LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013
DODGERS.COM
Kershaw's gem carries Dodgers to sweep of Rays
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- With another Clayton Kershaw masterpiece, the Dodgers continued their winningest
stretch in 60 years with an 8-2 victory over the Rays on Sunday.
In overcoming four errors (three by Dee Gordon), the Dodgers improved to 20-3 since the All-Star break
and 37-8 since June 22, when they were 9 1/2 games back and in last place.
Now they are a season-high 7 1/2 games in front and 17 games above .500. They've won their last five
games and, at 11-6, clinched their first winning record in Interleague Play since 2004.
"You rattle off a streak like we're on right now, it's a little more than luck," said Kershaw, who limited
the Rays to three hits over eight innings. "We're a pretty good team right now, and it's a lot of fun
coming to the yard every day. You try not to get too caught up in it and keep playing hard every day."
Most recently, they've gone 6-1 against St. Louis and Tampa Bay, which has convinced A.J. Ellis that this
stunning turnaround is no fluke.
"Beating better clubs only adds to our confidence," Ellis said. "It was a big seven-game stretch, and to go
6-1 is huge. It just shows we can match up with anybody."
Mark Ellis went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs, and Adrian Gonzalez doubled home a pair of runs
before leaving in the ninth inning with dizziness.
Kershaw (11-7), tagged with two of the three losses since the break while his teammates gave him just
one run of support, singled in the first two runs, then scored twice.
"He's been carrying us all year," said Mark Ellis. "We haven't scored enough runs for him, and he hasn't
complained one time. He took matters into his own hands tonight and got a base hit with a two-run
single. He's incredible. He's as complete a pitcher you could have. You feel good when he's at the plate,
too, it's crazy. He's like the perfect ballplayer."
Kershaw's pitching was even better than his hitting, as he struck out eight and lowered his MLB-leading
ERA to 1.88 (one of the two runs he allowed was unearned) in the "Sunday Night Baseball" showcase.
"When you put him on a national stage and let him pitch in front of all his peers, it matters to him," said
A.J. Ellis. "He had an edge about him today that was fun to be a part of."
Kershaw has gone at least eight innings in 10 of 25 starts and held the opposition to one earned run or
fewer in 14 starts.
"It seems like all the stats go off the chart with Clayton," said manager Don Mattingly.
Kershaw is now 11-7, the Dodgers scoring only 10 runs in those losses even though he's pitching better
than he did when he won the National League Cy Young Award with 21 wins in 2011.
"You can't control wins and losses," he said. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't feel good to get a win by
your name after."
Kershaw flirted with a no-hitter, ruined by Yunel Escobar's clean single leading off the fifth inning.
"It was a changeup, his least-used pitch, and he shot me a look like, 'Don't you know I've got no-hit
stuff?'" A.J. Ellis said. "Of course, he has no-hit stuff every time he's on the mound. I'm looking forward
to the day it happens. It's almost inevitable."
The Dodgers began the bottom of the second inning with back-to-back singles by Andre Ethier and A.J.
Ellis. Juan Uribe moved the runners over trying to bunt for a single on his own (it was ruled a sacrifice),
with Gordon (.197) and Kershaw (.132) following. Gordon struck out, but Kershaw pulled a single into
right field to snap an 0-for-24 slump, and Ethier and Ellis scored.
"I got one, finally," said Kershaw. "It took, like, two months. Zack [Greinke, batting .385] has been
wearing me out. I finally had to get some hits and keep up with him."
And the rout was on. Mark Ellis doubled in Kershaw, A.J. Ellis cashed in a Yasiel Puig double with a
sacrifice fly in the fourth (after Puig missed a squeeze sign), Gonzalez doubled in a pair in the fourth and
Mark Ellis slugged a two-run homer in the sixth.
That helped cover up the four errors. Gordon made two with wide throws and one dropping a routine
grounder that made one of the two runs charged to Kershaw unearned.
"That was a little rough to watch tonight, and I'm sure not fun for Dee," Mattingly said. "It's a little
concerning."
But Kershaw didn't waver.
"He's one of the most amazing guys I've ever caught pitching to the scoreboard," said A.J. Ellis. "He
knows when he needs to match zeroes with the other guy. He knows he needs to put zeroes up to stop
momentum. He knows when he needs to rear back for a strikeout. He knows when he needs to conserve
his pitch count. He's always thinking out there. He's always managing the game. That's what separates
him. His competitiveness and his game management are the two attributes that get overlooked because
he's got amazing stuff."
