Saturday, September 20, 2008

Game 155 Thread: Sept 20 vs. Giants, 7.10p

Hiroki Kuroda (9-10, 3.77) vs. Brad Hennessey (1-2, 8.04).

Dodgers' magic number: SIX.

COMMENTS: Ever have one of those work days where you do nothing but surf the Internet and at day's end your boss comes by and thanks you for doing such a great job? Me neither (who has such a kind boss?), but the Dodgers sort of did yesterday, getting crushed by the Giants 7-1 yet trimming their magic number thanks to the Diamondbacks' 11th straight road loss.

The Dodgers haven't lost two in a row in September, and they look to continue that streak tonight. Although the Dodgers have won his past three starts, Kuroda doesn't fool the Giants, having given up eight runs in 11 2/3 innings against them. But Kuroda is far more effective at Dodger Stadium, so the Dodgers' magic number could fall from the Joy of Six to Five Alive (or even to the Fab Four).

118 comments:

Orel said...

And I don't even watch Battlestar Galactica. But I should start.

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kuroda, P

Steve Sax said...

Sticking around on six for a couple of days might not be such a bad thing... what am I saying! Damn cylon in my head again!

karina said...

Steve, the Dodgers are going to win tonight. Force may be with us, actually.

Though i should confess i'm sort of drunk, because this afternoon i learned a documentary film i worked on just won"best experimental documentary" at a latinamerican film festival held in Brazil! so, maybe, perhaps, the universe is kind right now!

p.s: there's a party at this house but i'll try to check here and watch the game at TV, just because the Dodgers are playing the hated ones and they're in the midst to get into the playoffs!

Orel said...

Congrats, Karina! Party down!

Steve Sax said...

AZ up 2-1 at Colorado, after four full.

Steve Sax said...

Oh, and congratulations Karina!

Orel said...

Here we go!

Orel said...

Randy Winn owns us. Starts off with a single.

Orel said...

AZ 3, COL 2, bot 7

Orel said...

Another single. I guess we know which Kuroda we're getting tonight.

Orel said...

Kuroda walks in a run. Great.

Orel said...

Roward hits into an inning-ending DP. Kuroda gets out of it cheaply enough, but he threw 31 pitches.

Orel said...

Ethier walks.

Orel said...

Jeff Kent has been activated. Hooray.

Orel said...

Rockies tie it up!

Orel said...

Manny singles! Two on, one out.

Orel said...

Loney K's and Blake with a first-pitch swinging pop-out. The Giants are making Kuroda throw pitches; the Dodgers are letting Hennessey off the hook.

Rob said...

Tricia Helfer is a smokin' hottie. Too bad she's really all the show has had going for it for the last season and a half.

Orel said...

Kemp first-pitch swinging, grounds out. Why aren't we working the count?

Orel said...

Those are the first bad words I've heard about Battlestar Galactica.

Rob said...

And by the way, thanks for the ticket voucher. I had some adventures getting them redeemed.

Rob said...

The boxing ep was the shark-jumper.

Orel said...

Dammit, AZ 5, COL 3.

Orel said...

Kuroda plunks the leadoff man. Dammit again.

Orel said...

Too funny, Rob.

Orel said...

Kuroda is the most schizophrenic pitcher I've seen.

Orel said...

This is what happens when you're struggling: A sure DP ball skips under the second baseman's mitt for an error.

Orel said...

AZ wins. Great.

Orel said...

Vin says Torre says Penny is "out of the mix."

Orel said...

MANUEL!

Orel said...

Thank god for Manny.

Orel said...

Nice to see Furcal first in line to greet Manny.

Orel said...

KEMPARIFFIC! 2-run HR!

Orel said...

That was Kemp's first HR in a long time. Or so it seems.

Rob said...

Matt Kemp is good at playing baseball.

Orel said...

I concur.

Let's see if Kuroda can pitch with a lead.

Orel said...

The answer is: no. Vizquel singles.

Orel said...

Well, we knocked Hennessey out.

Orel said...

The answer is: no. Bowker singles.

Orel said...

Andre Ethier is also good at playing baseball. Nice catch to save a run or two.

Orel said...

Well look at that. Martin (correctly) argues that the hitter was out swinging at a pitch that hit him. Kuroda's playing with house money now.

Orel said...

"I'd rather be lucky than good!" —Vinny

Rob said...

That was the craziest rulebook play I've seen since Duaner Sanchez threw his glove in the air to catch a ball -- which was ruled a hit or some such.

Orel said...

Giants are 1-for-11 with RISP tonight. Maybe I'm underestimating Kuroda.

Torre isn't, as Kuroda's batting for himself in the 4th.

Orel said...

I remember that. Heads-up play by Duaner.

Orel said...

Kuroda singles. Maybe he yet has life left in him.

Orel said...

Russell was thinking HR all the way there. No way he was going to try to work the walk. Instead he pops out on (surprise) the first pitch.

Rob said...

