True Blue LA - July 29: Dodgers 8, Braves 4Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-07-29T22:58:36-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/57134502014-07-29T22:58:36-07:002014-07-29T22:58:36-07:00Kemp powers Dodgers over Braves
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<figcaption>Stephen Dunn</figcaption>
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<p>Kemp's two home runs were part of nine extra-base hits by the Dodgers in the win.</p> <p>In a month that has seen the state in a drought, and the team in a power drought, <span>Matt Kemp</span> led a powerful <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> attack on Tuesday in a 8-4 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> in the opener of a three-game series. In their eighth attempt, the Dodgers finally have their first four-game winning streak of the season.</p>
<p>Kemp's home runs were two of a season-high nine extra-base hits by the Dodgers, who entered play on Tuesday with just eight home runs in 21 games in July. Kemp drove in four runs in the win.</p>
<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/RcQA6">previous season high was seven extra-base hits by the Dodgers</a>, accomplished twice, including April 6, Kemp's other multi-home run game this season. Kemp since the All-Star break is 14-for-36, hitting .389/.488/.657 with nine RBI in 10 games.</p>
<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/EqwLH">last time the Dodgers had nine extra-base hits in a game at Dodger Stadium</a> was The 4+1 Game on Sept. 18, 2006 against San Diego.</p>
<p>The two teams exchanged two-run home runs to right field in the second and third innings. Kemp hit a ball that bounced off the top of the wall and into the right field pavilion just minutes after <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/7/29/5950525/vin-scully-dodgers-return-2015">the announcement that Vin Scully would return to broadcast games in 2015</a>. The home run for Kemp snapped a string of 25 games and 103 plate appearances since his last home run, hit on June 25.</p>
<p>He didn't wait nearly as long for his next one.</p>
<p>After Kemp's home run gave the Dodgers a brief 2-1 lead, <span>Freddie Freeman</span> followed with a two-run shot in the third that put Atlanta back on top 3-2.</p>
<p>A single by <span>Chris Johnson</span> and a double by <span>Andrelton Simmons</span> widened the Braves' lead to 4-2 and chased Beckett just one out into the fifth inning. Beckett allowed four runs and 13 runners to reach base in his 4⅓ innings and needed 105 pitches to do so.</p>
<p>A rally in the fifth got Beckett off the hook. Puig followed a single and double in his first two at-bats with a one-out triple, then scored on a double by <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span>. One out later, <span>Carl Crawford</span> singled to score Gonzalez and tie the game at 4-4.</p>
<p>Puig came to bat in the seventh inning needing a home run for a natural cycle, but settled for an infield single on a hard ground ball just behind third base. It was the second four-hit game in four days and third of the season for Puig, who scored the go-ahead run three batters later on a groundout by Carl Crawford.</p>
<p>Kemp followed with a bomb to center field giving the Dodgers a 7-4 lead. It was Kemp's second multi-home run game of the season and seventh of his career, two of three hits on the night.</p>
<p>Gonzalez, who had three hits of his own, hit his second double of the night to drive in <span>Dee Gordon</span> for an insurance run in the eighth inning. <span>Juan Uribe</span> also doubled twice.</p>
<p>The Braves put a pair of runners on with two outs in the eighth inning against <span>J.P. Howell</span>, bringing the tying run to the plate in Justin Upton. But <span>Kenley Jansen</span> got Upton to fly out to right field, then set recorded three outs in the ninth to close out the win.</p>
<p>It was the second time this season Jansen has pitched longer than one inning to get a save, and <a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/wHkeY">the sixth time in his career</a>. All six instances were four-out saves.</p>
<p>Coupled with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>' loss to Pittsburgh up north in San Francisco, the Dodgers lead the National League West by three games.</p>
<h5>Up next</h5>
<p><span>Zack Greinke</span> gets the call in the middle game of the series on Wednesday night for the Dodgers, while left-hander <span>Alex Wood</span> starts for Atlanta.</p>
<h5>Tuesday particulars</h5>
<p><b>Home runs</b>: Matt Kemp 2 (10); Freddie Freeman (15)</p>
<p><b>WP - <span>Brandon League</span> (2-2)</b>: 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk</p>
<p><b>LP - <span>Anthony Varvaro</span> (3-3)</b>: 1 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 strikeout</p>
<p><b>Sv - Kenley Jansen (31)</b>: 1⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/29/5950697/matt-kemp-home-runs-dodgers-win-4-straightEric Stephen2014-07-29T20:38:31-07:002014-07-29T20:38:31-07:00Watch the announcement of Scully's return
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> delivered the best news of the year on Tuesday night with Vin Scully returning for his 66th season in 2015, and they did so in a creative way.</p>
<p>In between the top and bottom of the second inning the left field video board and the SportsNet LA broadcast showed <span>Hyun-jin Ryu</span>, <span>Yasiel Puig</span> and <span>Justin Turner</span> in the conference media room in a taped segment. Ryu delivered the news in Korean, Puig in Spanish, then Turner in English that Scully was coming back, followed by celebration with several players.</p>
