True Blue LA - May 11: Dodgers 7, Marlins 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2013-05-12T11:05:11-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/40867372013-05-12T11:05:11-07:002013-05-12T11:05:11-07:00Ryu delivers on mom's birthday
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<p>Ryu also picked up his first major league walk while batting on Saturday night.</p> <p>Hyun-jin Ryu got his Mothers Day gift out of the way early on Saturday, and to top it all off, it was his mom's birthday, too. He had yet another quality start on Saturday night, helping the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> to a 7-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>.</p>
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<p>4승 후~ 어머니 생신파티! Happy birthday mom! <a href="http://t.co/RAkX59if8u" title="http://twitter.com/HyunJinRyu99/status/333467712128962560/photo/1">twitter.com/HyunJinRyu99/s…</a></p>
— <span>Hyun-Jin Ryu</span> (@HyunJinRyu99) <a href="https://twitter.com/HyunJinRyu99/status/333467712128962560">May 12, 2013</a>
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<p>Ryu pitched scoreless ball into the seventh, and allowed just one run on the night. In a season of injuries, Ryu and <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> have been dependable rocks at the top of the Dodgers' rotation.</p>
<p>"When Kershaw and Ryu are on the mound for us, we feel we have a good chance to win the game," Ellis said. "We have to capitalize on that."</p>
<p>Ryu may be a rookie in MLB, but his seven years in the KBO produced a pitcher who knows what he is doing on the mound.</p>
<p>"He's good at his craft. Everybody talks velocity, they love to see 90. The kid last night (<span>Jose Fernandez</span>) was 96-98 and you like seeing that overpowering type stuff, but Hyun-jin is a master craftsman in a sense that he locates, he changes speeds, takes a little more off," said manager Don Mattingly. "When he's sharp, he's fun to watch."</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/12/4324318/hyun-jin-ryu-dodgers-mothers-dayEric Stephen2013-05-11T23:16:02-07:002013-05-11T23:16:02-07:00Andre Ethier wields big stick, shrugs off big toe
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<p>"It feels great to shake hands after a game," catcher A.J. Ellis said of Saturday night's win over the Marlins.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> postgame clubhouse had a little bit of its swagger back on Saturday night, with music blaring smiles everywhere, after Los Angeles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>.</p>
<p>"You could almost feel like it was champagne time in there," manager Don Mattingly joked.</p>
<p>Even little kids were running around with an infectious giggle, causing just about everyone to laugh. It was a welcome change from the last week.</p>
<p>"Right now everybody is having fun. The kids are laughing and running around in the clubhouse. We missed that," said <span>Matt Kemp</span>. "I don't think anyone wanted to be around kids until they got home, with the way the locker room has been in the last week."</p>
<p>Right fielder <span>Andre Ethier</span> did most of the damage on offense with four hits, including two doubles, and scored three runs on the night. After such a slow start to his season, Ethier has been working countless hours with hitting coaches Mark McGwire and John Valentin trying to figure out something that works. It finally clicked on Saturday, with Ethier basically keeping it simple at the plate.</p>
<p>"It's just staying back up the middle, and staying with that frame of mind," Ethier said. It's just a different frame of mind. I had kind of abandoned it for a while. I just went back to the basics and what makes you work."</p>
<p>Mattingly tried to downplay the win, citing the importance of continuing to build on this success. But given what he saw from Ethier the manager can't help but get a little excited.</p>
<p>"Ethier was good. He shoots a ball into left field. He had snap to his bat all day long," Mattingly said. "When you see that, you feel this is what it's supposed to look like. Obviously you can't go 4-for-4 every night, but we know how good Andre is. Matt still to me looks better and better. You start thinking about getting those two guys together, then Adrian can continue, Carl can continue, and you start seeing what you have a chance to be."</p>
<p><span>A.J. Ellis</span> went 1-for-2 with a walk, and as the hitter directly behind Ethier in the lineup had a great vantage point.</p>
<p>"One of my highlights is being behind Andre Ethier in the batting order. I get to watch him hit from the on deck circle," Ellis said. "He has such a pretty swing."</p>
<p>But it wouldn't be the 2013 Dodgers if Ethier wasn't also dealing with some sort of an injury. He hit his left big toe going after a foul ball earlier in the game, then aggravated the toe while rounding third base in the seventh inning. Ethier stayed in the game and even made a diving catch in right field in the eighth inning. He shrugged off any notion that the injury was serious.</p>
<p>"I've always had some issue with my big toes over the years," Ethier said. "It's no new thing."</p>
<h3>Up next</h3>
