Friday, April 27, 2007

Game 23 Thread: April 27 @ Padres, 7.05p

Dodgers start Mark Hendrickson, LHP (1-0, 1.62) vs. Clay Hensley, RHP (1-3, 9.45).

Dodgers: 13-9 (T-1st place NL West, 0.0 GA, L4)
Padres: 12-10 (3rd place NL West, 1.0 GB, L2)

From Dodgers.com, the scouting report on the starters:

Dodgers: In a spot start on Thursday against the Rockies in Colorado, Hendrickson pitched a gem, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out two. Hendrickson has primarily been coming out of the bullpen for the Dodgers this season, but with Jason Schmidt injured, Hendrickson will be counted on to eat up innings. He was 1-2 with a 2.20 ERA against the Padres last season.

Padres: Hensley picked up his first victory of the season on April 21 against the Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday night, though he put a lot of runners on base in his six innings. Hensley allowed 10 hits and walked three, but he got two big double-play grounders. Still, this was the best Hensley has looked this season.

COMMENTS:

  • After rolling over and playing dead for the Giants, the Dodgers have now dropped four straight and are clinging to the division lead by a thread. Will a change of scenery (Petco Park) help the Dodgers break from their funk? Will Juan Pierre fare any better on defense in a cavernous center field? Will Rich Donnelly cause more outs from the third base coach's box? Will Mark Hendrickson be able to continue pitching like a reasonable starter? Will Grady Little make any major changes to the lineup (we know that answer already, though)?
  • Everybody's been pig-piling on Juan Pierre, and with good reason. He's been a defensive liability this year, his OPS is lacking (though improving), he has not stolen bases in key situations when a stolen base would have come in handy, and he missed a sign at the plate last night which killed a rally. But at least he maintains a positive attitude: "If you dwell on this series and it messes you up for the next series, it's a snowball effect," Dodgers center fielder Juan Pierre said [on ESPN.com]. "Good teams and individual players know how to nip it in the bud." Let's hope he's right. And brings a bigger glove tonight.

UPDATE

The lineup, from Inside the Dodgers:

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Garciaparra, 1B
Kent, 2B
Gonzalez, LF
Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Valdez, 3B
Hendrickson, P

Betemit finally gets benched.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good news, my cousin saw Juan Pierre buying a catchers mit at the Big 5 store in San Diego near Old Town. One of those big ones that catchers use to catch knuckle balls.

Anonymous said...

Lets go Dodgers, lets destroy the padres!!!

Steve Sax said...

Checking in for the first time tonight. Too bad Lurch lost Brian Giles on that at-bat in the fourth. Let's hope he maintains composure.

Steve Sax said...

So much for that idea.

Steve Sax said...

Josh Bard is slow as hell.

Steve Sax said...

Valdez and Ethier can't score Martin. 1-1, going to Bot 6.

Steve Sax said...

Are you frickin' kidding me? Dodgers score 4 vs Hoffman in the ninth?

Steve Sax said...

Furcal's never-say-die attitude running to first made that ninth-inning rally happen.

Who would have thought that a ball of the glove of a centerfielder would be a play NOT involving Juan Pierre?! Mike Cameron gives us a gift two runs.

Steve Sax said...

Home run for previously 0-fering Jose Cruz. 6-5 Dodgers, two out. Come on, Sammy Saito!

Steve Sax said...

Intentionally walking Luis Gonzalez in the top of the ninth to get to Russell Martin was ridiculous.

Steve Sax said...

Saito lets Brian Giles off a two-strike hook by hitting him. GIles on first.

He is pitching fastballs right down the middle to Gonzalez--yikes! Gonzalez hits it deep but Pierre actually catches it to preserve the win.

Steve Sax said...

With the Giants' loss, the Dodgers move into sole possession of first place, one game ahead of SF.

Good night, everybody!