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Dodgers Win A Walk In The Park

The Dodger offense had a lot of meetings like this at home plate tonight.

More photos » Frank Franklin II - AP

The Dodger offense had a lot of meetings like this at home plate tonight.

The Dodgers rode a hot offense, led by a torrid Rafael Furcal and would-be All-Star Matt Kemp, and yet another solid start by Randy Wolf to beat the Mets 11-2, taking the three-game series at Citi Field.

Wolf leads the majors with 12 no-decisions, and had not won a game since May 28.  Tonight, he decided to do something about it.  Stuck on a 3-3 record despite two good starts in a row, Wolf changed his uniform number from 21 to 43.  Wolf said it was so he could go 4-3, but remember, he also wore that number in Philadelphia.

More importantly, Wolf was solid on the mound.  Staked to a 4-0 lead before he threw a pitch, Wolf's prospects were looking good.  However, Wolf had some trouble early, allowing runs in the first and third innings to go along with seven baserunners, and threw 75 pitches through three innings.  However, Wolf settled down and ended up pitching into the seventh inning before exiting with a 8-2 lead.  Wolf has pitched six innings or longer in 15 of 19 starts this season.

Wolf was supported by a Dodger offense that simply battered Livan Hernandez.  Hernandez gave up 11 hits and eight runs in his four innings.  Just like Wednesday night, the Dodgers got nine walks.  Only tonight they cashed them in.  James Loney had three walks himself, to go along with his double.  For the series, the Mets' pitchers walked 25 Dodgers.

Rafael Furcal had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and a walk, and scored a run in each of his first three plate appearances.  Since the calendar turned to July, Furcal has been a new man, with 14 hits in 30 at-bats, hitting .467/.543/.633 with nine runs in seven games.

Matt Kemp, who despite losing the Final Vote to Shane Victorino, might still be an All-Star anyway.  Kemp had three more hits and a walk tonight, and had a whopping eight hits in 11 at-bats at Citi Field, to go with three walks.  Yes, that's right folks; The Bison bats eighth in this lineup.

Orlando Hudson, moved to the seventh spot for the first time since August 20, 2006, had a three-run double that broke the game open in the first inning.  Hudson was hit in the leg by a pitch in the seventh inning, and left the game.  His replacement, Juan Castro, joined the offensive fun as well with a two-run single in the eighth.

Since Manny Ramirez has rejoined the lineup, the Dodger offense has really turned it on, especially early in games.  They have scored in the first inning in four of six games, including four runs tonight.  The Dodgers have scored 11 first inning runs in their last six games, and have scored 67 runs in the first all season, only one run behind Philadelphia for the major league lead.

In the two games the Dodgers didn't score in the first inning recently (Sunday in San Diego, and Tuesday in New York), they scored in the second inning.  The Dodgers have scored 40 runs in their last six games.

The Dodger juggernaut travels to Milwaukee tonight, to start the final three-game series before the All-Star break tomorrow.  Chad Billingsley will face off against Braden Looper Friday night.

WP - Randy Wolf (4-3):  6.1 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP - Livan Hernandez (5-5):  4 IP, 11 hits, 8 runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts

Box Score

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A week ago I was hoping the Dodgers could just get to the All-Star break without a losing streak. Now I am much more confident.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 7:33 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

If Boston loses tonight (losing 8-5 in the 8th to KC), the Dodgers are assured of at least a tie for the best record in baseball at the break.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Boston lost

Best MLB records:
Dodgers 54-31
Red Sox 51-34
Yankees 51-34

Dodgers assured of the best record (at least a tie) at the ASB. Woo hoo!!!

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

With 3 hits tonight, Matt Kemp is the first Dodger to reach 100 hits this season.

That’s a pace for 190 hits (since you can’t get 0.6 of a hit).

by El Lay Dave on Jul 9, 2009 7:13 PM PDT

by David Young on Jul 9, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

the offense has picked up alot

ever since manny returned…

by shaqfor3 on Jul 9, 2009 7:35 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Nice comfortable victory

Unfortunately, Lincecum was just staked to a 2-0 lead vs the Padres, so I don’t think we’ll be adding a game to the NL West lead.

by insomniacslounge on Jul 9, 2009 7:35 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Not worried at all about the Giants. I can’t even see that far back in the standings without binoculars.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 7:37 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

He talked about extending the NL West lead.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, I was just talking about extending the lead

Obviously, the Dodgers are fine as long as they take care of business. Still, I would not at all be upset by any sequence of events that kept the Giants out of the playoffs.

by insomniacslounge on Jul 9, 2009 7:54 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Giants remind me a bit of the Dodgers last year.

With Pablo Sandoval playing the part of Manny.

by Tripon on Jul 9, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Brett Wallach made his debut today for the Ogden Raptors

1 inning, 1 hit, 1 strikeout

by matthewmafa on Jul 9, 2009 7:47 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Any updates on O-Dog?

I don’t mean to jump the gun (wink wink), but if he needs a DL, does that mean Tony Abreu or Hu will come up?

And who starts everyday at 2B: DeWitt or Castro?

by silverwidow on Jul 9, 2009 8:12 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Last time we thought Hudson would go on the DL, he played the next day. Even if he is hurt, they won’t make a roster move until next Thursday anyway.

If Hudson is hurt, he probably just sits out however many games this weekend (if at all), and Castro probably starts.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 9, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hudson sounds fine

New update on Dodgers.com:

Hudson fine after being hit on knee: Struggling All-Star drives in three, expects to play Frida

by underdog on Jul 9, 2009 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

expects to play Frida

He’s going to grow a unibrow?

by David Young on Jul 10, 2009 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions   1 recs

Funny Kemp fact today.

Due to the game already over by the big Hudson double in the first that made it 4-0. Matt Kemp actually has a -0.09 WPA in today’s game despite going 3-4 with a walk and RBI.

by Tripon on Jul 9, 2009 8:18 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

you guys are some stat rats. I’m always learning somthing around here;)

by Pedro's curse on Jul 10, 2009 6:19 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

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