Current Series
Dodgers lead the series 1-0
| Fri 09/11 |
WP: Hiroki Kuroda (6 - 6) LP: Matt Cain (13 - 5) |
10 - 3 win |
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Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, Sep 12, 2009, 6:05 PM PDT Vicente Padilla vs Jonathan Sanchez Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing out to center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 60. Complete Coverage > |
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| Sun 09/13 | 1:05 PM PDT | |
In game one of the series the Dodgers took care of business on the mound, and at the plate but the Rockies staged another comeback win, and this time even the Rockies Bloggers didn't believe in miracles. So we head into game two of this series still only two games a head of the Rockies.
Taking the mound for the Dodgers will be Vincente Padilla who in three starts for the Dodgers has been surprisingly effective for a guy cast off by a team in desperate need of pitching. Did the Rangers cut off their nose to spite their face when they ejected Padilla? His teammates were happy to see him leave, and they have put on a nice run for the postseason since he left but one wonders if they couldn't have used his arm instead of the likes of Dustin Nippert.
Padilla's opponent will be Jonathan Sanchez who came out of the bullpen to throw a no-hitter on July 10th, and has been very effective since. He's a bit of a strikeout machine and has K'd 86 in only 68 innings in 11 starts since the no-hitter, with an ERA of 2.75. Andre will be neutralized in this game (3/19) so Kemp/Manny/Road Loney will need to step up. Furcal is 0/9 but Hudson has done a little damage against him.
Amid all the talk about Loney's road home runs last night the first inning double he hit about as far as you can hit a ball into right center and not get a home run. James now has a .982 OPS in Sept and history has shown that he loves Sept so maybe more good things are about to happen. His career OPS in Sept is .915 a good 150 points higher then his career Aug OPS.
The Isotopes season is over as they got swept in three games by the minor league affiliate for the Cardinals, the Memphis Redbirds. Let us hope that is not an omen for our postseason. We do not know yet if any of the Isotopes on the forty man roster will get promoted such as Abreu, DeWitt, Paul, Wade, Ohman, Leach, Stults, or Hu. Or maybe the Silverwidow suprise Josh Lindblom who has been the most effective Isotope pitcher.
The Loons however advanced to the 2nd round with a stirring extra inning victory. Odgen now starts their playoffs with Galvez/Ruggiano/Webster trying to win a Pioneer League Championship.
Dodgers vs Giants coverage
One-Two-Three-youre-out-contest
Dodger Notes:
►The Dodgers are 26 games above .500, and a win tonight would put the club a season-high 27 games above the break-even point for the third time. Los Angeles was also 27 up at 61-34 on July 22 and at 62-35 on July 25.
►The Dodgers are off to their best 142-game start since 1985, when they were an identical 84-58. The 1985 team lost its 143rd game, so a win tonight would give Los Angeles its best start since 1978, when it was 85-58.
TURNING IT ON – The Dodgers have scored five or more runs in four of their last six games beginning September 5 (35 total) after failing to score at least five runs in each of their previous six games from August 30-September 4 (15 total). Los Angeles is 4-2 in its last six games.
►The Dodgers are 58-10 when scoring five or more runs, including 10 such wins in a row.
►The Dodgers are batting .300 (42-for-140) with six homers and 25 runs scored in four games on the road trip thus far.
►The Dodgers have hit 23 home runs in their last 17 games beginning August 25, tied for the most in the National League with Philadelphia in that time.
KEEPING THEM IN IT – Dodger pitchers have given up five runs or less in 30 consecutive games beginning August 10, posting a Major League-best 2.68 ERA (81 ER/272.1 IP) overall in that span. In 28 of those 30 games, Dodger pitchers have allowed four runs or less, including 10 contests in a row. Los Angeles last gave up more than five runs in a game on August 9 vs. Atlanta , an 8-2 setback. Despite the sterling ERA, the Dodgers are just 17-13 in their last 30 games.
BEING BULLISH – The Dodgers’ bullpen has allowed only four runs (two earned) in its last nine games (23.1 innings) for a 0.77 ERA in that time. Dodger relievers have a 1.17 ERA (10 ER/76.2 IP) in their last 25 games beginning August 16. The Dodgers have a Major League-best 3.11 bullpen ERA (168 ER/486.0 IP). The next-closest team is San Francisco and its 3.61 bullpen ERA (158 ER/393.2 IP).
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