True Blue LA - September 22: Dodgers 4, Giants 2Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2017-09-23T00:18:45-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/161129152017-09-23T00:18:45-07:002017-09-23T00:18:45-07:00Scenes from the Dodgers’ division title celebration
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<figcaption>Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="iykgVs">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> have won the National League West for a fifth straight season, with the clinching blow <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16307706/dodgers-national-league-west-division-champions-5-straight-years">a 4-2 win over the Giants on Friday night at Dodger Stadium</a>, on Tommy Lasorda’s 90th birthday, no less.</p>
<p id="uOj2EX">Here are scenes from the celebration:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">These <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers">@Dodgers</a> are dominant. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clinched?src=hash">#Clinched</a> <a href="https://t.co/nEzJVYLG5T">pic.twitter.com/nEzJVYLG5T</a></p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/911465335139774464">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisTeam?src=hash">#ThisTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/O1hx4FwA1X">pic.twitter.com/O1hx4FwA1X</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/911483927704961025">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/YasielPuig">@YasielPuig</a> has all the moves. <a href="https://t.co/Ai9jPXSLWJ">pic.twitter.com/Ai9jPXSLWJ</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/911467511492644864">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">we're desperate for that ... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/step1?src=hash">#step1</a> let's get it right <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers">@Dodgers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/postseason?src=hash">#postseason</a> <a href="https://t.co/BNqU6DVHFy">pic.twitter.com/BNqU6DVHFy</a></p>— Kenley Jansen (@kenleyjansen74) <a href="https://twitter.com/kenleyjansen74/status/911478113569185792">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Clayton Kershaw tells <a href="https://twitter.com/abc7ashley">@abc7ashley</a>, "You're soft if you wear goggles. You gotta go no goggles. You gotta let it burn." <a href="https://t.co/r6ZneAUf4V">pic.twitter.com/r6ZneAUf4V</a></p>— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi/status/911491920962101253">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/YasielPuig">@YasielPuig</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/alannarizzo">@alannarizzo</a> show us their dance moves. <a href="https://t.co/w9ICUbbZ60">pic.twitter.com/w9ICUbbZ60</a></p>— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsNetLA/status/911468323249979392">September 23, 2017</a>
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</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZX5eEUjOz0/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">シャンパンファイト! 動画です^_^</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Yu Darvish (@darvishsefat11) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-09-23T06:25:49+00:00">Sep 22, 2017 at 11:25pm PDT</time></p>
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</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZX3FO_Hxm0/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Let's goooo</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Joc Pederson (@yungjoc650) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-09-23T06:04:57+00:00">Sep 22, 2017 at 11:04pm PDT</time></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rich Hill came up behind Farhan Zaidi while on tv and said they should let him pinch hit. Also, he swung a 38 oz bat tonight. <a href="https://t.co/NhA090POf2">pic.twitter.com/NhA090POf2</a></p>— Ryan Walton (@RyanWaltonSBN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanWaltonSBN/status/911479760793907203">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p id="ocYrd7">Rookie Walker Buehler told Alanna Rizzo on SportsNet LA, “I was doing this in Low-A last year. I think we had hard apple cider there.” </p>
<p id="9hiyLF">Then he added this gem:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Excuse me, Walker Buehler, what <a href="https://t.co/luO4u1a46n">pic.twitter.com/luO4u1a46n</a></p>— Sarah Wexler (@SarahWexler32) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahWexler32/status/911478262538178560">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The winning pitcher and the birthday boy <a href="https://t.co/Bm8FV2fXrh">pic.twitter.com/Bm8FV2fXrh</a></p>— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/911471698590834688">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Circle of Life. <a href="https://t.co/TQ8Avqr8pH">pic.twitter.com/TQ8Avqr8pH</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/911478416427253761">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/W7a2VATTSU">pic.twitter.com/W7a2VATTSU</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/911471066677051392">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There’s a lot going on here <a href="https://t.co/qsgSUZaaQO">pic.twitter.com/qsgSUZaaQO</a></p>— Joshua Thornton (@JoshuaThornton_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaThornton_/status/911465000933273600">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The 2017 NL West champs <a href="https://t.co/HVZQaa18T7">pic.twitter.com/HVZQaa18T7</a></p>— Joshua Thornton (@JoshuaThornton_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaThornton_/status/911465136975515648">September 23, 2017</a>
