Post-Game 88 Thread: Dodger Hopes For A Series Split Cut Off At The Niese

METS 5, DODGERS 3

Oh, you naive Dodgers. After pushing Mets starter Jon Niese to a 22-pitch sixth inning, scoring two runs to narrow the score to a 4-3 deficit, you come out and let Niese stop all momentum with a easy seven-pitch seventh inning (Niese's last), thanks to Eugenio Velez (2 pitches), AJ Ellis (3 pitches), and PH Marcus Thames (2 pitches). At that point, Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda (6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB , 2Ks) was already removed from the game, so you might have actually scrambled for a win (since you clearly don't give Kuroda run support when he's in the game). But no, you let the Mets tack on another run in the ninth, and go meekly in the bottom of the ninth to end it.

The Dodgers' winning streak stretches to five in a row, their season high (third time). So we've got a chance at a new record tomorrow! Whoo hoo!

Post-Game 82 Thread: Starting The Second Half Limp

TWINS 1, DODGERS 0

Rubby De La Rosa went an admirable seven innings (take note, Ted Lilly!) and only gave up a single run (take note, Ted Lilly!), but that was more than enough for the Twins. Minnesota starter Scott Baker had 9 Ks on the day to hold the Dodgers in check; Andre Ethier was the worst offender, going 0-for-4 with 3 Ks. Even worse, however, is the fact that Juan Uribe (1-for-4), Marcus Thames (1-for-3), and Dioner Navarro (1-for-4) aggregated for 5 LOB and yet all three of them raised their batting averages. Criminy.

For a series that started with such a flourish, it's depressing (but not altogether surprising) to go down so meekly in the finale.

Game 80 Thread: June 27 @ Twins, 5p

"Do the Twins have a worse record than the Dodgers?"
"No...?"
"You're lying!"
"Yes."

Chad Billingsley (6-6, 4.48) vs. Nick Blackburn (6-5, 3.15).

Hunky Joe is correct: shockingly, the Twins are 32-44 while the Dodgers are 35-44. But this is interleague, where NL dreams go to die. To wit: who will be the Dodgers' DH today? Jay Gibbons? Nope, in the minors. Rod Barajas? Nope, on the DL. Marcus Thames? Possibly, but he's day-to-day. Here's an idea: Clayton Kershaw! Why not? His .297 BA is loads better than most of the Dodger hitters.

Post-Game 77 Thread: Angels Beat Themselves, Dodgers

ANGELS 8, DODGERS 3

This one was weird at the beginning, than just frustrating (as usual) after that. The Angels ran into six outs on the basepaths (according to Vin, Dioner Navarro is the first catcher with two pickoffs and two caught stealings since the pickoff stat started being kept), while two Dodgers were thrown out at the plate.

Matt Kemp got the evening started off right with a home run with Andre Ethier on base. But Rubby De La Rosa couldn't make it stand up, allowing three homers and two more RBIs to dig a hole the Dodgers couldn't climb out of. Oh, and Marcus Thames came out of the game with a calf strain. Good, usual times!

UPDATE: Forgot to mention Angels catcher Jeff Mathis firing the ball to first base...as Tony Gwynn stole second. How did we lose this game?

Post-Game 76 Thread: Late Dinner Includes No Dessert

TIGERS 7, DODGERS 5

Dioner Navarro was up with two out in the ninth and rancho ardiendo, but the .184 hitter couldn't get the job done, flying out to ninth-inning defensive replacement CF Austin Jackson to end the game. We could blame "Dinner" for his lack of late-inning, late-afternoon heroics; we could also blame PH Casey Blake for coming up just prior to Navarro and promptly striking out on four pitches.

But the real blame for this loss should lie with Dodgers starter Ted Lilly, who gave up five runs (four of which derived from three HR) to the Tigers in the first three innings, lasting only 4.2 IP with 6 ER despite 8 Ks, as his early problems put the Dodgers back on their heels from the get-go.

James Loney went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI to keep his average rising (now at .274); Matt Kemp was 3-for-3 and Andre Ethier 2-for-5, each with one RBI. (Marcus Thames had the other RBI.) But the Dodgers drop the last game of the series and are now 3-6 on the homestand with three home games against the Angels starting Friday. What are the team's chances of getting back to .500 for our longest homestand of the year? Pretty please, with a cherry on top?

Post-Game 70 Thread: Broken Eggshells

REDS 7, DODGERS 2

The yolk is indeed on us, most particularly all those fans who humped it out to the Stadium for a midday game and saw us turn back not only the clock (with our uniforms) but also our scoring (with our bats). Dee Gordon and Matt Kemp had multi-hit games, but the slumping Andre Ethier went 1-for-3 with 3 LOB, Marcus Thames went 0-for-3 with 4 LOB, and James Loney topped them all with an 0-for-4, 5 LOB performance. Yahtzee!

Meanwhile, Chad Billingsley couldn't even record his thirteenth out, lasting only four innings with 7 ER and 9 H. Scott Rolen crushed Bills' shell, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI, and former Giant Fred Lewis added 2 RBI on a 2-for-3 day. So we start our most comfortable homestand of the year being uncomfortably numb, swept by the Reds at home for the first time since 2004.

