True Blue LA - April 5: Dodgers 3, Padres 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2017-04-05T23:08:16-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/149639432017-04-05T23:08:16-07:002017-04-05T23:08:16-07:00X-rays negative on Rich Hill’s right hand after HBP
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<img alt="MLB: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s4Kgzz1AMWtFL0cBEZAK9l75u78=/0x0:5136x3424/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54107059/usa_today_9995739.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="FQxowa">LOS ANGELES — <span>Rich Hill</span> was effective in his five innings in the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>’ 3-1 win over the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> on Wednesday night, but there was a fear that his relatively short night could have been even more brief.</p>
<p id="qIq2gc">Hill was hit by a pitch on his right hand in the second inning and immediately winced in pain at the plate, then on his way to first base. However, any thought of Hill needing to exit because of an injury were quickly dismissed as team trainers and manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> got to Hill at first base.</p>
<p id="Oh3hkr">“The first thing he said when we got out there was that his on-base was 1.000,” Roberts said.</p>
<p id="Uor5ug">When asked about this comment postgame, Hill — who owns a .131 career on-base percentage — just laughed. </p>
<p id="GARpss">“It was fleeting,” Hill joked, as he later struck out.</p>
<p id="sdYbiY">Hill walked three but said the ball felt good coming out of his hand, better than his Freeway Series outing in Anaheim last Friday, a start with which he was generally pleased.</p>
<p id="NW2xQm">Hill mentioned specifically how he was able to change shapes on his curveball, and that he was ahead of the season-opening pace last year that saw him post a 2.42 ERA in April. </p>
<p id="NKpgnC">Roberts complimented Hill’s confidence in his curveball, that he stuck with it and even dropped arm angles through the game. But Roberts also pulled Hill after just five innings, with the Dodgers up 3-1.</p>
<p id="6jkROY">It was the second time in as many nights a Dodgers starter was pulled after five innings and just 75 pitches. But this time, Hill’s spot in the batting order wasn’t the driving force.</p>
<p id="WKKuaB">Roberts said he planned before the game for Hill to throw 75-85 pitches in this start, and that given the Padres lineup due up in the sixth inning — right-handers <span>Manuel Margot</span> and <span>Wil Myers</span>, switch-hitter <span>Yangervis Solarte</span>, then another righty in <span>Hunter Renfroe</span> — the decision was made to pitch the right-handed <span>Sergio Romo</span> instead.</p>
<p id="6u1cuM">“I liked the spot going to Romo there, with the middle of their lineup,” Roberts said.</p>
<p id="SY59hh">Roberts said that hit by pitch played no factor in removing Hill from the game when he did. But the HBP was still quite the topic postgame.</p>
<p id="JFV0gg">For one, Hill said it was his first time <em>ever</em> getting hit by a pitch, not just in the pros. </p>
<p id="vtMOKh">“I was just telling <span>Scotty [Van Slyke]</span> it was great,” Hill said. “I feel like a baseball player.”</p>
<p id="SVHtZl">Hill was grinning ear to ear just talking about the hit by pitch after the game, which was probably easier to do since X-rays of Hill’s hand were negative.</p>
<p id="hO5bIC">He joked he thought about stealing second, and even told Myers at first base, “It really hurts when you guys get hit by a pitch, huh?”</p>
<h3 id="khZ8Ab">Up next</h3>
<p id="7dSdKq">The Dodgers and Padres finish things off with a businessperson’s special, a nooner start on Thursday. <span>Brandon McCarthy</span> makes his 2017 mound debut in the series finale, facing off against longtime <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> pitcher <span>Jered Weaver</span>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/5/15201914/rich-hill-right-hand-x-rays-negative-hbp-dodgersEric Stephen2017-04-05T21:53:22-07:002017-04-05T21:53:22-07:00Dodgers do just enough to beat Padres
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<figcaption>Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="7rjnly">LOS ANGELES — After experiencing both ends of the spectrum on offense in the first two games of the series, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> found a happy medium of sorts on Wednesday night, and took advantage of a few opportunities that fell in their favor to beat the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> 3-1 at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="uh6fso">One night after not getting a runner even into scoring position, the Dodgers scored first on Wednesday, for the first time in this series.</p>