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<img alt="MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KxqXtIYXPeYJYYpD_Sfxc_e3sqY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9307867/usa_today_10298841.jpg">
<cite>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>Sep 22, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (left) celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers win the National League west title. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson</figcaption>
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<h3 id="oRpRH4">Up next</h3>
<p id="fEJ5x9">Hyun-jin Ryu starts for the Dodgers on Saturday night. Manager Dave Roberts said that Ryu will have a normal start, and that it was too early to announce the postseason starting rotation. </p>
<p id="1n2jOi">“He’ll make his start tomorrow, then we’ll reassess,” Roberts said.</p>
<p id="QbbOZ8"><span>Madison Bumgarner</span> starts for the Giants, a 6:10 p.m. PT start. <span>Justin Turner</span>, who was home sick on Friday, is expected to play on Saturday.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16353540/dodgers-national-league-west-celebration-clubhouse-champagneEric Stephen2017-09-22T23:20:44-07:002017-09-22T23:20:44-07:00Dodgers win 5th straight NL West title
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<img alt="MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/65BydVQ36i0u9nvnVCtA6cRdAU8=/0x6:3836x2563/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56817865/usa_today_10298807.1506143592.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>4-2 win over the Giants is the clincher</p> <p id="95uwNH">LOS ANGELES — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> beat the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> 4-2 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, clinching the National League West for a fifth consecutive season.</p>
<p id="NxJXLa">The win gave the Dodgers (98-56) a nine-game division lead over the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> (89-65) with eight left to play, making the Dodgers the first team to win the NL West five years in a row. They are just the sixth team since divisional play began in 1969 to win a division five or more consecutive seasons, and the first since the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Philadelphia Phillies</a> won the NL East every year from 2007-11.</p>
<aside id="5RBHTu"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Dodgers celebrate after winning NL West","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16353540/dodgers-national-league-west-celebration-clubhouse-champagne"}]}'></div></aside><p id="UCiFsK">Before these last five years, the Dodgers as a franchise had never made the postseason more than two seasons in a row.</p>
<p id="ntJjE7">After Giants starter <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> retired his first seven batters faced, the Dodgers offense came alive in the third inning. <span>Logan Forsythe</span> doubled, then <span>Rich Hill</span> followed with an opposite field double of his own, his fourth career double and first since June 2, 2007.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Some guys take a selfie, some guys fist pump...Rich Hill got there and went, 'what just happened?' " -- <a href="https://twitter.com/OrelHershiser">@OrelHershiser</a> on Hill's RBI-double <a href="https://t.co/IUJPF8yMT0">pic.twitter.com/IUJPF8yMT0</a></p>— Ryan Walton (@RyanWaltonSBN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanWaltonSBN/status/911428371459883008">September 23, 2017</a>
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<p id="6KUZW6">That tied the score at 1-1, then after a two-out walk to <span>Corey Seager</span>, <span>Cody Bellinger</span> crushed a three-run shot into the left field pavilion for the Dodgers’ first lead.</p>
<p id="kdA05I">Bellinger’s 39th home run of the season, in addition to sending the Dodger Stadium crowd into a frenzy, set <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16322244/cody-bellinger-home-runs-rookie-record-national-league-dodgers">a National League record for home runs by a rookie</a>.</p>
<p id="IwQjhx">“Oh my goodness,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said. “You talk about Cody, you talk about <span>Chris Taylor</span>, and what we expected out of them going into the season, they have obviously exceeded those expectations.”</p>
