True Blue LA - June 13: Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-06-14T00:32:41-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/55723632014-06-14T00:32:41-07:002014-06-14T00:32:41-07:00Ellis, Turner help green light Dodgers win
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>LOS ANGELES -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> scored an insurance run in the eighth inning on Friday night and it proved to be very much needed as the Dodgers held on for a 4-3 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in the opener of a three-game series. That run was scored by <span>A.J. Ellis</span>, not exactly known for his wheels.</p>
<p>Ellis was on second base when the red-hot <span>Justin Turner</span> singled to right fielder Gerardo Parra. Dodgers third base coach Lorenzo Bundy put up a stop sign but Ellis, in his first game back after missing 17 games with a sprained right ankle and who missed 33 games earlier this season after left knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus, kept running.</p>
<p>"I couldn't stop," Ellis explained. "There was no way I was going to be able to plant coming around third."</p>
<p>It worked out for the Dodgers, luckily, as Parra's throw was up the line. It was the first time Ellis scored from second base this season on a single, in two tries. The National League average is to score from second base 60.1 percent of the time, nearly indistinguishable from the 60.2 percent in 2013.</p>
<p>Ellis in 2013 was above average, scoring 11 of 18 times from second base on a single (61.1 percent). In his career he has scored from second base 19 times in 41 singles (46.3 percent).</p>
<p>Ellis was asked how many stop signs he has ever run through.</p>
<p>"I ran through one when I was 16 years old when I got my license, and that was bad. I got grounded for a week," Ellis quipped. "Other than that, usually that turns out bad for me on the baseball field."</p>
<p>Turner, the man who hit the single to score Ellis, leads the Dodgers with eight RBI in June. He has a multi-hit game in each of his last five starts, and has current hot streaks of 11-for-23 (.478) and 18-for-43 (.419), depending on how far you delve back into his game logs.</p>
<p>Turner is 8-for-14 with runners in scoring position dating back to May 31.</p>
<p>But he is also dealing with tightness in his calf, aggravated during the series in Cincinnati. He was used as a pinch hitter on Friday, but with trouble running was replaced by pinch runner <span>Jamie Romak</span>.</p>
<p>Manager Don Mattingly said Turner likely wouldn't start on Saturday, just based on how he was running Friday night. But he likely will be available as a pinch hitter again, as he was Friday.</p>
<p>"We knew he could swing the bat," Mattingly said.</p>
<h5>Kings win</h5>
<p>In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers were batting and leading 2-1. But at an otherwise ordinary moment in the game, pockets of fans around Dodger Stadium began to cheer. It soon spread throughout the stadium and got louder and louder. The Kings had just won the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl-playoffs">Stanley Cup</a>, a mere four miles away at Staples Center.</p>
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<p>"We knew they weren't getting fired up for a <span>Chone Figgins</span> at-bat," Ellis joked. "For me it was similar to the Freeway Series when I started hitting and the crowd started going nuts. That was when the earthquake happened."</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/14/5809376/aj-ellis-justin-turner-dodgers-diamondbacksEric Stephen2014-06-13T23:55:39-07:002014-06-13T23:55:39-07:00Kemp goes deep
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers left fielder snapped the second-longest home run drought of his career, giving the Dodgers some much needed production in a one-run victory.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- <span>Matt Kemp</span> is back to playing every day again and he might just be finding his groove. For now, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> will take whatever they can get, including his 2-for-4 night and a home run to help beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p>"He had a good series against Colorado, he struggled early against Cincinnati. He got a couple hits yesterday and to come here and get us going was good for us," said manager Don Mattingly. "We've struggled to score early, we've been behind a lot early."</p>
<p>The Dodgers scored first on Friday night thanks to Kemp's two-run home run, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5809046/clayton-kershaw-matt-kemp-dodgers-diamondbacks-recap">his first long ball since May 10</a>. It was the first time in their last five home games that the Dodgers have scored first.</p>
<p>There is always the hope with Kemp — especially with his line-drive stroke and full extension on his swing during the home run — that he reverts back to anything close to the MVP-level player he was in 2011 or during his sublimely hot start in April 2012. He showed glimpses last July, though injuries dampened that quickly enough.</p>