"They're very hot," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "They're missing two of their better players [Matt
Kemp and Hanley Ramirez ]. ... The primary thing about them that is so good is their pitching. Not unlike
us. We win because we pitch well. When we pitch well, we have chances to beat guys like [Kershaw] and
Greinke. In order to beat Greinke and Kershaw, you have to match them on the mound, which we can
do. And we normally can do. I hope we get another chance come October."
Kemp's latest test of healing ankle goes well
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- Outfielder Matt Kemp tested his sprained left ankle on Sunday, shagging balls in center
field and taking early batting practice on the field at Dodger Stadium.
It was the first time Kemp had tracked fly balls and fielded grounders since he injured his ankle in an
awkward slide at home plate on June 21 in Washington, and he moved well.
Kemp sprayed the ball to all fields during a few rounds of BP as manager Don Mattingly and hitting
coach Mark McGwire watched. Kemp, on the disabled list for the third time this season, has been hitting
since Wednesday.
"It was good," Mattingly said. "Matt is going in the right direction for us. He's getting closer to playing."
Kemp also worked out in the weight room on Sunday and did some light running indoors, but he has yet
to run at full speed.
"We've still got to get to him stopping at full speed, cutting at full speed," Mattingly said. "He's running
stairs and making turns. I don't know if any of that is full speed yet, but we're moving in the right
direction."
Hanley prepared to play through discomfort
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- Hanley Ramirez said on Sunday night that he won't rule out a return to the lineup
sooner than later, maybe as soon as Monday.
"Possibly," Ramirez said after the Dodgers' 8-2 win, saying he had no stiffness or discomfort in his
jammed right shoulder hours after being put through the most strenuous workout since he sustained
the injury a week earlier falling into the stands at Wrigley Field. "It's good right now."
Before Sunday's game, Ramirez slugged home runs in batting practice and threw repeatedly from
shortstop to first base, offering a more cautionary opinion of his recovery.
"I still feel it a little bit," said Ramirez. "They want me to get it 100 percent. I don't want to aggravate it."
Ramirez is prepared to play with some discomfort the rest of the season if need be, as he still "feels it"
when batting because of his long extension. He threw relatively firmly, not firing or lobbing.
"I hope it's not something I have to deal with the rest of the season," he said. "If it is, I've done it before,
a couple of times this season. Those are things you can't control.
"I just worry if I keep feeling it every time I throw the ball. I don't know. If I have to play like that, I'll
play."
This is Ramirez's third significant injury this year, following a torn thumb ligament that required surgery
and a strained hamstring. He said it's a little easier watching from the bench when the team wins; the
Dodgers have gone 5-1 since he sustained this latest injury. He struck out pinch-hitting on Friday night in
his only appearance during that stretch.
"We keep winning, and it makes it an easy decision," he said. "The game we lost in St. Louis worried me.
After that we won four in a row doing what we've been doing all year, picking each other up."
Adrian OK after exiting game with dizziness
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- First baseman Adrian Gonzalez felt dizzy during the top of the eighth inning on Sunday
night and was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the frame.
"It was a good situation to not try to push it," Gonzalez said after the Dodgers won, 8-2. "The doctors
checked me out, and everything is fine."
Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs before being removed. During the three-game sweep
of the Rays, he had two doubles, one home run and five RBIs. He leads the team with 16 homers and 74
RBIs.
"He got a little lightheaded," said manager Don Mattingly. "Hopefully, it's nothing. I don't think it's
anything at all."
Jerry Hairston Jr. pinch-hit for Gonzalez and played first in the ninth.
Wallach looks back on hidden-ball trick
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- What was third-base coach Tim Wallach doing while the Rays were maneuvering to
erase Juan Uribe at third base with the hidden-ball trick on Saturday?
He was telling Uribe to stay on the bag, having seen Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar flip the ball to Evan
Longoria at third base.
While he was listening, Uribe shifted his weight just enough for his foot to come off the bag, and
Longoria slapped the tag for the out.
"I didn't make it clear enough," said Wallach, himself an All-Star third baseman.
Schumaker credits wife's advice for turnaround
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- Five weeks into Skip Schumaker's first season as a member of the Dodgers, and with him
holding a batting average of .119, someone helped him get back to the player the club thought it had
acquired.
"I talked to my wife, [Lindsey]," Schumaker said after going 4-for-4 in Saturday's 5-0 win over the Rays.
"She told me to settle down and believe in myself and stop pressing. I was pressing and panicking
because of all I had done to get here. It hasn't been easy for me."
