Game 142 Thread: Sept. 8 @ Reds, 5p

A photo from last week, when the Dodgers were winning. Obviously Hanley's fancy headgear was the cause.

Clayton Kershaw (14-8, 1.89) vs. Homer Bailey (10-10, 3.42).

Where are we with our knee-jerk thinking? The Dodgers have lost three straight for the first time since early June. They're beating up on bad teams but their only two series losses in the second half of the season have been to the Red Sox and Reds. We can't beat playoff-caliber teams? Of the rest of the Dodgers' regular-season opponents, only the Diamondbacks have a winning record — so we won't get to test that theory until the playoffs.

In the meanwhile, let's enjoy today's putative pitching duel between Kershaw, who's coming off two rough starts, and Bailey, who is riding a 14 1/3-inning scoreless streak. It's Clay vs. Homer. Ping Pong vs. Batman. Arise Africa vs. The Guy Who Broke Manny Ramirez's hand. Time for payback!

Post-Game 82 Thread: Dodgers Hop Out of the Basement

DODGERS 8, ROCKIES 0

The Rockies may have started Oswalt the Lucky Rabbit, but today the Dodgers were the only NL West team with any bounce in their step.

On the day that Homer Bailey no-hit the Giants and the D'backs and Padres lost, Clayton Kershaw used 108 pitches to throw a complete-game no-walk shutout, only the sixth such game in Coors Field history.

Puig was a triple shy of the cycle, AGon homered, Ethier and Uribe each went 2 for 4 and Ajellis went 2 for 3. The only dim spot on the day was Kemp going 0 for 5 with 3 Ks, although he did send one to the warning track in his last at-bat.

The Dodgers are finally out of last place and 2.5 games out of first. Booga booga indeed!

Post-Game 153 Thread: Kershaw Toughs One Out

DODGERS 5, REDS 3

Clayton Kershaw hadn't pitched in 12 days. For his safety, we didn't want him to pitch tonight. Apparently, he disagreed. His outing was so-so — 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 10 baserunners — but showed Dodger fans that as long as this team has a ghost of a chance, he's going to throw until his arm drops off. Figuratively, people.

Oh, and Adrian Gonzalez owns Homer Bailey, hitting two solo home runs off him tonight. In 16 career ABs against Bailey, Gonzalez now has five homers. So if A-Gon can face Bailey for every single AB left in this season, we're good!

photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Game 81 Thread: July 2 vs. Reds, 7p

Homer vs. Bills, get it?

Chad Billingsley (4.7, 4.18) vs. Homer Bailey (5-6, 4.42).

Clayton Kershaw was the stopper yesterday, and now it's up to Chad Billingsley to nourish the iota of momentum the Dodgers have mustered. In his way stands Homer Bailey, the Christian Bale lookalike widely known for hitting Manny Ramirez on the hand in 2009...which lead to the dramatic BobbleSlam. Ah, memories.

Anyway, where were we? Huh? Oh, sorry, we were talking about chocolate?

In other news:

Dodgers news - team selects contract of infielder Luis Cruz from triple A. Shawn Tolleson optioned and Ted Lilly transferred to 60 day.

— Patrick O'Neal (@PONealFSWest) July 2, 2012

Game 129 Thread: August 28 @ Natti, 4p

Chad Billingsley (12-7, 3.73) vs. Homer Bailey (3-4, 6.82).

COMMENTS: "Billingsley is 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA lifetime against the Reds and 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA at Great American Ball Park," writes Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com. "Scary moment: Manny Ramirez got plunked on the left hand by an errant Homer Bailey pitch in the the third inning," I wrote in July. Manny still seems to be suffering the after-effects of that HBP, so let's pay Bailey back the best way we can — by shelling him back to the Stone Age.

By the way, the day Manny got hit on the hand, the Dodgers were 26 games over .500. They enter today's game 24 games over. It may not be progress, but it's still respectable.

A Quiz for the Stupid

Hint One - Cy Young Candidate

Hint Two - New Local Favorite

Hint Three

Hint Four (below)