<p id="6IG4ik">Hill held the Giants down after the first inning, striking out nine batters in his six innings. Since joining the Dodgers, Hill has allowed six runs in six starts against the Giants, posting a 1.65 ERA in 32⅔ innings, with 32 strikeouts and five walks.</p>
<p id="9tgmBW"><span>Kenley Jansen</span> allowed a home run to <span>Pablo Sandoval</span> in the ninth, but got the final three outs for his 40th save, joining <span>Eric Gagne</span> as the only pitchers in Dodgers history with three seasons of 40 or more saves.</p>
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<p id="kZDl6T">Owners of the best record in baseball, the Dodgers in 2017 have still managed to have an odd year. They were tied for first place after the opening series of the season, but thanks to strong starts by both Arizona and the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a> the Dodgers didn’t taste first place again until May 30.</p>
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<p id="7xSe72">The club won at a nearly unprecedented pace for 2½ months, with runs of 43-7 and 52-9 starting in early June, the latter the best 61-game stretch in the majors since 1912. The Dodgers took control of first place for good on June 21, and saw their division lead grow as large as 21 games, as late as Aug. 25.</p>
<p id="m8ItyY">Then, the losing started. The Dodgers, who hadn’t lost more than three games in a row for nearly the first five months of the season, lost five straight games, then after a single victory <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/12/16291790/dodgers-losing-streak-record-overnight-baseball-giants-recap">lost another 11 in a row</a>, the longest losing streak in MLB in 2017 and the club’s longest skid since their franchise-worst 16-game losing streak in Brooklyn in 1944.</p>
<p id="9kJUNL">General manager Farhan Zaidi joked that the Dodgers front office during the 1-16 stretch, “We were all looking at our playoff probability, wondering how it could still be 100 percent.”</p>
<p id="JysfRM">They are having <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/21/16343180/dodgers-september-record-mlb-record-playoff-teams">the worst September ever</a> for an MLB playoff team.</p>
<p id="JqAmUt">Six of those September losses came to the Diamondbacks, who won 13 straight games to dramatically reduce the Dodgers’ NL West advantage, but Arizona never got closer than within 8½ games of Los Angeles.</p>
<p id="rA11SJ">“What I learned is that this is a group that really sticks together. I’ve been part of teams that had skids that weren’t as bad, but splintered a lot worse,” Zaidi said. “These guys stayed together, stayed consistent, and dealt with a lot of scrutiny and negative press. That’s what happens when you lose 16 out of 17.</p>
<p id="3BzI2n">With 98 victories, the Dodgers have their highest win total since 1977.</p>
<p id="KSfxU1">“We’ve had a great season. We still have an opportunity to get some momentum going for the postseason,” Roberts said Friday. “But to be quite honest, the regular season and the postseason has no parallel. The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/14/16290980/mlb-playoffs-momentum-regular-season-september-october">numbers speak to it</a>.</p>
<p id="fULfdS">“Every year is different, every team is different. If you had your choice, you still want to go in feeling good, because there is a psychological component to it.”</p>
<p id="cGZqpl">By clinching after 154 games, this is the earliest point in the schedule the Dodgers have clinched a postseason berth since 2013, when the team ensured a postseason berth in their 153rd game. Here are the clinching dates for the Dodgers’ five straight division titles:</p>
<p id="m0Clch"><strong>Sept. 19, 2013</strong>: Game 153 at Arizona<br><strong>Sept. 24, 2014</strong>: Game 159 vs. San Francisco<br><strong>Sept. 29, 2015</strong>: Game 157 at San Francisco<br><strong>Sept. 25, 2016</strong>: Game 156 vs. Colorado<br><strong>Sept. 22, 2017</strong>: Game 154 vs. San Francisco</p>
<p id="jBP5UA">This is the seventh time the Dodgers have clinched a postseason berth while playing the Giants, along with 1977, 1983, 2004, 2006, 2014 and 2015.</p>
<p id="xtBRqn">The Dodgers will <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16321300/dodgers-nlds-schedule-2017">open the National League Division Series on Friday, Oct. 6</a>, with the first two games at Dodger Stadium. If they hold on to the best record in the National League, they will play the winner of the wild card game in the division series. Should the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Washington Nationals</a> claim the NL top spot, the Dodgers would play the NL Central winner in the NLDS.</p>
<h3 id="sPxskN">Friday particulars</h3>
<p id="vhaXia"><strong>Home run</strong>: <span>Cody Bellinger</span> (39); Pablo Sandoval (8)</p>
<p id="mG6u1K"><strong>WP - Rich Hill (11-8)</strong>: 6 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts</p>