<p>He showed even more glimpses again earlier this season when <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/4/6/5588790/matt-kemp-hanley-ramirez-two-home-runs-dodgers-giants-recap">Kemp homered twice against San Francisco on Sunday Night Baseball</a>, though the last two months have shown that Kemp wasn't quite all the way back yet. Now, banished from center field, Kemp has found a new home in left field, with Friday night his 16th straight start at the position.</p>
<p>With Kemp's two hits on Friday, he has five multi-hit games in his last seven contests, and since his 0-for-20 slump during the prolonged transition from center field to left, Kemp is hitting .318/.396/.523 with five extra-base hits in 13 games.</p>
<p>Perhaps another glimpse.</p>
<p>Kemp may never be <i>all the way</i> back, at least not the heights he reached three years ago. But it's nice to know that every once in a while there is still something there, because the Dodgers desperately need the production.</p>
<h5>Up next</h5>
<p>The Dodgers try to clinch the series win on Saturday night with Dan Haren on the mound facing off against Josh Collmenter for Arizona.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5809260/matt-kemp-home-run-dodgersEric Stephen2014-06-13T22:42:16-07:002014-06-13T22:42:16-07:00Kershaw, Kemp lead Dodgers over D-Backs
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<figcaption>Stephen Dunn</figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers are 9-3 against the Diamondbacks </p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> pitched seven strong innings and <span>Matt Kemp</span> homered, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> held on for a 4-3 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p><span>Kenley Jansen</span>, pitching for the second time in 11 days and staked to a two-run lead to start the ninth inning, allowed one run to score and put the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth, but escaped the jam for his first save, and his first save <i>opportunity</i>, since June 2.</p>
<p>Kershaw scattered eight hits while striking out seven, ending his run of four straight starts with exactly nine strikeouts. Arizona was able to push across a run against the Dodgers ace in the third inning when <span>Aaron Hill</span> doubled down the left field line.</p>
<p>"He battled and grinded. That's what winning pitchers do," said catcher A.J. Ellis.</p>
<p>Since his blow-up start in Arizona on May 17, during which he allowed seven runs while recording just five outs, Kershaw is 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA in five starts. On the season Kershaw has 71 strikeouts and just eight walks in his 55⅓ innings.</p>
<p>"We knew Kershaw was going to battle, but he seemed to get better as the game went on," said manager Don Mattingly. "I think he's been sharp all year long."</p>
<p>Kershaw was backed on offense by some welcome sources.</p>
<p><span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> walked in the second innings, then scored on a line drive home run by Kemp to left center field.</p>
<p>The home run for Kemp was his first since May 10, snapping a 26-game and 101-plate-appearance streak that was the second-longest power drought of his career. The longest streak stretched from his rookie campaign in 2006 into 2007, when Kemp went 46 games and 139 plate appearances without a home run.</p>
<p>The Dodgers added an insurance run in the seventh inning when <span>Hanley Ramirez</span>, starting for the first time in three days after A-C joint irritation in his right shoulder, doubled then scored one out later on a single by Gonzalez.</p>
<p>Not to be forgotten, <span class="sbn-auto-link">Ellis</span> was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in his first game back off the disabled list. He then scored from second base - appearing to run through third base coach Lorenzo Bundy's stop sign - on a single by <span>Justin Turner</span>.</p>
<p>Turner didn't start but his pinch hit single added to his team-leading total of eight RBI in June.</p>
<h5>Friday particulars</h5>
<p><b>Home run</b>: Matt Kemp (6)</p>
<p><b>WP - Clayton Kershaw (6-2)</b>: 7 IP, 8 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>LP - <span>Chase Anderson</span> (5-1)</b>: 5 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>Sv - Kenley Jansen (18)</b>: 1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5809046/clayton-kershaw-matt-kemp-dodgers-diamondbacks-recapEric Stephen2014-06-13T17:54:38-07:002014-06-13T17:54:38-07:00Crawford in Arizona, Uribe progressing
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<figcaption>Jeff Gross</figcaption>
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<p>Notes on a few injured Dodgers in various stages of rehabilitation.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- Much like the results if the two players were to race one another, <span>Carl Crawford</span> is ahead of <span>Juan Uribe</span> in rehabbing from injury. Crawford is at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> facility in spring training in Arizona getting multiple at-bats in simulated games.</p>