No, it wasn't because it was an automatic reach for the baserunner. Rule 7.05(a):

7.05 Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance—
(a) To home base, scoring a run, if a fair ball goes out of the playing field in flight and he touched all bases legally; or if a fair ball which, in the umpire’s judgment, would have gone out of the playing field in flight, is deflected by the act of a fielder in throwing his glove, cap, or any article of his apparel; ....

Orel said...

Sorry, Hiroki. No win for you today.

Rob said...

Actually, 7.05(c):

Three bases, if a fielder deliberately throws his glove at and touches a fair ball. The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at his peril.

Orel said...

Okay, maybe not in a rulebook sense. But in a heat-of-the-moment sense.

Orel said...

A mitts-up play?

Rob said...

My original writeup. The game was on May 28, 2005.

Orel said...

Park picking up where Kuroda left off. Rancho Ardiendo for the Giants with no out.

Rob said...

Oddly, B-Ref lists the ball as being a ground ball, and having watched it, the ball was a good 20 feet over Sanchez' head.

Orel said...

Now it's Park's turn to walk in a run. 5-3 Dodgers.

Orel said...

Beimel takes care of Kuroda's business, WPing a run. 5-4 Dodgers.

Rob said...

Merry-go-round broke down.

Orel said...

DODGERS GET AN OUT! DODGERS GET AN OUT!

Rob said...

This game is making my brain hurt.

Rob said...

Alert the AP.

Rob said...

LOSE.

Orel said...

This isn't a pitching duel, nor is it a batting duel. It's a which-team-can-play-worse duel.

Rob said...

It's actualy a pitching drool.

Rob said...

Actually. Two glasses of wine and I'm misspelling.

Orel said...

C'mon, Mary Hart! Work your magic!

Orel said...

Don't drink and derive!

Orel said...

Perfect.

Rob said...

Calculus 3 was so long ago...

Rob said...

BWAHAHAHAHAH WIPEOUT!

Nice whiff on Aurelia.

Rob said...

And just after I post that, B-Mo drops one just fair into the space under the (unused) tarp in LF foul territory for a double.

Orel said...

It's only the 6th? It feels like we should be in extra innings.

Rob said...

7th. And yeah, slow as molasses in February at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

Steve Sax said...

Shoot, 5-5? Come on, blue! Last I checked it was 5-2 and we were rolling!

karina said...

Party's over, however i'm still drinking wine, ready for a Dodgers win.

Thanks Orel and Steve for your congrats!

Orel said...

Tyler Walker is ubiquitous.

Orel said...

This game is a good one to drink to.

Orel said...

Casey Blake is not a natural bunter.

Eric Karros said...

Good evening folks

Orel said...

The Dodgers are getting beardy.

Eric Karros said...

Good opportunity here or so Gameday tells me.

Orel said...

Hey EK. You're not missing much.

karina said...

Runners at the corners, DeWitt is up!. Pitching change, of course..

karina said...

Garciaparra replaces DeWitt.

Eric Karros said...

Hi Orel, Karina, Sax.

Eric Karros said...

I see the Rays clinched a playoff spot today.

Eric Karros said...

Berroa up with RA.

Orel said...

Cubs clinched too.

RA should be a new stat.

Orel said...

DON'T SWING ANGEL

Orel said...

Add Jack Taschner to the Xmas card list. 6-5 Dodgers.

Eric Karros said...

Did he just draw a 4-pitch rancho-ardienedo walk?

Eric Karros said...

His Xmas card will be sent to the Giants' clubhouse along with Eugenio Velez's.

Orel said...

Free Tasch! 7-5 Dodgers!

karina said...

You certainly have a point there, Eric. However, they have been nice enough to receive more than a card.

Orel said...

What's the difference between Zyrtec and Zantac?

Orel said...

Save us, Cory Wade.

Orel said...

Slick Loney!

Orel said...

The Giants' pitcher is wearing stirrups!

karina said...

Nice fashion police, Orel.

#100!

Rob said...

Heh. 9-5 Dodgers on a Manny homer, after he straightens it out.

Orel said...

Manny Ramirez! For all your insurance needs!

karina said...

MANNY 2-run bomb!

karina said...

King James walks, no outs...

Alex Cora said...

WOOHOO!! Just got home in time to see the walks for runs and the manny HR!!!

Alex Cora said...

RED FIVE STANDING BY, RED FIVE STANDING BY!!!!

Alex Cora said...

That should be the picture on the next gamethread - star wars and baseball again - Nothing like good old Wedge.

Rob said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItugh-fFgg

Alex Cora said...

He Walked HU!!!! Man, they can't find the zone. Walking a .167 hitter

Alex Cora said...

Think they will walk another .160's hitter in Sweeney?

Alex Cora said...

Opps .138

karina said...

Sweeney...a walk here would be nice...

Orel said...

Angel Berroa says NOT SO FAST

Alex Cora said...

Uh, Angel, what the hell was that? Shades of Steve Sax...

karina said...

Berroa made a hideous throw, it should have been a nice GIDP...

Alex Cora said...

Uhhh....what the hell...

Orel said...

Just another four-hour victory.

Alex Cora said...

NICE!!!! HIGH FIVE FIVE FIVE!!! GO BLUE!

Orel said...

Matt Kemp looks like Casey Blake!