<p id="DCodTl"><strong>LP - Jeff Samardzija (9-15)</strong>: 4 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p id="sc1POq"><strong>Sv - Kenley Jansen (40)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 3 strikeouts</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16307706/dodgers-national-league-west-division-champions-5-straight-yearsEric Stephen2017-09-22T20:43:53-07:002017-09-22T20:43:53-07:00Bellinger sets new NL rookie home run record
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<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/C69Ul6nHtLz_Uur9F-MpOb3Dmog=/0x80:3000x2080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56817149/852053822.1506138234.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>His 39 HR is most by any Dodger since 2011</p> <p id="yXisxr">No National League rookie has ever hit more home runs than <span>Cody Bellinger</span>. The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> first baseman on Friday hit his 39th home run of the season, setting a new mark in the senior circuit.</p>
<p id="cPL4Cm">Bellinger’s blast — a three-run shot against <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> in the third inning, giving the Dodgers a 4-1 lead — broke a tie with Wally Berger (1930) and Frank Robinson (1956), both of whom hit 38 home runs in their rookie campaigns.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is your N.L. all-time rookie home run leader. <br><br> <a href="https://t.co/oFA9FJDfh7">pic.twitter.com/oFA9FJDfh7</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/911435008543477760">September 23, 2017</a>
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<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="wr9SeQ"> </p>
<p id="DYuqjb">In the history of baseball, there have only been two rookie seasons with more home runs than Bellinger. In 1987, Mark McGwire set the major league record with 49 home runs as a rookie for the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a>. This year, <span>Aaron Judge</span> of the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> has 46 home runs.</p>
<p id="VYAJVb">Judge leads the American League in home runs as a rookie. Bellinger is second in the National League to <span>Giancarlo Stanton</span> of the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>, who has 54 round trippers in 2017.</p>
<p id="2r12qx">What makes Bellinger’s rookie season even more remarkable is that he wasn’t called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City until Apr. 25, spending the first 20 games of the season in the minors. His 39 home runs in his first 124 career games <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/SuYMm">rank second in major league history to McGwire</a>, who hit 42.</p>
<p id="9YbDxj">The home run on Friday for Bellinger gave him a team-leading 94 RBI in 2017, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/zVk8h">third-most by a Dodgers rookie</a>, trailing only <span>Mike Piazza</span> (112, in 1993) and Del Bissonette (106, in 1928). </p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16322244/cody-bellinger-home-runs-rookie-record-national-league-dodgersEric Stephen2017-09-22T17:42:58-07:002017-09-22T17:42:58-07:00McCarthy activated from DL
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<img alt="Atlanta Braves v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7xxqHXjdJx42K_LX3ndIS5T-HkU=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56816085/819926100.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="8AK1Sb">LOS ANGELES — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> activated pitcher <span>Brandon McCarthy</span> from the 60-day disabled list before Friday’s series opener against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, with the starting pitcher in a relief role down the stretch.</p>
<p id="6sItTr">McCarthy has been sidelined for two months with a blister on his right finger, having last pitched for the Dodger on July 20. He pitched in three minor league rehab games, including two rehab starts with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and a playoff start last Friday throwing six innings for Double-A Tulsa.</p>
<p id="QNEAGL">“We’ve got another hard-throwing right-hander out of the pen,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said. “It’s something he’s unfamiliar with, but he’s worked hard to get back. We wanted to give him a look and an opportunity to log some innings.”</p>
<p id="KXrDUG">McCarthy has pitched just twice in relief in the last 11 seasons, including a disastrous outing in the final weekend of the 2016 regular season that saw him face six batters and allow six runs in San Francisco. </p>
<p id="vMmQ1E">In 16 starts this season, McCarthy is 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA, with 66 strikeouts and 25 walks in 86⅔ innings.</p>
<p id="UMyp0k">To make room on the 40-man roster, relief pitcher <span>Josh Ravin</span> was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a right abdomen strain. </p>
