True Blue LA - May 29: Dodgers 4, Mets 2Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2016-05-29T20:37:35-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/115728792016-05-29T20:37:35-07:002016-05-29T20:37:35-07:00Gonzalez rescues Dodgers
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<figcaption>Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> hit a two-run single in the ninth inning, pulling the rug over <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mets</a> closer <span>Jeurys Familia</span>'s eyes and helping erase a questionable decision made by manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> in a 4-2 win by the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a> on Sunday night at Citi Field in New York.</p>
<p>That the game was tied in the ninth inning was a result of a curious choice by Roberts in the bottom of the eighth. Four outs away from victory, Roberts chose his third-best option then watched the lead evaporate. The Dodgers led 2-1 with a runner on first base and two outs, with the left-handed <span>Curtis Granderson</span> up. The facts were these:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Kershaw was still in the game, and had thrown 114 pitches, two shy of his season high. He throws left-handed.</span></li>
<li><span>Granderson was a career .223/.295/.398 hitter against lefties entering Sunday, including .180/.241/.360 this season. He did double against Kershaw in the first inning.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Kenley Jansen</span> hadn't pitched since Wednesday, and is clearly the Dodgers second-best pitcher besides Kershaw, with third place too far away to even see. Left-handed batters against Jansen his year are hitting .156/.156/.219 (5-for-32), with 11 strikeouts and no walks.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Adam Liberatore</span> held lefties to just 3-for-28 with two doubles and two walks this season (.107/.188/.179), but with only five strikeouts. Again, Jansen has 11.</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Kershaw was clearly tiring, and in a relative sense was diminished, but compared to Kershaw, not necessarily the rest of baseball. Roberts made the choice to pull Kershaw, which would have been more defensible had he just picked Jansen for a four-out save.</p>
<p>But instead, Roberts decided against using his two best pitchers, and Granderson promptly tripled to the right field wall, just over the head of a leaping <span>Yasiel Puig</span>, to tie the game.</p>
<p>Liberatore did get the final out of the eighth, and ended up getting the win, thanks to another rally against Familia. Two nights after scoring four runs off Familia to tie the game in the ninth inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out against Familia on Sunday, setting the stage for Gonzalez, who lined a ball through the middle for a two-run single.</p>
<p>The Dodgers scored six runs in the series against Familia, both in non-save situations.</p>
<p>Gonzalez drove in three runs on the night with his two hits, part of a productive top of the order for the Dodgers.</p>
<p><span>Chase Utley</span> and <span>Corey Seager</span> singled with one out in the third inning, then a force play ground ball by <span>Justin Turner</span> was enough for the first run. In the fifth, consecutive two-out singles by Seager, Turner and Gonzalez brought home another run. Seager, Turner and Gonzalez each reached base three times on Sunday night.</p>
<p>Kershaw had to settle for the no-decision but still ended one of his finest months strong. He struck out 10 in 7⅔ innings, allowing just four hits with no walks. He allowed two runs on the night, giving him a whopping five runs allowed in six starts in May for a 0.96 ERA during the month.</p>
<p><span>Asdrubal Cabrera</span> hit a solo home run to left field in the sixth inning to pull the Mets within 2-1, the first home run allowed by Kershaw in May, and his first since <span>Giancarlo Stanton</span> got him on Apr. 26. There was a span of 168 batters in between dingers allowed by Kershaw.</p>
<p>Kershaw ended his May with 65 strikeouts and two walks, <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/29/11808384/clayton-kershaw-dodgers-mets-preview" target="_blank">the most strikeouts by any pitcher in a month with 0-2 walks</a>.</p>
<p>Kershaw got his 49th career game with double-digit strikeouts, and his seventh in his last eight starts.</p>
<p>It was the 10th start for Kershaw with double-digit strikeouts and no walks since the start of 2015, <a href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/Bwa3r" target="_blank">twice as many as anyone else in baseball during that span</a>.</p>
<p>Jansen did end up making an appearance on Sunday, retiring the Mets in order in the ninth or his 15th save. Good things come when elite pitchers are used, it seems.</p>
<h4>Up next</h4>
<p><span>Alex Wood</span> was pushed back three days with left triceps soreness, and will start Monday's opener in Chicago on eight days rest. The <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cubs</a> will counter with <span>Jason Hammel</span> in the first of four games at Wrigley Field, a 2:05 p.m. PT start on Memorial Day.</p>
