Final Score: St. Louis Cardinals, 7 @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 0

After a couple of quality starts, Chris Capuano showed his shakier side in tonight’s game. He pitched into the sixth inning, but was then removed, giving up six runs on six hits (including two home runs) and three walks on the night.

In a scary moment in the top of the 2nd, Jon Jay (who was on base only because of a throwing error by Adrian Gonzalez to Capuano at first) collided with A.J. Ellis at home plate, knocking A.J. flat on his back. He was down for several minutes before getting back up, but he remained in the game.

On the mound for the Cardinals, Lance Lynn was dealing, and the Dodgers were unable to do much damage off of him. Besides Juan Uribe, who reached base both times he faced Lynn, naturally. (He’d later return to form by grounding into a double play following a Skip Schumaker infield single.)

Lynn was lifted after six innings, with the Cardinal lead big enough to comfortably hand it over to the bullpen. Even then, the Dodgers could not seem to come alive, with former Dodger Randy Choate among Cardinals relievers who continued to shut L.A. down.

—

The Dodgers and Cards will go at it again tomorrow, with Ted Lilly facing off against John Gast. Game time is 4:15 PM on Fox.

mightyflynn:

Field of Dreams site

July 25, 2005

Decorah, Iowa

Photo by TS Flynn

This is an excellent piece by Chad Moriyama on what’s been going wrong with Matt Kemp in terms of offensive production this year (i.e. why there’s been such a sharp decline in extra base hits/power in general), including pictures and GIFs to illustrate his arguments in a very clear manner. He’s realistic about the state of Kemp’s swing and how long it could take to get better, but optimistic that he will return to form eventually. Definitely worth a read if you’re concerned about Kemp’s plate approach.

Final Score: Los Angeles Dodgers, 9 @ Milwaukee Brewers, 2

I’m gonna be honest with all of you: I slept through most of this game. I didn’t intend to—I set an alarm, but apparently, it didn’t work. When I woke up, I grabbed my phone and saw the Dodgers were up 7-1. 7-1! Seven runs!

It appears that Hyun-Jin Ryu was excellent, pitching into the 8th inning with the first run allowed coming on a home run to Ryan Braun, and there’s not a whole lot of shame in that (another earned run did come in during a shaky Ronald Belisario relief appearance). He gave up a total of 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.

Now how did the Dodgers offense come alive? For the most part, it came on base hits and walks. In the 5-run top of the 2nd, the Dodgers batted around, notching five singles (and a fielding error) and two walks against starting pitcher Wily Peralta. He was then lifted.

Another unexpected boost? Ramon Hernandez, a player toward whom I know I’ve been less than enthusiastic. He went 2-for-2 with a single, a home run (!) and two walks.

The Dodgers tacked on two more runs in the ninth, on a walk to and stolen base by Matt Kemp, a double by Scott Van Slyke (his second of the day), a single by Nick Punto and…a GIDP by Juan Uribe, naturally.

—

Tomorrow is an off day as the Dodgers head home to face the Cardinals. Friday’s game will pit Chris Capuano against Lance Lynn, starting at 7:10 PM on Prime Ticket.

Final Score: Los Angeles Dodgers, 2 @ Milwaukee Brewers, 5 

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times’ Steve Dilbeck tweeted this:

And it was all I could think about watching today’s game, which went over three and a half hours—and they didn’t even play the full nine innings. That sort of thing isn’t so bad when you’re winning, but when you’re losing, it’s exhausting.

In his first return to Miller Park as a pitcher for the opposing team, Zack Greinke had to labor a good deal, not looking like he was in a stadium where he had a record of 15-0. He made it into the fifth inning but was removed after giving up five straight hits before he could record an out. In total, he had 5 earned runs on 9 hits and 3 walks while only striking out one.

However, Zack continued to look exceptionally good with the bat, getting two hits, including one to drive in the first Dodger run of the game. The second Dodger run came on a bases-loaded single by Nick Punto. He was about the only one to perform well with the bases loaded, as the rest of the team was unsuccessful in each of its four other opportunities with the bags full.

There were still another four innings to play, and they dragged on, yet not a whole lot seemed to be happening. The Dodgers bullpen, oddly enough, did not give up any earned runs in that time.

Despite getting two runners on in the top of the ninth, the rally fell short as the team fell, 5-2.

