“I don’t care how you slice it, guys gotta do their thing, guys gotta hit,” manager Don Mattingly said. “You can help a guy, but you can only help them to a point.”
The ever-so-confident, Don Mattingly continues to show signs of frustration. This time around, he has to be at least a little happy after watching Clayton Kershaw mow down the Giants yet again. This performance saw Kershaw strike-out 12 Giants. That was followed up by closer, Javy Guerra easily taking care of the Giants’ core for his sixth save of the season. But where are the bats? They are yet to be found.
A LESSON FROM THE GREATEST PINCH-HITTER THE ANSWER?
Before Wednesday’s game against the Giants, the Dodgers fired hitting coach, Jeff Pentland and replaced him with Dave Hansen, the best pinch-hitter in Dodger history.
The Dodgers have scored a major-league low 37 runs this month. Surprisingly, the Dodgers are 3-3 when the team scores just one run in the month of July.
Andre Ethier and James Loney are a combined 9-for-71 (.127) since July 5th.
A FAREWELL TO HIROKI?
With the Major League Baseball trade deadline getting ever closer (nine days), the Dodgers and its’ fans may be witnessing the end of Hiroki Kuroda’s run in Dodger blue.
Tonight, he faces a National club that he has had great success against. In two starts, Kuroda is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA.
Over his last eight starts, Kuroda has failed to get the run support he deserves. In that stretch, Kuroda is 1-6 with a 2.59 ERA.
CAN LANNAN KEEP IT UP?
Nationals’ starter, John Lannan is 4-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his last 10 starts.
His last outing showed signs of regression as he walked four Braves in 5 2/3 innings. However, he was still able to come out on top 5-2.
Lannan has gone 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers. Most importantly, he has held Matt Kemp to just one hit in eight at-bats (.125).
NATIONALS vs. KURODA
9-for-54 (.167), 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 11 K, .224 OBP, .278 SLG, .502 OPS
DODGERS vs. LANNAN
6-for-35 (.171), 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 K, .310 OBP, .286 SLG, .595 OPS
HISTORY
Game 1: Today
Game 2: Saturday at 7:10 PM; Tom Gorzelanny (2-6) vs. Ted Lilly (6-10)
Game 3: Sunday at 1:10 PM; Jason Marquis (8-4) vs. Chad Billingsley (8-8)
Dodgers lead series 247-182.
AROUND THE WEST
1. Giants (57-42) vs. Milwaukee Brewers; Marcum (8-3) vs. Cain (8-5)
2. D’Backs (53-46) vs. Colorado Rockies; Cook (0-5) vs. Hudson (10-5)
3. Rockies (47-52) @ Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Padres (44-55) @ Philadelphia Phillies; Luebke (3-3) vs. Hamels (11-5)
5. DODGERS (43-55)
Game 99
Washington Nationals
(48-50, 20-32 away)
Los Angeles Dodgers
(43-55, 23-27 home)
Friday, July 22, 2011
7:10 PM
Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles, California
Condition: Mostly Sunny Game-Time Temperature: 70 F (Feels like 68 F)
Humidity: 70% Wind: 5 W
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: KABC 790, KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)
LAST 10 GAMES:
WAS: 3-7 (Lost 2)
LA: 6-4 (Won 1)
LINEUPs
Washington Nationals
- Roger Bernadina, CF
- Danny Espinosa, 2B
- Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
- Michael Morse, 1B
- Jayson Werth, RF
- Laynce Nix, LF
- Wilson Ramos, C
- Ian Desmond, SS
- John Lannan, P
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Tony Gwynn, LF
- Rafael Furcal, SS
- Andre Ethier, RF
- Matt Kemp, CF
- Juan Rivera, 1B
- Juan Uribe, 3B
- Rod Barajas, C
- Jamey Carroll, 2B
- Hiroki Kuroda, P
STARTING PITCHERS
John Lannan (6-6, 3.62 ERA)
vs. Hiroki Kuroda (6-11, 3.13 ERA)
OVER/UNDER: 7
LINE: Dodgers -127
INJURY REPORT
WAS – PROBABLE: Tom Gorzelanny (Ankle); 15-Day DL: Chad Gaudin (Shoulder), Cole Kimball (Shoulder), Adam LaRoche (Shoulder), Doug Slaten (Elbow), Ivan Rodriguez (Oblique); 60-day DL: Elvin Ramirez (Shoulder), Chien-Ming Wang (Shoulder), Stephen Strasburg (Elbow)
LA – 15-day DL: Casey Blake (Cervical Strain), Jon Garland (Shoulder), Vicente Padilla (Forearm), Jonathan Broxton (Elbow); 60-day DL: Hector Gimenez (Knee); Restricted: Ronald Belisario (Personal)
