True Blue LA - July 18: Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-07-18T20:27:37-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/56800482014-07-18T20:27:37-07:002014-07-18T20:27:37-07:00Haren continues long march to oblivion
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<figcaption>Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Extra-base hits spelled doom for <span>Dan Haren</span>, who continued his free fall on Friday night in St. Louis, not that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> offense gave him much room for error. Los Angeles fell behind early on Friday and dropped the opener of a three-game series, 3-2 to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> at Busch Stadium.</p>
<p>The loss moved the Dodgers (54-44, .551) back into a virtual tie for first place in the National League West, percentage points behind San Francisco (53-43, .552).</p>
<p>The Cardinals struck first, in the first, with back-to-back doubles with one out off Haren, one by <span>Kolten Wong</span> to left field and another by <span>Matt Holliday</span> to the center field wall for a 1-0 lead.</p>
<p>St. Louis tagged Haren for more extra bases in the fourth inning, though the Dodgers got a lucky bounce when <span>Jon Jay</span> 's two-out double just beyond the reach of <span>Matt Kemp</span> in left field hit the warning track and caromed into the seats, forcing <span>Allen Craig</span>, who was on first base, to hold at third. He did not score.</p>
<p>In the fifth inning the Wong-Holliday combination struck again with a single and home run by Holliday, the latter the 20th home run allowed by Haren this season, second-most in the National League. He has allowed 18 home runs in his last 13 starts, with a 5.25 ERA during that span.</p>
<div class="pullquote">62⅔ <span>-Innings needed by Dan Haren to reach 180, which turns his $10 million 2015 club option into a player option.</span>
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<p>Haren also allowed four doubles on Friday, giving him 31 allowed on the season, tied for third-most in the league. The final double was hit by <span>Jhonny Peralta</span> in the fifth inning with two outs, and when Craig followed with a walk Haren't night was done.</p>
<p>The veteran right-hander failed to last five innings for the third time in his last five starts, exacerbating the problem.</p>
<p>Haren left trailing 3-0 with a pair of runners on base. <span>Chris Perez</span> stranded those two runners, then followed with a perfect sixth inning. <span>Paco Rodriguez</span>, just called up Friday, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and <span>Brandon League</span> pitched a scoreless eighth to keep the Dodgers in it.</p>
<p>Dodgers relievers retired 10 of the 11 batters they faced.</p>
<p>Los Angeles finally got on the board in the seventh inning with back-to-back doubles by <span>Juan Uribe</span> and <span>A.J. Ellis</span>, followed by a wild pitch to score Ellis to pull within 3-2.</p>
<p>That was the only blemish against <span>Lance Lynn</span>, who struck out nine in his six-plus innings of work. It was a far cry from his June 30 outing at Dodger Stadium when he allowed seven runs in two innings.</p>
<p>Two runners on gave the Dodgers a chance in the eighth inning, but <span>Pat Neshek</span> struck out <span>Andre Ethier</span> and got Uribe to foul out to end the threat.</p>
<p><span>Trevor Rosenthal</span> shut the Dodgers down in the ninth to close out the game.</p>
<h5>Up next</h5>
<p><span>Zack Greinke</span> gets the call in the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon, a 1 p.m. PT start on Fox Sports 1 (and SportsNet LA). <span>Joe Kelly</span> starts for St. Louis.</p>
<h5>Friday particulars</h5>
<p><b>Home run</b>: Matt Holliday (7)</p>
<p><b>WP - Lance Lynn (11-6)</b>: 6 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>LP - Dan Haren (8-7)</b>: 4⅔ IP, 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts</p>
<p><b>Sv - Trevor Rosenthal (29)</b>: 1 IP, 1 strikeout</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/18/5917335/dan-haren-bad-dodgers-loseEric Stephen2014-07-18T14:50:25-07:002014-07-18T14:50:25-07:00Turner activated from DL, Triunfel optioned
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<figcaption>Ed Zurga</figcaption>
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<p>ST. LOUIS -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on Friday activated utility man <span>Justin Turner</span> from the disabled list after missing nearly three weeks with a left hamstring strain. To make room for Turner on the active roster, the team optioned infielder <span>Carlos Triunfel</span> to Triple-A Albuquerque.</p>
<p>Turner was 1-for-5 with a pair of walks and a run scored in a pair of rehab games with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. He was the designated hitter on Sunday, and played eight innings at third base on Monday night.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h4>Starting Lineups</h4>
<table class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#1e90ff" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Dodgers</b></font></td>
<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#c41e3a" width="125"><font color="#fffff"><b>Cardinals</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Carpenter (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Puig</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Wong (L)</td>
</tr>
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<td>SS</td>
