Dodgers Open Homestand With Pirates
by Eric Stephen on Apr 29, 2010 3:30 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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The Dodgers may have lost seven straight series on the road, but tonight they return home, to a place they have won five straight series. They open a four game series with the Pirates as the start of a 10-game homestand, the Dodgers' second longest of the season. In fact, the Dodgers play 30 of their next 42 games at Dodger Stadium. You have to love a homestand in which Clayton Kershaw will likely make three starts.
If you think the Dodgers, losers of 16 of their last 21 away from home, have problems on the road, just wait until the Pirates come to town. Pittsburgh has lost 44 of its last 56 road games, and over their last 81 road games they are 21-60.
Clayton Kershaw has faced the Pirates three times in his career, and has given up one, then two, then three runs in those starts. A cynic might expect Kershaw to continue that progression and allow four runs tonight, but Kershaw has allowed that many runs in a home start just once, on June 20, 2008. Kershaw walked a career-high six Pirates in the second game of the season, but two of those were to Ross Ohlendorf, who won't be pitching tonight.
Brian Burres gets the start for Pittsburgh tonight, making a spot start in place of Chris Jakubauskas, who was hit in the head by a line drive Saturday. Burres has a 6.19 ERA, 1.697 WHIP, and 5.02 FIP in 274 2/3 career innings. The Pirates have made a habit of bucking trends this season. Heading into the opening series, the Dodgers had won 24 out of 34 at PNC Park, but the Pirates won two of three. In their last series, the Pirates ended a 22-game losing streak in Milwaukee by beating the Brewers in the final two games of the series.
Kershaw threw 109 pitches on the road trip, only three more than Ramon Troncoso:
| Bullpen During Road Trip | |||
| Reliever | Games | Batters | Pitches |
| Troncoso | 6 | 27 | 106 |
| Monasterios | 3 | 22 | 86 |
| Ra.Ortiz | 3 | 22 | 82 |
| Belisario | 4 | 20 | 57 |
| Sherrill | 5 | 16 | 64 |
| Link | 3 | 13 | 51 |
| Broxton | 1 | 6 | 30 |
| Kuo | 2 | 6 | 18 |
| Weaver | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Other Notes
- The 111 runs scored through 21 games by the Dodgers is their ninth most since moving to Los Angeles
- The 125 runs allowed through 21 games by the Dodgers is their second most since moving to Los Angeles, behind only the 129 runs allowed in 1958
- Matt Kemp is working on a six-game home hitting streak, including four home runs
- Old Friend Andy LaRoche missed a week with back spasms, but has come back with a vengeance, hitting .565/.583/.739 (13 for 23) in his last six games
- The ceremonial first pitch docket is quite full tonight, with former Laker Michael Cooper (it's USC Night, and he's the current women's basketball coach), celebrity chef Kerry Simon, and George Maloof, owner of the Palms Casino Resort and the Sacramento Queens all throwing out "first" pitches tonight
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 7:10pm
TV: Prime Ticket
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Comments
First!
Must win of the season. Must win in the sense that the critics of this team will be multiplied by 10,000 if they lose this near gimme.
vr, Xei
Why isnt Johnson in there against a Lefty
Anderson is a flailing machine
by SeanMillerSavior on Apr 29, 2010 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions
He’s always had that bailout type of swing that nobody would ever teach, but its gotten really bad this year. He just has no chance on anything oh the outer half, his power is gone on anything offspeed, etc. Throwing him out there in the 2 spot just seems like a waste.
by UCLADodger32 on Apr 29, 2010 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions
No idea
but I doubt Burres will be in there very long anyway (still, at least 2 PA for GA though).
by Eric Stephen on Apr 29, 2010 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Fourth
and final replacement liver if they lose.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 3:47 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Who is the starter for Saturday night?
by robotmadeofnails on Apr 29, 2010 3:54 PM PDT reply actions
I have no Earthly idea.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I vote Broxton
Hes rested for what a week now
by SeanMillerSavior on Apr 29, 2010 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions
A view of Dodger Stadium today from the top deck
From Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
That's only a problem if
Brian Burres is really Lamont Cranston.
(Look it up, young fella.)
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions
i saw burres pitch against the jints
and he has no business in the major leagues (even with the pirates)
torches and pitchforks if we lose this one. anderson against a lefty. way to have an idea out there joe.
by lchristmas on Apr 29, 2010 4:02 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
loney should be hitting 2nd and so should carroll -
- for the columbus clippers, maybe
by lchristmas on Apr 29, 2010 4:05 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
"torches and pitchforks"
I don’t know that brand of gin.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions
its a fortified wine
look next to the thunderbird
by lchristmas on Apr 29, 2010 4:09 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
anderson against a lefty. way to have an idea out there joe.
But that worked so well on Sunday.
Oh wait, no it didn’t.
Is Garrett Anderson this year’s Jason Grabowski?
by StolenMonkey86 on Apr 29, 2010 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Anderson vs Burres
1 for 1, single (July 25, 2008)
Ladies and gents, your LF & #2 hitter :)
Reed Johnson, “only” 2 for 5 vs Burres, .400/.400/.400
Hmmmm…maybe Joe finally found the “on” button on his laptop.
by KellyStephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions
…and then spilled his Bigelow® Tea on it.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions
The light from the screen and the noise probably spooked him.
by KellyStephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Pirates lineup
per Rocco Demaro:
Milledge LF
LaRoche 3B
McCutchen CF
Jones RF
Doumit C
Clement 1B
Crosby 2B
Burres P
Cedeno SS
Burres eighth and Cedeno ninth?
What in the name of Saint Tony LaRussa…?
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions
As much as the pitching matchup favors us
the hitting sure doesn’t. That is one weak ass lineup. The boys will have to do some damage because we can’t expect much from Carroll, DeWitt, and Anderson.
McCutchen is fresh off a two home run game. Jones has sucked since he kicked our ass opening week. If he even gets a single against Kershaw tonight, I’m going to be irritated. If Clayton dares to walk Burres I’ll I’ll I’ll turn blue.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Clayton has walked 3 pitchers this year. As of the other day, no other pitcher had walked more than 2.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions
34 total walks by pitchers this season
Most issued by one pitcher
Kershaw 3
Wellemeyer 2
O.Perez 2
Gallardo 2
G.Smith 2
De La Rosa 2
Dodger pitchers have walked four times (Bills x2, Haeger, Padilla), the same as the Pirates. Only the Padres have more, with 6.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Talk about a Phoenix
Billz better be good Friday Night because no matter how good Monk is he can’t go more then four or five max.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Did you say coolest
or cruelest?
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 29, 2010 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions
It’ll be cool…to see two guys warming up together before the game, just in case; never seen that before…
by KellyStephen on Apr 29, 2010 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions
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