Sunday, June 01, 2014

Game 58 Thread: June 1 vs. Pirates, 5p

Zack Greinke (8-1, 2.18) vs. Edinson Volquez (2-4, 4.30).

Some may be talking about the first start of Zack Greinke since losing his streak of 22 consecutive starts with two or fewer earned runs (the longest since 1914). I, however, would like to focus on the much-anticipated return of Edinson Volquez to Dodger Stadium.

Volquez, who joined the Dodgers late in 2013 from the Padres, made the most of his opportunity with six appearances and a 0-2 record. When Ned Colletti had the masterstroke of picking up Volquez in late August, Volquez had a 6.01 ERA (57 ERA+). Through hard work and a series of short starting outings (one lasting only four innings), Volquez was able to transform himself into the 4.18 ERA (87 ERA+) monster we thought we'd see. Volquez did not make the roster for the NLDS (which we won), but he did make the roster for the NLCS (which we lost). He did not make a postseason appearance for the Dodgers.

Our guy? Well, Zack leads the NL with eight wins, tied with Adam Wainwright, and buehrle behind Mark Buehrle of the Jays with nine wins. I don't think the Dodgers are scoring 12 like they did yesterday, but note this: When the Dodgers first scored double-digit runs in 2013, it came near the beginning of their crazy 42-8 streak that propelled us back into first place. Yesterday's game was our first double-digit run-scoring output of the year. Might this augur the same?

You've tried to block this out of your memory. Too late!

137 comments:

Hideo Nomo said...

Gordon 2B
Ethier CF
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Kemp LF
Turner 3B
Butera C
Greinke P

Steve Sax said...

All in for the fourth game. Let's go, Blue!

Orel said...

Kings already down 1-0, Dodgers are like, Oh Yeah? We can double that deficit.

Steve Sax said...

SF won, 8-0

Kings already down 1-0 in the first

Fred's Brim said...

Fuck, Zach seems to be getting squeezed. Those are your runs, ump!

Fred's Brim said...

well that didn't work

karen said...

Very messy 1st for Zack. Pirates score 2. Zack at 27 pitches. Yikes.

Orel said...

Jesus, Kings. Already down 2-0. This is death.

karen said...

Puig ripped that.

Steve Sax said...

we are already down 2-0 in the first! (Dodgers that is)

Orel said...

Almost thought Hanley got hit again.

Orel said...

WE HAVE A GOOD GOAL

karen said...

Zack looking more like Zack.

Steve Sax said...

quicker second inning for Zack! 2-0 Pie Rats through 1.5.

Steve Sax said...

3-2 Chicago Blackhawks, in the first period!

Orel said...

Terrible. Kings tie it up only go allow a third goal seconds later.

Orel said...

C'mon, Matty. Give us some good news.

Orel said...

That'll do! Ground-rule double1

Orel said...

Wow, conflicting edits!

Steve Sax said...

one-out ground-rule double for Kempy in the second

Orel said...

Quick has given up 3 goals on 7 shots? Ugh.

Orel said...

TurnBI!

Orel said...

The final score of this Kings game better not be 3-2.

Steve Sax said...

Turner with an RBI single! 2-1 Pittsburgh, one out in the second.

Steve Sax said...

Droppy Ks. Two out.

3-2 Blackhawks through 1.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Holy balls, there are, like, 28 people trying to call a single game for ESPN now. Completely unbearable.

karina said...

épale everyone!

my headache just can't deal with all these guys talking at once

Steve Sax said...

Well, at least we won't be shut out.

Seriously, this game is very winnable, against Volquez. Here we go!

Steve Sax said...

We've got at least two Sons trying to call the NHL game over on this blog alone.

And I'm not even watching it!

Orel said...

Epale, lovebirds!

Orel said...

Ugh, McCutchen being awesome

karen said...

Well shit. If nobody else is pitching to McCutchen, why is Zack??

Franklin Stubbs said...

Well, we do have TWC so maybe I'll keep my bitching to a minimum. Alls I'm sayin' is that when you have to have captions to know who is talking, it's not a good sign.

karen said...

Isn't it funny how Karina and Stubbs always show up at the same time? If I didn't know better...

Steve Sax said...

Geez, another run in for Pittsburgh. Come on, Zack!

Franklin Stubbs said...

@Karen

Yeah, I literally yelled across the house, "How many people does it take to call a damned ballgame?! I need to bitch about this to someone on the internet."

Steve Sax said...

Yet another solid hit for Puig. That guy is pretty impressive.

Orel said...

Rubby De La Rosa had great game today...for the Red Sox.

karen said...

I know we're all spoiled by having Vinny but all these guys yapping is driving me batty.

Steve Sax said...

Puig had a good jump anyway, but Hanley with the walk.

Let's go, A-Gon! HR here!

Orel said...

Shit. Chicago on the power play.

Steve Sax said...

Looks beautiful there at the Stadium (sigh!)

Steve Sax said...

How is that pitch a strike, ump? 0-1 count to A-Gon

Steve Sax said...

1-1 count

Steve Sax said...

Beat the shift, A-Gon

Steve Sax said...

A-Gon looks late. Fouls it off, 1-2 count

Steve Sax said...

up and in. 2-2

Orel said...

AGon fooled

Steve Sax said...

ESPN has employees seated in every section of the Stadium

Steve Sax said...

