Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Game 78 Thread: June 27 @ Diamondbacks, 6.40p

Dodgers start Derek Lowe, RHP (8-6, 3.14) vs. Brandon Webb, RHP (7-5, 3.24).

Dodgers: 44-33 (1st place NL West, 0.5 GA, W2)
Diamondbacks: 44-34 (T-2nd place NL West, 0.5 GB, L2)

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

Dodgers: Lowe celebrated his anniversary of 10 years of Major League service on Friday in style. He continued his recent dominant trend on the hill and held the Rays to one hit, a double in the third, through his first 4 1/3 innings of work. The righty also fanned five and walked one for his eighth win of the season. Lowe is now 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in June.

Diamondbacks: Webb has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his past six starts. He brought what he called "some of the better stuff I've had probably all year" into his last outing, on Friday against the Orioles. A three-error second inning, however, contributed to a seven-run night over five innings, his season high when counting unearned runs. Webb had seven strikeouts and seven groundouts to one flyout in the outing, so he still had good stuff. In seven innings of a victory on April 30 against the Dodgers, he yielded just one run.

COMMENTS:

  • After two wins in two games versus the Snakes, including last night's remarkable game-winning extra-inning first-major-league HR from Dodger rookie Tony Abreu, the Dodgers finally meet the heart of the Arizona starting lineup in Brandon Webb, followed by an equally daunting Randy Johnson Thursday. We'll definitely need the continued help of SoSG fave James Loney, who stroked three hits, including a 2-run HR and a double, accounting for three of the Dodgers' six RBI.
  • On the other hand, we could use less of the albatross of Nomar Garciaparra, whose 0-for-5 night and 8 LOB exemplify how sad his struggles have become. When you intentionally walk Luis Gonzalez in the ninth inning to bring up a bases-loaded situation for Nomar, that is a sad sad state. When Nomar strikes out for the third out, it's an even sadder state. Let's hope Nomar can break out of his funk soon and return to form.

UPDATE 4.38p: The lineup, from Tony "Action" Jackson:

SS Furcal
CF Pierre
C Martin
2B Kent
LF Gonzo
1B Loney
3B Nomar
RF Ethier
RH Lowe

Yikes, Nomar is in the seven-hole. I feel bad for him. Grady acknowledged that he is struggling, but I don't recall this sort of move working for Dusty with Sammy Sosa, either.

In other news, the Padres beat the Giants in an afternoon game, so technically we are tied for first going into tonight's game vs. the Snakes.

35 comments:

cigarcow said...

You did a nice job getting Loney a spot in the lineup, junior Garveys. Perhaps a "Free Matt Kemp" campaign is in order now? Seriously, how much longer can Coletti and Little justify keeping Pierre in the lineup with Kemp on the bench? I hope it doesn't have something to do with his silly games played streak.

Steve Sax said...

...or his silly slap hitting style, for that matter.

We're thinking about a Free Matt Kemp campaign, he's been benched for too many days now. Thanks for the idea...

Steve Sax said...

And it's time for Dodger Baseball!

Steve Sax said...

Furcal and Pierre both fly out on early pitches. STOP THE MADNESS! Martin doubled but Kent swung on the first pitch too for a comebacker.

Steve Sax said...

Nomar Ks BADLY in the sixth with Loney on first. Nomar is 0-for-13 in the series, and looks pathetic.
Dodgers strand Loney, 1-0 going to the bottom of the sixth.

Steve Sax said...

Lowe has an efficient 6th. Webb enters the seventh with 92 pitches, and Grady send Lowe back out there to start the seventh...and gets a hit up the middle!

Damon said...

Why is Nomar even in the lineup

Steve Sax said...

Martin and Kent can't convert in the seventh, stranding two runners. Dodgers now 0-for-10 with RISP. 0-1, Snakes.

Steve Sax said...

Lowe gives up one more run to make it 2-0, and is yanked. The Dodgers gave him NO run support.

Hey damon, you still around? Let's chat. You're a regular contributor and I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the folks here.

Question 1: Who do you hate more, the Giants or the Yankees?

Steve Sax said...

Beimel gets the third out, it's 2-0 AZ going to the eighth.

Yet another fleeting stay in first place?

Steve Sax said...

All right, 0 out, man on first and second, and Nomar is up. He takes the first pitch for a strike, then fouls pitch #2 off. Here comes Cruz with pitch #3....

Steve Sax said...

...AND NOMAR WHIFFFFFFFS to be 0-for-14 in the series. Nice.

Nomar needs to take a break, hang out with Mia and the twins for a while, and recharge. This is sad.

Steve Sax said...

Cruz walks Ethier on four straight pitches. That just goes to show you how low Nomar has sunk.

Saenz coming up with 1 out and the bases juiced. I do not have a good feeling.

Damon said...

Thats a pretty tough question. Right now I hate the Yankees more just because of all the dumb media coverage they get. The Giants have been so shitty lately that they don't even matter. I do get a little hostile when i see random people with giants hats on though.

Damon said...

Oh and does anyone want my nomar jersey?

Steve Sax said...

Saenz can't catch up to a 94 MPH fastball and Ks. Should have been Kemp...

Here comes Furcal with two out.

If we go down, it's because Nomar didn't show again.

Steve Sax said...

Hi damon.

We'll take this commercial break to ask Question #2: What's the last album you bought?

Steve Sax said...

Furcal has a 1-2 count with Valverde throwing heat.

Damon said...

I haven't actually bought an album in a while but the last one I did buy was DJ Tiesto : Parade of the Athletes

Steve Sax said...

Pierre's crappy ass arm lets Orlando Hudson get a leadoff triple.

And first place seemed such a nice vantage point.

Steve Sax said...

Okay damon, Question #3. Did you go to a public or private high school?

Damon said...

Public

Steve Sax said...

Question #4. You walk into a men's bathroom to pee and there are six urinals. There's a guy at #1 and a guy at #4. What urinal # do you use?

Damon said...

6 or the stalls

Steve Sax said...

Good answer, damon.

Seanez escapes the inning, Dodgers still down 2-0 going to the ninth.

Damon said...

Predicting Kent or Nomar K to end the game

Steve Sax said...

Question #5: When was the last game in which Rick Monday actually told the game score mid-inning (excluding times when a run scored)?

Steve Sax said...

Pierre goes so quietly, you could hear his jaunty cap drop.

Damon said...

Brandon Webb did not pitch better than Lowe

Damon said...

I don't listen to Rick Monday

Steve Sax said...

Great answer for question #5. Thanks damon! We'll do this again sometime soon.

I've gotta wrap this up and roll credits as there's already one out in the ninth, the Dodgers down by two.

Steve Sax said...

Hey, 13 men LOB tonight! Well done, Grady.

Steve Sax said...

Days in first place (NL West): LA 58, SD 24, AZ 13.

Steve Sax said...

damon wins the bonus round. Kent fans for the final out.

THIRTEEN men left on base. Incredible.

Good night, everybody!

Damon said...

I hate you Jeff Kent and Mark Grace