<p>Enjoy.</p>
<blockquote align="center" class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"> <p>Vin Scully and wife Sandra after the announcement that Vin will return to the Dodgers for his 66th season... <a href="http://t.co/zZqxcY0ZF7">pic.twitter.com/zZqxcY0ZF7</a></p>— Jim Carlisle (@VCSJimCarlisle) <a href="https://twitter.com/VCSJimCarlisle/statuses/494333518109896705">July 30, 2014</a> </blockquote>
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https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/29/5950613/vin-scully-return-dodgers-videoEric Stephen2014-07-29T18:58:47-07:002014-07-29T18:58:47-07:00Elbert designated for assignment
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<figcaption>USA Today Sports</figcaption>
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<p>LOS ANGELES -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on Tuesday designated relief pitcher <span>Scott Elbert</span> for assignment, potentially ending his 10-year tenure in the organization. He was on the 60-day disabled list and recovering from three elbow surgeries in the last two years.</p>
<p>Elbert last pitched for the Dodgers on Aug. 26, 2012, and has been sidelined for the better part of two years with elbow injuries. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in September 2012, then a follow-up procedure in January 2013. During his rehab from those procedure, Elbert suffered a tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and had Tommy John surgery in June 2013.</p>
<p>Elbert pitched 15 games on a minor league rehab assignment, one elongated by a toe injury that shut down the left-hander for a week. Elbert's last seven appearances on his rehab assignment came with Triple-A Albuquerque, for whom he allowed one run in 5⅓ innings, with six strikeouts and three walks. He pitched back-to-back outings three times for the Isotopes during that span, including four strikeouts over two scoreless innings on Sunday and Monday in Reno.</p>
<p>The Dodgers drafted Elbert in the first round in 2004. He was 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in 120 relief appearances over parts of five seasons, with 92 strikeouts and 41 walks in 92⅓ innings.</p>
<p>Elbert, who turns 29 on Aug. 13, avoided arbitration with a $575,000 contract for 2014 last November. Through Monday he has four years, 18 days of major league service time.</p>
<p>By designating him for assignment, Elbert is now off the Dodgers' 40-man roster. The team now has 10 days to trade or release Elbert, and the team will have to put him on waivers within eight days. If Elbert clears waivers, the Dodgers could try outright him to Albuquerque, but with over three years of major league service time Elbert has the right to refuse any such assignment if he so chooses.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/29/5950275/scott-elbert-dfa-dodgersEric Stephen2014-07-29T16:01:09-07:002014-07-29T16:01:09-07:00Butera back catching Beckett in opener
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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> go for a fourth straight win on Tuesday night in their series opener against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>, and will do so with mostly the same lineup that scored 17 runs and won three times over the weekend in San Francisco, with one small change.</p>
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<h4>Starting Lineups</h4>
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<td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#d60d39" width="125"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Braves</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>CF</td>
<td>Upton</td>
<td>2B</td>
<td>Gordon (L)</td>
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<td>2B</td>
<td>La Stella (L)</td>
<td>CF</td>
<td>Puig</td>
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<td>1B</td>
<td>Freeman (L)</td>
<td>1B</td>
<td>Gonzalez (L)</td>
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<td>LF</td>
<td>Upton</td>
<td>SS</td>
<td>Ramirez</td>
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<td>C</td>
<td>Gattis</td>
<td>LF</td>
<td>Crawford (L)</td>
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<td>3B</td>
<td>Johnson</td>
<td>RF</td>
<td>Kemp</td>
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<td>RF</td>
<td>Doumit (S)</td>
<td>3B</td>
<td>Uribe</td>
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<td>SS</td>
<td>Simmons</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>Butera</td>
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<td>P</td>
<td>Harang</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>Beckett</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, MLB Network<br></span>
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<p><span>A.J. Ellis</span> gets the night off at catcher with <span>Drew Butera</span> starting and catching <span>Josh Beckett</span>.</p>
<p>Butera caught nine straight Beckett starts, and 10 of 11, before Ellis started at catcher last Tuesday in Pittsburgh, in Beckett's first game back fro the disabled list.</p>
<p>Tuesday also marks the seventh straight start for <span>Carl Crawford</span> in left field, 5-for-36 (.139) with three walks and a triple in 11 games since returning from the disabled list.</p>
<p>It also marks the fifth straight non-start for <span>Andre Ethier</span>, in a 5-for-32 (.156) slump of his own.</p>
<h5>Atlanta roster move</h5>