Schumaker came to the Dodgers last December in a trade for Minor League shortstop Jake Lemmerman
after six seasons with the Cardinals. The Dodgers needed someone to back up at center field and second
base, a perfect fit for Schumaker's versatile skill set and .288 career batting average.
Having grown up in nearby Orange County, Schumaker thought it would be a perfect fit, too. Then he
opened the season 0-for-7 and 2-for-21. But since May 3, he is hitting .307, raising his average to a
season-high .276.
"I'm much more relaxed. Just talking to her helped me settle in," said Schumaker. "You know, you come
here and you don't really know anybody, they don't know what you can do, and you try to prove
yourself and show you're good enough to be part of a winning team.
"That's why it's been absolutely gratifying to be able to bounce back from the way I started, and I just
want to continue to do that."
Wilson throws another perfect frame in Minors
By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance
LOS ANGELES -- Reliever Brian Wilson tossed another perfect inning during a Minor League rehab
appearance with Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday.
Wilson entered in the seventh inning and needed 11 pitches to get a popup, a groundout and a
strikeout. The right-hander has made three appearances between Class A Rancho Cucamonga and
Triple-A, and retired the side in order each time.
Wilson is scheduled to make another appearance on Tuesday and is eligible to come off the disabled list
on Wednesday, but the club wants to see how his surgically repaired elbow responds to pitching on
consecutive days.
If all goes well, he could join the Dodgers during their seven-game road trip, which begins on Friday.
"I want him to be comfortable when he comes up," manager Don Mattingly said on Sunday. "We want
him to be ready and want him to feel like he's ready."
The Dodgers signed Wilson, 31, as a free agent on July 30. The former Giants closer has not pitched in
the Major Leagues since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2012.
LA TIMES
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers look unbeatable in 8-2 win over Rays
By Bill Shaikin
The Dodgers had just toyed with the Tampa Bay Rays, in front of a sellout crowd and a national
television audience. The Dodgers rarely lose anymore, and so a television reporter asked Adrian
Gonzalez if they felt unbeatable.
"Definitely not unbeatable," he said.
Not really a preferred sound bite, not when Gonzalez stopped after three words. So the reporter tried
again, asking what pitfalls might await the Dodgers.
"Thinking you're unbeatable," Gonzalez said.
Another three-word answer. Not great TV, but more great baseball, as Clayton Kershaw led the Dodgers
to an 8-2 rout on Sunday. The Rays are one of the best teams in the major leagues, but the Dodgers
outscored Tampa Bay, 20-8, in the three-game sweep, scoring 20 of the final 22 runs in the series.
The Dodgers are on a 37-8 roll, tying the best 45-game mark in National League history in the last 60
years.
The 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers — with a lineup that featured future Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Roy
Campanella, Pee Wee Reese and Duke Snider — were the last NL team to win 37 of 45 games.
Mark Ellis played on the 2002 Oakland Athletics team that won 20 consecutive games, a team led in real
life — but not in the "Moneyball" telling — by MVP Miguel Tejada, Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito
and fellow aces Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson.
"This [stretch] doesn't compare to that, yet," Ellis said. "But there is more talent on this team."
Kershaw is the most premium of talent on this team, the anchor for a collection of stars gathered from
far and wide.
The Dodgers do not often score for him, so he gave up one earned run in eight innings — lowering his
earned-run average to 1.88, best in the majors — and singled home the Dodgers' first two runs, in the
second inning.
"Clayton took care of his own business early," Manager Don Mattingly said. "He was like, 'OK, I'm going
to get my own runs.'"
Gonzalez doubled home two runs. He has driven in 74 runs this season; no teammate has driven in more
than 41.
Ellis drove in three runs, one on a double and two on his sixth home run of the season.
That pretty much left matters up to Kershaw, who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He gave up three
hits, but catcher A.J. Ellis said Kershaw would get his no-hitter someday.
"I'm looking forward to the day it happens," Ellis said. "It's almost inevitable."
In the meantime, Kershaw (11-7) won for the first time since July 26.
The Dodgers are 13-2 since then, with both losses in Kershaw starts — even though he gave up a total of
two runs in those two starts.
"You can't control wins and losses," he said. "That doesn't mean it doesn't feel good to put a W by your
name."
Kershaw improved to 49-0 when the Dodgers score at least four runs for him.
"You get four runs, you're supposed to win," he said with a shrug.
Said Mattingly: "Seems like all of his stats are off the chart."
