I have to do to be more consistent.” …
- Clayton Kershaw “stands to become just the fourth Dodger in the 128-year history of the franchise to post three straight seasons with an ERA+ of 130 or higher,” writes Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. Jeff Pfeffer, Sandy Koufax and Orel Hershiser are the others.
- Stephen also passes along the news that outfielder Kyle Russell has gotten a late-season promotion from Chattanooga to Albuquerque.
- Sons of Steve Garvey caps its visit to St. Louis with a long, thoughtful piece about sportswriting.
- The man himself, Bob Eubanks, talked to Dodger historian Mark Langill about the Beatles, setting up this weekend’s commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the Beatles playing Dodger Stadium (via Blue Heaven).
- The friendly folks at Bronx Banter passed along “10 Things John Sterling would say in a hurricane” from IT IS HIGH! IT IS FAR! IT IS… caught.
- On target as always, Joe Posnanski about “the myth of pressure.”
… This line — that it’s easier to put up numbers without pennant pressure — is a lot like that. Nobody can possibly believe this. First of all, there’s the obvious flaw: If it were easier to put up numbers in non-pressure situations, then players would consistently and obviously have better years on lousy teams than they do on good ones. Does this ring even the slightest bell of truth? Does anyone believe that Derek Jeter would have put up better numbers had he played for Kansas City? Does anyone believe that Albert Pujols would be so much better if he had spent his career playing in the carefree world of the Pittsburgh Pirates? Roy Halladay was great for mediocre Blue Jays teams and is great for outstanding Phillies teams. Hank Aaron was the same great player with the same great numbers when Milwaukee won, when Milwaukee almost won, and when Milwaukee wasn’t very good at all. …
If you’ve read this blog at all you know: I’ve covered a lot of bad teams in my life. I’ve been around some good ones, too. And as far as “pressure” goes, well, from my observation, it’s not even close. There is infinitely more pressure on players on lousy teams than on good ones. Obviously, this depends on how you define pressure, but if the textbook definition of pressure is “the feeling of stressful urgency cause by the necessity of achieving something,” well, absolutely, there’s way more pressure on the lousy teams.
… Think about it: What pressure is there on players in pennant races? The pressure to win? Sure. But players come to the ballpark energized. Everyone on the team is into it. The crowd is alive and hopeful. The afternoon crackles. Anticipation. Excitement. There’s nothing in sports quite like the energy in a baseball clubhouse during a pennant race. Players arrive early to prepare. Teammates help each other. Everyone’s in a good mood. There’s a feeling swirling around: This is exactly the childhood dream. The added importance of the moment could, in theory I suppose, create extra stress. But the reality I’ve seen is precisely the opposite. The importance sharpens the senses, feeds the enthusiasm, makes the day brighter. Baseball is a long season. Anything to give a day a little gravity, to separate it from yesterday, to make it all more interesting — anything like that, I think, is much more likely to make it EASIER to play closer to one’s peak.
A losing clubhouse? Exactly the opposite. The downward pressure is enormous and overwhelming — after all, who cares? The town has moved on. A Hawaiian vacation awaits. Teammates are fighting to keep their jobs or fighting to impress someone on another team or just plain fighting. The manager might be worried about his job. The reporters are few, and they’re negative. Smaller crowds make it easier to hear the drunken critics. Support is much harder to come by, and there is constant, intense force demanding that you just stop trying so hard. After all: Why take that extra BP? You’ve got the swing down. Why study a few extra minutes of film? You’ve faced that hitter before. Why take that extra base? Why challenge him on that 3-1 pitch? Why? You’re down 9-3 anyway.
It’s absolutely AMAZING to me when a player puts up a fantastic year even when the team around him stinks. …
Jeff RobersonNathan Eovaldi
It’s early, I know, to be asking the question of who the Dodgers’ top rookie of 2011 is. But Nathan Eovaldi’s fourth consecutive Start of Decency – if not heroic, at least decidedly upright – had me thinking again about how many different rookies had contributed to what limited success this Dodger team has had.
Just to take Monday’s game as an example, Dodger rookies pitched eight of the nine innings, allowing a total of one run.
If you were picking now, who would be the 2011 Dodger Rookie of the Year?