<p id="Hb4UEY">A pair of doubles by <span>Corey Seager</span> and <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> scored the first run of the game, but the first inning became a two-run inning when <span>Wil Myers</span> at first base dropped a routine throw from third base that would have ended the frame, allowing Gonzalez to scamper home with a gift second run.</p>
<p id="KvavYu">San Diego clawed back in the fourth inning with a home run by <span>Hunter Renfroe</span>, but his potential game-tying shot was just a solo home run because Myers was picked off trying to steal by <span>Rich Hill</span> earlier in the at-bat.</p>
<p id="1bKCH1">Renfroe has five home runs in 14 major league games, dating back to last year, and four of those home runs were hit against the Dodgers, in six games.</p>
<p id="ojKQjJ"><span>Yasiel Puig</span> provided some insurance by taking Padres starter <span>Trevor Cahill</span> deep in the fourth inning, a towering shot inside the foul pole down the left field line. The solo shot gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead, and was Puig’s first major league home run against a right-handed pitcher since hitting one against <span>Yovani Gallardo</span> last July 4, 62 plate appearances ago.</p>
<p id="79JtwV">“With Yasiel, he’s so strong that he can put the ball out of the ballpark anywhere,” manager Dave Roberts said. “If he can elevate the baseball, he’s got a chance.”</p>
<p id="XPtRyZ">Hill only allowed two hits in his five innings, but also walked three and was pulled after 75 pitches, striking out five on the night. He was buoyed by the Dodgers bullpen, with three pitchers making their 2017 debuts.</p>
<p id="pus8Lw"><span>Sergio Romo</span> gave up a couple of rockets, including a ground-rule double by Myers, but came away otherwise unscathed in a scoreless sixth in his Dodgers debut. </p>
<p id="UAaEu9"><span>Alex Wood</span> threw two scoreless innings in his first appearance of the year, striking out one while walking one, and was hitting 95 mph.</p>
<p id="9d0Lxi">“Alex hadn’t pitched since Friday or Saturday, so he was definitely a caged lion,” Roberts said. He was dominant.</p>
<p id="RCMzGe">“Having him in the pen is a weapon. We have him for length, but he’s going to be a guy I trust in high-leverage situations. For him to bridge that gap tonight to Kenley was huge.”</p>
<p id="GK4vWi">That set the stage for <span>Kenley Jansen</span>, who pitched a perfect ninth in his 2017 debut, earning his 190th career save.</p>
<h3 id="v5eSoN">Wednesday particulars</h3>
<p id="pJSpxR"><strong>Home runs</strong>: Yasiel Puig (1); Hunter Renfroe (1)</p>
<p id="wWtyDw"><strong>WP - Rich Hill (1-0)</strong>: 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts</p>
<p id="yUyabn"><strong>LP - Trevor Cahill (0-1)</strong>: 5⅔ IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, 7 strikeouts</p>
<p id="mQDwVa"><strong>Sv - Kenley Jansen (1)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/5/15201916/dodgers-opportunities-yasiel-puig-home-run-padres-recapEric Stephen2017-04-05T17:50:48-07:002017-04-05T17:50:48-07:00Ethier still feeling soreness in back
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="yB19ta">LOS ANGELES — <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> outfielder <span>Andre Ethier</span> has resumed running and some other exercises, but his return timetable is likely still to be measured in weeks rather than days from the herniated disc in his back.</p>
<p id="gDXwst">Dodgers manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said Ethier has run this week and also done some plyometric exercises, and is still feeling what was described as normal soreness in his back.</p>
<p id="64BUb8">“As far as on the baseball front, I don’t know when that’s going to be,” Roberts said. “He’s still a ways out.”</p>
<p id="TUE0HF">Ethier, who began the season on the disabled list, still hasn’t been cleared for baseball activities, but once that starts he will begin a progression of increased activity, then eventually a minor league rehab assignment.</p>
<p id="EnDhir">When Ethier met with the Dodgers medical staff and back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins in Arizona on Mar. 25, this plan of action was chosen, which included shutting him down until this week, when he has resumed running. But there is no clear timetable yet for his return.</p>
<p id="ry1XKX">“There was a path to potentially be down for 4-5 weeks, or try to take a little bit more of an aggressive approach and know that you’re going to go through some soreness, and balance that out,” Roberts said. “That’s how Andre wanted to go about it. Each day as he tries to get closer and does more activity, it will let us know how aggressive we can continue to be.”</p>
<h4 id="8Yicm4">Stewart update</h4>
