True Blue LA - May 8: Giants 3, Dodgers 1 (10)Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-05-09T00:46:03-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/54606292014-05-09T00:46:03-07:002014-05-09T00:46:03-07:00Dodgers hold team meeting before homestand
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<figcaption>H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The team, now 19-17, is 3½ games behind the Giants in the National League West.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- Before Thursday's loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>, in their first game back home after a long road trip that saw them go 5-4 yet somehow still feel disappointed, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly called a team meeting.</p>
<p>Just as the clubhouse opened to media before Thursday's game, there were no players in the locker room for at least 20 minutes, as the meeting was still ongoing. Mattingly didn't want to discuss any specific details of said meeting.</p>
<p>"We really just talked about our club, about where we're going, and how we'll get there," he explained, then reiterated the same answer when asked a different way.</p>
<p>The Dodgers have lost five of their seven games against the Giants and are 3½ behind them in the National League West. Before the game it was 2½ games, and the Dodgers had lost both previous series against San Francisco.</p>
<p>"This is a tough series," Matingly said. "We have to establish that we can play with them."</p>
<p>Starter <span>Josh Beckett</span>, after the game, went into slightly more detail.</p>
<p>"Donnie felt like we needed to talk about where we ultimately want to get to. He saw some things that we can do better to improve our chances of that," Beckett recalled. "Every team I've ever been on you've always had to have those 'come to Jesus' meetings, and not be playing scared."</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/9/5698466/team-meeting-dodgers-don-mattingly-josh-beckettEric Stephen2014-05-09T00:06:08-07:002014-05-09T00:06:08-07:00Right hamstring sidelines Uribe
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<figcaption>Mark Kolbe</figcaption>
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<p>Uribe has played in 318⅓ of a possible 335⅓ defensive innings this season, tied for most on the team.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> third baseman <span>Juan Uribe</span> left Thursday night's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> after eight innings with soreness in his right hamstring. Manager Don Mattingly said that Uribe did not have any tests yet done on the hamstring and that the team would find out more as to the severity of the injury on Friday.</p>
<p>"It was enough to get him out of there," Mattingly said. "We're not sure whether he strained it, but we'll know a lot more tomorrow."</p>
<p>Uribe was 0-for-3 in Thursday's game, including grounding into an inning-ending double play in the seventh inning. Mattingly said Uribe felt something in the hamstring while running out the double play. He played one more inning in the field, then was removed from the game.</p>
<p><span>Chone Figgins</span> played the final two innings at third base.</p>
<p>Uribe has been an iron man of sorts for the Dodgers this season, starting 34 of 36 games and tied for the club lead with <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> with 318⅓ defensive innings.</p>
<p>In addition to hitting .306/.338/.463 with four home runs, Uribe has been the best defensive player on the team, leading the Dodgers in <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/2014-fielding.shtml#standard_fielding::12" target="_blank">Total Zone Rating</a> (six runs above average), Defensive Runs Saved (four above average), and <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=0&type=1&season=2014&month=0&season1=2014&ind=0&team=22&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=22,d" target="_blank">Ultimate Zone Rating</a> (3.7 runs above average).</p>
<p>The Dodgers have placed nine different players on the disabled list this season.</p>
<h4>Up next</h4>
<p>The Dodgers send <span>Paul Maholm</span> to the mound on Friday night in the second turn of the four-game weekend set. <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> gets the start for the Giants. Both pitchers will make their third start against the other team.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/9/5697832/juan-uribe-injury-right-hamstring-soreness-dodgersEric Stephen2014-05-08T22:59:20-07:002014-05-08T22:59:20-07:00Walks burn Dodgers in 10th
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<figcaption><a href='http://www.usatodaysportsimages.com/'>USA Today Sports</a></figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers have lost five of seven games against the Giants this season.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- <span>J.P. Howell</span> and <span>Jamey Wright</span> walked three batters in the 10th inning and two of them scored, giving the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> a 3-1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p>With the bases loaded, pinch hitter <span>Hector Sanchez</span> hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field off Jamey Wright for the go-ahead sacrifice fly, then <span>Brandon Belt</span> singled home <span>Hunter Pence</span> for an insurance run.</p>
<p>"Those guys were the right guys, but when you walk three guys in an inning, it's hard to keep them from scoring," manager Don Mattingly said.</p>