<p>The Dodgers look to build off their one-game winning streak as they try to capture a series win on Sunday afternoon. <span>Chris Capuano</span> starts the series finale for the Dodgers, having pitched just six innings total in his two starts so far this season. The Marlins were going to send left-hander <span>Wade LeBlanc</span> to the mound on Sunday, but have switched plans. Now, right-hander <span>Tom Koehler</span> gets the call for Miami on Sunday.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/11/4323404/andre-ethier-big-toe-dodgersEric Stephen2013-05-11T22:52:12-07:002013-05-11T22:52:12-07:00Gonzalez still dealing with neck pain
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<p>Gonzalez had two hits in Saturday's win but left the game after seven innings, perhaps as a precaution.</p> <p>If there was an opportunity for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> to unilaterally impose the designated hitter rule upon the National League, they just might do it. After all, their first baseman <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> is still bothered by a muscular strain in his neck, but it doesn't really hinder his performance at the plate.</p>
<p>Gonzalez went 2-for-4 on Saturday night in the Dodgers' 7-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>, extending his hitting streak to nine games. But he also left the game after seven innings after feeling neck pain after a couple of fielding plays.</p>
<p>"We don't know what gets him. The play where he goes to his right and gets the lead guy, that stung him. Then a swing stung him," said manager Don Mattingly. "We thought it was a good time to get him out of there. The beat kind of goes on with Adrian. He's still swinging the bat good."</p>
<p>The score was 7-1 at the time and lifting Gonzalez was partly a precaution, and Gonzalez insists he will play again on Sunday. But the neck strain continues to be a nuisance, especially in the field.</p>
<p>Gonzalez injured the neck on May 1 against Colorado, then was scratched from the starting lineup three straight days in San Francisco, though he did deliver a pinch-hit single in the finale of the series. He left the game on Wednesday against Arizona after just four innings after aggravating the neck strain.</p>
<p>But his hitting streak includes every game Gonzalez has played since the injury.</p>
<p>"That's the one thing. It doesn't really bother me when I hit," Gonzalez said. "Just throwing, running for fly balls, running with my head up, that hurts, especially going back. But even moving forward with my head up it hurts. With fly balls it's hard for me to go hard or even go comfortably. I'd say the fly balls are the worst."</p>
<p>It has become a daily battle for Gonzalez of getting treatment and preparing for a game, only to have that relative calm disrupted during play.</p>
<p>"It's a strain. Once I get up and start running and throwing during the game, it just seems to get worse and worse and worse."</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/11/4323378/adrian-gonzalez-neck-strain-dodgersEric Stephen2013-05-11T21:09:25-07:002013-05-11T21:09:25-07:00Dodgers 7, Marlins 1
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<p>The Dodgers' 14 hits on Saturday night was one shy of their season high.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> got offense from unexpected and unlikely places on Saturday night to back another solid performance by Hyun-jin Ryu, giving them a 7-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> to snap a season-worst eight-game losing streak.</p>
<p>Saturday marked the Dodgers' first win of May.</p>
<p><span>Andre Ethier</span> entered the game hitting .235/.331/.353, a performance that prompted manager Don Mattingly to say before the game, "I see a little bit of a different guy. There's less use of the whole field, more pull. Some of his at-bats seem to be getting a little quick."</p>
<p>Ethier responded with <a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/anLSG">the 12th four-hit game of his career</a>, including two doubles, and scored three runs.</p>
<p><span>Dee Gordon</span> was 1-for-4 with a walk, and his one hit was a home run to right center field in the third inning, his first home run of the season. It was the second home run of Gordon's career, and first of the non-Coors Field variety.</p>
<p><span>Skip Schumaker</span>, hitting just .158/.294/.211 (9-for-57) entering the game, drove in a run in each of his first three plate appearances and ended the night 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.</p>
<p><span>Juan Uribe</span> followed Schumaker in the order and went 2-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly for two RBI. Uribe is hitting .264/.403/.377 on the season.</p>
<p>The Dodgers battered <span>Kevin Slowey</span> for 11 hits in 4⅔ innings, tying the most allowed by one pitcher to the Dodgers this season. The other pitcher to allow 11 hits to the Dodgers this season was <span>Jorge De La Rosa</span> of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> on Apr. 30, the Dodgers' last win before Saturday night.</p>
<p>That was more than enough offense to support Ryu, who pitched into the seventh inning. He didn't allow a run in his first six innings, but was greeted by <span>Miguel Olivo</span> in the seventh with a rocket into the left field pavilion. Two outs later, including a spectacular diving grab by <span>Carl Crawford</span> in left center field, <span>Chris Coghlan</span> singled to end Ryu's night. But <span>Paco Rodriguez</span> was able to retire <span>Adeiny Hechavarria</span> to end the inning, and the threat.</p>
