Vicente Padilla (0-0, -.--) vs. Joel Pineiro (0-0, -.--).
Thursday's game-time temperature at Dodger Stadium: 71 degrees. Today's high in St. Louis: 60 degrees. Today's low: 38 degrees. In other words, the Dodgers can expect a chilly reception at Busch Stadium in more ways than one.
While a 2-0 lead over the Cardinals is pretty much a dream come true, a road win is the next big test the Dodgers must pass. And they would prefer not to stay in St. Louis for a second longer than necessary.
With his game-tying hit in Game 2, Ronnie Belliard has officially displaced Orlando Hudson as the Dodgers' starting second baseman. The O-Dog is handling the situation with his usual class: "I'm all right, I'm all right....I'll do whatever they need me to do," he told the Daily News.
Most of the other regular starters have already made offensive playoff contributions: Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier have homered, and Casey Blake worked that incredible nine-pitch walk to set up Belliard's Hudson-bumping RBI.
RBI-less so far are James Loney and Manny Ramirez. Will Road Loney make an appearance in St. Louis? Can Manny erase a disappointing regular season with one big postseason swing?
And then there's the question of Vicente Padilla. Whether he's earned the right to start a game before Chad Billingsley is a subject for debate, but the Dodgers have shown that while a spectacular start would be welcome, a solid start will suffice. Fortunately, Padilla has pitched effectively and remained on his best behavior since joining the team, knowing a strong playoff performance will enhance his value as a free agent this off-season.
So there you have it. One game from the NLCS. Momentum on our side. The team feeling loose and confident, but not cocky. Let's give the Cards something to talk about with the Cubs.
GO BLUE!
1: Jon SooHoo/Dodgers; 2 & 3: AP photos
505 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 505 Newer› Newest»is this Tony Abreu batting?
I'm Thurston for an out.
damn ump was calling those for Reyes
Maybe this ump is a fan of Grand Slams, and hopes Dennys will serve one up.
Come just get a ground out since we can't get a called strike
I know there's something there, I just can't put it together.
Eckting...Thank Yew!
Awwwwww now they don't like the ump
haha on the radio, you could hear the ump screaming at LaRussa to shut up
4 more innings....
More than half way through the game
Tronky or Belly? who's next up for us?
I bet Smoltz wishes he signed on with the Dodgers right now.
Freaking Smoltz...E6...
Ryan pulls a Holliday, and Beard gets aboard.
The Cards are falling apart, a la the Cubs last year.
Porn 'stache is ticked off!...)
That is some 'stache on Ryan.
GCAlexander!...
Baseball trivia 101 today...
man...a mile outside...
@sfdf
Yeah, when he gets angry, I instinctively reach for my license and registration.
V-Pad to bat for himself here.
Wow, that was close.
hey dodgers, those sliders arent strikes. Lay off them please.
haha padilla got a lot of that last one.
Foul, damn, that would've ben the back-breaker
that was for the crappy strike zone, Blue.
heart of the order, nervous time.
Bottom 6th. This could be the most important inning of the game.
Mr. C...funny...I see it...LAPD does La Habra!...)
feel like that was the time to shorten the game and pinch hit
Alright V, get us one more.
I'm beginning to think my Cards in four might have been a bit pessimistic.
you got one more inning in you, V?
this umpires strike zone must be a puzzle piece.
Mr C - well played
Just a reminder that UFL is on HDN network right now, in case you find Dodgers superiority tiresome
Padilla should throw a fastball at Dick Stockton.
Yeah that zone is odd. That first pitched looked like a strike and he said it was outside. The second looked low and he called it a strike.
Russ just drew a southwesterly arrow on the plate
I didn't know Delgado hit RBIs
Get us two more outs V!
*southeasterly
If the cards fans are the best in baseball then why do i see one behind home plate with thundersticks?
...''vaunted Dodger bullpen''...
Charley trying to jinx us again
Bad day for Cardinal(s). Stanford being shut out 21-0, as well.
Louisville should take note.