<p>The Dodgers fell to 3-6 in extra-inning games this season and 6-10 at home.</p>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> came into the game with just three walks in his last three starts, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him walk three of his first seven <em>batters</em> on Thursday. But he was able to keep those three from scoring and once he settled in retired 15 of 18 batters at one point.</p>
<p>"I had to battle through the first few innings. I felt fine, but just didn't have a feel for my curveball," Beckett explained. "But the good thing was I didn't abandon it, kept throwing it, and finally got a feel for it."</p>
<p>Beckett did allow a leadoff double to his counterpart <span>Ryan Vogelsong</span> in the fifth inning, but got through the top of the San Francisco order with three ground balls. Beckett pitched scoreless ball into the seventh until allowing a solo home run to second baseman <span>Brandon Hicks</span>, tying the game at 1-1.</p>
<p>Beckett left the game having allowed just a run in 6⅔ innings, with four strikeouts. The right-hander has a 2.80 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts and 12 walks, but is winless in six starts thanks in part to the Dodgers scoring just eight total runs with him in the game.</p>
<p>"He was efficient. He threw a lot of strikes with a lot of his pitches. He changes speeds, front and back and side to side," said catcher Drew Butera. "He made some pitches when he had to."</p>
<p>Vogelsong retired the first 10 batters he faced before <span>Yasiel Puig</span> hit a smash off the glove of shortstop <span>Brandon Crawford</span> that was ruled a base hit in the fourth inning. Puig advanced to second base and might have scored but for Crawford, playing behind second base on an infield shift, robbing <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> of a would-be RBI single with a stellar diving grab.</p>
<p>The Dodgers' only run against Vogelsong came in the fifth inning when <span>Matt Kemp</span> singled, advanced to second on a walk, then advanced home on a pair of fly ball outs, including a sacrifice fly by <span>Drew Butera</span>.</p>
<p>The Dodgers threatened for an insurance run in the sixth when <span>Dee Gordon</span> singled, stole second and advanced to third on a fly ball, but Crawford was again positioned perfectly to nab a ground ball up the middle by Gonzalez, turning it into an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p>"Adrian hits pretty much everything on the nose tonight, and with any of luck at all - one time Crawford's on one side of the base and the next time he's on the other side. If you switch those two, he's got two ribbies," Mattingly said."These are the type of games we seem to play with the Giants. It's that one pitch, that one out, a key hit changes the game."</p>
<p>The Dodgers brought the tying run to the plate against closer <span>Sergio Romo</span> but didn't score in the 10th inning.</p>
<h4>Notes</h4>
<p><span>Juan Uribe</span> left the game after eight innings with mild soreness in his right hamstring.</p>
<p>The nine extra-inning games by the Dodgers this season tie their most through 36 team games, dating back to 1914. The 1919, 1920, and 1967 squads also played nine extra-inning games in their first 36 contests.</p>
<p>Gordon leads the majors with 21 stolen bases, but also has more steals than 12 different teams.</p>
<p><span>Chris Withrow</span>, he of <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/8/5691198/chris-withrow-strikeouts-walks-dodgers" target="_blank">the two true outcomes</a>, faced four batters on Thursday night. He walked one, and struck out two.</p>
<p>Puig extended his hitting streak to eight games, hitting .424 (14-for-33).</p>
<p>Crawford was 1-for-3 with a walk, extending his hitting streak to six games, hitting .550 (11-for-20) during the streak. He has reached base at least twice in four straight games.</p>
<p>Vogelsong pitched into the eighth allowing just one run. The Giants right-hander has allowed two runs in 20⅓ innings over his last three starts.</p>
<h4>Thursday particulars</h4>
<p><strong>Home run</strong>: Brandon Hicks (6)</p>
<p><strong>WP - <span>Santiago Casilla</span> (1-0)</strong>: 1⅓ IP, 2 strikeouts</p>
<p><strong>LP - J.P. Howell (1-3)</strong>: ⅓ IP, 1 run, 1 walk</p>
<p><strong>Sv - Sergio Romo (11)</strong>: 1 IP, 1 HBP</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/8/5697682/dodgers-giants-walksEric Stephen2014-05-08T15:21:34-07:002014-05-08T15:21:34-07:00Ethier sits out opener with Giants
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<figcaption>Hannah Foslien</figcaption>
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<p>LOS ANGELES -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open their four-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, and <span>Andre Ethier</span> is the odd man out among the four outfielders in the first game.</p>
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<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="#000000" width="125"><span style="color: #fb5b1f;" color="#fb5b1f"><b>Giants</b></span></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#157dec" width="125"><span style="color: #ffffff;" color="#157dec"><b>Dodgers</b></span></td>
</tr>
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<td>CF</td>
<td>Pagan (S)</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Pence</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Puig</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Posey</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Ramirez</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Morse</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Belt (L)</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Sandoval (S)</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Hicks</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Butera</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>Vogelsong</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Beckett</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span><b>Location</b>: Dodger Stadium<br><b>Time</b>: 7:10 p.m. PT <br><b>TV</b>: SportsNet LA, MLB Network</span>
