Loney Ejected, Dodgers Swept in Doubleheader
James Loney was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, and the Dodgers felt a little dejected after getting swept by the New York Mets in today’s doubleheader at Citi Field, 0-4 and 5-10.
After a frustrating first game, Loney was tossed in the fourth of game-two when a disagreement sparked over umpire Angel Campos’ questionable third-strike call, one that subsequently ended a Dodger-rally with bases-loaded. Loney had been swinging a hot bat coming into the series, hitting around .310, but unfortunately he let his hot head get the better of him. (more…)
Slumping Dodgers Shoutout in Game One, 4-0
The Dodgers were shutout in game-one of today’s doubleheader courtesy of two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana and the New York Mets, 4-0.
The shutout marks the third time this season Los Angeles has failed to post a run (they had a total of nine shutouts last year). The Manny-less Dodgers managed just five hits, one of which came from Manny’s replacement Reed Johnson who hit a one-out triple in the top of the third. Ethier and Kemp failed to pick him up, though, as the Dodgers left 17 runners on base en route to losing their seventh-of-the-last-nine road games. (more…)
Dodgers Need Double-Dip Over Mets
April showers might bring May flowers, but they probably washed away any chance the Dodgers had of finishing April with a winning record.
If you told me about a month ago that the Los Angeles Dodgers would drop three of the opening five series to the Pirates, Marlins and Nationals, I would have called you a bold-faced liar. But as it turns out, the cards have been stacked high against the Dodgers all season as they’ve struggled to win a series on the road and still have yet to get above .500.
Unfortunately for L.A., the road doesn’t get any easier tomorrow. Since tonight’s game was postponed due to rain, the Dodgers find themselves playing a doubleheader against the surging New York Mets, who’ve won seven out of their last ten. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have lost six-of-nine on the road.
Oh yeah, and Johan Santana is pitching the first game.
But with Vicente Padilla on the DL and a blank-spot in Wednesday’s rotation against John Maine, a sweep tomorrow may be the only chance the Dodgers have to finish April with a winning record. To do so they’ll need to win four out of five games this week.
There is a silver lining for the Dodgers waiting over the rain-soaked grass of Citi Field. Nothing washes the rain away like a good, old-fashioned sweep on the road, and kicking off the series with a double-dip over the Mets would be a great start.
Tomorrow’s first game is scheduled to start at 4:10 EDT with Hiroki Kuroda going against Santana. On a positive note, Kuroda has thrived away from home as of late, going 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA in his last seven starts; however, he’s 0-2 with a 12.86 ERA in two road meetings versus the Mets and has never competed more than five innings.
Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger will take the hill in game two against tonight’s scheduled starter Olivier Perez despite getting shelled in his last three outings. Haeger is 0-2 with a 6.46 ERA.
Matt Kemp, who’s leading the Blue Crew with seven homers and 20 RBI, is hitting a whomping .436 with six RBIs in the last ten road trips to New York. Casey Blake is 5-for-his-last-9 with two homers and 3 RBI.
Dodgers Enduring Long and Winding Road
Unlike something out of a Willy Nelson song, the Los Angeles Dodgers (7-9) have found no comfort on the road; in fact it’s more like the Highway to Hell.
Adam Dunn homered twice and opposing pitcher Luis Atilano won in his major league debut as the Dodgers dropped another road game tonight to the lowly Washington Nationals (9-8), 1-5, making it the seventh time in ten games the Blue have lost an away game this season. (more…)