<td>Ramirez</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Holliday</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Adams (L)</td>
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<td>LF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Peralta</td>
</tr>
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<td>CF</td>
<td>Ethier (L)</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Craig</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Jay (L)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Ellis</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Cruzx</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>Haren</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Lynn</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span><b>Location</b>: Busch Stadium<br><b>Time</b>: 5:15 p.m. PT<br> <b>TV</b>: SportsNet LA, MLB Network<br></span>
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<p>Turner strained his left hamstring while running out an RBI double on June 28 against <span>Lance Lynn</span>, starting Friday night for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> against the Dodgers in St. Louis. At the time Turner was the hottest hitter on the team, hitting .400/.468/.545 in June with 11 RBI in 21 games, including 14 starts.</p>
<p>"Any time you go on the DL it's frustrating," Turner said at the time. "But I'd rather go on the DL feeling good than go on the DL feeling crappy."</p>
<p>Though he missed three weeks with the hamstring strain, because of the All-Star break Turner only missed a total of 14 games.</p>
<p>Turner has been a valuable and versatile infielder for the Dodgers this season, hitting .302/.358/.434 with 14 extra-base hits in 176 plate appearances over 59 games. He has started 28 games at third base, six games at second base, and three more at shortstop, and has filled in as a reserve at all three positions as well.</p>
<p>Triunfel, 24, was 2-for-14 with a home run and a walk in 11 games with the Dodgers, including 10 games and four starts at shortstop, playing 42⅓ innings at the position.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/18/5916021/justin-turner-activated-dodgers-hamstring-carlos-triunfel-optionedEric Stephen2014-07-18T11:52:32-07:002014-07-18T11:52:32-07:00Dodgers add 2nd LHP in Paco
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Spor</figcaption>
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<p>ST. LOUIS -- <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/17/5914679/paco-rodriguez-dodgers" target="_blank">As expected</a>, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a> on Friday recalled left-handed reliever <span>Paco Rodriguez</span> from Triple-A Albuquerque before their game against the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> in St. Louis, the opener of a three-game road trip and a nine-game homestand.</p>
<p>Rodriguez takes the active roster spot of <span>Pedro Baez</span>, who was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque after Sunday's win over the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Padres</a>.</p>
<p>With Paul Maholm either starting or in low-leverage relief situations, the Dodgers have really only had one southpaw in the bullpen, <span>J.P. Howell</span>, for the vast majority of the season, outside of a couple stints in April and May when Rodriguez was with the big club, allowing five runs on 10 hits in seven innings, with eight strikeouts and three walks in 10 appearances.</p>
<p>On the first two legs of this nine-game road trip, there are several left-handed regulars, especially with St. Louis. The Cardinals have <span>Kolten Wong</span>, <span>Matt Carpenter</span>, <span>Matt Adams</span>, and either <span>Oscar Taveras</span> or <span>Jon Jay</span> to contend with from the left side, while the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pirates</a> have <span>Ike Davis</span>, <span>Pedro Alvarez</span> and <span>Gregory Polanco</span>.</p>
<p>Rodriguez was one of the most trusted members of Don Mattingly's bullpen in 2013, appearing in 76 games in his rookie campaign. He put up a 2.32 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 19 walks in 54⅓ innings, but a fade in September and October left Rodriguez off the Dodgers' roster for the NLCS against these Cardinals.</p>
<p>After allowing two home runs in his first 201 career batters faced through August 2013, Rodriguez allowed four home runs in 41 batters faced in September and October.</p>
<p>With the Isotopes this season Rodriguez, 23, has a 4.56 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League but also has allowed just two home runs, with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 25⅔ innings.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/18/5916067/paco-rodriguez-recalled-dodgersEric Stephen2014-07-18T11:30:02-07:002014-07-18T11:30:02-07:00Struggling Haren starts opener in St. Louis
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<figcaption>Justin Edmonds</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> begin their post break gauntlet with <span>Dan Haren</span> on the mound against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> in St. Louis, the first day of a three-game weekend series and the opener of a nine-game road trip with the opponents with a combined winning percentage of .535.</p>
