Monday, October 13, 2008

NLCS Game 4 Thread: Oct 13 vs. Phillies, 5.22p

Derek Lowe (0-1, 3.38) vs. Joe Blanton (0-0, -.--).

COMMENTS: What a difference one game makes. We're back in this, mofos! The Dodgers, with fire in their belly and yearning in their souls, return to the field today after yesterday's 7-2 shellacking of Jamie Moyer and the Phillies.

But lest anyone get complacent, let's not forget one more Phillies win puts them a breath away from taking the series. The Dodgers trot out Lowe on three days' rest in hopes that he can sinkerball his way to his first NLCS victory; although Nomar Garciaparra performed admirably in his first playoff start this year, expect James Loney to start against the right-handed Blanton.

In 11 innings of work over two games against L.A. this season, Philadelphia's mid-season acquisition Blanton gave up 15 hits, five runs, two home runs, and six walks, but also had ten strikeouts. (The Dodgers and Phillies split those two games.)

However, Blanton also beat the Brewers in the NLDS, so let's strap on a pair (while keeping the peace) and tie this sucker up!

DeWitt photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Furcal: AP photos

141 comments:

Steve Sax said...

SoSG Alex Cora will be at tonight's game, representing.

GO DODGERS!

Erin said...

Furcal, SS

Ethier, RF

Manny, LF

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

DeWitt, 2B

Blake, 3B

Pierre, CF

Lowe, P


Note your starting center fielder.

Orel said...

Hmmm, I say. Hmmm.

Loney Fan said...

I have two tickets in the outfield that are not going to be used tonight. I can email them to the first person that wants them. Go Karma!

karina said...

These lineup decision worries me, i guess Torre wants some hit and run, putting Pierre on the 8th slot, it could work with Furcal's speed, given Juan for four mode doesn't show up tonight. Other factor to be considered: Pierre has a successful experience in the playoffs.
However, i'd rather have Kemp there, maybe the coaches want him to work out the causes of his slump.

karina said...

grammar edit: This

karina said...

Game time, here we go...

Orel said...

LF, doesn't Karma work at Crazy Girls?

Loney Fan said...

Hopefully the gesture will make up for the two empty seats in the outfield. I would go but I just got the tickets one half hour ago and I live about an hour and half away from the stadium.

Loney Fan said...

Orel, I was going to make a joke about Phillies fans, their mothers, and Crazy Girls but I think that would ruin the whole karma thing I was going for.

Orel said...

Lowe does not appear to have his "A" game.

Orel said...

1st & 3rd, no out. Would you trade a DP for a run here?

karina said...

No DP, one run. No outs.

Orel said...

Warm up Kershaw NOW.

Orel said...

Is anyone warming up?

Orel said...

Maybe the Phillies are still so mad they'll hit all our players and force in several runs for us.

Orel said...

Lowe gets the inning-ending DP. Phils 2, Dodgers.

Orel said...

...0

Orel said...

Raffy first-pitch swinging, singles!

Loney Fan said...

Wow Lowe!

Loney Fan said...

Why is there an empty section in the center of the stands, directly behind home plate in the lower reserve? We were at the game yesterday and that section was empty all game.

Orel said...

Chickenshits!

Orel said...

I think it's an expanded press section.

Orel said...

Was Martin pressing?

Orel said...

Wow, Blanton is getting first-pitch strikes. Not good for us.

Orel said...

James!

Orel said...

2-1 Phils!

karina said...

King James RBI double!, the series would be so different if some balls could travel a few inches...

Orel said...

Let's rough this guy up!

karina said...

Hope, they can overcome this...

karina said...

Hope, they can overcome this...

Orel said...

At least DeWitt made contact. We can hit this guy.

Orel said...

I have a feeling we're going to need more than three runs to win this game.

Orel said...

Ground out then strikeout. Keep it down, Lowe.

Orel said...

YES! K's Rollins!

Orel said...

Why is Casey Blake bunting on the first pitch of the inning?

Orel said...

There should be no backwards K's in this game.

karina said...

My heart stopped for a while on that foul...

