Sunday, June 21, 2009

Post-Game 70 Thread: Bag of Tricks Still Working

DODGERS 5, ANGELS 3

This one had a little of everything:

  • STARTING PITCHING: Clayton Kershaw was wonderful wonderful, throwing 107 pitches and striking out five over seven scoreless innings (including getting out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth). This is just a preview of the future, folks.
  • DEFENSE: James Loney and Casey Blake got to show off their glovely chops to a national audience.
  • OFFENSE: Loney hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, while Juan Pierre had two RBIs and basically manufactured an insurance run in the ninth.
  • INSTANT REPLAY: The Angels challenged Loney's home run, but the umpires' video review indicated it was good. Justice was served.
  • RELIEF PITCHING: Ramon Troncoso and Brent Leach had scoreless stints, and...
  • SUSPENSE: Blake's eighth-inning error brought Jonathan Broxton in for the four-out save. Broxton walked Gary Matthews Jr. (who homered off him last night) but struck out Erick Aybar in the eighth. The Angels scored two runs off Broxton in the ninth (aided by Matt Kemp's unfortunate bobble), but Broxton held on for his 17th save. Thank goodness for the off-day tomorrow.
  • NEW HIGHS: The Dodgers are a season-high 22 games over .500 and have not lost any of their last eight series.
  • KOBE!

Kobe attended the game and sat behind the Dodgers' dugout; here, he and Joe Torre salute each other.


Kobe reacts to the 1-2-3 double play started by Kershaw in the fifth inning.

11 comments:

NicJ said...

A trick is something a whore does for
money, they're called illusions.

Great game tonight boys.

Orel said...

Felix is going to be crushed when he hears that.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I think that NicJ is Rock Bottom in disguise.

Another series win!

NicJ said...

Who?

Orel said...

Rock Bottom

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Nic - Or candy.

HOLY HELL JUAN PIERRE CAN TALK

rbnlaw said...

Impressions from Anaheim Stadium of Anaheim:
1. Great game. Closer than it should have been, but great nonetheless.
2. Cheap(er) beer. 21 oz. beer was $6.50. Large soda was $5.50.
3. Angel fans are easily annoyed, distracted, depressed. The Dodgers jump out to an insurmountable 1-0 lead and the Los Angeles of Anaheim faithful are looking to make a trade.
4. Bobby Abreu is a great batter to face in a bases-loaded jam. Chants of "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby" quickly become boos.
5. Even mix of Dodgers and Angel fans. The difference? You could hear the Dodger fans were loud without the scoreboard telling them to cheer.
6. Anaheim Stadium scoreboard does not tell you what the batter has done that night and finding the pitch count/speed is nearly impossible.
7. They don't like instant replay in Anaheim.
8. Had pictures taken of my Juanpierrewood shirt and Angel fans thought it was funny. . .until Beast Mode got 2 RBI.
9. Did I mention cheap beer?
10. The wife dropped me, the kids, and my brother at the gate so we could walk in. Saved the parking fee. . .sweet.
11. DODGER VICTORY. . .double sweet.

Alex Cora said...

Is it me, or does Kobe sort of look like Felix the cat. Great recap rbnlaw!

rbnlaw said...

Thanks, AC.
One last note; I was surprised that no fights broke out (that I could see anyway). The fans in the upper deck were boisterous and could not be drowned out by retaliating Angel fans.

Josh S. said...

I was in and out for most of the game, so I missed out on the game thread fun. I was home long enough to see Loney's homer, followed by 30 minutes of the crack announce team trying to prove it wasn't a homer.

BIASED? NO WAY!

Just call the damn game, guys.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

NicJ:

Of course, I did not mean to cast you as the "big oaf" as is reflected in Orel's link. I meant to cast you as Felix's nemesis. Sabe?