Mattingly sure knows how to make a lineup full of rally-killers

karen said...

It is really cool to have everyone on board tonight. It gets lonely here sometimes. #fucktwc

Dusty Baker said...

Kings equalize! 3-3

Franklin Stubbs said...

Kings score!

Dusty Baker said...

I feel a dammit coming on, Stubbsy!

Orel said...

Kings equalise! Maybe our favourite hockey team can wash that nasty losing flavour from our mouths.

Orel said...

Shit. Kings about to enter the power play down two men.

Orel said...

Jill Painter Lopez ‏@jillpainter 15s

No stupid penalties right? Doughty penalty for crosschecking Now the Kings must kill 5-on-3 for 46 seconds. #nobueno

karina said...

Charlie Weasley power!

karen said...

Oh yeah. That's the Volquez I remember.

Steve Sax said...

Turner is on fire here. HR makes it 3-2. Too bad Kemp couldn't get on this time

BJ Killeen said...

Play ball!

Steve Sax said...

One of ESPN's many field reporters goes in for the Mattingly interview. Mattingly is unsurprisingly chill in talking about the Dodgers.

Light some fire, Donnie!

Steve Sax said...

Volquez with a quick K

Dusty Baker said...

Orel and Stubbs owe me a dammit.

Franklin Stubbs said...

DAMMIT!…?

Orel said...

Quick lost his stick. Kings down 4-3.

Steve Sax said...

well scooped up there, Gordon.

3-2 PIT through 4.5

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers and Kings both down by 1

Orel said...

That under-shirt chest protector makes the home plate ump look like Robocop.

BJ Killeen said...

dang

Steve Sax said...

Come on, Puig

Steve Sax said...

damn broken bat..

Orel said...

I thought that was a HR off Puig's bat. Instead it was caught in shallow center. Great eye.

Orel said...

McCutchen just bein' awesome

karen said...

McCutchen really has Zack's number tonight.

Orel said...

Zack hits Russell. So conflicted

karen said...

Karina's son nailed. That sounded like it hurt.

karina said...

did anyone noticed that Greinke and my son had a little exchange earlier?

karen said...

I can't believe Volquez is beating Greinke.

karina said...

I think in a few years, McCutchen will be a better Dodger killer worse/better than Helton

*cries*

Orel said...

I noticed Kemp's double clutch too, Sax. Bad D

Orel said...

You think he hit him on purpose, Karina?

Orel said...

Kings have 10 minutes left.

Dusty Baker said...

Kings trail by a goal w 10 mins left in 3rd period. Now or never lads.

karina said...

@Orel might be, could have been a coincidence

Dusty Baker said...

Orel and Dusty DAMMITS negated.

karen said...

KINGS TIE IT!!

Orel said...

Neutralised, you might say

Dusty Baker said...

Fuck yeah, you Kings. Now finish these off.

BJ Killeen said...

Someone tell me why Chris Perez is not on a bus to NM?

Dusty Baker said...

I for one have my head up my own arse.

karina said...

guys, did you feel the earthquake?

Orel said...

EARFQUAKE

Orel said...

Three minutes left

Orel said...

Lotsa icing

Orel said...

Hey, they can't play GNR in Chicago!

karen said...

Sistah...We had an earthquake?

Orel said...

Two minutes left

Orel said...

1:06 left

Orel said...

I am not a sistah but I will confirm the earthquake

Orel said...

FUCK TENSE

Orel said...

Quick with the huge save with 5.3 seconds left!

karen said...

Man. Quick earning his paycheck.

karen said...

Nice throw by Drew to nail Ike Davis.

Orel said...

Here we go in OT!

Orel said...

This is tense.

Orel said...

At 17:29

Orel said...

16:43

Orel said...

Just gonna throw numbers at you guys

Orel said...

16:20

karen said...

This is too stressful. Now at 16:20.

Orel said...

15:53

Orel said...

Like the clock means anything! It's just the only thing I can thing to say.

Orel said...

Now they're playing Van Halen, another L.A. band

Orel said...

Good to see Quick staying sharp

Orel said...

15:39

Orel said...

15:05

karen said...

KINGS!!!

karina said...

GO KINGS GO!

karen said...

Oh my God Oh my God!

Franklin Stubbs said...

KINGS BISHES!!!!

Orel said...

Holy shit. Three Game 7 wins.

Orel said...

Heartbreaker of a goal for the Blackhawks

karen said...

Lets bring some Kings juju over to DS.

Hideo Nomo said...

If the Kings win the Finals in another Game 7, does QuadSevens get a piece of the Cup?

Dusty Baker said...

Rule is we don't discuss earthquakes if they are less than 4.0.

Steve Sax said...

Well, at least the kings won.

karina said...

@Dusty hey! some of us haven't been used to those :(

karen said...

Sistah...You are now an official Californian!

Steve Sax said...

Dropping three of four to the Pirates is unacceptable.

Start firing some people, Stan!

karen said...

Take us to the promised land Scotty!!

Dusty Baker said...

@Karina

You my dear are exempt from any of the rules. You operate at will.

karina said...

Stubbs had renounced this game, let's go DODGERS!

karen said...

No Kings juice for the Blue tonight.

karina said...

oh well…

@karen still not there

@dusty thanks! i like the way you talk

karina said...

at least we have the Kings tonight, Dodgers fan

Steve Sax said...

PGT up!