It happened the old saying "after a large foul, it comes a strike out". Sigh.

Orel said...

Pierre with the MONSTER single!

Orel said...

Pierre CS. Then Lowe singles. Of course.

karina said...

Pierre on defense makes me very nervous.

karina said...

Orel, your first pitch was quite outside. Again, you could kill puppies and sell drugs to children and i'll still have very pleasant memories of you.

Jimbo said...

Here we go. Let's get some runs!

Orel said...

Hmmm, Lowe may be settling down. Let's score!

Orel said...

Karina, I'll keep that in mind next time I have to kill some puppies and sell drugs to children.

Jimbo said...

That was a close pitch.

C'mon, Russ!

Orel said...

Why are they so worried about Manny at first?

Jimbo said...

Soft single, runners on the corners.

Dodgers have to capitalize here.

Jimbo said...

Damn it.

Orel said...

C'mon DeWitt, another RBI chance!

karina said...

Chavez decided to have a national chain and Fox signal is not working. This situation defines frustration.

Orel said...

Why first-pitch swinging???

Jimbo said...

I hope, hope, hope Blake is not signed during the offseason.

Jimbo said...

Here we go! Here we go!

karina said...

Back to back singles by Furcal and Ethier! No outs. Manny!!!!!!!

karina said...

Manny RBI double! at the very first pitch!

karina said...

My son RBI grounder. Here King James comes!

Jimbo said...

Close one, sheesh! Watch out, there goes the solution!

karina said...

That was close of disaster, thanks Lord because Ethier didn't drop the ball.

karina said...

Wild pitch, game tied.

karina said...

Beimel to take charge of the mound. Too much drama for my heart...

karina said...

Ethier made a SPECTACULAR play!. I hope Torre realizes he doesn't have to fight for a starting position at the spring training.

Jimbo said...

Andre, what a catch!

*swoons*

karina said...

Blake solo HR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!let's go BLUE!

karina said...

Dodgers 4-Phillies 3

karina said...

Pierre doubles! No outs. Time for a pinch-hitter, Garciaparra, Kent?

karina said...

It's Kemp, let's go Bison!

Ryan said...

And Mighty Casey has...GONE YARD!

Jimbo said...

Blake has redeemed himself.

karina said...

Pierre was this close to get caught stealing...

karina said...

Kemp walks!

Unknown said...

Anyone drinking "Joe Torre Bullpen Management brand Haterade" tonight? Lets get a crooked number here, weeeeeeee!

Steve Sax said...

Hello, boys and girls. I'm in a place where the only shot I have to watch this game is over "fox feeds" and a bad broadband connection. Not bad, but let's just say so far, the Dodgers have shown a pretty gritty performance....

GO DODGERS!

Unknown said...

Ryan Howe-3rd

karina said...

Furcal bunted, then Howard makes a bad throw, Kemp scores! Dodgers 5-Phillies 3

Unknown said...

Hey Karina, have you told Hugo that the place where Dodger Stadium is shares his namesake??

Steve Sax said...

I only have four views: home plate, the two dugout cams, and a fourth camera angle that keeps rotating but doesn't show anything meaningful.

No announcers.

Stadium noise, sans announcers, sounds raucous and deafening!

What happened on the Furcal bunt, and how did it become an RBI?

Steve Sax said...

karina, did Howard make a bad throw to Eyre covering first? Please describe the play...

Steve Sax said...

Third walk for the Manny Monster...

karina said...

A bad throw by Howard, Steve. By the way, Manny IBB.

karina said...

Nope. Howard had to go deep down to get the bunt, he made the bad throw to Utley, who moved to cover first.

karina said...

Andrew, i wouldn't tell him in a million years. I'm sure he hasn't found out about it, yet. If he knew, he would make millions of references about it.

Steve Sax said...

Oh, Martin's DP was bad.

Steve Sax said...

Martin, 0-for-4 with 7 LOB in the cleanup slot...

Jimbo said...

Kuo's here!

karina said...

and makes Rollins ground out and gives a couple of K's. Awesome.

