The Bear Necessities

Two games to report back on this lovely Thursday afternoon.  First, we'll start with Wednesday nights matchup of Chad Billingsley vs. Tom Gorzelanny.
Billingsley went 5.1 innings with 10 hits, 2 ER, and 6 K's in an 8-5 win.  By far the best part of this game however, would have to be the fourth inning where all the lights went out in Wrigley Field.  If you were like me and watching it on WGN, the broadcast wasn't the same afterwards.  Strange things were afoot.  James Loney was one RBI short of hitting for the cycle, going 3 for 5 to add to The Great Bearded ones HR, 2 RBI, 2 for 5 performance. 
Then there was today's early game which featured the golden boy making his hometown start, John Ely pitched against Ted Lilly.  Ely would go 7 scoreless innings until, to quote Steve Sax at Sons of Steve Garvey, "Xavier Paul (0-for-4 from the plate) finally told Ely that we weren't going to give him any runs this game. What's more, Paul added, I will fumble around like a blind man in right field to allow two triples in the eighth (one time of which saddled Paul with an error), so the Cubs will get the one measly run it will take to win." 

The Lovable Winners? WTF?

The Dodgers took on the lovable losers last night, in a matchup that featured Clayton Kershaw vs. Ryan Dempster.  Too bad the Dodgers seem to be going the wrong way on the scoreboard these days. It was a 3-0 loss in which Kershaw went 6 solid innings with one run and 4 K's.  The thing that killed the men in blue was errors, which is code for "People doing stupid things".  Two of the three errors came from the biggest error of all, the returning Rafael Furcal.  With the way he played last night, it could ruin my whole "Roy Oswalt to the Dodgers for Rafael Furcal" plan.  The offense also sucked eggs, by leaving a huge one on the score board.  Really guys? It's Ryan Demptster! They can beat Ubaldo Jiminez just fine, but RYAN DEMPSTER? That's just an impossible task really.  ANYWAY, that turned into more of a rant than I intended, so I apologize.  Tonight features Chad Billingsley vs. Tom Gorzelanny.

(Picture courtesy of theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com)

A Tiger? In Los Angeles?

Lots to catch up on on this (if your me, snowy.) Monday.  Interleague play started this weekend, with Chad Billingsley on Friday, John Ely on Saturday, and Hiroki Kuroda on Sunday.
Friday saw the Dodgers get the 4-1 win against Dontrelle Willis.  Billingsley went seven innings, four hits, one run, and 5 K's.  AJ Ellis, Man-Ram, and Nick Green all had RBI's and Reed Johnson went 3-3 and added a double.  At this point, the Dodgers have now inched their way into a tie for first place with San Diego. 
On Saturday, new favorite John Ely took the mound against Armando Galarraga and proceeded to get the 6-4 win.  Ely went 6 innings with 2 earned runs and only one walk. The great bearded one and Matt Kemp both went yard, and Man-Ram, Matt Kemp, the beard, Loney and Dewitt all had RBI's.
Sunday was the only loss of the series, with Hiroki Kuroda facing Rick Porcello in a 6-2 Tiger win.  Xavier Paul had two RBI's, while Dewitt and Carroll also scored.   Not a terrible loss, one that they can take.
Tomorrow the Dodger face the Cubs, with Clayton Kershaw facing Ryan Dempster.

(Picture courtesy of theleftfiledpavilion.blogspot.com)

Here it Goes Again!

I was musing to myself as I took in last nights Dodgers and Padre's game, in a few years if they continue on the current paths that they are on, the Dodgers are going to have to real aces on staff in John Ely and Clayton Kershaw.  Anyway, on to the game!
It featured Kershaw vs. Correia which proved to be an awesome pitching duel last time it occurred.  This time around Kershaw went 7.1 innings with 1 ER, 7 hits, and 7 K's.  Dewitt and Martin had doubles along with two Jamey Carroll singles to give the Dodgers the 4-1 win to move into second place. 
This weekend the Dodger host the Tigers and tonight the match up will feature Chad Billingsley vs. Dontrelle Willis on Empire Strikes Back night at Dodger Stadium.

A Time to Be Born, A Time to Die

Alas, to everything there is a season.  Even the Dodgers winning streak had to come to an end at some point, and that point was yesterday.  But before I get to that, I must first go back to Tuesday. 

The Dodgers finished off the Astros in a game that featured Hiroki Kuroda vs. Bud Norris.  Kuroda gave up three earned runs in 6 innings for a 7-3 victory.  Loney, Jamey Carroll, the beard, and Man-Ram each had RBIs and beard had his 150th career solo shot.  This win extended the streak to nine wins before the Padre's came along last night.
The game featured Ramon Ortiz vs. Jon Garland and it got ugly quick.  Ortiz gave up three runs in the first three innings, but the game was tied at 3-3 going into the fourth.  It was in the fourth inning that Ortiz gave up five runs and Jon Garland would only give up one.  Adrian Gonzalez had a home run and career high six RBIs in a 10-5 win for the Padres.  Tonight the Dodgers look to get a new streak started behind the arm of Clayton Kershaw.

