Dodgers 4, Phillies 3
Andre Ethier gets the big hit in the ninth to win it, but what shouldn't be lost after this game is the effort of relievers Joe Beimel and Hong-Chih Kuo -- and that's on the heels of another solid start by Clayton Kershaw. Beimel (perect seventh inning) and Kuo combined to retire nine of the final 10 Phillies batters without allowing a hit, and Kuo pitched around his leadoff walk of Jayson Werth in the ninth. The Dodgers' bullpen has had a rough past few days, but there is no getting around the fact that these guys have been one of this team's biggest strengths -- if not its biggest strength -- all season. Another key to tonight's game was that while the Dodgers couldn't do much against Cole Hamels, what they did do against him was make him work. The result was that they got him out of the game after seven innings and 111 pitches on a night when he otherwise was so dominating that he might have been allowed to go much deeper. The sixth inning, one of only two frames in which Hamel didn't set the Dodgers down in order, was critical because although the Dodgers got only one run and left the bases loaded, they sent seven batters to the plate. Then, after setting them down in order again in the seventh, Hamels was done. After that the Dodgers scratched out the tying run against Chad Durbin in the eighth and the winning run against J.C. Romero in the ninth. Dodgers to go 60-59 and stay a game behind the Snakes.
How about some love for Matty! Scoring two runs, and having another 3 hit game. Matty has been a terror since the two games before the All Star break, and has shown no signs of slowing down. Cutting down his K's, and improving his approach at the plate. Hitting over .360 since said All star Break, and having 3 hits in the last three games. IMO, it's just a case of Matty being Matty!
He's also cut down on his walks. He's got all of one for August. Still, apart from his dreadful June, he's had a good year and a consistent one at that (unlike Ethier!).
Ethier only had one bad month, too (June). Other than that:
April: 897 OPS
May: 746 OPS
July: 835 OPS
August: 851 OPS
Please get your facts straight.
rjthrelkeld said: "...he's had a good year and a consistent one at that (unlike Ethier!)."
Yeah... unlike Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp hasn't been shuffled in and out of the lineup all season long, trying to make room for Slappy-ball. They'd have much better production out of Ethier if they'd just leave him alone, with Andre just being Andre. Until the Dodgers get rid of the excess outfield baggage, or until they realize the player they already have in Andre Ethier, this will be the status-quo for Joe Torre's lineup.
By the way... that was a thoroughly professional at bat by Andre Ethier last night. Just another reason for Joe Torre to keep playing this VETERAN outfielder with 1370 career plate appearances.
Didn't Ethier get a majority of the playing time last year? and if I remember correct (which I prob. don't)....Ethier slowed down towards the end of last year. Kemp's earned the starting position,
[insert sarcasm] and after all we have to showcase Kemp so Ned can trade him for some washed up vet in the off season.
I think this come from behind win against PHIL (playoff contender), is a huge step forward and makes up for 1 of the failures in SF.
Congratulations to Juan Pi-erre for leading the Dodgers to yet another victory via another START- per the usual. Keep up the great work! The Dodgers three STARTING OF's Pierre, Ramirez & Kemp are: The Three Amigos!
Get ready with the bottles and diapers as little Juan weeps on the bench tonight 5th Outfielder. Boo Hoo looser!!!
A tale of starts & stops - nee wins & losses:
Pierre starts: Dodgers 9-2
: )
ethier starts: Dodgers 1-5
: (
Cue Ferrante & Teicher: "Tonight, tonight, Juan plays we win tonight, should ethier start we'll lose - same old news..."
: o
; )
You guys are tooo easy. I hope your wives can't sucker you as easily as Ethier's name does!
Why is it that of the eleven NL LF with 370 AB's, Ethier ranks third from last in OPS. That's not very impressive.
A month-by-month average is a terrible measure of consistency.
I liked the windup though.
Nice to see someone supporting Pierre - even if it's a put-on.
I think there will be less and less shuffling of the lineup (injuries permitting) from here on in, we may see Juan once a week or so.
AZ Shaker takes it in the shorts, again...as Juan Pierre comes to the rescue of ethier and the rest to tie up the game & rally the Dodgers to victory Wednesday night over the Phillies!
1/2 a point for Juan, 1/2 a point for the 'team', so:
Pierre Dodgers: 9.5 - 1
ethier Dodgers: 1.0 - 5