Dominant Wolf Allows Lone Run: Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1

by Brendan Scolari on Apr 12, 2009 10:10 PM PDT in Game Recaps Comment 14 comments

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

The Dodgers won 3-1 Sunday and improved their record to 4-3 on the back of Randy Wolf's great performance. He threw 7 innings and only allowed 2 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run while striking out 5. After 16 consecutive outs, Chad Tracy hit a bloop single to lead off the eigth with the score 2-1 so Hong-Chih Kuo came in and pitched a scoreless frame. In the ninth big, bad Jon Broxton shut the door by throwing a scoreless inning to record his third save of the year. Dan Haren was again a tough-luck loser as he limited the Dodgers to two runs in six innings.

On the offensive side, the Dodgers had six hits and four walks. Their first run came in the second inning because Felipe Lopez (and mostly everyone else) was unaware of the "fourth out rule". Andre Ethier scored from third (without tagging-up) before Lopez tagged Pierre to complete the double play after Randy Wolf lined out. Because the D-Backs walked off the field without ever appealing the play, Ethier's run counted. The next inning James Loney hit a single to score Rafael Furcal. That was all the offensive output until the ninth, when Matt Kemp's double cushioned the Dodgers' lead, making it 3-1. Loney had two hits and Manny Ramirez went 1-2 with two walks, but it was an otherwise quiet day at the plate.

With the off day on Tuesday, James McDonald's next start will be pushed back until next Sunday, April 19th. In the meantime, McDonald will work out of the bullpen. Torre said this was not a demotion, this was going to happen regardless of the outcome of J-Mac's start because of his previous work out of the bullpen during the playoffs. Torre believes Stults is more effective in a starting role. While this is not permanent, it wlll be interesting to see what happens upon Kuroda's return if Stults keeps pitching well. I don't think it would be a bad thing for McDonald to work out of the 'pen for a while; the eventual injuries will come so its not as if he would be done as a starter.

The D-Backs are reeling after two consecutive series losses at home against division rivals. To make matters worse, their ace Brandon Webb was put on the DL today. Hopefully the Cardinals can put some salt in those wounds.

Tomorrow the Dodgers have their home opener at 1:10 PM against the hated Giants, who just got swept in San Diego to drop their record to 2-4. Chad Billingsley will be on the hill against 45 year-old Randy Johnson, who looks like he might be 65. I'm sure the Dodgers will be happy to be home and hopefully this will lead to another series win.

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Love the headline

by Eric Stephen on Apr 12, 2009 10:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thank you sir.

by Brendan Scolari on Apr 12, 2009 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"4th Out Rule"

I was driving when I heard the play, and I was very confused. I finally saw the replay and I’m confident in saying that was the strangest run I’ve ever seen the Dodgers score.

by Eric Stephen on Apr 12, 2009 10:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes it was very odd.

I went stomping away from the TV furious and then I come back in a few minutes to see the Dodgers have a run. It took a few replays to to understand what had happened.

I didn’t know of the rule before but it makes sense.

by Brendan Scolari on Apr 12, 2009 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This case would definitely go all the way to the baseball supreme court

. . . and to add to the complexity of the phantom run call, the 2nd base umpire wrongly called Pierre out before the opposing player tagged the bag or Pierre so Pierre gave up running back to the bag, which he may have had a chance getting around because the fielder was out of the basepath, which allowed more time for Ethier to hit home before Pierre was tagged. This was definitely the freakiest run I’ve ever see. But it just shows, get on base, and you never know what may happen.

by Dodger Dude on Apr 12, 2009 11:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I heard Vin Scully

say on the radio that Pierre was called out before he was tagged but upon seeing the replay it didn’t look like the umpire made a call until Lopez actually placed the tag on him.

I gotta hand it to Torre for even thinking of arguing for the run in that situation. Good looking out!

by Eric Stephen on Apr 12, 2009 11:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Could be, this is definitely one of Vin’s most colorful years. But Pierre definitely did not avoid the tag. He actually slowed up and made the fielder come to him. Either Pierre’s a genius, he heard the umpire call an out, or was confused by the situation just like everyone else and didn’t know what to do.

by Dodger Dude on Apr 13, 2009 12:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Moral of the story

just stop and make them tag you; you might be able to litigate a run out of it! :)

by Eric Stephen on Apr 13, 2009 12:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You've figured out

the key to baseball!

by Brendan Scolari on Apr 13, 2009 1:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm still confused here

Is the run legit or not? The reason I ask is because if the run should have counted than saying that the Diamondbacks left the field and therefore lost the right to appeal is erroneous. Either the run is bogus but on a technicality (AZ not being allowed to appeal) the run counts, or the run is legit and even with an appeal the run would have counted. Any consensus on this?

by mwhite06 on Apr 13, 2009 7:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The run only counted

because the D-Backs didn’t appeal. It is probably the least legitimate run in Dodger history.

by Eric Stephen on Apr 13, 2009 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

More illegitimate than a Lo Duca home run? (ouch)

It is definitely a kooky run, but if the rule is you have to appeal to get a player who tagged up to early (like before the pitcher threw the ball), that’s the rule, there’s no question Ethier made it across the plate before Pierre was tagged.

Basically Ethier and Pierre tagged up to early, Pierre got caught in a “rundown” and Ethier made it across before Pierre was tagged for third out.

Since there were no appeals for the runners leaving early, there were awarded appeals for tagging early, so the situation is treated exactly as if both had tagged up.

It all makes sense now in a bizarre and twisted sort of way. You have to love baseball.

by Dodger Dude on Apr 13, 2009 11:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs