Monday, May 30, 2022

Games 48-50 Thread: May 30 - June 1 vs. Pirates

Mon 5.30 7p: Buehler vs. Thompson
Tue 5.31 7p: Urias vs. TBD
Wed 6.1 5p: White vs. Quintana

Oh sure, a four-game sweep of the Diamondbacks (punctuated by a 3-1 victory on Sunday), leading to an 8-2 record on the longest road trip of the season, should be cause for celebration. Except that four of those wins came at the hands of the Diamondbacks (against whom we are 9-2 this season), and we failed to put away sweeps against both the sub-.500 Phillies and the sub-.500 Nationals on this same road trip. We probably should have gone 10-0, frankly. So it's hard to get super-excited when the competition is so poor.

Meanwhile, this series opens up with the Pirates (who won the series in Pittsburgh), before we get four against the Mets, the first real team we've seen in a while. The secret to earning a winning homestand probably rests upon a strong outing against the Pirates this series.

Oh, and to add insult to injury: I had tickets to Monday's game, to see Walker Buehler. And I can't go (my father is going to use the tickets, which is good). So yeah, I'm salty. Whoopee.

130 comments:

karen said...

GAME 1

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
T Turner SS
Smith C
Rios DH
J Turner 3B
Bellinger CF
Pillar LF
Lux 2B

Buehler RHP

Steve Sax said...

Welcome back karen!

karen said...

Thanks Saxy!!! Sorry you had to miss the game tonight!! But you're right...anytime you can do something nice for your dad it's always a good thing!

karen said...

Jose Mota is manning the desk at Club Ravine with Kirsten. I got to see Manny Mota play his last season as a Dodger and after that if memory serves Manny was a hitting coach for a few or more seasons. I have nothing against Jose or even Daron Sutton (although I was not crazy about his dad) I just don't like the revolving talking heads. I'm a Vin girl....one and done though I have gotten very fond of Joe and Orel.

karen said...

There have been a few lineup changes since I posted....No Belli, Pillar in center, Lux moving to LF and Hanser Alberto is playing second.

karen said...

A WWII Veteran throws out the first pitch to JT.

No Orel. EK is in the booth with Joe.

karen said...

I'm not sure if anyone posted this in the last few games but here goes. Mookie and Freddie have developed a Bromance. According to Mookie even their families have gotten tight.

I just love this kind of crap.

Steve Sax said...

New lineup:

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
Trea Turner SS
Smith C
Rios DH
Justin Turner 3B
Lux LF
Pillar CF
Alberto 2B

Buehler P

Steve Sax said...

No Belli OR CT3? Something must be up.

Steve Sax said...

We're gonna need some RUNS from the top of the order, given the bottom of our order

Steve Sax said...

Zach is really pitching Smith away.

Steve Sax said...

And, Zach Thompson actually puts Smith away.

0-0 through 1.

karen said...

Is it time to start worrying about Walker?? I know he's a 6 game winner so far but he is making me nervous.

Steve Sax said...

Wait, it's 4-0 and Walker has given up two bombs?!

Steve Sax said...

@karen: yep, i'm worried as well

Steve Sax said...

HANSER IS THE ANSWER!

Alberto gets us on the board, finally

Steve Sax said...

Two-out solo HR to left center for mini-Uribe.

4-1 PIT, B5

Steve Sax said...

MOOOOOOOOKIIIIIIIEEEEEE

Back to back HR for the Dodgers. 4-2

karen said...

Mookie and Hanser go back to back. 4-2 Bucs B5.

Steve Sax said...

SD lost to the Cards. Giants beat Philly.

Steve Sax said...

Freeman gets jobbed. Called strike 3.

4-2 PIT through 5 full.

Steve Sax said...

Feels a lot different down 4-2 than down 4-0.

Let's go, Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

What a comedy of errors. Lux can't make the catch, and then makes a great throw but JT can't hold the throw. One-out triple for Castro.

Steve Sax said...