Steve Sax said...

Gotta hand it to Russell, he called a great inning of pitch selection in the seventh, right after his deflating GIDP. Way to keep your head in the game, Martin!

Wow, I can hear everyone singing TMOTTB crystal clear. "root, root for the DODGERS!

Steve Sax said...

Nancy Bea never sounded better!

Steve Sax said...

Let's go, Loney!

Steve Sax said...

Seven-pitch walk to DeWitt!

Steve Sax said...

One away. Blake is up, followed b Kuo in the eight hole.

karina said...

Kuo at the plate. Boy, this is your night!

Steve Sax said...

PH for Kuo, right?

karina said...

Great sac bunt!. Go Rafael!

Steve Sax said...

Why are we batting Kuo?

karina said...

Yes, Steve.

#100!

Steve Sax said...

BTW, snagged comment 100 back there...

karina said...

Maybe Torre liked what he saw and wants him to pitch the 8th. Maybe giving some rest to Brox...

karina said...

You were quicker than me, Steve. Sorry.

Steve Sax said...

Good bunt, Kuo...cash the check, Kemp!

Steve Sax said...

crap

Steve Sax said...

Not batting for Kuo is curious...let's hope that doesn't come back to bite us.

Steve Sax said...

Berroa to play second and replace DeWitt? Oh, my. Is Torre getting paid by the substitution?

Steve Sax said...

we need a dp here

Steve Sax said...

And here comes Wade.

WHY DIDN'T WE PH FOR KUO???

Steve Sax said...

Come on, Joe Torre...I'll keep the faith in your moves here...

karina said...

I'll take that fly out.

You're so right, Steve. Maybe getting Garciaparra for Kuo could have paid off. You never have enough runs when you play with the Phillies.

Typing that, Victorino 2 run HR. And i still can't hate him.

Jimbo said...

Why put in Wade? Why why why!?

Steve Sax said...

Oh man, I am dying here

karina said...

Hey, Wade is human... problem is he picked a wrong time to behave like it.

Steve Sax said...

I don't think this ends well tonight, Dodger fans. My heart has sunk.

karina said...

Faith, Steve, let's have some faith. We should also pray Victorino gets mildly injured.

karina said...

Can't believe this. Seriously.

Steve Sax said...

SHIT THIS GAME IS OVER

Jimbo said...

*cries*

karina said...

It ain't over 'till it's over. All right?

Steve Sax said...

DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT

A four-run fourth? Come on. All of the pitching moves were bad ones.

--Kuo should have been removed in the seventh for a PH
--If not, then we shouldn't have yanked him for Wade, who is gassed
--Brox is just bad luck but you still have to wonder.

Steve Sax said...

It's over. I'm going to bed.

Jimbo said...

Broxton is rattled.

karina said...

Maddux in the bullpen.

Jimbo said...

Top of the order here. Not over yet.

*cries*

Orel said...

That was harsh.

These next two innings will set the tone for the rest of the series.

Steve Sax said...

And remember this: Berroa is in line to make the last out for the Dodgers in the ninth, now that we've prematurely pulled DeWitt.

Steve Sax said...

I am so frustrated right now, i can't take it.

Jimbo said...

A walk to start the inning.

As long as no DPs follow . . .

Jimbo said...

DAMN IT ITIN IOTASLDNFLSHD KSHFLKSHF!

Booger said...

FUCK!

Orel said...

Ethier DP.

This fucking sucks.

Booger said...

Ethier couldnt of took a pitch there?

karina said...

Manny double!

Orel said...

Manny doubles. I can't watch. I can't watch.

Orel said...

Karma...?

karina said...

Runners at the corners. King James next...

Orel said...

Let's face it. It wasn't meant to be.

Jimbo said...

BLERGH!

Jimbo said...

One final shot here.

Orel said...

This is miserable. Glad to see the fans still cheering, though.

Steve Sax said...

If Blake reaches, look for Jeff Kent playing the role of Kirk Gibson

Steve Sax said...

Kent will K, but still.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit.

So, so sad.

Orel said...

That's it. Good night.