Dodgers start Esteban Loaiza, RHP (2-0, 2.49) vs. Jake Peavy, RHP (16-6, 2.43).
Dodgers: 75-68 (3rd place NL West, 6.0 GB; 3rd place WC, 2.5 GB; L1)
Padres: 77-65 (2nd place NL West, 3.5 GB, 1st place WC, 1.5 GA; L1)
Current postseason odds for the Dodgers, from Baseball Prospectus: 21.5%
From Dodgers.com, the scouting report on the starters:
Dodgers: Loaiza wasn't overpowering in his debut, and he's not supposed to be, but he knew what to do with a lead and pitched seven innings in a win at Wrigley Field. Loaiza didn't have much of a fastball in the first inning, but the velocity increased and he kept the ball in the park while allowing three runs.Padres: Pitching on three days' rest--a request he made in order to face Arizona--Peavy was thumped for eight runs in his shortest start (four innings) of the season as the D-backs knocked off the Padres, 9-6, at Chase Field on Sept. 5. Peavy missed on several close calls and the D-backs did a nice job in laying off several of those close pitches. He allowed two home runs in allowing the eight runs, tying the most he's allowed in his career. Peavy, a 16-game winner, is still considered the leading candidate to win the Cy Young Award. A victory over the Dodgers would certainly help him toward that end.
COMMENTS:
Twice failing to capitalize on the Padres' losses while playing a last-place team left the Dodgers excatly where they were on Friday--2.5 GB in the Wild Card race. Now the Dodgers go head-to-head against the Wild Card-leading Padres, and San Diego starts the three-game series by throwing its ace, Jake Peavy. We pitch waiver-wire claim Esteban Loiaza to see if his last outing, reasonably solid, was a fluke. Tonight's game is a lot to ask of Loiaza--but the Dodgers, now fighting the Padres, Phillies, and the clock, desperately need a strong performance tonight in order to kick off a successful homestand.
Tonight's lineup has Kemp sitting down; Kemp has never faced Peavy so I'm not sure what the thinking is there. Loney slots in at the three-hole in Kemp's (recent) place. Nomar is starting, again denying Andy LaRoche another start--but at least Garciaparra is batting eighth.
Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Loney, 1B
Kent, 2B
Gonzo, LF
Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Nomar, 3B
Loaiza, P
11 comments:
I have a bad feeling about this.
Come on Dodgers, let's make Peavy grievy.
My mom just told me, from the game, that Smokey the Bear was one of the people introduced before the game.
F' Smokey the Bear! We need Loney the Bat!
Esteban walks the leadoff Padre. He needs to pitch a little Loiaza than this.
Loiaza is dealing...dealing walks, that is. Bases loaded with one out. Find the strike zone, Esteban!
We are already down 2-0. Yay.
Top of 2nd and we're already down 4-0. At least we're facing Peavy so we should score a ton of runs.
6-0 middle of 3rd. After conducting a complex regression analysis, a pattern is emerging.
I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight.
Stick a fork in the Dodgers. Down 7-2, I can't even applaud them for showing up tonight. Shades of 2005.
I hate losing.
Guess which Dodger has one HR and two RBI? Free James Loney.
James Loney is rocking, but the rest of the team sucks. 9-3 Padres.
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