<p id="6FbfT7">Ravin has a 6.84 ERA in 14 major league appearances this season, with 19 strikeouts and 12 walks in 16⅔ innings. He allowed two home runs on Sunday against the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>, and has allowed seven runs in 4⅔ innings in five September games.</p>
<p id="ytdSC1">“He’s been dealing with hip and groin issues all year. He’s tried to play through it,” Roberts said. “[The ball is] just not coming out the right way. We’re going to shut him down and get him ready for spring training next year.”</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16353198/brandon-mccarthy-activated-josh-ravin-disabled-listEric Stephen2017-09-22T17:05:02-07:002017-09-22T17:05:02-07:00Seager back in lineup, Turner sits
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<img alt="San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VWn9MELFwkp7jobbn3gGhusDvUo=/108x0:4500x2928/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56815855/830907874.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="dpaORL">LOS ANGELES — The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> got half of the left side of their infield back for the series opener against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, with <span>Corey Seager</span> returning to the starting lineup for a potential division-clinching game. But third baseman <span>Justin Turner</span> sits on Friday one day after getting hit by a pitch on his right thumb.</p>
<p id="nJx6Qp">Turner was hit by a pitch on the right thumb in the first inning on Thursday against the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a>, and left the game after playing one defensive inning. His thumb is still sore, but Turner is also sick, which is more the reason he’s not playing on Friday.</p>
<p id="jUv5iY">“He’s probably unavailable tonight, but I expect him back in there tomorrow,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said.</p>
<p id="fHaHgW">Seager, who has four of the Dodgers’ nine home runs against the Giants in 2017, is back at shortstop two days after fouling a ball off his right ankle on Wednesday in Philadelphia. He didn’t play on Thursday.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="zq62yF"><div data-anthem-component="table:664816"></div></div></div>
<p id="Ezs1yg"><span>Yasiel Puig</span> is getting a day off on Friday, with <span>Curtis Granderson</span> in right field and <span>Andre Ethier</span> in left field. For Ethier, it’s his sixth start since returning from the disabled list. He has literally started once per series, which figures to be the plan to get ready for what is likely a reserve role in the postseason, after missing the first five months of the year.</p>
<p id="2mJlOo">“We’ve managed him well. Andre has taken care of himself very well,” Roberts said. “To keep Andre current, and get him some starts, to then be able to use him off the bench, that gives him and us the best opportunity.”</p>
<p id="xNOBgD">Ethier is 8-for-25 with two home runs and a double since returning, including a pinch-hit home run on Thursday in Philadelphia.</p>
<p id="wlWYDB">Roberts said the team would likely be back to using the <em>usual</em> lineup — depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher, of course — on Saturday.</p>
<p id="1LEp2o">“Where we’re at, it’s important for us to get back to playing good baseball. There is something to getting some rest but we are going to have three, four days after the regular season to get that recovery back,” Roberts <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetworkRadio/status/911320305678929920">told MLB Network Radio on Friday</a>. “For us more importantly, it’s about playing good baseball and getting our guys in roles they might see during the postseason which goes to the bench and the bullpen guys.. That’s what I can envision the next 10 days.”</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16350542/corey-seager-dodgers-lineup-justin-turner-outEric Stephen2017-09-22T11:00:02-07:002017-09-22T11:00:02-07:00Hitting the century mark
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<img alt="San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nNBIaTQUkTbeYfWM3aEPtdVbr9Q=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56790881/830589542.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="vHyq0j"><span>Rich Hill</span> gets the ball for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on Friday night against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, and in doing so the Dodgers will reach a milestone they haven’t seen in 52 years.</p>
<p id="Ic9mpI">Hill will make his 24th start of the season in the series opener, and the 100th start by a Dodgers left-handed pitcher in 2017. That’s the most in baseball, just ahead of the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> (99 starts). San Francisco is a distant third with 70 starts from left-handed pitchers this season.</p>