<p id="JWKYQ2">Speaking of no timetable, Dodgers pitcher <span>Brock Stewart</span> began the year on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. The good news is that he has resumed playing catch, at least, throwing from up to 75 feet this week, per Roberts, while also doing strengthening exercises for his shoulder.</p>
<p id="eVh7DL">But there isn’t yet a target date for Stewart’s return.</p>
<p id="zpqOjz">“He’s still a ways away,” Roberts said.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/5/15201238/andre-ethier-back-soreness-dodgersEric Stephen2017-04-05T14:53:59-07:002017-04-05T14:53:59-07:00Dodgers & Padres use opening day lineups again
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<figcaption>Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="Evndag">LOS ANGELES — With a right-handed pitcher back on the mound for the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> in <span>Trevor Cahill</span>, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> go back to their opening day lineup for the third game of this four-game series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="p31HA1">That means <span>Andrew Toles</span> back at the leadoff spot for the Dodgers, where he was 2-for-5 with a run scored in Monday’s win.</p>
<p id="1ONXve">Toles didn’t start at the top of the Dodgers’ order at all during the regular season in 2016. He made 23 starts for the Dodgers, and 22 of them were batting seventh or lower, and he did bat second once.</p>
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<p id="Oas99a">He started all eight Dodgers postseason games against right-handed pitching, and batted eighth in the first seven of those games. Toles did finally bat leadoff in Game 6 of the NLCS, going 1-for-3 against <span>Kyle Hendricks</span>.</p>
<p id="PeXvQr"><span>Logan Forsythe</span>, who has reached base three times in each of his first two games with the Dodgers, is back to hitting fifth, after leading off Tuesday night against the left-handed <span>Clayton Richard</span>.</p>
<p id="THg4H4">Against southpaw <span>Rich Hill</span>, the Padres are batting their pitcher eighth again on Wednesday, as they did Monday against Clayton Kershaw. That moves left-handed batter <span>Travis Jankowski</span> down to ninth. He led off Tuesday night’s game against the right-handed <span>Kenta Maeda</span>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/5/15198652/dodgers-padres-lineups-opening-dayEric Stephen2017-04-05T13:30:01-07:002017-04-05T13:30:01-07:00Forsythe off to a good start
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<img alt="MLB: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ve6XmnnAXpltnOjt3IgFKeOTLBw=/0x0:2928x1952/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54094725/usa_today_9993903.0.jpg" />
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<p>New second baseman has reached base in 6 of 9 plate appearances</p> <p id="vGp3hP">LOS ANGELES — After scoring 14 runs on Monday and zero runs on Tuesday, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> aim for something in the middle on Wednesday night against the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="IZjbwo">One bright spot on Tuesday, when the Dodgers failed to even get a runner into scoring position, was <span>Logan Forsythe</span>, with two singles and a walk.</p>
<p id="N3YldS">In two games with the Dodgers, Forsythe has reached base six times. Dating back to 1913, only <a href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/Lp8Xk">three Dodgers have started a season with at least three games of reaching base three times</a> — Dixie Walker (1944), Eric Karros (1995), and <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> (2015).</p>
<p id="njGC42">That Gonzalez streak in 2015 was insane, and reached five games. After five games two years ago, the Dodgers first baseman was 12-for-18 (.667) with five home runs, two doubles, and four walks.</p>
<p id="w8BT8z">Both Forysthe and Gonzalez have good career numbers against <span>Trevor Cahill</span>, starting Wednesday night for the Padres, though with limited exposure in recent seasons. Forsythe is 3-for-9 (.333) with a triple and a double against Cahill, but last faced him in 2013. Gonzalez is 12-for-30 (.400) with three home runs, three doubles, and four walks, but just 0-for-2 the last two years.</p>
<p id="rUxcm6">Cahill has pitched mostly in relief the last two seasons, making only four starts, and just one since April 2015. Of his last 74 major league games, 73 were in relief for Cahill. His one start came last Aug. 16 for the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>, throwing five scoreless innings against the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a>.</p>
<p id="5pmIBo"><span>Rich Hill</span> gets the start for the Dodgers, looking to turn the page after his second rough spring training in a row. Not counting his five-inning start in a minor league game, Hill this spring had as many walks as strikeouts (15), posting a 6.19 ERA in 16 innings.</p>
