True Blue LA - Game 154: Padres 2, Dodgers 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2012-09-25T22:18:33-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/31731872012-09-25T22:18:33-07:002012-09-25T22:18:33-07:00Dodgers near the brink with loss to Padres
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<p>The Dodgers offense was stymied again on Tuesday night in their 2-1 loss to the Padres at Petco Park.</p> <p>That a bench-clearing pseudo incident was the highlight of Tuesday's game at Petco Park tells the current state of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> offense, as Los Angeles dropped its series opener to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> 2-1 in San Diego.</p>
<p>In the battle for the second wild card spot in the National League, the Dodgers now find themselves 4½ games behind the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>, who beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> 4-0 on Tuesday. The Dodgers now have an elimination number of just four.</p>
<p>With 15 scenarios remaining (eight Dodgers games, seven Cardinals games), the Dodgers need 12 to go their way just to force a tie with St. Louis.</p>
<p>Down two runs in the ninth, the Dodgers started off the inning with a single by <span>Luis Cruz</span>, his third hit of the night, and an RBI double by <span>A.J. Ellis</span>. Pinch runner <span>Dee Gordon</span> advanced to third on a sacrifice by pinch bunter <span>Nick Punto</span>, but after a walk to <span>Mark Ellis</span>, <span>Huston Street</span> struck out <span>Andre Ethier</span> and got <span>Matt Kemp</span> to fly out to end the game.</p>
<p>The "incident" came in the seventh inning, when Padres second baseman <span>Logan Forsythe</span> hit into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. While sliding into second base, <span>Everth Cabrera</span> put his hands up and into the groin area of Mark Ellis as he turned the double play.</p>
<p>Watching the replay, it appeared that Cabrera offered something of an apology to Ellis, but left fielder <span>Shane Victorino</span> came running in and yelling at Cabrera to escalate the situation. At this point, both benches cleared but it was really a pair of halfhearted attempts at rage. Matt Kemp played the role of peacemaking ground traffic controller, motioning for both teams to go back to their dugouts.</p>
<p>The Dodgers put runners on in every inning but the fourth and the seventh, but couldn't score until the ninth inning.</p>
<p><span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> did go 2-for-4 in his return to San Diego, and continues to bat .500 (15-for-30) in his career against the Padres.</p>
<h3>Up Next</h3>
<p>The Dodgers have alternated losses and wins for their last seven games, and look to continue the trend on Wednesday afternoon in a weird San Diego 3:35 p.m. start. <span>Aaron Harang</span> gets his sixth try at his 10th win of the season for the Dodgers, while <span>Clayton Richard</span> is the scheduled starter for San Diego.</p>
<h3>Tuesday Particulars</h3>
<p><b>Home Runs</b>: none</p>
<p><b>WP - <span>Edinson Volquez</span> (11-11</b>): 7 IP, 6 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>LP - <span>Josh Beckett</span> (6-14)</b>: 5 2/3 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, 7 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>Sv - Huston Street (23)</b>: 1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2012/9/25/3410060/dodgers-padres-benches-clearedEric Stephen2012-09-25T18:06:42-07:002012-09-25T18:06:42-07:00Clayton Kershaw on track for Friday start
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<figcaption>Jamie Sabau - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Clayton Kershaw threw a bullpen session on Tuesday - "Same as always," he said - and remains on track to start for the Dodgers on Friday against the Rockies, though the decision hasn't yet been announced.</p> <p>Tuesday night's opener for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> features a series of returns. First and foremost is <span>Clayton Kershaw</span>, who threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. and is on track to start Friday, though nothing has been announced by the team.</p>
<p>"Everything has been totally normal. He's doing everything he would do after any other start through the course of the whole season," said manager Don Mattingly. "Where that goes, I'm not sure. I saw him in the lobby yesterday and he asked, 'When am I pitching again?'"</p>
<p>Mattingly said he would meet with general manager Ned Colletti before announcing when Kershaw would start again. A Friday start for Kershaw would keep him available to pitch on regular rest on Oct. 3, the final game of the regular season, if needed.</p>
<p>"We'll see what they let me do," Kershaw said. "I'm optimistic now because it feels good. I didn't really know the long term health to begin with. We'll see what happens. We'll make it through how ever many starts I have and make a decision from there."</p>
<p>Kershaw wouldn't comment on whether or not hip surgery was an option in the offseason.</p>
<p>Mattingly did concede that the Dodgers' position in the standings could affect Kershaw's availability to pitch Friday. Though it was pointed out that the Dodgers could not be mathematically eliminated before Friday.</p>
<p>"Thanks for the good news," Mattingly quipped.</p>
<p>The Dodgers' odds to reach the postseason are a paltry 3.8% entering play Tuesday, but Mattingly noted that the chances of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> were likely similarly low last year.</p>
