Clayton Kershaw (0-3, 5.18) vs. Jason Bergmann (1-7, 4.21).
COMMENTS: You heard it here first: Clayton Kershaw is getting his first major league win today. The highly anticipated arm has seen his ups and downs this season, starting with a May call-up, a promising debut, and then a series of short stints and an overall 0-2 record that got Kershaw demoted again. His second promotion this season at Coors Field had the predictable outcome of walking into a buzzsaw, as Kershaw was shelled for 10 hits and five earned runs over three-plus innings. But today, Kershaw will climb the mountain. The Dodgers' bats are rolling, sparked by the addition of Casey Blake (2-for-3 last night with a double and a run scored), and an outstanding eight-inning one-hit outing by Derek Lowe kept the bullpen relatively rested. And for Pete's sake, it's the Nationals. Let's take the sweep here in LA, and hope that the Giants show up for a change and help us claw back into first.
36 comments:
Pierre, LF
Kemp, CF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Nomar, SS
Blake, 3B
Ethier, RF
Kershaw, P
Looks like Joe listened to Alyssa!
Why is Pierre still batting leadoff??
per true blue la
Andy LaRoche was optioned to make room for Mark Sweeney
Vin just mentioned the LaRoche thing, and I yelled at the television.
I really don't understand.
Hi Erin!
Vin said that we needed a left-handed HITTER off the bench. Since when is a sub-.100 batter called a "hitter"?
Nice "sac fly," Martin--you gotta hit it past the infielders.
Kan Kent karrom Kemp from third?
Kent fouls to LoDuca as well, so Kemp is indeed stranded at third.
You know, Torre, if we had one more out with which to work, we might have scored Kemp. But you lost that out when you started Pierre in the leadoff hole.
Boy, "Life After Film School" looks like a snoozer. I'm not tivoing that one.
Pretty nice play for Nomar to get the first out in the second inning.
Then Kershaw picks up his third K. And here comes Paulie Walnuts!
I saw the commercial for "Life After Film School" the other day, and I laughed out loud at how stupid it looks.
This time, I paused it so my girlfriend could come in from the other room to see the three "film students" sitting there with goofy grins on their faces. It looks absurd.
Of course, I might be a little jaded because I went to film school and knew people like those three.
Sometimes you can understand a team's motivations with the moves they make. But a lot of the things the Dodgers have done this year just don't make any damn sense. Pierre still batting leadoff? Getting rid of a superb catching prospect just to get a two-month rental on a third baseman, when we already had two at that position? Sweeney still having a place on a MLB team? I just don't know what they're thinking. I really don't.
Kershaw throws the curve to ice Paul LoDuca at the plate, getting his fourth K. Clayton was halfway toward the dugout by the time that curve hit Russell's glove. It was sweet!
Maybe the three students from film school should interview Colletti on film. ON the record this time.
LONEY With A BOMB!
Loney reminds Torre why he shouldn't sit. First pitch, right field pavilion.
Don't you dare trade Loney, Ned.
Casey Blake has an unfortunate squirrel wrapping around his chin. Clearly, it impedes his vision, as he promptly GIDP.
Andre looks disconsolate after striking out, but is still about 100000 points ahead of Andruw Jones. And yet, Ethier is fighting for his starting spot.
Turnabout is fair play. Double play for the first two outs in the top of the third erases all Nats from the basepaths. Kershaw did a fine job of picking up that Bergmann bunt attempt.
And Loney makes a sweet defensive play to erase Willie Harris for the final out. TAKE THAT, TORRE!
FREE JAMES LONEY!
Martin hits that single that he needed to hit back in the first inning, just missing a home run.
Meanwhile, Matt Kemp meets third base again. Will he meet home plate this time?
Jeff Kent refuses to score Matt Kemp from third. Once again, it's back to the vets-vs-kids debate.
I'd rather this team to have a mediocre season while giving the much needed playing time to the kids, than going to the playoffs through mediocre players who will not be in the team as soon as spring training.
Nomar goes from bad to good to bad again, dropping a lazy fly ball in short left.
I love the fact Kershaw hasn't given up any walks.
Kershaw escapes the fourth with a man on second. Dodgers still lead 1-0.
Hey, i gotta go. I hope the Dodgers finally give Kershaw his first win. He's pitched very well today.
Dodgers eke out another run, off of consecutive singles from Pierre, Kemp, and Martin. 2-0 Dodgers.
81 pitches for Kershaw through six, but he only has a 2-run lead. Will he make way for Kuo (who has just started warming up in the 'pen), or try and stay on?
Bergmann strikes out the side in the sixth, 2-0 after six full.
In other news, Rick Monday is not in the booth today and it sounded like it was a little unexpected ("we hope he'll be joining us tomorrow," I think they said). Charley is doing an okay job alone in the booth on radio...hmm. They should have paired him with Karros or someone else just to test chemistry.
Belliard with a leadoff walk in the seventh, so Kershaw gives way to Chan Ho Park. Hoo, boy.
Nomar, btw, may have twisted a knee. That explains why Berroa is in. Great.
Meanwhile, the Giants are rolling over and playing dead, with the Snakes up 6-0 in the fifth.
Steve Garvey sighting
Park gets us out of the seventh efficiently, with LoDuca doing the honors of the final out.
And heeeeeeere's recently-activated Mark Sweeney, the Black Hole of Pinch Hitting!
Dad!
Sweeney STRIKES OUT.
For this, we demoted LaRoche.
Am I back in time to watch Kershaw get his first win?
Yes! Congrats, Clayton!
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