Dodgers Drop Series, Shutout by Cubs
The Dodgers struggled to get any offense without Andre Ethier and Manny in the line-up, and the Blue Crew got shut-out for the second time in the series against the Chicago Cubs, 1-0.
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John Ely (3-2), who grew up in suburban Homewood, Ill., held the Cubs to only four hits in 7 1-3 innings in his return home, but a late-inning mishap by right-fielder Xavier Paul, filling in for an injured Ethier, may have cost L.A. the game, as the Cubs won 8 of the last 11.
The score was 0-0 in the bottom of the eighth when Cubs utility player Mike Fontenot (filling in for Jeff Baker, who left with an apparent vision problem) led off the inning with a triple down the right-field line, which was misplayed by Paul. Fontenot scored two batters later on a one-out, RBI-double down the line by Tyler Colvin, who went to third when Paul again had trouble picking up the ball.
It’s always an adventure in the Wrigley outfield.
Both players entered the line-up in the eighth as part of a double switch in which reliever Sean Marshall replaced the starter Ted Lilly, both of which combined with closer Carlos Marmol to hold the Dodgers scoreless.
The streaking Casey Blake led the Dodger offense with two more hits, going 15 for his last 34 plate apperances, but despite out-hitting the Cubs, Los Angeles couldn’t come through when it counted, leaving 15 men on-base.
With the Dodgers down 1-0, Manny came in to pinch-hit with a runner on and one-out in the ninth, but struck out on a Marmol slider out of the zone. Not even veteran Garrett Anderson could come through, striking out to end the game and wasting Ely’s finest outing in his young Dodger career.
A White Sox fan growing up, Ely was drafted by the Southsiders and spent three years in their system before he was dealt to the Dodgers as part of the Juan Pierre trade in December. He got called up on April 28 has been an integral part of the Dodger rotation ever since.
The good news for the Dodgers offense is the probable return of Andre Ethier. According to Yahoo Sports, Ethier, who’s been out with a broken right pinky finger, could return from the 15-day disabled list as early as Monday. Manager Joe Torre said he’s scheduled to play for Triple-A Albuquerque this weekend and take Sunday off.
The Blue Crew will travel to Colorado for a weekend series with the surging Rockies, who’ve won their last five-straight. One thing’s for sure, if the Dodgers hit like they did against the Cubs, they won’t stand a chance on the road against Ubaldo Jimenez and the rest of the Rockies’ pitching staff. Time to bring the bats, boys.
Dodgers Even Series with Cubs
The 20-minute blackout wasn’t enough to shake Chad Billingsley’s confidence as the right-hander earned his sixth win of the season over the Chicago Cubs, 8-5.
He wasn’t dominant last night, but Billingsley (6-2) still managed to walk away with a his fourth-consecutive W. After allowing only one run in his last two starts, Billingsley (6-2) gave up three runs and a season-high 10 hits, striking out six and walking one for a total of 100 pitches.
Not too bad of a performance, though, considering the distractions. The game was delayed for nearly 20 minutes in top of the fourth inning after a nearby fire caused the lights to go out at Wrigley Field.
An Ethier-less offense gave Billingsley all the support he needed, even despite a near bullpen collapse. James Loney finished a home run short of the cycle, and the Dodgers rebounded from last night’s goose-egg performance plating three runs in the top of the first and two more in the second.
Furcal, who’s struggled with his glove of late, led-off the game with a single, followed by a Russell Martin walk, and then Furcal scored on Manny Ramirez’s hard grounder to third. Casey Blake continued with an RBI double to left and then scored on Loney’s single.
With a 7-3 lead in the sixth, the Cubs threatened to come back thanks to a sub-par bullpen performance and Manny’s inability to field a ball.
After Xavier Nady hit a solo home-run off Billingsley in the sixth, Derek Lee singled off reliever Ronald Belisario in the seventh and Alfonso Soriano hit what seemed to be a routine fly ball to left, but Ramirez nonchalantly jogged in and was unable to come up with the ball, allowing the runners to advance in scoring position. Then one out later, pinch-hitter Jeff Baker hit a deep fly ball to left-field, and again, Ramirez couldn’t come up with it resulting in a two-run triple.
That’s just Manny being Manny.
Manager Joe Torre said Manny’s been bothered by a foot injury that kept him out of the line-up last week.
“He’s had these leg issues. He’s not moving as he had before. He said it was his fault on that ball that hit the wall. He thought it was going out of the ballpark and he stopped running after it,” Torre said.
The Dodgers were bailed out by closer Jonathon Broxton who came on for the five-out save, his 11th of the season. Third baseman Casey Blake (2-for-5, 2 RBI) added insurance with his seventh home-run of the season as the Dodgers won their 15th of the last 21 games.