<p>Ryu lasted at least six innings for the eighth consecutive start to begin his career, matching Claude Osteen (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?t=p&id=osteecl01&year=1965#135-142-sum">1965</a>) and Don Sutton (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?t=p&id=suttodo01&year=1966#1-8-sum">1966</a>) for the longest streak of six-inning games to open their Los Angeles Dodger career. The last Dodgers pitcher to open with a longer streak of six-inning games was Kirby Higbe, with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?t=p&id=higbeki01&year=1941#88-97-sum">10 straight games for the 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers</a>.</p>
<h3>Notes</h3>
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<li>Ethier's last three four-hit games have come against the Marlins. He had back-to-back four-hit games last Aug. 24-25 in the midst of his L.A. franchise record 10 consecutive hits.<br>
</li>
<li>
<span>Matt Kemp</span> went 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest streak by a Dodger this season. During the streak, Kemp is hitting .302 (13-for-43) with two doubles. Kemp has 998 hits in his career.</li>
<li>
<span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> went 2-for-4 with a run scored to extend his hitting streak to nine games, during which time he is hitting .367 (11-for-30).<br>
</li>
<li>Uribe walked in the second inning on Saturday, his 13th walk of the season, in his 65th plate appearance. It matched Uribe's walk total for 2012, in 179 PA.<br>
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<li>Ryu walked in the fifth inning, forcing Slowey out of the game. It was the first major league walk for Ryu, in his 17th plate appearance. By comparison, Luis Cruz has no unintentional walks in his last 192 PA.<br>
</li>
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<h3>Saturday's particulars</h3>
<p><b>Home runs</b>: Dee Gordon (1); Miguel Olivo (3)</p>
<p><b>WP - Hyun-jin Ryu (4-2)</b>: 6⅔ innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>LP - Kevin Slowey (1-3)</b>: 4⅔ innings, 11 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/11/4323118/andre-ethier-dodgers-marlinsEric Stephen2013-05-11T16:30:38-07:002013-05-11T16:30:38-07:00Cruz odd man out
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<p>Cruz has 21 plate appearances in his last 17 games, including just four starts during that span.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> look to snap an eight-game losing streak on Saturday night as they host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> at Dodger Stadium. Miami is one of just two National League teams with a worse record than the Dodgers (the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> are 13-22), but that didn't seem to matter much on Friday night.</p>
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<h2>Starting Lineups</h2>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody>
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<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#333333" width="125"><font color="#ff3300"><b>Marlins</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
</tr>
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<td>SS</td>
<td>Hechevarria</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Diaz<br>
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<td>SS</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
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<td>3B</td>
<td>Polanco</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
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<td>CF</td>
<td>Ruggiano</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
</tr>
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<td>RF</td>
<td>Ozuna</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
</tr>
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<td>C</td>
<td>Olivo<br>
</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Dobbs (L)<br>
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<td>2B</td>
<td>Schumaker (L)</td>
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<td>2B</td>
<td>Green</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe<br>
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<td>P</td>
<td>Slowey</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Ryu</td>
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<p>For the fifth consecutive game, Luis Cruz is not in the starting lineup for the Dodgers, and he doesn't figure to see much time any time soon.</p>
<p>"It's hard to have a plan right now. With <span>Mark Ellis</span> out, <span>Nick Punto</span> has come in and done well. <span>Juan Uribe</span> has swung the bat a little bit better," manager Don Mattingly said. "Luis it's been tougher to get at-bats because I've tried probably the last four or five time I've started him were pretty good matchups for him, guys he has hit pretty good in the past. Obviously it hasn't went very well."</p>