<h4>Sunday particulars</h4>
<p><b>Home run</b>: Asdrubal Cabrera (4)</p>
<p><b>WP - Adam Liberatore (1-0)</b>: ⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout</p>
<p><b>LP - Jeurys Famiilia (2-1)</b>: 1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks</p>
<p><b>SV - Kenley Jansen (15)</b>: 1 IP, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/29/11809526/adrian-gonzalez-dave-roberts-clayton-kershaw-kenley-jansen-dodgers-mets-recapEric Stephen2016-05-29T14:46:58-07:002016-05-29T14:46:58-07:00Ellis catches, Thompson sits in NY finale
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> are going with mostly the same lineup as the first two games of the series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>, with the main difference that <span>A.J. Ellis</span> starts at catcher with <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> on the mound.</p>
<p>Also, <span>Trayce Thompson</span> sits on Sunday one day after <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/28/11807072/trayce-thompson-back-dodgers">leaving Saturday's game in the fifth inning</a> with lower back soreness. <span>Yasiel Puig</span> is back in right field and <span>Howie Kendrick</span> is in left field, the same defensive alignment the team has used for 12 of the 17 defensive innings this series.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h4>Starting Lineups</h4>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#1e90ff" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#f7742c" width="125"><font color="#004685"><b>Mets</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Utley (L)<br>
</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Granderson (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Seager (L)</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Cabrera (S)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Turner</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Cespedes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Walker (S)</td>
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<td>RF</td>
<td>Puig</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Lagares</td>
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<td>CF</td>
<td>Pederson (L)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Flores</td>
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<td>LF</td>
<td>Kendrick</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Plawecki</td>
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<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Campbell</td>
</tr>
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<td>P</td>
<td>Kershaw (L)</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Colon</td>
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<span><b>Location</b>: Citi Field<br><b>Time</b>: 5:05 p.m. PT<br> <b>TV</b>: ESPN<br><b>Radio</b>: AM 570</span>
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<p>Thompson started 10 straight games in the outfield before Friday night.</p>
<p>He said he would be available off the bench on Sunday night, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/kengurnick/status/737028467708047360">per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com</a>.</p>
<p>This is the ninth time in 11 games that Ellis has started with Kershaw on the mound this season. Ellis has reached base by hit or walk in each of his last six starts, going 5-for-20 (.250) with a double and five walks (.400 on-base percentage) during that span.</p>
<p>Ellis had the last four games and five days off after starting Monday, also a Kershaw start, one night after catching all 17 innings of the team's marathon series finale in San Diego.</p>
<p>For the Mets, <span>Wilmer Flores</span> was activated from the disabled list and starts at third base, the second straight night off for <span>David Wright</span>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/29/11808790/aj-ellis-trayce-thompson-dodgers-mets-lineupsEric Stephen2016-05-29T13:47:20-07:002016-05-29T13:47:20-07:00Ryu rehab stopped after soreness
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<figcaption>Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a> pitcher <span>Hyun-Jin Ryu</span> had a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery and will be temporarily shut down after experiencing soreness, per multiple reports.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu sore ajfter his most recent work. Backing off his planned assignments.</p>
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/737007988066619393">May 29, 2016</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hyun-Jin Ryu backs off "a bit" from rehab after setback. Originally expected ready for start of Spring Training after 2015 shoulder surgery.</p>
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) <a href="https://twitter.com/kengurnick/status/737015948700438533">May 29, 2016</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ryu experienced shoulder soreness after his last start, in because he hit 90 mph for first time in two years. Won't make his next start.</p>