<p>Haren was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2001 draft out of Pepperdine, but only pitched in 28 games in two seasons with St. Louis, leaving as the key piece headed to Oakland in the <span>Mark Mulder</span> trade in 2004.</p>
<p>First baseman <span>Daric Barton</span>, rated by Baseball America as the No. 32 prospect in baseball heading into 2005, went with Haren from St. Louis to Oakland, and has spent a decade shuttling back and forth between the A's major league roster and minor league affiliates, and off and on their 40-man roster. Now in Triple-A Sacramento, Barton hit a triple and scored the winning run in the 10th inning to beat Albuquerque on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Haren's last four starts have been all over the place. He mixed in his best outing of the year, keeping the ball down and allowing just one hit and one walk in seven scoreless innings to beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> on June 30, but five days later he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 5⅓ innings at Coors Field, weirdly enough also striking out eight with no walks in that game. His other two starts in his last four included a pair of games in which he couldn't get out of the fifth inning, a far cry from the pitcher who lasted at least six innings in 11 of his last 12 starts.</p>
<p>After a dismal first half in 2013 with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>, Haren was steady after the All-Star break, putting up a 3.52 ERA with nine home runs in 14 games, including 13 starts, along with 70 strikeouts and 14 walks in 76⅔ innings. This was after a start to 2013 that saw him allow 19 home runs in 15 starts, a run similar to his current stretch of 17 home runs in his last 12 starts, with a 5.22 ERA during that span.</p>
<p>Haren has only pitched twice in St. Louis since he was traded away, and both came with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>, a pair of eight-inning starts in 2009-2010, allowing six total runs, four earned.</p>
<p><span>Lance Lynn</span> was drafted by the Cardinals in the supplemental first round in 2008. The right-hander had allowed seven total runs in his first four career starts against the Dodgers, over 23⅓ innings, including a win in Game 4 of the 2013 NLCS. But on June 28 in Los Angeles, Lynn gave up seven runs and only recorded six outs in a loss at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<h5>Game info</h5>
<p>Time: 5:05 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/18/5915911/dan-haren-second-half-dodgers-cardinals-previewEric Stephen2014-07-17T14:57:05-07:002014-07-17T14:57:05-07:00Dodgers miss Wainwright in Cardinals series
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<figcaption>Elsa</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open up their post-All-Star break schedule with a nine-game road trip, beginning with the always tough trip to St. Louis to face the defending National League pennant winning <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a>. The Dodgers will miss Cardinals ace <span>Adam Wainwright</span>, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LangoschMLB/status/489854541320310784">per Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com</a>, giving him extra rest after the All-Star break.</p>
<p>The Dodgers beat the Cardinals in three of four games in Los Angeles, limiting St. Louis to just four runs in four game. On paper, the pitching matchups favor the Dodgers to win this series in St. Louis as well, but as we all know games aren't played on paper. Here are the scheduled starting pitchers this weekend.</p>
<h5>Friday, 5:15 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)</h5>
<p><span>Dan Haren</span> hopes for a second straight year with a second-half rebound, beginning Friday night in St. Louis, on six days rest. In nine starts on five or more days rest this season, Haren has a 4.08 ERA (compared to 4.37 on four days rest) with 40 strikeouts and 14 walks in 53 innings. <span>Lance Lynn</span> got bulldozed by the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 28 to the tune of seven runs in two innings, but has allowed just two runs in 13⅓ innings in his two starts since.</p>
<h5>Saturday, 1:05 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, Fox Sports 1)</h5>
<p><span>Zack Greinke</span> has 30 strikeouts and two walks in his last four starts, and has gone 11 straight starts with no more than two walks in a start, with 12 total walks and 72 strikeouts during that span. <span>Joe Kelly</span> missed nearly three months with a hamstring injury and in his first start back on July 11 allowed six runs in three innings at Milwaukee, a game the Cardinals came back to win 7-6 despite the early 6-0 deficit.</p>
<p>This game will not be blacked out on Fox Sports 1 in Los Angeles. It will be available on both SportsNet LA and Fox Sports 1.</p>
<h5>Sunday, 5:05 p.m. PT (ESPN)</h5>
<h5></h5>
<p><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> comes off his worst start in a month, when he allowed a run in nine innings with 11 strikeouts against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> on July 10. Kershaw has won his last eight starts, with five total runs and six walks allowed in that span in 61 innings, with 80 strikeouts. <span>Carlos Martinez</span> since rejoining the Cardinals rotation in June has 29 strikeouts with just two home runs allowed in 28⅓ innings, with 14 walks and a 4.13 ERA in those six starts.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/17/5913735/dodgers-cardinals-starting-pitchers-no-adam-wainwrightEric Stephen