Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Post-Game 19 Thread: Script Flipped: Kershaw Struggles, Offense Powers

DODGERS 7, METS 2

On a chilly unexpected evening in New York, the Dodgers picked up a struggling Clayton Kershaw with seven runs, four RBI off of a pair of Mark Ellis HR, to take the first game of the series.

Kershaw lasted only five innings due to a high pitch count (111 pitches over 5.0 IP). He cruised through the first eight batters but hit a speed bump when pitcher Robert Carson (subbing for Mets starter Jon Niese, who lasted only 2.1 IP after getting hit by a Mark Ellis comebacker), walked. Three walks and two singles later, Kershaw was able to get the third out but now with the Dodgers down 2-1. Kershaw again had trouble in the fifth with two out again, and though no runs scored, his night was over.

But Mark Ellis! HR 100 and 101 of his career seemed to knock the Dodgers out of their lackluster energy funk; his first HR tied the game at 2 in the fifth, and then his three-run HR to left-center broke open the game, 5-2. Add a two-run double off the bat of his relative, AJ Ellis, and the Dodgers were cruising to victory.

Credit also goes to Ronald Belisario, Paco Rodriguez, Matt Guerrier, and Josh Wall for four single-inning stints that allowed one hit and no runs, total. I don't know who these seven-run-scoring Dodgers are, but with our starting pitchers going down like bowling pins, it's nice to see the bats finally starting to wake up.

Dodgers tickets

15 comments:

Steve Sax said...

SF down to AZ 4-0 in the third. They came back to win yesterday though, so we'll see

Colorado already lost the morning game to ATL 4-3, and are down 6-1 in the second game, in the bottom of the eighth.

Padres, if anyone gives a damn, down 6-2 to the Brewers in the second.

Steve Sax said...

Giants score two in the bottom of the eighth. One out, B8, 4-2 AZ

Colorado lost both games.

Steve Sax said...

2 out

Steve Sax said...

Giants have men at the corners with two out. Posey coming up.

Steve Sax said...

Posey jammed, AZ gets out of the inning. On to the ninth.

Steve Sax said...

Mike Trout, nice catch against Adrian Beltre to send this to the bottom of the ninth, tied at 4

Steve Sax said...

Bottom nine, leadoff double for Pence.

Steve Sax said...

Giants tie it up. I can't keep track of this shit, it's too annoying.

Orel said...

Snakes take a two-run lead in the 11th.

Steve Sax said...

AZ wins. Whew.

Orel said...

Giants lose!

MR.F said...

Yayyy. Giants lose and had to waste 2 extra innings of pitching.

Steve Sax said...

...but AZ also used two extra innings of pitching, and the same teams meet tomorrow. Wouldn't that argument only hold up if the giants had a different opponent the next day?

Maybe I'm over thinking this.

Steve Sax said...

Just saw some of the highlights of the AZ-SF game:

-bottom 10, tied at 4, two out: Sandoval tries to score from second on a single to right. Former Giant Cody Ross throws Sandoval out by like 10 miles. It's funny.

-top 11, tied at 4, one out: ball gets past posey and gregorious scores from third. I think they ruled it a wild pitch, but it was still stoppable by Pubes (albeit difficult).

Giants are scrappy. I will give them that.

Steve Sax said...

Brewers are 11-8 but have won 9 in a row. And they come to town this weekend...