And they get Castro trying to steal home on a safety squeeze! JT redeems himself by making the tag.

Steve Sax said...

Buehler gets his 7th K for the third out.

4-2 PIT, mid-6.

Steve Sax said...

RIOS!

4-3 PIT and the Dodgers keep clawing back...

Steve Sax said...

Top 7, and Buehler's night is done. 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB and 7 Ks. But he can't win.

Not a quality start for Walker. But this game is not out of reach.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, Yency! Two-out walk but he gets Bryan Reynolds to ground to third for the third out.

4-3 PIT at the stretch.

Steve Sax said...

Bellinger was scratched with left leg issues, apparently.

Steve Sax said...

Taylor still swinging with reckless abandon, he flies to left.

I recall a time when CT3 was more discriminating with his ABs. Wonder what happened?

Steve Sax said...

Is this the tie for Pillar to get his first Dodger hit?

Nope.

Steve Sax said...

Alberto with a deflection single with two out. Mookie walks. Here's Freddie.

Steve Sax said...

Oh man. Freeman grounds to the pitcher. Crap.

Steve Sax said...

And next inning's batters have not been good tonight:

Trea Turner 0-for-3
Slappy 0-for-3
Rios 1-for-3 with a HR but 2 Ks

Steve Sax said...

Okay, 4-3 PIT on to B8

Steve Sax said...

David Bednar in to pitch for the Pie-rats

Steve Sax said...

Trea's got a 3-0 count here.

Steve Sax said...

Trea with a leadoff double to left!

karen said...

Hitting streak extended and by the grace of God Trea is safe at second representing the tying run!!!

Steve Sax said...

Slappy is hacking up there, three straight fouls in this AB

Steve Sax said...

Sac fly for Smith. Trea moves to third.

Steve Sax said...

Just make contact, Rios!

Steve Sax said...

Pittsburgh infield drawn in

Steve Sax said...

They're pitching Rios like they used to pitch Matt Kemp, down and away.

Steve Sax said...

He's not going to see anything upstairs.

Steve Sax said...

Rios Ks.

Steve Sax said...

So now it's up to JT? Hmm.

Steve Sax said...

The Dodgers lead MLB with a .294 average with RISP. But we're 0-for-5 tonight.

Steve Sax said...

JT quickly down 0-2

Steve Sax said...

JT!

Steve Sax said...

Holy cow that was unexpected!

Steve Sax said...

JT ties it with a double to left! Trea Turner scores!

4-4 tie, B8

Steve Sax said...

So now we're 1-for-6 with RISP

Steve Sax said...

CT3!!!!

karen said...

I think I may have stopped breathing when Rios Kd but as expected JT took care of it and brought Trea in to tie this mama up and now CT3 brings JT in to put the Good Guys in front 5-4 B8.

Steve Sax said...

Is this the time for Pillar to get his first Dodger hit?

Steve Sax said...

Nope.

Steve Sax said...

Gameday has that third strike waaaaaaaay outside the zone. Someone's gotta calm Pillar down.

Steve Sax said...

5-4 LA through 8

karen said...

This freaking team is going to kill me.

Steve Sax said...

Kimbrel just choked the lead away. One-out walk, and then wild pitch advancing the runner, then a single by Michael Perez. Perez now stands on second in a tie game.

Steve Sax said...

It might be my imagination, but I seem to think that Will Smith doesn't tag runners out at the plate very often, relative to Austin Barnes.

Steve Sax said...

What the fuck is happening here? Freeman error scores another runner?!

Steve Sax said...

PIT 6, LA 5, mid-9

karen said...

MOOKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

karen said...

Redemption time for Freddie.....

Steve Sax said...

Mookie with a one-out ground-rule double to right-center.

Can Freeman redeem his error in the top of the inning?

Steve Sax said...

@karen: thanks for hanging with me here!

Steve Sax said...

Bednar is at 37 pitches here

Steve Sax said...

