Postgame: Dodgers 8, Mariners 2

The Dodgers defeated the Seattle Mariners 8-2 tonight at Dodger Stadium. For a full recap and boxscore click here

The bare essentials:

Andre Ethier blasted three long home runs deep to right field and finished with a career-high six RBIs. It was the fifth multi home run game for Ethier, the most for the Dodgers since Adrian Beltre had seven in 2004. Ethier now has 14 home runs and 49 RBIs. The last Dodger to hit three home runs in a game was Hee-Seop Choi June 12 2005.

The Dodgers pounded out 14 hits against three Mariner pitchers, with Juan Pierre (2),Casey Blake (2), Matt Kemp (3) and Ethier (3) leading the way.

Clayton Kershaw finally gave up a run after tossing 15.2 scoreless innings, but it was another impressive outing for the 21-year old left-hander, who struck out eight while giving up two earned runs on five hits. Just as importantly, he walked just one batter.
Guillermo Mota and Ronald Belisario tossed three scoreless innings in relief.

Etc…etc.

Who says the Dodgers can’t hit home runs without Manny? They pounded out four thanks to Ethier’s three blasts and a solo shot by Casey Blake, who is quietly putting together a solid year with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs.

The Dodgers remain the only team in baseball to not lose three games in a row. They came in on a two-game losing streak after dropping a pair to the White Sox. The 2009 Dodgers have now gone longer into the season than any other Dodger club in modern franchise history without a three-game losing streak. The 2001 Mariners hold the all-time record for going the longest in a season without dropping three straight as they did not fall three times in a row until games 147, 148, and 149.

The Dodgers are now 13-9 in June and need one more win over the final four games this month to secure their first winning June since 2003.

L.A. is 33-7 when scoring five or more runs.

Mota has now tossed shutout baseball in 13 of his last 14 appearances (1 ER/17.0 IP), for a 0.52 ERA over that time. Mota owns a 2.32 ERA (5 ER/19.1 IP) in 17 games at Dodger Stadium and has seen his overall ERA drop from 9.00 to 4.50 since May 17.

Game ball goes to:

Andre Ethier. Who else?

On deck:

The Dodgers host the Mariners in the second game of a three-game series, sending LHP Eric Milton (2-0, 2.89) against Felix Hernandez (7-3, 2.74) at 7:10 p.m.

Albuquerque game update

Meanwhile, in Albuquerque, Jason Schmidt is simply dealing. This is his fifth rehab start of the season but only his second in the last month. Through seven, he’s thrown only 87 pitches and allowed no runs. He’s struck out seven, walked only one, and allowed five hits. It looks like he’ll go back out for the eighth too. The Isotopes are up 2-0 on Nashville.

Ethier putting on a show

On fireworks night here at Dodger Stadium, Andre Ethier is putting on his own personal power display, absolutely drilling two long home runs deep into the right field pavilion. Ethier has five RBIs and the Dodgers are winning 7-2 in the sixth inning.

Incidentally, the postgame fireworks show will be set to Michael Jackson music.

Medical: Ohman has tendinitis

Dodgers relief pitcher Will Ohman returned to Los Angeles and was in the clubhouse Friday before the Dodgers played the Seattle Mariners.

Unfortunately his return to the mound is very much uncertain at the moment. Ohman left a Triple A rehab assignment earlier this week after experiencing pain in his throwing arm, and a subsequent MRI revealed tendinitis.

“We’ll shut him down for a period of time,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. “We’ll look at him again Monday and by then we’ll have a definite idea for what the plan will be.”

On a more positive note, Jason Schmidt pitches in Triple-A tonight with no pitch count restrictions and Claudio Vargas is closing in on a possible return to the club after being sidelined since April 6 with right elbow tendinitis.

“We’re going to have to make some sort of decision on him this coming week.” Torre said of Vargas.

Lastly, Eric Stults threw 40 pitches Thursday and reported mild irritation in his injured left thumb. He’ll throw again Monday, likely up to 60 pitches, with the hope the soreness is no longer an issue.

With Vargas and Stults potentially close to returning, the Dodgers will have to make a decision soon on whether they want to carry 13 pitchers or 12. Torre did not reveal in which direction the club was leaning.

“We’ll have something for you (at a later time)” Torre said