<p>"You can't look at the percentages at this point for us," Mattingly said. "You have to think about winning games, and look at it that way."</p>
<p>I told Mattingly that if he did finish 10-0, he would be the first Dodgers team to do so since 1888, and that the St. Louis Browns (the precursor to the Cardinals) still won the championship. Mattingly turned to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times and joked, "And you say he has no life."</p>
<p>There was life in the bat of <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> on Sunday, and he hopes it carries over to his first game back in San Diego.</p>
<p>"I hope I'm back. I felt something in my swing that felt really good. I felt it the day before; it felt good, but didn't feel great. I made a little tweak on Sunday, and when you see results it feels great," Gonzalez said. "You might feel great in BP, then you go into the game and hit a hard ground ball and a line drive and are 0-for-2, then you start thinking and doubting it."</p>
<p>Gonzalez said he was happy to sleep in his own bed, and eat at his favorite restaurants in Chula Vista. But that he also said he was focused on the job at hand, even while happy to return to his old stomping grounds.</p>
<p>"It's still serious. You still go out there and produce, do what you have to do," Gonzalez said. "But I was born here, I grew up here, so there are definitely a lot more connections."</p>
<p>When asked how he thought the San Diego fans would greet his first time back since getting traded after the 2010 season, Gonzalez said, "I don't know... That's the furthest thing from my mind."</p>
<h3>Starting Lineups</h3>
<p><span>Hanley Ramirez</span> didn't miss any games, but he did leave Sunday's game early after fouling a ball off his left shin. X-rays were negative on Sunday and Mattingly said Ramirez felt fine, good enough to start.</p>
<p>Joining Ramirez in the starting lineup is <span>Shane Victorino</span>, who missed all three games in Cincinnati after hurting his wrist while trying to catch a ball against the wall in Washington D.C. against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>.</p>
<p><u><b>Dodgers (79-74)</b></u></p>
<p>Ellis 2B<br>Ethier RF<br>Kemp CF<br>Gonzalez 1B<br>Ramirez SS<br>Victorino LF<br>Cruz 3B<br>Ellis C<br>Beckett P</p>
<p><u><b>Padres (73-80)</b></u></p>
<p>Cabrera SS<br>Forsythe 2B<br>Headley 3B<br>Grandal C<br>Alonso 1B<br>Denorfia LF<br>Venable RF<br>Maybin CF<br>Volquez P</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2012/9/25/3408286/clayton-kershaw-bullpen-session-dodgers-start-friday-maybeEric Stephen2012-09-25T14:00:24-07:002012-09-25T14:00:24-07:00Dodgers finish out road schedule
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers, 39-39 on the road this season, begin their final series away from home Tuesday night, battling the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open their final road series of the season in the same place they began the year, at Petco Park in San Diego against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>.</p>
<p>It's been more than four months since the Dodgers last played in San Diego, as the two teams split a two-game series May 16-17. When the Dodgers left Petco Park they were 25-13 and just started a six-game winning streak that would take them to 30-13, the high-water mark of 17 games over .500 that they reached six times but never surpassed.</p>
<p>Since that series the Dodgers are 54-61 while the Padres are 59-55. The Dodgers have eight new players via trade on the active roster since May, plus four more who have been added to the 40-man. <span>Matt Kemp</span> is active, though not quite fully healthy, but has since recovered from the left hamstring strain that sidelined him during that May series.</p>
<p><span>Chase Headley</span> has hit 22 home runs in 66 games since the All-Star break, more home runs than anyone has hit for the Dodgers all season. <span>Hanley Ramirez</span> does have 24 long balls on the season, but 14 of those were hit with Miami.</p>
<h3>Tuesday's Pitching Matchup</h3>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> looks for his second win as a Dodger, six days after a 6-0 lead couldn't get it done in Washington D.C. against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>. Beckett was cruising, having allowed just two hits and no runs in seven innings, put allowed two home runs and three runs in the eighth inning, starting a six-run rally that tied the game. Beckett has 26 strikeouts against just six unintentional walks in 31 1/3 innings as a Dodger.</p>
<p><span>Edinson Volquez</span> started on opening day against the Dodgers, and has started three other games against them this season. He has lasted exactly five innings in each of those four games, and the Dodgers have won three of them, thanks in part to the 6.30 ERA by Volquez and his 16 walks in 20 innings, to go with 21 strikeouts.</p>
<p>Since the All-Star break, Volquez has a 5.60 ERA in 12 starts. He has 68 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings during that span, but also has walked 37.</p>
<p><b>Game Time</b>: 7:05 p.m.</p>
<p><b>TV</b>: KCAL</p>
<p><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_09_25_lanmlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=gameday" target="_blank">MLB Gameday</a></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2012/9/25/3406062/dodgers-padres-josh-beckett-edinson-volquezEric Stephen