Hello,
The Dodgers are currently in the midst of a 3 game series with the Nationals. Going into Saturday's game LA had won the first game of their series with the Nationals. In the second game of the series LA won again, this time winning 3-1. Again LA won despite scoring very few runs. I'm glad the Dodgers are winning, but they aren't going to be able to maintain a winning record with this ineffective offense. LA has only scored 8 runs in their last 5 games. Thanks to their solid pitching staff LA has won 3 of those games.
In this game, guess who was the hero yet again. Why of course Hanley Ramirez, over about the last month he's thrown the Dodgers on his back and is carrying them towards first place. In the top of the 10th inning Ramirez drove in Adrian Gonzalez. Ramirez was 3 for 5 on Saturday and is hitting .390. Later in the same inning Andre Ethier came up and drove in Ramirez, Ethier's second game in a row with a crucial RBI.
Then closer Kenley Jansen shut down Washington in the bottom of the 10th inning. Jensen faced 3 Nationals and struck out 2 of them, he has 11 saves and lowered his ERA to 2.23. Meanwhile Brandon League continues to disappear from playing at all. If LA somehow makes the playoffs, would League even be on the Dodgers playoff roster?
Why are the Dodgers so inept lately in scoring runs, I wish I had the answer to that question. Actually I wish Don Mattingly had the answer to that question. On Saturday the Dodgers did have 10 hits, Zack Greinke continued his solid hitting of late. He was 2 for 2 and is hitting .406 this season, but they can't count on a pitcher for offense. One would think that the Dodgers could count on Carl Crawford, who's being paid almost $21,000,000 this season. However he was 1 for 2 and is hitting .270. Crawford came into the game as a pinch hitter and Mattingly is obviously using him sparingly to protect the fragile outfielder.
Whatever Yasiel Puig was doing so right after he joined the Dodgers in early June, he's no longer doing that. It seems the rest of MLB has figured him out, Puig was 0 for 5 and his batting average decreases to .369. Gonzalez was 1 for 5 and is hitting .298. Even though Ethier had a big RBI, he was 0 for 3 and his batting average decreases to .266. LA needs more out of Gonzalez and Ethier for the stretch run.
With the Dodgers winning and the Diamondbacks losing, LA has closed Arizona's lead to a 1/2 game. The Giants beat the Dbacks 4-3 in their game on Saturday. On Sunday both the Dodgers and Giants are going for sweeps. If both sweeps are completed then improbably the Dodgers will be in first place. Being first place in anything positive is fantastic, although leading the wimpy NL West this season isn't as impressive as many other things.
The Dodgers send perhaps the best pitcher in all of MLB to the mound as LA goes for the road sweep. Today's pitching matchup is the hard luck Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 1.98 ERA) vs. Jordan Zimmerman (12-4, 2.58 ERA). Imagine how tough this Dodgers pitching lineup would be if they could add Matt Garza. I'd be so excited about that move as long as they don't give up too much for him.
More good news for the Dodgers, they've activated Matt Kemp for today's game. I hope LA isn't rushing him back though.
themusicaddict
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