Anyone else notice the KABC feed is in sync with TBS' picture?
Damn it, I don't HDN or Versus. I'm never gonna get to see the UFL.
This is Steiner's last half inning. Break out any counterjinxes you've got.
woah baby!
WOW!!!!!!!!!
We will at least see Ryan, Albert, and Matt again in the ninth. Let's try to make that moot.
Siddown, Albert!
Poor Albert!
Pujolooking!
Poo - Holes
Poo - Holes
Poo - Holes
and there goes your 2009 NL MVP...buhbye...
woot!!
Yes. If we play our "Cards" right, we only have to face Pujols one more time.
AWESOME! 1-2-3!!!!
going to handy market in burbank to pick up some tri tip. Anyone need anything?
Pads in the seventh?
I'm feeling it!
OK, Steiner said they're nine outs away from advancing.
WHAT DO WE DO???!!
ok, so me=wrong
@Orel - i noticed that too - maybe they added some dumptime for Steiner
What an A-Jol.
@dd
be sure to pick up some crow for the espn panel of "experts".
Take us home, oh mighty Vin.
i would still like some more runs.
take some pitches please
not that pitch
Vicente Padilla=Jose Lima
This ump is awful.
@PB
Most
Valuable
Padilla
?
Smoltz is owning the dodgers right now.
2008 Matt Kemp is playing this series.
Not cool, Bison, not cool.
Not cool, Bison, not cool.
Not cool, Bison, not cool.
Smoltz really wishes he had signed with the Dodgers.
Yes, triple post. beat that.
Nic...there is reason dude has won 15 postseason games...& we are seeing it...
Smoltz should have been pitching every game
Whoops! Nice work 'Dre.
Smoltz is throwing just about everything at their shoes and they're falling for it.
Uh, until now.
I bet ESPN will do nothing but talk about Smoltz, even if the Dodgers sweep.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers swept the St. Louis Cardinals, but the story tonight is the dominant performance from John Smoltz! Let's spend a half-hour talking about him since the Yankees and Red Sox are off."
Andre must have missed those 15 post season games.
attaboy Dre! ok Manny take a pitch, then knock him in
Our right-fielder is bigger than their right-fielder
nic...NOW we are seeing why Smoltz has been on three teams this season...
Manny being Manny again, finally.
Insurance!
Mama there goes that Manny!!
Manny being Manny. SOrry, had to say it.
5-0!
yes! 5-0 good guys!
Breathing room =)
haha, well said SFDF.
James keeps it going!
road loney!
Time to put them away. Crush it Casey.
cmon Casey! give us some more
is there anyone at the game under 65?
I hear a haphazard "Let's go, Cardinals" chant.
dre is always eating.
was Dre eating a 3 Musketeers?
ach Vin tricked me!
damn, holliday actually caught that one.
St. Louis has a great ballpark, but it is an awful city. One of my least favorite places in the country. My parents lived there for six years, and my brother and sister both graduated from high school there. So though I never lived there, I know some things. If you go, visit Busch Stadium, and then get the hell out of town.
Nic...yes...my 63 Y.O. uncle from Belleville is there...)
Dodgers up 5-0, and they gotta bring up Niedenfeuer?
cmon V, do you have one more?
I wonder how ESPN will pass this game off as the Cardinals blowing it and not the Dodgers winning?
yeah Mr C, i'm still bitter about that. Vin telling the Vince Coleman story now
padilla might be running out of gas
Rasmus has been a tough out. Nice job.
Pads is throwing strikes with good heat still...keep him in...
that looked better than it was
1 out
yeah, that ball Rasmus made me a little nervous.
So does Torre go with Sherrill and Broxton to shut the Cards down and seal the victory.
Rasmus hit*
dont let the crowd back in it
Damn. I'd be ok with pulling VP now.
rats
Let him roll...
Hooray! A runner in scoring position for the Cards!
Okay, V-Pad. They've got a man in scoring position. You know what that means: easy outs.
nice.
wow what a goof!
LOL
Hooray for stupidity!
bad baserunning wont get you back in it.