The definition of a rookie is no more than 130 at bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club (not counting time after rosters expand September 1) before the current season. Here’s how I might rank them:
- Rubby De La Rosa, P: 60 2/3 innings, 3.71 ERA, 8.90 K/9, 1.40 WHIP
- Javy Guerra, P: 31 2/3 innings, 2.27 ERA, 7.11 K/9, 1.20 WHIP
- Kenley Jansen, P: 37 innings, 3.65 ERA, 14.84 K/9, 1.19 WHIP
- Nathan Eovaldi, P: 22 innings, 2.05 ERA, 5.73 K/9, 1.18 WHIP
- Scott Elbert, P: 25 innings, 2.88 ERA, 8.64 K/9, 1.00 WHIP
- Josh Lindblom, P: 19 2/3 innings, 2.29 ERA, 5.95 K/9, 0.97 WHIP
- Dee Gordon, SS: 114 plate appearances, .248 on-base percentage, .270 slugging percentage, 12-for-15 stealing
- Jerry Sands, OF-1B: 144 plate appearances, .294 on-base percentage, .328 slugging percentage, 10 doubles
- Trent Oeltjen, OF: 65 plate appearances, .387 on-base percentage, .438 slugging percentage, 11 walks
- A.J. Ellis, C: 56 plate appearances, .364 on-base percentage, .222 slugging percentage, nine walks
- Justin Sellers, SS: 39 plate appearances, .282 on-base percentage, .361 slugging percentage
- Russ Mitchell, IF: 31 plate appearances, .258 on-base percentage, .269 slugging percentage, one memorable home run
- Ivan DeJesus Jr., IF: 35 plate appearances, .235 on-base percentage, .188 slugging percentage
Some comments:
- There’s a really strong case for Guerra to win the award, in how he stepped up and provided an anchor for the bullpen after Jonathan Broxton and Vicente Padilla went down for basically the season. But De La Rosa started out as an effective reliever before becoming a mostly effective starter, and something tells me that he could have done just as well had he remained in Guerra’s role. Perhaps by the end of the season, I’ll change my mind, but I think right now De La Rosa is the cream.
- That being said, there’s an argument to be made that Jansen (26 baserunners, 48 strikeouts, 1.27 ERA in 28 1/3 innings since April 22) has been better than both of them.
- Eovaldi’s low ERA is mitigated by his low strikeout rate and limited innings. Based on reports that the Dodgers will limit his innings in September, he might slip further.
- Elbert and Lindblom have quietly been as reliable as you could have hoped for, especially considering what their slides before this season. I think that puts them ahead of the batch of Dodger position players.
- Gordon got the edge over Sands thanks to his defense and his steals, which if added to his total bases would put his slugging percentage above Sands’ slugging.
- Oeltjen has better offensive numbers than either Gordon or Sands, thanks to a rather stunning walk rate (not unlike Ellis), but I’m subjectively downgrading Oeltjen based on how little impact I really think he’s had.
- Sellers could easily move into the top 10, but with Gordon expected back by September, I don’t know how much higher he’ll go.
What do you all think?
Ah, 2009 National League Championship Series Game 2, I remember you well.
The stakes weren’t the same (I feel like I’ve made that point a lot lately), but given the alternative, it was a nice surprise to see the Dodgers rally after eight innings of tough pitching and score two in the ninth inning – just as they did in that wonderful twilight at Dodger Stadium two years ago – for a 2-1 victory over St. Louis.
One out after Juan Rivera was hit by Chris Carpenter’s final pitch of the night and Justin Sellers pinch-ran, Aaron Miles absolutely ripped a Fernando Salas pitch to the gap in right-center field for a game-tying triple. The next batter, Rod Barajas, hit a grounder to Rafael Furcal, who had just come in the game at the top of the inning despite his injured thumb. With the infield in, Furcal tried to backhand the ball, dropped it, picked it up, then threw wide of home, allowing Miles to score the go-ahead run.
Javy Guerra, in his first game since blowing a save in Colorado, started out by inducing a pop out from Albert Pujols, before retiring Corey Patterson for the second out. Then, old friend Furcal hit a 60-foot chopper that was rough enough for an infield single, but John Jay popped to left field to end the game.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed only one run – on Lance Berkman’s second-inning home run – in his five innings, completing his outing by retiring David Freese with runners on second and third. (Rivera made a nice play right before that to keep Daniel Descalso from scoring on Skip Schumaker’s double.) Josh Lindblom, Scott Elbert, Matt Guerrier and Guerra each pitched an inning of relief, and Furcal was the only one of 13 batters in that stretch to reach base.
James Loney went 3 for 4, making him 7 for 8 in his past two games.