The Dodgers opened a 71/2-game lead in the NL West, their largest of the season. Fans might want to
say the race is over, but Kershaw said September will matter.
Definitely not unbeatable, and all that.
"There's a lot of people in here who understand the opportunity we have," Kershaw said. "You don't get
a lot of chances to be in first place this late in the season.
"We're going to try not to take that for granted."
Dodgers' Hanley Ramirez hopes shoulder soreness doesn't persist
By Bill Shaikin
Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez said Sunday he is prepared to return to the lineup this week despite a
sore right shoulder but said he hopes the discomfort does not linger.
"Hopefully, it's not something I have to deal with the rest of the season," he said.
Ramirez, who leads the team with a 1.050 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, jammed his right shoulder
Aug. 4. He completed a full workout Sunday but said he still felt discomfort when extending his arm on
his swing and when throwing to first base.
"I'm just worried if I am going to keep feeling that every time I throw the ball," he said. "If I have to play
like that, I'll play."
Ramirez said the Dodgers' medical staff has assured him the condition should improve over time.
Indeed, he said, "I'm getting better every day."
Dee Gordon, starting in place of Ramirez on Sunday, made three errors.
"That was a little rough to watch," said Manager Don Mattingly. "I'm sure it wasn't any fun for Dee. It's a
little concerning."
Ramirez has seven errors in 55 games, Gordon six in 23. Justin Sellers, who opened the season at
shortstop while Ramirez recovered from thumb surgery, had three errors in 23 games.
Ramirez sat out his seventh consecutive start Sunday. In his lone appearance over the last week, he
struck out as a pinch-hitter Friday. If the Dodgers had not used him, they could have put him on the 15day disabled list and activated him a week from Monday.
Mattingly said the team had no regrets over its decision to keep Ramirez off the disabled list, citing the
Dodgers' 6-1 record since then.
"What does it hurt you? We've been able to survive it so far," Mattingly said. "If it ends up being 10
[days], it still saves us five."
Devilish Rays
In a baseball world far too concerned with hexes and jinxes, Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon was
downright refreshing in his explanation about why he batted pitcher Jeremy Hellickson eighth on
Sunday.
"It's the perfect moment to try," Maddon said. "If we happen to get into the World Series, is it
something we would want to utilize, and why?"
Maddon leans toward the unconventional, but never before had he batted a pitcher eighth. He said he
discussed the idea last week with Tony La Russa, who often deployed that strategy as manager of the St.
Louis Cardinals.
The strategy made sense Sunday, Maddon said, because he moved cleanup batter Wil Myers into the
No. 2 spot, ahead of Evan Longoria.
"Without Myers batting there, he's not going to get pitched to all night," Maddon said.
Maddon wanted two position players to bat ahead of Myers.
Mattingly said he has considered batting Zack Greinke eighth, ahead of Gordon, should Gordon start
against a left-hander. Gordon, who bats left-handed, is hitting .213.
Greinke is batting .385. Mattingly said he asks Greinke to be ready to pinch-hit every day he is not
pitching, unless he is starting the next day.
Powering up
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez left the game in the eighth inning because of what Mattingly called
lightheadedness. Gonzalez said after the game he felt fine and expected to play Monday.
"He needed a Power Bar or something," Mattingly said.
Dodgers now flexing their might against good teams, sweep Rays
By Steve Dilbeck
Let’s face it, they’d been picking on the weak. The Dodgers have been doing it impressively, perhaps, but
it was still kicking sand at the 98-pound weaklings.
That the Dodgers were hot was undeniable, but mostly they’d been beating on teams looking up at .500.
Not now, though. Now they seem eager to take on all comers. Now they are beating on good teams, and
with ridiculous regularity.
Sunday night they finished sweeping the three-game series from the Tampa Bay Rays, who only came in
as the American League’s hottest team, with an 8-2 victory before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 52,248.
Things are getting so ridiculous, the Dodgers even scored a heap of runs for Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw –- who entered with the fourth-worst run support (3.0) of any starting pitcher in baseball –was bathed in early support. The Dodgers had 14 hits, and they scored three times in the second inning,
once in the third, twice more in the fourth and still twice more in the sixth.
The Dodgers have now won 37 of their last 45 games, but now the victories are no longer coming just
against the scrawny. Four of the last five teams they’ve faced have had winning records: the Reds,
Yankees, Cardinals and Rays.
Their hot run includes a 20-3 mark since the All-Star break. They’ve won five consecutive games and
nine of their last 10.