<p>Cruz on the season is just 6-for-67 (.090), and Friday night marks the 13th time in 17 games he has not been in the starting lineup. Last year's feel-good story could end up back on the scrap heap, especially when Mark Ellis (strained right quad) and <span>Jerry Hairston</span> (left groin strain) return from the disabled list.</p>
<p>"That will be something to address as we get there. But we talk about it all the time, you gotta produce. If you're not, you're probably in danger. All of us," Mattingly said with a slight chuckle, noting his own job security. "That's the nature of the game. There are no true guarantees that you'll just keep playing, that you'll keep getting unlimited chances. I've tried to mix him back in. I'm still going to use him."</p>
<p>Cruz was intentionally walked on opening day, but outside of that hasn't drawn a base on balls on his own since last Aug. 29, a span of 191 plate appearances.</p>
<h3>Game info</h3>
<p>Time: 6:10 p.m.</p>
<p>TV: Prime Ticket</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_11_miamlb_lanmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB Gameday</a></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/11/4322310/luis-cruz-dodgers-marlins-starting-lineupsEric Stephen2013-05-11T13:38:38-07:002013-05-11T13:38:38-07:00Kemp, Ethier & Dodgers lack of power
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<p>The Dodgers duo that combined for an average of 50 home runs per season from 2009-2012 has just four home runs through 34 games in 2013.</p> <p>While it may seem strange after Friday night's game featured a pair of three-run home runs, this weekend series between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> has the two worst power-hitting teams in the National League.</p>
<p>The three-run home run by <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> in the first inning Friday was just the third three-run home run this season for the Dodgers, who have no grand slams. Coming into play Saturday in the 15-team National League...</p>
<ul>
<li>The Dodgers are dead last with 48 doubles. The Marlins are 14th, with 50.</li>
<li>The Dodgers are 14th with 24 home runs. The Marlins are last, with 20.</li>
<li>The Dodgers are tied for last with two triples. The Marlins are tied for 11tth, with three.</li>
<li>The Dodgers are 14th with 74 extra-base hits. The Marlins are last, with 73. Next up are the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a>, with 88 extra-base hits.</li>
<li>The Dodgers are 14th with an isolated power (slugging percentage minus batting average) of .109. The Marlins are last, at .097.</li>
</ul>
<p>It's one of the big reasons the Dodgers are second to last in the NL in runs scored (3.38 per game) despite also being second best in the league in on-base percentage (.330).</p>
<p>The lack of power is alarming, and the two main culprits — aside from simply missing <span>Hanley Ramirez</span> — are <span>Matt Kemp</span> and <span>Andre Ethier</span>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Kemp: .271/.322/.349, one home run, seven doubles</li>
<li>Ethier: .235/.331/.353, three home runs, five doubles</li>
</ul>
<p>Kemp we know is coming off major surgery to repair a torn labrum and clean out debris in his left shoulder, and still trying to banish the shoulder-protecting bad habits from his swing. Ethier, however, has been fully healthy, as far as we know.</p>
<p>"Honestly right now, Matt looks better to me than Andre. He seems like his swings are better. In that first at-bat he struck out but fouled a few straight back that he was on. His work has been good," manager Don Mattingly said after Friday night's loss to the Marlins. "Dre's swing always looks good to me, but he seems frustrated early on. We'll continue to talk about our approach. I see him in the cage so I now he's working."</p>
<p>This may seem like a broken record, but while improving the little things like adding <span>Tim Federowicz</span> and <span>Scott Van Slyke</span> to the bench are important, it won't matter much unless the big guns start producing.</p>
<h3>Pitching matchup</h3>
<p>Hyun-jin Ryu has pitched at least six innings in all seven starts this season, but is coming off a career-low two strikeouts in a loss Sunday to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>. Ryu's 48 strikeouts and 12 walks give him a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.00, good for 10th in the National League.</p>
<p><span>Kevin Slowey</span>, Saturday night's starter for Miami, is ninth at 4.50. Slowey has been a pleasant surprise for the Marlins so far this season, with a 1.81 ERA in seven starts, and has 36 strikeouts against just eight walks. Only five Dodgers have ever faced Slowey, and four have had success in limited time.</p>
<p><span>Juan Uribe</span> is 5-for-9 (.556) with two doubles and a home run against Slowey. Adrian Gonzalez is 2-for-4 with a double, <span>Ramon Hernandez</span> is 1-for-2 with a double, and <span>Skip Schumaker</span> is 2-for-2 with a double. <span>Carl Crawford</span> must feel left out, as he is just 1-for-5 against Slowey. But Crawford <i>has</i> reached base against him on catchers interference.</p>
<h3>Game info</h3>
<p>Time: 6:10 p.m.</p>
<p>TV: Prime Ticket</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_11_miamlb_lanmlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB Gameday</a></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/5/11/4322074/matt-kemp-andre-ethier-dodgers-marlinsEric Stephen