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughTimes/status/737020540897091584">May 29, 2016</a>
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<p>It is unknown how long Ryu will be sidelined.</p>
<p>Ryu was scheduled to pitch Monday afternoon for Triple-A Oklahoma City at Sacramento, for what would have been his fourth start on the rehab assignment. He pitched four scoreless innings for Oklahoma City on Wednesday at Fresno, and initial reports were good.</p>
<p>"I saw him last night after he came back from the game, and he said he felt great and was really pleased with his offspeed pitches, and had really good feel for his curveball," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a conference call on Thursday. "It was a meaningful step forward."</p>
<p>The first two rehab starts for Ryu were with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, and saw him pitch two and then three innings, respectively.</p>
<p>Ryu probably needed at least two more rehab starts before he would have been considered ready to rejoin the Dodgers, for whom he hasn't pitched since the 2014 NLDS. But Friedman was also careful on Thursday not to commit to a return date for Ryu, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum on May 21, 2015.</p>
<p>"Our mindset on Hyun-jin is that as soon as he is ready to come back he will be in our rotation. When that will be exactly, I don't know," Friedman said Thursday. "We're just assessing it start to start, and each start has gotten progressively better."</p>
<p>Now, we wait.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/29/11808718/hyun-jin-ryu-soreness-setback-rehab-dodgersEric Stephen2016-05-29T11:47:15-07:002016-05-29T11:47:15-07:00Kershaw starts finale vs. Mets
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<figcaption>Elsa/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> looks to continue his tremendous start to 2016, and looks to finish off his amazing May with the series finale between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.</p>
<p>Kershaw enters Sunday leading the majors in innings pitched (79), strikeouts (95) and ERA (1.48), and so far has walked only five batters all season.</p>
<p>He is lasting deeper into games this season, averaging 7.9 innings per start and lasting at least seven frames in all 10 starts so far. Kershaw is the <a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/5O5Yf">first Dodgers pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981</a> to last at least seven innings in his first 10 starts. The last one to make it 11 straight was Don Sutton in 1972.</p>
<p>Kershaw also enters Sunday night having one of his finest months. He is 5-0 with an 0.64 ERA in May, with 55 strikeouts against only two walks and three runs allowed in 42 innings, including three shutouts.</p>
<p>Kershaw won't beat his best monthly ERA, when he allowed one run in 33 innings (0.27 ERA) in four starts in July 2015. But he can match or beat his monthly highs in wins (six, in June 2014), strikeouts (65, in Sept./Oct. 2015) and innings (47⅔, Sept./Oct. 2015) with a strong performance on Sunday.</p>
<p>In addition, the <a href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/eMj4J" target="_blank">MLB record for most strikeouts in a month with two or fewer walk</a>s, dating back to 1913, is 62, by <span>Curt Schilling</span> in May 2002.</p>
<p>Kershaw made his second career start, back on May 30, 2008, against the Mets in New York, but at Shea Stadium. He allowed four runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts, and couldn't get out of the fourth inning in a no-decision.</p>
<p>Since then, Kershaw has made five starts in New York against the Mets, all at Citi Field, including the playoffs, and has allowed four total runs in 33⅔ innings, with a 1.07 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 10 walks.</p>
<h4>Game info</h4>
<p>Time: 5:05 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: ESPN</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/29/11808384/clayton-kershaw-dodgers-mets-previewEric Stephen2016-05-26T15:00:03-07:002016-05-26T15:00:03-07:00Dodgers-Mets starting pitchers
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a> and <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mets</a> meet for a second time in three weeks, with a three-game weekend series at Citi Field in New York on the docket, with a pair of exclusive national telecasts. Here is a look at the schedule for the series and the probable starting pitchers this weekend in The Big Apple, which got a lot more interesting <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/26/11784958/julio-urias-dodgers-mlb-debut-friday-mets" target="_blank">with Thursday morning's announcement</a>.</p>
<h4>Friday, 4:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)</h4>
<p><span>Julio Urias</span> is the youngest Dodgers starting pitcher since 1963, and their first teenage pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in relief in 1980.</p>