And they dominated the Rays, a team that has now lost five in a row after having won 19 of its previous
22. After falling behind 6-0 in the opener, the Dodgers scored 20 of the last 22 runs in the series.
Their offense was so good Sunday, it could overcome a three-error game by shortstop Dee Gordon.
In the second inning, Kershaw followed hits by Andre Ethier and A.J. Ellis with a two-run single. Mark
Ellis then doubled in Kershaw.
After Yasiel Puig doubled and scored on an A.J. Ellis sacrifice fly in the third inning, the Dodgers added
two more in the fourth on an Adrian Gonzalez double and two more in the sixth on a Mark Ellis homer.
Kershaw (11-7) went eight strong innings. He did not allow a hit until the fifth and gave up two runs (one
earned) on just three hits. He walked two, struck out eight and lowered his major league-best earnedrun average to 1.88.
Dodgers' Hanley Ramirez is worried shoulder soreness might persist
By Bill Shaikin
Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez said Sunday he is prepared to return to the lineup depsite a sore
right shoulder but said he hopes the discomfort does not linger through the year.
"Hopefully, it's not something I have to deal with the rest of the season," he said.
Ramirez jammed his right shoulder last Sunday. He completed a full workout Sunday but said he still felt
discomfort when extending his right arm on his swing and when throwing to first base.
"I'm just worried if I am going to keep feeling that every time I throw the ball," he said. "If I have to play
like that, I'll play."
Ramirez said the Dodgers' medical staff has assured him the condition should improve over time.
Indeed, Ramirez said, "I'm getting better every day."
Ramirez sat out his seventh consecutive start Sunday. In his lone apperance over the last week, he
struck out as a pinch-hitter Friday. If the Dodgers had not used him, they could have put him on the 15day disabled list and activated him a week from Monday.
Manager Don Mattingly said the team had no regrets over its decision to keep Ramirez off the disabled
list, citing the Dodgers' 5-1 record from Monday through Saturday.
"What does it hurt you? We've been able to survive it so far," Mattingly said. "If it ends up being 10
[days], it still saves us five."
OC REGISTER
Masterful Kershaw helps Dodgers sweep Rays
By Earl Bloom
LOS ANGELES – Asked which pleased him most Sunday night, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw
smiled broadly and said, “The win.”
Kershaw struck out eight in eight innings, and added a two-run single, as the red-hot Dodgers completed
a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-2.
“That's the most important thing,” said Kershaw (11-7), who gave up just three hits and one earned run.
“It was a good night all-around. We got some hits when we needed them, and put up some runs early.”
The Dodgers are 37-8 since June 22, the best record in baseball in that span.
“It's a lot of fun to come to the yard every day and get a win,” said Kershaw, who lowered his ERA to
1.88.
The Dodgers improved to 49-0 when they score at least four runs for Kershaw.
“It seems like all the stats go off the charts for Clayton,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “He's just
so consistent. You never worry about Clayton in a game like that.
“He just keeps pushing, trying to get outs.”
Although the Dodgers – especially third baseman Juan Uribe and center fielder Andre Ethier – made
some fine plays behind Kershaw, he had to endure four errors, including three by third-choice shortstop
Dee Gordon.
Mattingly said Kershaw never seems affected by miscues made behind him.
“He's always putting it on himself, to make a better pitch,” the manager said.
Mattingly said Kershaw, who threw 70 strikes in 103 pitches and walked just two, “really doesn't allow
you to work the pitch count against him, because he doesn't walk guys.”
The Dodgers got a two-run home run from Mark Ellis, who also had a single and an RBI double, and a
two-run double from Adrian Gonzalez in extending the Rays' losing streak to five.
They chased Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson (10-6) with four runs through three innings.
Dodgers notebook: Schumaker backs ex-teammate Pujols
By Earl Bloom
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers' Skip Schumaker was very outspoken when Ryan Braun was suspended by
baseball for using performance-enhancing drugs, after Braun made strong denials in the past.
When asked Sunday afternoon about the recent PED allegations levied by Jack Clark against Albert
Pujols, Schumaker initially declined any comment, then relented.
"I'll just say that Albert is one of the most honest and most trustworthy guys that I've ever played with,"
said Schumaker, who spent eight seasons in St. Louis with Pujols, now an Angel.
Clark, a Cardinals outfielder of a different era (1985-87), was fired from his radio show host role after his
remarks, and Pujols has said he plans to take legal action against him.
"It's a shame that people are making accusations like that with no proof," Schumaker said.