<p>Manager Don Mattingly called Crawford's trip to Arizona a "Matt program," in reference to recent frequent rehabilitator <span>Matt Kemp</span>, who played several simulated games against minor leaguers in Arizona both last year and during spring training in 2014, getting several at-bats per day in controlled environments that don't necessarily require a ton of running.</p>
<p>Mattingly said Crawford would need a few days in Arizona before he is ready to return to playing in games. Crawford last played on May 27. Friday marks his 16th straight game missed with a sprained left ankle.</p>
<p>Uribe hasn't played since May 20, dealing with a right hamstring strain. He has been taking batting practice and doing fielding drills, and has gradually increased his baseball drills.</p>
<p>"His main thing will be when is going to be able to play a few games? I know he still has to pass the baserunning things he has to do, the curves and the turns," Mattingly said. "We're still a few days away from that part of it. Ground ball wise, hitting wise he looks good. He's not too far away, but it's not tomorrow."</p>
<p>Uribe's hamstring injury was actually an aggravation of a strain he suffered on May 8 against San Francisco. The third baseman was limited to one pinch-hitting appearance in six games, then started four games before straining the hamstring again on May 20 in New York.</p>
<p>Counting Friday, Uribe will have missed 22 of the last 27 games with this right hamstring injury and will almost certainly need a minor league rehab assignment before his return, maybe even the Matt program.</p>
<p>"He's gonna need some at-bats," Mattingly said. "He's been out long enough."</p>
<h5>Notes</h5>
<p><span>Hanley Ramirez</span> is back in the starting lineup for the Dodgers, but Mattingly said he put him in the lineup on faith, hopeful he would be ready, and that a decision would be made after batting and fielding practice. Judging how Ramirez was launching balls into the pavilions during batting practice, it looks as if he might remain in the lineup, which is the case about 75 minutes before first pitch.</p>
<p><span>Justin Turner</span>, who has multi-hit games in each of his last five starts and is hitting .394/.459/.485 in June, is out of the lineup on Friday with calf tightness.</p>
<p>"He had a little leg thing a couple days ago, then re-aggravated it yesterday," Mattingly said. "Not enough to make it long term, but enough to give him a day."</p>
<p>The Dodgers are 49-50 all-time on Friday the 13th.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5808704/juan-uribe-carl-crawford-dodgers-injury-updatesEric Stephen2014-06-13T17:17:12-07:002014-06-13T17:17:12-07:00Billingsley has partially torn flexor tendon
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<figcaption>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Dodgers right-hander is discussing his treatment options with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> pitcher <span>Chad Billingsley</span> suffered another setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. An MRI revealed that Billingsley has no damage in his surgically repaired ulnar collateral ligament, but that he has a partially torn right flexor tendon in his right elbow.</p>
<p>Billingsley will meet with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttache during this weekend series to discuss his options, but wasn't available to speak to media on Friday.</p>
<p>"I just know they had to shut his rehab down and that the MRI wasn't great," manager Don Mattingly said. "From there I think we need to let Bills and doc figure out where they're going to go next."</p>
<p>The right-hander, who began a minor league rehab assignment on Sunday with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and reported discomfort during a bullpen session on Tuesday in Cincinnati.</p>
<p>The prognosis for Billingsley doesn't look good, using a pair of comparable pitchers. <span>Colby Lewis</span>, in July 2012, and <span>Sean Burnett</span>, in August 2013, both had surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon and missed the rest of the season and the start of next season.</p>
<p>Lewis began 2013 on the 60-day disabled list and was nearly ready by the All-Star break but had his season shut down by hip injuries. Burnett pitched again for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a> by late May 2014, but after just three games tore his UCL and is out for the season.</p>
<p>Billingsley last pitched for the Dodgers on April 15, 2013. If surgery is required, this could very well end the Dodger career of Billingsley, who was drafted by the organization in 2003. He is making $12 million in the final season of a three-year deal signed before the 2012 season. There is also a $14 million club option for 2015 that seem a mortal lock to get declined, which would pay Billingsley a $3 million buyout.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5808636/chad-billingsley-partial-tear-flexor-tendon-right-elbow-dodgersEric Stephen2014-06-13T15:31:00-07:002014-06-13T15:31:00-07:00Hanley back in lineup vs. Diamondbacks