Freeman walks. Looks like they pitched around him at the end, which kinda makes sense...except Trea Turner is next.

Steve Sax said...

Oh no, Turner flies to right. Not good.

Steve Sax said...

It's all up to Slappy, who is 0-for-4 tonight.

Steve Sax said...

Slappy Ks. There you have it.

karen said...

How can we lose to the Bucs???

Night Sax.

Steve Sax said...

Slappy is batting .236 (.736 OPS) and once again, I am not impressed.

Steve Sax said...

G'night, karen.

Steve Sax said...

I’m still so bitter about Kimbrel coughing up a hair ball last night.

karen said...

I'm with you Sax. I know part of the Craig Kimbrell Experience is some times a crash and burn scenario but last night was just disgusting. Remember Game 4 of our 2020 World Series? To this day I can't watch that blood bath. I'm hoping that our team, being the pros that they are, quickly turned the page on what can only be called last nights embarrassing loss.







Steve Sax said...

GAME 2

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
Trea Turner SS
Smith C
Rios DH
Justin Turner 3B
Taylor CF
Lux 2B
Pillar LF

Urias P

Steve Sax said...

why why why pillar

karen said...

3 games in a row with no Cody. Something is going on.

Today is Doc's 50th birthday. He just said Cody was at about 90%, he hurt his leg while swinging a few games ago, and he should be in tomorrow's lineup.

I'm crossing my fingers.

karen said...

What the fucking fuck shit is going on here????

Steve Sax said...

The Dodgers must be playing a new game: "Spot the other team four runs, and then try and start playing."

karen said...

Sorry for the bad language here, it's just that I've run out of other ways to express myself.

Steve Sax said...

@karen: The Pirates are trolling us at this stage.

The Pirates.

Steve Sax said...

Urias buckles down and gets his sixth K to escape a bases-loaded jam.

Charley says Urias is showing his emotions more out there. Well if it works, DO IT Julio!

Steve Sax said...

That was in the top of the third, and Urias needed two Ks to get out of that bases-loaded jam.

Here's Mookie to lead off the bottom of the third.

Steve Sax said...

Trea Turner with a two-run HR!

It's 4-2 PIT.

karen said...

Trea cuts the lead in half!! 4-2 Bucs B3

Steve Sax said...

Justin Turner, potent last night, grounds to third on the first pitch to end the threat.

4-2 PIT through 3.

Steve Sax said...

Leadoff walk to Freddie, and we can't do shit.

Turner fly out (almost went yard, so he gets a pass)

Slappy called K

Rios called K

WAKE THE FUCK UP DODGERS

karen said...

Hey Saxy....Since you are the only one these days who takes in a game at the Ravine and once in awhile runs into one of our beloved Dodgers (Gavin Lux) could you please, if ever you have the chance, slap the shit out of young Slappy?? He needs to understand that hitting in the 4 hole doesn't mean striking out or grounding out.

Just a thought.

Steve Sax said...

DAMMIT!

The Dodgers have first and third with none out.

Lux called K

Pillar swinging K, though JT scores from third on a wild pitch (?)

Mookie ropes one, but it goes foul. And then pops to first.

4-3 PIT through 6. Dodgers 0-for-6 with RISP, after going 2-for-9 yesterday.

DAMMIT

Steve Sax said...

@karen: I totally agree. Smith shouldn't be batting cleanup, for sure. But unfortunately this reflects the fact that Max is mending (or just awful); JT isn't clutch enough; CT3 is swinging too wildly; and Rios isn't tested. Oh, and Bellinger sucks. So I don't know who else can hit fourth...

Steve Sax said...

@karen: and what will it take to get you to the Stadium :)

karen said...

@Saxy.... The honest answer is I hate to drive in LA. My daughter has FINALLY become a Dodgers fan and is constantly bugging me to take her to a game. She often reminds me that the last game I took her to was way back in 2009. I keep promising her that we will go to a game but it has to be a Sunday (game time) so I can get us both safely home.