<p id="gCpPLs">Last year with the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">A’s</a>, Hill had an 11.25 ERA during spring, with 15 walks and nine strikeouts in 12 innings. He faltered in his opening day start with Oakland, but lasted at least six innings in 10 of his first 13 starts, posting a 2.25 ERA for the A’s before getting traded to the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="cUN8pz">In five career starts at Dodger Stadium, including the postseason, Hill has allowed one run in 29 innings, with 27 strikeouts and seven walks.</p>
<h4 id="Lpa4v1">Game info</h4>
<p id="ZscFb5">Time: 7:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="QwBfv2">TV: SportsNet LA, KTLA</p>
<p id="nbSw8q">This is the first of 10 games in April and May that will be simulcast on KTLA. Tonight’s simulcast also includes the 30-minute <em>Access SportsNet: Dodgers</em> pregame show, beginning at 6:30 p.m.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/5/15193362/logan-forsythe-obp-dodgers-padres-previewEric Stephen2017-04-02T15:00:02-07:002017-04-02T15:00:02-07:00Dodgers-Padres pitching matchups
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<img alt="Colorado Rockies v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WIVf6FnaU4W5JbRNwM8ZCHG5csw=/0x0:4200x2800/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54030455/646030946.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="WCJa8y">For the third year in a row, and for the fourth time in the last six seasons, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open their season against the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>. To start 2017, these two teams will battle in a four-game series at Dodger Stadium. Here are the details and pitching matchups for the contests.</p>
<h4 id="gGKYiP">Monday, 1:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, ESPN)</h4>
<p id="bgDKE6"><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> starts his seventh consecutive opening day for the Dodgers, who not so coincidentally are looking for their seventh straight opening day victory. The Dodgers have also <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/kloii">won Kershaw’s last nine starts against the Padres</a>, dating back to 2013, and he has allowed nine total runs in those games.</p>
<p id="UpPiBi"><span>Jhoulys Chacin</span> gets the opening day nod for the Padres, in a spot he has usually done well in. The longtime <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> right-hander in nine career games at Dodger Stadium, including eight starts, has a 2.94 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 23 walks in 49 innings.</p>
<p id="arch83">Dave Flemming, <span>Eduardo Perez</span> and <span>Dallas Braden</span> will call the game for ESPN, though that telecast will be blacked out in the Los Angeles television market.</p>
<h4 id="RMrtOp">Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</h4>
<p id="fiI0aI"><span>Kenta Maeda</span> had 27 strikeouts and just two walks in four starts against the Padres in 2016. <span>Clayton Richard</span> is back with the Padres and will be the first left-handed starting pitcher the Dodgers face in 2017.</p>
<h4 id="KMrO3B">Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA, KTLA)</h4>
<p id="nSfmF5"><span>Rich Hill</span> gets the ball in Game 3 of the season, with the Dodgers deciding to break up the left-handers at the top of their rotation. Hill has made five career starts at Dodger Stadium — one in 2007 with the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>, three during the regular season last year, and once in the NLCS — and has a total of one run in 29 innings, with 27 strikeouts and seven walks in 29 innings.</p>
<p id="ZKCSkv"><span>Trevor Cahill</span> made seven starts in the Dodgers organization in 2015, including six games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. After a successful stint in the Cubs bullpen in 2016, the veteran right-hander is back in a starting rotation after four major league starts in the last two years.</p>
<p id="BSMzyV">This game is the first of <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2017/3/8/14771234/dodgers-television-ktla-april-may-schedule">10 games in April and May simulcast on KTLA</a>, making the game more widely available in the Los Angeles market.</p>
<h4 id="xObPRe">Thursday, 12:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</h4>
<p id="diJm3h"><span>Brandon McCarthy</span> starts the series finale for the Dodgers, a daytime start on getaway day. <span>Jered Weaver</span> makes his Padres debut after 11 years and 322 starts with the <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/4/2/15151078/opening-day-2017-dodgers-padres-pitching-matchups-television-timesEric Stephen