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<figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>LOS ANGELES -- <span>Hanley Ramirez</span> is back in the starting lineup for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>, who open up a three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> at Dodger Stadium.</p>
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<h4>Starting Lineups</h4>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
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<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#C51230" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Diamondbacks</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#1e90ff" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
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<td>SS</td>
<td>Owings</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
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<td>RF</td>
<td>Parra (L)</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Ramirez</td>
</tr>
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<td>1B</td>
<td>Goldschmidt</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Puig</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Hill</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
</tr>
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<td>3B</td>
<td>Prado</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Ross</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
</tr>
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<td>C</td>
<td>Gosewisch</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Peralta (L)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Figgins (S)</td>
</tr>
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<td>P</td>
<td>Anderson</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Kershaw (L)</td>
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<span><b>Location</b>: Dodger Stadium<br> <b>Time</b>: 7:10 p.m. PT<br> <b>TV</b>: SportsNet LA</span>
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<p>Ramirez was sidelined with irritation in the A-C joint in his right shoulder, an injury that bothers him more in the field than at the plate. Ramirez was a late scratch from Wednesday's lineup in Cincinnati but appeared as a pinch hitter. But after getting a cortisone shot in his shoulder, Ramirez was completely unavailable on Thursday.</p>
<p><span>A.J. Ellis</span> is also back in the lineup for the Dodgers, catching and batting seventh after <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5806250/aj-ellis-activated-disabled-list-dodgers-tim-federowicz-optioned">getting activated from the disabled list</a>.</p>
<p><span>Chone Figgins</span> gets the start at third base, batting eighth.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks made a roster move before Friday's game as well, placing outfielder <span>Ender Inciarte</span> on the seven-day concussion disabled list. Arizona activated speedy outfielder <span>Tony Campana</span> from Triple-A Reno to take his place.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5808302/hanley-ramirez-backdodgers-diamondbacks-starting-lineupsEric Stephen2014-06-13T14:58:04-07:002014-06-13T14:58:04-07:00Ellis activated from DL, Federowicz optioned
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Ellis was sidelined 17 days with a sprained right ankle.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on Friday activated catcher <span>A.J. Ellis</span> from the disabled list, nearly three weeks after spraining his right ankle stepping on teammate <span>Drew Butera</span>'s catching mask during the celebration of Josh Beckett's no-hitter on May 25.</p>
<p>To make room for Ellis, the Dodgers optioned catcher <span>Tim Federowicz</span> back to Triple-A Albuquerque.</p>
<p>Ellis has hit .170/.350/.213 this season, limited to just 15 games with a pair of injuries. In addition to missing 17 games with his right ankle injury, Ellis missed 34 games after <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/4/8/5592870/aj-ellis-left-knee-surgery-torn-meniscus">surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee on April 8</a>.</p>
<p>Through a timing quirk, Ellis has only played three home games so far this season.</p>
<p>Ellis started 128 and 109 games behind the plate in 2012 and 2013, respectively, ranking fourth among major league catchers the previous two seasons in both starts and innings.</p>
<p>This is of ancillary concern, but even if somehow Ellis were to start every remaining game the rest of the season he would have 109 starts, falling short of a pair of incentives built into his $3.55 million contract: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/10/21/4861112/los-angeles-dodgers-payroll#ellis">$50,000 for each of 110 and 115 starts</a>.</p>
<p>Federowicz was 8-for-61 (.131/.169/.230) and started 17 games behind the plate. He did hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning in Colorado on Saturday, a game the Dodgers ultimately lost in extra innings. Federowicz threw out nine of 22 would-be base stealers (40.9%).</p>
<p>During Ellis' second absence, Butera started 13 of 17 games behind the plate.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/13/5806250/aj-ellis-activated-disabled-list-dodgers-tim-federowicz-optionedEric Stephen