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<p>Ethier is 5-for-19 with a home run and two doubles (.263/.333/.526) against Giants starter <span>Ryan Vogelsong</span>, but drew the short straw on Thursday. a <span>Matt Kemp</span> is 7-for-23 with a home run, a triple, a double and four walks against Vogelsong (.304/.407/.526).</p>
<p><span>Carl Crawford</span> is just 2-for-9 (.222) against Vogelsong but also has 10 hits in his last 17 at-bats over the last five games. <span>Yasiel Puig</span> has never faced Vogelsong, but is similarly on fire, hitting .433 (13-for-30) during his seven-game hitting streak.</p>
<p>Ethier, it should be noted, has a five-game hitting streak of his own, and is hitting .353/.405/.441 (12-for-34) over his last 10 games, with three doubles.</p>
<p>"Yasiel has established himself in right field pretty much as the guy. Matt has been playing well and has been swinging the bat better, his days have really just been days off," manager Don Mattingly said. "Dre and Carl are fighting for that playing time."</p>
<p><span>Drew Butera</span>, the Dodgers' leader with two home runs in May, starts at catcher for the Dodgers.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/8/5696610/andre-ethier-sits-dodgers-giants-starting-lineupsEric Stephen2014-05-08T12:28:01-07:002014-05-08T12:28:01-07:00Dodgers try to make their move against Giants
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<figcaption>Victor Decolongon</figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers are 2-4 against the Giants this season.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> welcome the rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> to Los Angeles for the third meeting between the two clubs this season, looking to gain ground on the National League West division leaders.</p>
<p>The Dodgers haven't been playing badly this year, as there is no reason to panic over a 19-16 start that translates into an 88-win pace over a full season. But this team wasn't built to win 88 games, and while the offense (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2014-standard-batting.shtml">tied for third in the NL with a 106 OPS+</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=0&type=8&season=2014&month=0&season1=2014&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=16,d">third with 107 wRC+</a>) and pitching (seventh in NL with a 105 ERA+, sixth in NL with 3.60 FIP) have both been above average, it feels like there is more <i>there</i> there, that has yet to be realized.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody>
<tr>
<th colspan="3">Dodgers vs. Giants </th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><u><b>Day</b></u></td>
<td><u><b>Time</b></u></td>
<td><u><b>Pitchers</b></u></td>
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<tr>
<td>Thu</td>
<td>7:10 p.m.</td>
<td>Beckett vs. Vogelsong</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fri</td>
<td>7:10 p.m.</td>
<td>Maholm vs. Bumgarner</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sat</td>
<td>1:10 p.m.</td>
<td>Greinke vs. Cain</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sun</td>
<td>1:10 p.m.</td>
<td>Kershaw vs. Hudson</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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<p>The Dodgers haven't been more than five games over .500 this season, but also haven't been worse than one game over .500. Their longest winning streak is three, and their longest losing streak is two. Which has them stuck in the middle of the National League West.</p>
<p>One way the Dodgers can bust out of their malaise is by beating San Francisco. The Dodgers have lost each of their last four series against the rival Giants, including two this season, dropping nine of 13 games in that span.</p>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> gets the call in the series opener on Friday night. He tiptoed through the Giants lineup for five innings on April 15 in San Francisco, walking five in five innings but didn't allow any of his eight baserunners to score. Since that five-walk game, Beckett has walked only three batters to go with 21 strikeouts in 19... innings. His 26.3% strikeout rate so far this year would be a career high for the soon-to-be 34-year-old.</p>
<p><span>Ryan Vogelsong</span> makes his third start against the Dodgers this season for the Giants. He was staked to an 8-0 lead on April 4 in the Dodgers home opener but couldn't complete the requisite five innings for the win. He allowed just one run in six innings in San Francisco on April 16, but got a no-decision in a game the Giants eventually won 2-1.</p>
<h4>Notes</h4>
<p><span>Yasiel Puig</span> has a seven-game hitting streak, hitting .433 (13-for-30) with eight runs batted in during the streak.</p>
<p>No trio in baseball has more home runs than the Giants' a <span>Brandon Belt</span> (nine), Mike Morse (eight) and <span>Buster Posey</span> (seven).</p>
<p>The Dodgers are 11-6 when they don't allow a home run this season, and 8-10 when they do.</p>
<p>Posey has a four-game hitting streak and over his last 10 games is hitting .432 (16-or-37) with three home runs.</p>
<p>Former Dodgers announcer Ross Porter will introduce players before <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/6/5689732/old-timers-game-dodgers-eric-gagne-dusty-baker">Saturday's old timers game at Dodger Stadium</a>.</p>
<h4>Game info</h4>
<p>Time: 7:10 p.m.</p>
<p>TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/5/8/5695810/dodgers-giants-previewEric Stephen