Steve Sax said...

On to the stretch. Dodgers benefitted by a successful challenge on a close play at first, with Graterol covering the bag, for the second out.

4-3 PIT

Steve Sax said...

@karen 9.32p: tomorrow is a 5p game! but yeah, sunday is a 1p game (vs the mets!). you should go!

(I can't go to either game :( )

karen said...

@Sax....I know that makes me sound like a big old mo but the first thing with me is always keeping Jennifer safe. I guess it's a mom thing!

Steve Sax said...

Freeman singles...and is thrown out at second.

WHY WHY WHY

Steve Sax said...

Rick Monday is calling Freeman on it. What the hell, Freddie

Steve Sax said...

Why is our cleanup hitter batting .231 with a .725 OPS

Steve Sax said...

JT Ks.

CT3 Ks (61 Ks in 159 ABs--fifth highest in baseball.)

Two out, B8

Steve Sax said...

Well, thanks David Price.

5-3 PIT.

Steve Sax said...

This is basically last night's game

karen said...



























What can we do here to help our team???? I'm thinking virgin sacrifices with maybe a little voodoo mixed in for good taste.














What can we do here to help our team??? I'm thinking some virgin sacrifices to start and then maybe some VooDoo dolls









What can we do here to help our team????

karen said...

Okay, looking past all of the stupid my sonnet may have been here, let's figure out how to destroy these losers who are out there.

Steve Sax said...

Pillar is now 0-for-10 or 0-for-11 as a Dodger.

And Cody isn't available.

And Mookie flies to right for the second out in the bottom of the ninth.

Steve Sax said...

I am so fucking frustrated.

I'm getting drunk.

karen said...

Well crap. The game is over and we lose. Who could have ever thought that the team who has been measured against to the freaking '27 Yankees could ever in a thousand years be beat by a team as weak as the Pittsburg Pirates???

Steve Sax said...

We've lost BOTH series to Pittsburgh!

Get ott, yinz guys

karen said...

I'm with you Sax...I'm going to drink until there is nothing in my brain left to feel this freaking loss. When our team loses to a team who is so FREAKING less then our great Dodgers it must be a witches spell. So all of those spell mongers, never forget we will find you and fucking destroy you.

But for now, I'm going to go to bed and cry.

karen said...

GAME 3

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
T Turner SS
J Turner DH
Taylor CF
Alberto 3B
Barnes C
Pillar LF
Lux 2B

White RHP

karen said...

STILL NO BELLI!

karen said...

1 out in the first and Bucs are up 1-0.

Steve Sax said...

I join, and Pillar gets his first hit.

It's magic

karen said...

Pillar gets his first hit as a Dodger....a double off the wall. Then Mookie hits the ball to short and Kevin is promptly thrown out at third.

Steve Sax said...

Oh my god, what a circus.

Leadoff double by Pillar.

Lux Ks.

Mookie FCs and forces Pillar.

Freeman grounds to second.

No runs.

karen said...

CT3 brings in T Turner to tie the game at 1 B4 no outs.

karen said...

Bryan Reynolds hits a 2 run homerun. 3-1 Bucs. T5

Steve Sax said...

bases loaded, none out.

Freeman....RBI FC. So now it's 3-2 PIT

Steve Sax said...

And then Trea Turner and Justin Turner shit the bed.

3-2 through 5

karen said...

3-2 Bucs through 6.

Steve Sax said...

We are fucking horrible. Our base running gaffes this series are little league-level catastrophes.

karen said...

Another chance blown.

karen said...

5-2 PIT T8.

Steve Sax said...

Why did lux hesitate on that tag play

What an idiot

karen said...

They're getting the brooms out in Pittsburgh.

Steve Sax said...

Rios with a first pitch comebacker to the pitcher, setting up the double play

Get all your shitty hitting and base running out now, Dodgers. Mets coming into town for four.

Steve Sax said...

I can't believe this series.