<p id="5cK2Jv">The only other Dodgers team to have 100 or more starts from left-handed pitchers was in 1965, when Sandy Koufax (41 starts), Claude Osteen (40) and Johnny Podres (22) carried the load on a team that made 112 southpaw starts.</p>
<p id="imAvzj">In the last 30 years, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/CHVjt">only seven other teams have had left-handers start at least 100 games</a> — the 2015 <a href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> (116 starts), the 2013 White Sox (109), the 1991 <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> (109), the 2004 <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> (108), the 1991 <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> (107), the 2003 <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a> (105) and 2008 <a href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> (100). </p>
<p id="eMLo37">Hill has allowed two total runs in two starts against the Giants in 2017, with nine strikeouts and two walks in 10⅔ innings. Since joining the Dodgers at last season’s trade deadline, Hill has a 1.69 ERA in five starts, with 22 strikeouts and four walks in 26⅔ innings.</p>
<p id="lGpz9j"><span>Jeff Samardzija</span> starts for the Giants. He faced the Dodgers once this season, allowing just an unearned run in eight innings on May 3 in Los Angeles, with a season high 11 strikeouts and no walks.</p>
<h3 id="AOO1ch">Home cooking?</h3>
<p id="oP3fNM">The Dodgers on Friday are looking for their first win at Dodger Stadium in four weeks. The combination of a long road trip following a disastrous homestand has the club going through Randy Newman withdrawals since beating Milwaukee at home on Aug. 25.</p>
<p id="RPgkNl">With nine straight losses at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have their longest home losing streak since moving to Los Angeles. They haven’t had a longer streak since <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/lruRF">dropping 10 consecutive games at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in 1938</a>.</p>
<p id="EVflEh">Adding to the growing weirdness of the 2017 Dodgers season, they also have the best home record in baseball at 52-23, and if the team can win at least half of their six remaining regular season games in Los Angeles these Dodgers will simultaneously own both the best home record <em>and</em> also the longest home losing streak in LA Dodgers history.</p>
<h3 id="u21y8i">Game info</h3>
<p id="NGwNaQ">Time: 7:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="6Z9kLg">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16328758/dodgers-left-handed-pitchers-100-starts-home-record-giants-previewEric Stephen2017-09-22T10:59:01-07:002017-09-22T10:59:01-07:00Dodgers-Giants series snapshot
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<img alt="MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eBumoLutvpQgkJPFYIo_L_lb37I=/0x117:3928x2736/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56807537/usa_today_10185001.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Final meeting of 2017</p> <p id="vP5cSI">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> meet up with the rival <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> for the final time in 2017, welcoming them for three games this weekend at Dodger Stadium. Here is an overview of both teams heading into the divisional matchup.</p>
<p id="9swHXC">Teams: Dodgers (97-56) vs. Giants (60-93)</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="xr0bo0"><div data-anthem-component="table:663826"></div></div></div>
<p id="UnqoJM">Split records: Dodgers 52-23 at home, Giants 24-51 on road</p>
<p id="rdEjzE">Run differential: Dodgers +167 (1st in NL), Giants -141 (15th in NL)</p>
<p id="sJapKI">Runs scored: Dodgers 4.72 per game (7th), Giants 3.94 (14th)</p>
<p id="ps7oUh">OPS+: Dodgers 101 (3rd), Giants 82 (15th)</p>
<p id="TiHBXi">wRC+: Dodgers 104 (1st), Giants 82 (15th)</p>
<p id="af8OfR">Runs allowed: Dodgers 3.63 (1st), Giants 4.86 (9th)</p>
<p id="BKqXf1">ERA+: Dodgers 122 (2nd), Giants 92 (9th)</p>
<p id="emNSnK">Last 10 games: Dodgers 5-5, Giants 4-6</p>
<p id="RTHrnk">2017 head-to-head record: 9-7 LA (4-2 LA in LA)</p>
<p id="xXqiza">2016 head-to-head: 11-8 Giants (8-2 SF in SF)</p>
<p id="aV5cg0">Dodgers clinches against Giants: 1977, 1983, 2004, 2006, 2014 and 2015</p>
<p id="kil4tY">Giants SB Nation site: <a href="http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">McCovey Chronicles</a></p>
<h3 id="xdThOZ">Pitching matchups</h3>
<p id="OvrxMO">Friday: <span>Rich Hill</span> vs. <span>Jeff Samardzija</span><br>Saturday: Hyun-jin Ryu vs. <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> (L)<br>Sunday: <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> vs. <span>Chris Stratton</span></p>
<h3 id="MqVKHX">Series schedule</h3>
<p id="UYVBCa">Friday. 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)<br>Saturday, 6:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)<br>Sunday, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/9/22/16348106/dodgers-giants-series-statistics-scheduleEric Stephen