Take a nice day off from a good union job tomorrow, Dodgers. You've earned it.

Post-Game 61 Thread: Dammit

PHILLIES 3, DODGERS 1

Dammit. After showing flashes of brilliance over the past three series--having won them all--I opted to put my money where my (mouth?) heart was, and bet on the Dodgers to win tonight's game against Cliff Lee as a starting pitcher. Sure enough, I was left hanging out to dry, despite a great effort from Ted Lilly (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER). The Dodgers forgot to ship their offense out to Philadelphia, save for one pathetic run in the ninth after two leadoff singles led to only one converted run, when Rod Barajas and Marcus Thames (just back from the DL with a 0-for-4, 5 LOB night) did NOTHING to score another runner. I might has well have lit a flame to my $20 bill and watched it burn. Dammit.

Dodgers Roster Switcheroos

Dodgers roster moves as of this afternoon:

In:

• Marcus Thames
• Blake Hawksworth
• Juan Uribe
• Dee Gordon

Out:

• Jay Gibbons (DFA)
• Juan Castro (DFA)
• Ivan De Jesus (optioned to triple-A)
• John Ely (optioned to triple-A)

All moves are effective today and are ready for today's game.

Post-Game 10 Thread: Singles Party

The Jets and Sharks only rumble on the field.

DODGERS 6, GIANTS 1

The Dodgers had eleven hits tonight, and ten of them were singles. For efficiency's sake, we will list only those in the starting lineup who did not have a hit:

• Rafael Furcal
• Marcus Thames

The non-single? A solo home run by Rod Barajas.

It was a pleasure to watch Clayton Kershaw work tonight; his progression as a pitcher is evident in how he worked out of jams. Kershaw went 6 2/3 innings and threw 117 pitches, yet only issued two walks. The 2010 Kershaw's K/BB ratio was 2.62; so far, the 2011 Kershaw's is 6.00.

And where are those walks going? To Matt Kemp, of course. The 2010 Kemp had about three K's for every walk; the 2011 Kemp has four K's and seven BB's. And he's still perfect on the basepaths, dodging another pickoff bullet when Miguel Tejada dropped the ball on the tag at second.

Special props to Jamey Carroll, who, with Jeremy Affeldt, addressed the crowd before the game (above), then went 3-for-5.

The only bad news: Furcal injured his right thumb sliding into third base. This coming after hurting his wrist on a checked swing in Colorado. Get that man some duct tape!

UPDATE: @kengurnick reports that Furcal broke his thumb. DAMMIT

UPDATE: Raffy pulling a Manny? From @dylanohernandez:

Furcal has a broken finger. Said he's pondering retirement.

UPDATE: From @dylanohernandez:

Furcal sounded like he was speaking out of frustration.

photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Post-Game 4 Thread: Chuffed

"I got it, I got it! Okay, you got it!"

DODGERS 7, GIANTS 5

The Dodgers had two scoring bursts tonight, and Aubrey Huff's glove, or lack thereof, played a major role in both. Huff muffed a Jamey Carroll sinking line drive in the first, allowing Rafael Furcal to score and setting the stage for a huge home run by Matt Kemp.

It was all tied 3-3 in the seventh when Marcus Thames hit a drive to deep right, causing Huff to twist to and fro like laundry hanging in a windstorm. James Loney scored on the play and the Dodgers ended up scratching out four runs in the inning.

Hiroki Kuroda was admirably solid, allowing six hits and three runs (all earned) over seven. However, Dodger fans are all atwitter about Jonathan Broxton, who got the save — but not before allowing a homer to Aaron "Squatty" Rowand. Is Brox nibbling too much? Does he have Stairs in the membrane? The unsinkable @molly_knight offers this:

Jonathan Broxton allowed just 2 homeruns in 2008, 4 HR in '09 & 4 HR in '10. He's already given up 2 this season. #slidernotfoolinganyone

All I know is the Dodgers have three wins, and Broxton has three saves. Success builds confidence. Get confident, dummy!

Lost in all this Brox-brouhaha is the fact that the Dodgers just took three of four from the Giants! A great way to start the year, no matter how you slice it. Off-day tomorrow followed by a two-game visit to Colorado. Heat up the humidor!

photo by Gus Ruelas/AP

Manny Ramirez Part Of Tampa Two-Step

And former Red Sock Johnny Damon is the other addition to the Rays, along with ManRam:

The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to one-year deals with free agents Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Damon agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million plus incentives and Ramirez one year at $2 million, according to SI.com. Both deals are pending physicals. Damon will likely play left field and Ramirez designated hitter.

So Manny cost the Rays twice the cost of Marcus Thames? Strangely, I don't think Tampa's going to get twice the output.

UPDATE 10:52p: Cot's Baseball Contracts says the Dodgers will pay Manny $3.33M in 2011. So Manny will get 62% of his income next year from us.