Dodgers Power Their Way To Sweep Of Cardinals

After four months of not receiving any run support, Hiroki Kuroda has been getting runs by the bushel of late. The Dodgers pounded the Cardinals 9-4 on Wednesday afternoon, completing their first series sweep of three games or more in St. Louis since 1993.

For the Dodgers, who lost 21 of 25 regular season games in St. Louis dating back to 2004, this series was a welcome relief. The Dodgers now lead the all-time series with the Cardinals, 1,002 wins to 1,001.

The Dodgers have now scored 489 runs and allowed 498; don't look now, but the Giants (444 runs for, 461 runs against) have the worst run differential in the NL West. Too bad they don't award division titles for that.

Kuroda received 24 runs of support in 12 starts from June 3 to August 8. Kuroda had a 2.54 ERA and a 2-9 record to show for it. In his last three starts, Kuroda has an ERA of 2.25 and has received 24 runs of support. As you might imagine, Kuroda is 3-0 in those three starts. He allowed three runs in seven innings today, picking up his 10th win of the season.

A.J. Ellis went nearly three years and 806 major and minor league plate appearances without a home run before hitting one in Triple A on July 22. Three days later Ellis hit another home run for the Isotopes, and today cranked one off Jaime Garcia 427 feet over the left field wall for his first major league home run. Ellis then got the classic silent treatment reaction from the dugout before he was mobbed by his teammates.

On the 10-game road trip, Dodger catchers hit .325/.341/.775 with five home runs and 12 RBI.

Notes

• Juan Rivera had a double and a home run, driving in three, and during the 10-game road trip hit .306/.366/.472.
  
• James Loney had his third multi-hit game in four days, with a single and two doubles, and has 11 hits in his last 17 at-bats.
• Matt Kemp had two singles, scored twice, and drove in two runs.
  
• Eugenio Velez pinch hit for Kuroda in the top of the eighth inning and grounded out, running his hitless streak to 27 at-bats
  
• Noted relief ace Skip Schumaker had four hits for St. Louis.
• After the game, the Dodgers optioned Josh Lindblom to Double A and activated Kenley Jansen from the disabled list. Doing the move now (well, before Friday basically) allows the Dodgers to bring back Lindblom as soon as September 4. Players optioned must be in the minors for 10 days unless they are replacing an injured player in their return.
• Dodgers' 2011 first-round draft pick Chris Reed will make his professional debut tonight for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. Reed will start for the Quakes, and is expected to pitch one or two innings. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. PDT, and can be heard online via 1450 AM.
• The Dodgers are off Thursday, but open a three-game series at Dodger Stadium Friday night with Colorado. Ted Lilly and Esmil Rogers start the opener

WP - Hiroki Kuroda (10-14): 7 IP, 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

LP - Jaime Garcia (10-7): 5 IP, 9 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts

Box Score