Dodgers succeed in losing five in a row, 5 - 3

Some say the Dodgers are having a tough time doing anything right this year, but they may be overlooking the fact that this team can lose games with the best of them. 

Tonight they managed to actually score three runs, but still lost the game as the sixth inning bugaboo reared it's ugly head once again. With the game 1 - 1 in the top of the sixth the Mets scored one run on poor defense from the guy you would expect to play poor defense. Velez has one baseball skill. He's fast, he's not a good hitter, he's not a good fielder no matter what position they put him at. Tonight they stuck him in LF while Jerry Sands was going for the cycle in AAA for the 2nd time in three nights. 

Carlos Beltran started out the sixth with his second double of the night. Murphy then followed with a shallow fly ball to left fielder Velez who caught it easily enough. Beltran held at second so Velez only needed to flip the ball to Uribe, but no, that task proved too daunting for the ex-Giant as he tossed the ball over Uribe's head allowing Beltran too advance to 3rd. Beltran then scored on a wild pitch by Kuroda. All of this angst over Velez's miscue proved to be a moot point as Duda Day singled, Thole singled, and then Tejada followed with a two run double giving the Mets a three run insurmountable lead.

The Dodgers would try to make a game of it by coming right back by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth, using the deadly Dodger weapon of singles and outs too plate those runs. With the lead now cut to one run, it was up to the bullpen to keep it close. Elbert and McDougal did their part, both pitching shut out innings in the 7th and 8th.

Javy Guerra got the call in the 9th and promptly gave up a double to Willie Harris who eventually scored on a two out single by Justin Turner giving us the final score of 5 - 3. 

I know many Dodger fans are busy voting for Andre Ethier for the all-star team but I don't know why. Has anyone watched him play this year?  He's a right fielder with seven home runs in 312 at bats. He's morphing into James Loney before our very eyes. Even worse, he's a terrible defensive right fielder. I understand homerism but Andre Ethier has no business asking Dodger fans to waste their time voting for him. 

Macus Thames can't play but he has not been put on the DL which is why a player like Velez is playing LF.

The Dodgers have now lost five games in a row three times this year and are now 14 games under .500. Let that sink in, the Dodgers are 14 games under .500. You could make an argument they are playing the worst baseball in baseball right now. 

Juan Uribe drove in two runs with two outs. Progress

Kuroda lost his 10th game of the year by giving up four earned runs which is the combined total of his previous four starts.

Jamey Carroll had three hits tonight, not surprising as Rafy Furcal was only able to get on base one time tonight, so for the most part, Jamey had the bases clear when he came up.

Matt Kemp stole his 25th base