I think i heard a boo, too
yadi = extremely unclutch
I guess there's something to be said for consistency.
Officer Dangle to hit a homer with a guy only on first
Beachboy Wilson Hairdo?...Yadier...you're killing me!...
@Officer Dangle.
HAHAHAHA
Poor Molina's about to cry.
will that dropped foul tip cost us?
nope guess not.
wow 7 great innings for V!
Vicente Padilla... postseason hero?
I say let Padilla pitch the 8th until he gives up a baserunner.
Then Brox for the 9th.
Joscente Palima.
Just two more innings!
Christine would like me to point out that she predicted weeks ago that Padilla would do something special for the Dodgers. She says this is that special thing. Hard to disagree.
Seriously, who thought we would get seven strong from Padilla in a must-win game for the Cardinals?
(assuming he's done for the night)
i can't take credit for that - somebody else said it the other day, and Mr C made the better cop joke above
@fb,
C'mon, there's always room for jokes about a dude with a 'stache.
i had a gut feeling bills would come up big, but maybe thats for the next series.
@Nic
Same here. Or maybe the World Series (knock on wood)
I feel good about Bills, too, Nic. I wanted him to start today, and I was worried about Padilla. Shows what I know.
I am saving a Schneider-from-One-Day-at-a-Time joke for later
Vicente knows what it feels like to be HBP now.
@nic
I'll be glad if he gets some extra time to work out the kinks. He'll definitely be needed in the LCS (not to assume anything)
Don't forget about Kuroda. He might be available for the NLCS.
why were they hugging? I missed the first part of Vin's story
Thome Insurance?
Vin just said "Hideki Kuroda"
Nice hit, but right too the stache
it's getting a little breezy in here, a little flat breezy....
Motte's Gameday pic makes him look like a stoner.
Vin has started calling what the TBS cameras are showing.
(Standing O for Padilla)
MLASF, I heard that and said, "that sounds weird," but for a few seconds I could not for the life of me remember Kuroda's real first name. Weird, huh? I had to Google it.
@Erin - To be fair, a lot of the Japanese players' names start with H: Hideki, Hiroki, Hideo, etc.
Come on breh zeh.
I live in West Portal district of SF...I don't get the Vinster up here too often...miss the old guy...
The Brim Reaper's post-it says J. Larue, S. Schumaker, and R. Ludwick.
Anyone?
shot pop to Belli#2
1 down
If everything goes smoothly, V is a lock for TPOPEEDPWH. Maybe Dre or Manny, but definitely Padilla.
Josh S.
Great show, I'm with you. Do you think he knows Mandy Patinkin?
not good.
dang walks
dont let albert come up with runners on.
Allow me to paint a picture of peace. In the backyard with Mrs DeShields. Random yippy dog barking in background. My dog chilling by our side. Tri tip and corn, Baby asleep in stroller. Dodgers game on computer. And all is right with the world.
Brox to face Pujols this inning?
excellent!...
i think my heart stopped beating.
There is goes.
Whew! That was close. Come on Reaper, one more (BIG) out.
oh mercy that scared me
Broxton!!!!
Pujols to hit a meaningless homer?
how many times can Brox get Pujols?
Wonder if Pujols can tie the score with single swing?
@dd
I don't know. Can he keep rounding the bases until it lands?
No?
Not looking good, then.
That wasn't DI, that was STRATEGY.
one more Pujols/Holliday split, for old time's sake?
TBS announcers talking about the best 1-2 [to be eliminated] in the post-season.
My annotations in brackets.
Damn, ok, forget it. Just one more out.
damn, here is hollidays chance for payback
4-kajllion with RISP.
uhoh the seal has been broken
get the last one, JB
The runs that count are still in the dugout. Lets get this thing done without having a look at them.
A little nervous time.
little is an understatement
tres mas!
Thank you again, Matt Holliday!
Almost there......
Holliday - the Dodgers 10th man!
yes! three to go!
hmm, towels didnt seems to be a problem there either.
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