The rubber-match of the series will be today at 2:20 ET, as rookie Jon Ely (3-1, 3.41) takes on Ted Lilly (1-4, 4.40).
Dodgers Sue Jon Lovitz for Season Tickets
“Yeah! That’s the ticket!” Jon Lovitz SNL’s character Tommy Flanagan, the Pathological Liar, used to exclaim as he came up with his latest and greatest fabrication.
After reportedly refusing to pay for his Los Angeles Dodgers season tickets, Lovitz might need a better catch phrase to talk his way out of this predicament. Or maybe a better lie.
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According to a story from the Huffington Post (thanks Ian),the Dodgers are suing Lovitz and 100 others for allegedly failing to pay nearly $100,000 in season ticket holdings. The Delaware-based Dodger Tickets LLC filed the breach-of-contract lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles.
(Here’s a video of Jon Lovitz playing former Dodger coach Tommy Lasorda in a 1990 SNL sketch.)
The lawsuit claims Lovitz and the 100 other ticket holders entered into a written agreement in March of 2008 to buy three Dugout Club seats (VIP section) for all home games at Dodger Stadium in 2008, 2009 and 2010, which apparently they have not paid.
CBS News reports that along with Lovitz, the Dodgers are also suing producer/celebrity Steve Marlton (Rescue Dawn and Bottoms Up) for more than $300,000 in unpaid tickets for the 2010-2014 seasons.
The Dodgers canceled Lovitz’s season tickets for the remainder of the year, but are still actively seeking money owed by the actor, which sums up to about $95,400 for the tickets along with other unspecified damages in the lawsuit.
I don’t know what Lovitz’s financial situation looks like, but clearly the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Hollywood isn’t making enough money to pay for his Dodger Dogs.
I guess that’s not the ticket.
Streaking Dodgers Fine in Nine Straight
Even without Triple Crown leader Andre Ethier in the line-up on his own Bobblehead Night, the Dodgers cruised to their ninth-consecutive victory over the slumping Houston Astros last night, 7-3.
They did it all behind a rejuvenated offense and the arm of Hiroki Kuroda (5-1), who won his fifth game in his last six decisions. Kuroda completed six innings allowing three runs and seven hits and striking out two. The Dodger bullpen (Belisario, Kuo and Troncoso) pitched another shutout, giving up only one hit in three innings.
Dodger pitching is a big reason why they’ve won nine-in-a-row; the Dodgers’ staff hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a game during the streak, an ERA of 1.89, and the bullpen hasn’t allowed an earned run in the last six contests.
Meanwhile, the Dodger offense have averaged 5.6 runs during this streak, even with their leading slugger missing the last four games.
Casey Blake led the attack last night with three hits, including two RBI and his fourth homer of the season. Manny Ramirez and James Loney each batted in two runs as well and Jamey Carroll added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, which was more than enough to beat the lowly Houston Astros (who, besides Carlos Lee, have the league’s worst offense).
The Dodgers are streaking in all the right places in the month of May. Russell Martin added a single in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, one more than his previous best in 2007.
The offense could have taken a severe hit, though, as they found out they may be without Silver Slugger Andre Ethier for as long as six weeks. Ethier, who leads the league with a .392 average and 38 RBIs, went on the DL for the first time in his five-year career just hours before the sellout crowd received his bobblehead.
The right-fielder was placed on the 15-day after sustaining a fractured bone in his right pinkie Saturday while taking swings in the indoor batting cage at San Diego’s Petco Park.
Even with the recent string of injuries, the Dodgers have managed to win 11 of their last 12. The Blue Crew currently stands one game back in the division, and they have a chance to pull into a first-place tie in the NL West with the visiting San Diego Padres coming to Chavez Ravine tonight.
Ethier Expected to Move to 15-day DL
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In a story from MLB.com, the Dodgers are expected to place Andre Ethier on the 15-day disabled list today, three days after he fractured a bone in his right pinkie during batting practice Sunday.
Unfortunately for Dodger fans, the move is expected to be made tonight, which is Andre Ethier Bobblehead Night at Dodger Stadium.
Ethier sustained the injury while taking swings in the indoor batting cage when he pinched his right pinkie against his bat. He took a few more swings during batting practice before telling hitting coach Don Mattingly about the problem.
There’s still no confirmation from the team, but according to an interview on KABC radio, the club’s flagship station, general manager Ned Colletti indicated the move was likely to happen.
Ethier’s finger was placed in a splint Sunday with the hope he would still be able play through it, but indications are that the Dodger staff will allow the injury to heal rather than risk further injury. Ethier had complained that the finger affected both his ability to hit and throw.
Before the injury, the Dodger slugger was leading the NL in all three Triple Crown categories, batting .392 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs. According to MLB.com, he also led the majors with a May average of .490, a slugging percentage of.980 slugging and 19 RBIs.