<p>The Braves before the game made a bullpen move, putting <span>Shae Simmons</span> on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain, and recalled <span>Juan Jaime</span> from Triple-A Gwinnett.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/29/5949807/drew-butera-dodgers-braves-lineupsEric Stephen2014-07-29T13:28:12-07:002014-07-29T13:28:12-07:00Dodgers host Braves in NLDS rematch
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<figcaption>Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> are back home for the next eight days, with 10 days of sleeping in their own beds counting the two games next week in Anaheim. The homestand opens with an NLDS rematch against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p>The sweep of San Francisco gave the Dodgers their eighth three-game winning streak of the season, but the team has yet to win four straight games in 2014. But the Dodgers aren't the only team on a three-game winning streak entering play on Tuesday. The Braves beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> in the final three games of their series in Atlanta and are in second place in the National League East, a half-game behind the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a>.</p>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> makes his second start since returning from the disabled list, and is pitching on Tuesday on six days rest for the second time this season. Beckett on six days rest on May 2 in Miami allowed four runs in 6⅔ innings in a loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>, but also walked one and matched his season high with eight strikeouts.</p>
<p>Old friend <span>Aaron Harang</span> gets the start in the opener for Atlanta. He has thrown six straight quality starts, 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA in 41 innings during that span, with 21 strikeouts and 14 walks.</p>
<h5>Notes</h5>
<p>The Dodgers are 12-5 in their last 17 home games and have won four of their last five series at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p>This could be a big week for <span>Dee Gordon</span> if he gets on base. The Braves have <span>Evan Gattis</span> behind the plate and have allowed 62 steals, tied for seventh most in the National League, throwing out 20 runners for a 75.6 percent success rate. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> follow and have allowed 81 steals, second in the NL, and have caught only 15, an 84.4 percent success rate against.</p>
<p><span>Yasiel Puig</span> in his career against the Braves, including the playoffs is 16-for-33 (.485) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in eight games.</p>
<p>Puig is 0-for-5 in stolen base attempts at home this season, and 7-for-9 on the road.</p>
<h5>Game info</h5>
<p>Time: 7:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: SportsNet LA, MLB network</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/29/5949253/dodgers-braves-winning-streakEric Stephen2014-07-28T18:00:03-07:002014-07-28T18:00:03-07:00Dodgers-Braves scheduled starters
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<figcaption>Scott Cunningham</figcaption>
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<p>With Dan Haren skipped, the Dodgers will send Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw to the mound against 2013 NLDS foe Atlanta in their final two games against the Braves.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> return home in first place and after Monday's off day begin a stretch of 20 games in 20 days. The first eight of those games are at home, starting with a three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>, the first meeting between the two teams since the 2013 NLDS.</p>
<p>In a move conveniently planned before the All-Star break, the Dodgers used their two off days surrounding the series in San Francisco to skip <span>Dan Haren</span> in the rotation, giving the right-hander extra rest, which may or may not be extended by this week's non-waiver trade deadline.</p>
<p>Haren won't be pitching against Atlanta, but here are the matchups for the three games.</p>
<h5>Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)</h5>
<p><span>Josh Beckett</span> makes his second start since getting activated off the disabled list, this time with a robust six days of rest after the aforementioned two off days. Beckett has a 2.70 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 17 walks in 60 innings in 10 starts at home this season, but only a 1-4 record to show for it. Old friend <span>Aaron Harang</span> began the season flirting with no-hitters left and right in April, and has settled in to be a stabilizing force in the Atlanta rotation. Harang has allowed three runs in 20 innings in his last three starts.</p>
<h5>Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</h5>
<p><span>Zack Greinke</span> enters Tuesday eight strikeouts shy of his 2013 seasonal total, in 46 fewer innings. Since rejoining the Braves rotation on June 25, <span>Alex Wood</span> has a 3.47 ERA in six starts with 31 strikeouts and nine walks in 36⅓ innings.</p>
<h5>Thursday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)</h5>
<p><span>Clayton Kershaw</span> goes for a 10th straight win for the second time in his career. He has double-digit strikeouts in each of his last three starts at Dodger Stadium, with 39 strikeouts, three walks and eight hits allowed in 25 innings. Entering Monday, 23-year-old <span>Julio Teheran</span> ranks third in the National League with 149⅓ innings and is tied for second in the league — <i>with Harang</i> — with 18 quality starts.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/28/5943853/dodgers-braves-schedule-starting-pitchersEric Stephen