Exhausting.

—

The final game of the series is tomorrow at 10:10 AM on Prime Ticket. Hyun-Jin Ryu will square off against Wily Peralta.

sportingnewsarchive:

JUST A BLUR

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, May 20, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

oldtimefamilybaseball:

Matt Kemp, who already made us collectively break into tears when he gave a ball along with his shoes and jersey to a cancer-stricken fan,  has decided to donate $1,000 for every home run he hits until the All-Star break to benefit the victims of the devastating Oklahoma tornado. 

After tonight, Kemp only has two this season which, in my scientific opinion, means he has a couple dozen still rattling around in his bat that are due to him before July. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a generous gesture from Kemp as the people of Oklahoma now must move past this tragedy. 

But here’s also the most important part: you don’t need to be a Major League player earning a Major League salary to help. Every dollar counts as the state tries to get back on their feet. USA Today lists a number of charities who are working in the region. If you have the money to give, I ask you to consider doing so.

Final Score: Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 @ Milwaukee Brewers, 1

After the bullpen was nearly ravaged in yesterday’s game, the Dodgers needed a lengthy outing from Clayton Kershaw, and they got it. He pitched the entire game, giving up one run on just 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5.

Andre Ethier looked more like his vintage self, knocking in the game’s first two runs on a triple and a solo home run. He would not get the chance to go for the cycle, as he was ejected from the game in the bottom of the eighth, for reasons that were immediately unclear (okay, he probably wouldn’t have hit for the cycle, anyway).

Matt Kemp contributed a dinger of his own, just his second on the season thus far—a sight for sore eyes, indeed. The Dodgers got a total of 8 hits, including two singles for A.J. Ellis.

—

The Dodgers and Brewers will face off again tomorrow, this time at 5:10 PM on KCAL. Zack Greinke gets the mound against his former team, with Hiram Burgos going for the Brew Crew.

Final Score: Los Angeles Dodgers, 2 @ Atlanta Braves, 5

What, you mean you hadn’t gotten your fill of the Dodgers blowing the game in the eighth inning? Because they figured they’d do it the third day in a row, for good measure.

Following a 100-minute rain delay, today’s game got underway with Carl Crawford hitting a leadoff double. He came in to score on a two-out single by Adrian Gonzalez. The second Dodger run, coming in the third inning, was also Crawford scoring on an a Gonzalez RBI—this time a sac fly—on the heels of a hard double to left field by Matt Kemp. That was the last hit the Dodgers would get all game.

Matt Magill looked pretty good through his first four innings today. He got into a bit of trouble in the fifth, giving up the first Braves run of the game (it was unearned, as the runner reached on an error), but then got out of his jam. He was lifted after giving up a base hit in the sixth inning, with a final line of 4 H, 3 BB, and a career-high 8 K.

It’s hard not to be pleased with Magill’s efforts so far, outside of that one game in San Francisco. He has, for the most part, fit into this turbulent pitching rotation adeptly, with the Dodgers consistently unable to capitalize on it. He has yet to receive a decision.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with a runner on, no outs and J.P. Howell on the mound, the rain started pouring again and yet another delay kicked in. After more than half an hour, the game—unfortunately—started back up. I know I was hoping against hope for a rainout and an (admittedly cheap) win. Mark Ellis, reactivated from the DL today after missing three weeks of play (with Tim Federowicz being optioned to AAA), made his first error of the season, botching what ought to have been a double play—but the Dodgers still managed to squeeze their way out of the inning.

Kenley Jansen, who recorded the last out of the seventh, put the first two runners on in the eighth for Brandon League. League once again showed he no longer seems to have the magic touch he had last year, allowing four runs to score before getting out of the inning. That was, naturally, the final nail in the coffin, as the Dodgers went quietly in the ninth (outside of a walk to A.J. Ellis).

Other things of note: Scott Van Slyke was removed in the bottom of the seventh after he hurt himself with two foul balls off his left leg. And, if we want something, ANYTHING positive to think about, A.J. Ellis held his own behind the plate, throwing out two runners who tried stealing second on his watch.

—

The Dodgers now head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers for three games. Tomorrow, Clayton Kershaw will battle Yovani Gallardo. Start time is 5:10 PM on KCAL.

Matt Kemp catches Jason Heyward’s potential home run and Heyward tips his helmet off to him (x)