<p><span>Jacob deGrom</span> allowed two runs in seven innings in a no-decision at Dodger Stadium on May 10, and since then has allowed seven runs in 11⅓ innings in two starts, with six walks and 10 strikeouts. In six career starts against the Dodgers, including the playoffs, deGrom has a 2.72 ERA with 43 strikeouts and nine walks in 39⅔ innings.</p>
<h4>Saturday, 4:15 p.m (Fox)</h4>
<p><span>Kenta Maeda</span> has allowed exactly four runs in three straight starts and in four of his last five outings, with a 6.08 ERA during that span, and he hasn't lasted six innings in a start since May 6. Since beating Maeda and the Dodgers on May 11, <span>Noah Syndergaard</span> has 21 strikeouts and no walks in 14 innings in his two starts, allowing only one unearned run.</p>
<p>But since hitting two home runs against Maeda at Dodger Stadium, Syndergaard is 0-for-6 with five strikeouts.</p>
<h4>Sunday, 5:05 p.m. (ESPN2)</h4>
<p><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> (5-0, 0.64 ERA, 55 strikeouts) makes his final start of what to date has been the finest month of his career, with personal bests within his sights in wins (six in June 2014) and strikeouts (65, September/October 2015). Kershaw won't top the 0.27 ERA he had in July 2015, though that was only in four starts (one run in 33 innings).</p>
<p><span>Bartolo Colon</span> was second in the majors in strikeout-to-walk ratio after their May 12 matchup at Dodger Stadium, but since then in two starts Colon has seven walks and six strikeouts.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/26/11766226/dodgers-mets-schedule-starting-pitchersEric Stephen2016-05-26T14:59:03-07:002016-05-26T14:59:03-07:00Dodgers-Mets series snapshot
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<figcaption>Elsa/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open a road trip on Friday in New York to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>, the second time in three weeks these two NLDS opponents from 2015 will do battle. Here is a quick overview of both teams heading into their three-game weekend series at Citi Field.</p>
<p>Teams: Dodgers (25-23) vs. Mets (27-19)</p>
<p>Split records: Dodgers on road (12-11), Mets at home (13-9)</p>
<p>Run differential: Dodgers (+24, fifth in NL), Mets (+31, fourth in NL)</p>
<p>Runs scored: Dodgers 4.29 per game (seventh), Mets 3.91 (11th)</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="1" align="center">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th colspan="4">Dodgers vs. Mets 2016 </th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left"><u><b>Day</b></u></td>
<td align="left"><u><b>Date</b></u></td>
<td align="left"><u><b>Location</b></u></td>
<td align="left"><u><b>Time (PT)</b></u></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Mon</td>
<td align="left">May 9</td>
<td align="left">Los Angeles</td>
<td align="left"><a target="new" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/9/11646396/dodgers-mets-results-may-9">4-2, NY</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Tue</td>
<td align="left">May 10</td>
<td align="left">Los Angeles</td>
<td align="left"><a target="new" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/10/11654130/dodgers-mets-may-10">3-2, LA</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Wed</td>
<td align="left">May 11</td>
<td align="left">Los Angeles</td>
<td align="left"><a target="new" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/24/11765292/dodgers-mets-results-may-11-noah-syndergaard">4-3, NY</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Thu</td>
<td align="left">May 12</td>
<td align="left">Los Angeles</td>
<td align="left"><a target="new" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/24/11765308/dodgers-mets-results-may-12-clayton-keshaw-shutout">5-0, LA</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Fri</td>
<td align="left">May 27</td>
<td align="left">New York</td>
<td align="left">4:10 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Sat</td>
<td align="left">May 28</td>
<td align="left">New York</td>
<td align="left">4:15 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left">Sun</td>
<td align="left">May 29</td>
<td align="left">New York</td>
<td align="left">5:05 p.m.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>OPS+: Dodgers 91 (10th), Mets 99 (seventh)</p>
<p>wRC+: Dodgers 90 (ninth), Mets 101 (seventh)</p>
<p>Runs allowed: Dodgers 3.79 (fourth), Mets 3.24 (third)</p>
<p>ERA+: Dodgers 108 (fifth), Mets 125 (third)</p>
<p>Last 10 games: Dodgers 5-5, Mets 6-4</p>
<p>2016 head-to-head: 2-2</p>
<p>2015 head-to-head: 4-3 Mets (2-2 in NY); counting NLDS, 7-5 Mets (3-3 in NY)</p>
<p>Mets SB Nation site: <a href="http://www.amazinavenue.com/" target="_blank">Amazin' Avenue</a></p>
<h4>Series Schedule</h4>
<p>Friday, 4:10 p.m.: <span>Julio Urias</span> vs. <span>Jacob deGrom</span> (SportsNet LA)<br>Saturday, 4:15 p.m.: <span>Kenta Maeda</span> vs. <span>Noah Syndergaard</span> (Fox)<br>Sunday, 5:05 p.m.: <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> vs. <span>Bartolo Colon</span> (ESPN)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2016/5/26/11782562/dodgers-mets-statistics-schedule-citi-fieldEric Stephen