Ely Manning?

John Ely might as well be a Manning after the way he's been playing.  Last night he took the mound again against the Houston Astros and again, he impressed by playing beyond his years.  He continued his streak of not walking a batter (a refreshing change of pace the way this season has gone) and he showed great control as is becoming usual with him.  Dewitt contributed a pair of triples to the 6-2 win and the great bearded one had an RBI double, along with Loney and Carroll who also contributed RBIs.    Ely finished the game with 7 innings pitched, 8 strikeouts, 5 hits, and 2 earned runs.
The Dodgers are now only two games out of first and could move into second place over the Giants should the giants lose their next two games against the PaDREs.
Tonight features Hiroki Kuroda vs. Bud Norris on Andre Ethier bobblehead night.

(Picture courtesy of theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com)

PaDRE's Don't Measure Up

Dodgers swept the PaDRE's under the rug this past weekend.  Sunday's game featured Chad Billingsley vs. Wade LeBlanc who had a no hitter going until Russell Martin denied him of his opportunity to go all Dallas Braden on us.  The Dodgers would end up winning the game 1-0, even though they only had two runs.  On Saturday night the Dodgers won 4-1, with Clayton Kershaw going a miraculous 7 innings and allowing only 1 run and three hits.  Friday saw Ramon Ortiz get bailed out by the bull-pen on his way to a 4-3 win against Jon Garland (the one time Dodger wonder)  They also accomplished all this without the assistance of En Fuego, who broke his pinky finger in batting practice.  Tonight John Ely faces Wandy Rodriguez of the Huston Astros. 

(Picture courtesy of http://theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com/)

Hey Now, Your an All-Star

Voting for the All-Star game has officially begun! Cast your votes for:

En Fuego

The Great Bearded One

Man-Ram

The Bison

Raffy

Loney

Dewitt

Martin

GO CAST YOUR VOTES!

(Pictures courtesy of theleftfieldpavillion.blogspot.com, si.com, and wikipedia)

Dodgers Shake and Roll, but the Diamondbacks Don't Rattle.

Dodgers swept the D-back to the minors on their home turf, thanks to some good pitching and En Fuego's home cooking.  Hiroki Kuroda pitched seven innings on Wednesday continuing his solid start to the season.  There was a Kuo siting, and Jo-Bro came in and finished them off within seconds.  Man-Ram and En Fuego contributed Dre's 11th home run of the season and a three run double for Manny.  Tonight the men in blue travel to petco park to face the division leading Padres, with Russ Ortiz the projected starting pitcher.

(Picture courtesy of http://theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com/)

"I'm the player to be named later."

The D-back to the minors hosted the Dodgers the past two days, with the Dodgers winning both.  The game on Monday featured Chad Billingsley vs. Rodrigo Lopez which was never a contest from the beginning.  The Dodger hitters were all over Lopez from the beginning with Andre "En Fuego" Ethier going 3-5 with two RBI's and James Loney going 2-4 with a HR and two RBI's as well.  Manny, the beard and Dewitt also chipped in RBI's.

In yesterdays game, Dan Haren faced John Ely, the player to be named later in the Juan Pierre trade.
Before I get to the game, for those of you who have no clue who this Ely kid is:
He went 14-2 for AA Birmingham last year, when he was a prospect with the White Sox.  In the major leagues he had a start against the Mets in a double header which he lost, but he then responded by pitching six shut out innings against the Brewers, breaking the mold for the typical Dodger pitcher by walking not one batter in said start.  Too bad Jo-Bro choked and blew the lead, resulting in a no decision.
To yesterdays game-

Haren started by striking out nine straight and Mark Grace about nearly had a heart attack he loved it so much.  (Mark Grace is about the worst baseball announcer ever.  If you've never had to sit through a game where he's announcing, consider yourself fortunate.) Ely matched Haren pitch for pitch however, flashing some real skills and all but guaranteeing himself a spot in the starting rotation, assuming he continues to pitch like he did.  He posted seven shut out innings until Joe Torre pretty much cemented at least three runs by the d-backs by bringing in George Sherill.  The Dodgers ended up winning the game 13-3.

(Andre Ethier picture courtesy of http://theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com/)

Kershaw Pulls his Head Out

And actually pitches well.  The men in blue beat the Colorado Rockies yesterday 2-0.  The game provided the matchup of Kershaw vs. Jiminez who, if you listen to the Rockies announcers as I must, is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  Jamey Carroll hit and RBI single, and Russell Martin continued to shock me by hitting his third home run of the season.  The D-Backs come to town tonight, and Bills is on the mound.
(Picture courtesy of http://theleftfieldpavilion.blogspot.com/ )