RAMIREZ CLOSER
Injured shortstop Hanley Ramirez tested his right shoulder by throwing before Sunday's game.
His imminent return will mean the option of Dee Gordon – who made two throwing errors and one
fielding Sunday – to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Ramirez has missed seven starts since being hurt Aug. 4 in Chicago. The Dodgers are 6-1 in those games.
"We've been able to minimize it (Ramirez's absence) so far," Manager Don Mattingly said. "If it ends up
being 10 games (out), it still saves us five (from a trip to the 15-day disabled list)."
Gordon, who had a bunt single and an infield hit against the Rays, made his second start at short since
his recall to give No. 1 fill-in Nick Punto a break.
KEEPING FIFE HOT
Starting pitcher Steven Fife is going to pitch in relief at Albuquerque to stay sharp in case the Dodgers
need an emergency starter.
"We've set up a schedule for him to come out of the bullpen a couple times in case something happens,"
Mattingly said. "If he's starting there, and we need someone the day he pitches, he's out of it for five
days."
In his last Dodgers start, Fife pitched extremely well Aug. 4 in a 1-0 victory over the Cubs in Chicago.
The right-hander was sent to Triple-A the next day to make roster room for Gordon.
"We know who he is, and we know what he can do," Mattingly said, adding that Fife could also be used
out of the bullpen when rosters expand in September.
PITCHER HITS EIGHTH
Clayton Kershaw's start prompted Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon to bat starting pitcher Jeremy
Hellickson eighth in his batting order, ahead of left fielder Jason Bourgeois, who was making his Rays
starting debut.
Mostly, Maddon said, it was to get rookie center fielder Wil Myers, moved up to the second spot against
Kershaw, maximum at-bats – and, besides the first time through the order, have another offensive
player batting ahead of him.
"A lot of it had to do with Myers batting second," the two-time AL Manager of the Year said. "He figures
to hit against Kershaw at least three times tonight."
Myers, who came in hitting .331, has recently been batting fourth behind Evan Longoria. Myers switched
with switch-hitter Ben Zobrist. He went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly against Kershaw.
Maddon pointed out that he "wanted to make sure Jason (Bourgeois) knew why he was there (ninth),
before anybody got on him about it."
The Rays manager said he even called Tony La Russa for his input, since the former Cardinals manager
often had a pitcher batting eighth – in the days when Dodgers hitting instructor Mark McGwire was
tearing up the NL, and La Russa wanted another position player batting ahead of McGwire most of the
game.
GREINKE 8TH SOMEDAY?
David Phelps batted eighth for the Yankees at Colorado on May 13, and the Dodgers' Zack Greinke did it
four years ago for the Royals at Houston.
Mattingly said Greinke (batting .385) is a pitcher he'd consider batting eighth, but the matchups would
have to be right, say lefty-hitting Gordon starting against a left-handed pitcher.
"You don't really look at Zack like a pitcher (offensively)," Mattingly said. "You look at him like an
everyday player.
"I'd use him as a pinch-hitter. We have him spiked up (wearing cleats) when there's a situation where
we could use him."
Kershaw influences Maddon's lineup Sunday
By Earl Bloom
The presence of Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the mound Sunday prompted Tampa Bay
manager Joe Maddon to bat pitcher Jeremy Hellickson eighth in his batting order, ahead of left fielder
Jason Bourgeois, who was making his Rays starting debut.
Mostly, Maddon said, the move was made to get rookie Wil Myers up into the second spot against
Kershaw and, besides the first time through the order, have another offensive player batting ahead of
him.
"A lot of it had to do with Myers batting second," the two-time AL Manager of the Year said. "He figures
to hit against Kershaw at least three times tonight."
Myers, hitting .331, has recently been batting fourth behind Evan Longoria. Myers switched with switchhitter Ben Zobrist, who hits better left-handed, and will face Kershaw from the right side.
Maddon also pointed out that he "wanted to make sure Jason (Bourgeois) knew why he was there
(ninth), before anybody got on him about it."
The Rays manager said he even called Tony La Russa for his input, since the former Cardinals manager
often had a pitcher batting eighth -- in the days when Dodgers hitting instructor Mark McGwire was
tearing up the NL, and La Russa wanted another position player batting ahead of McGwire most of the
game.
David Phelps batted eighth for the Yankees at Colorado on May 13, and Zack Greinke did it four years
ago for the Royals at Houston.
Manager Don Mattingly's order was pretty routine in comparison, with Dee Gordon giving Nick Punto a
game off at shortstop, as the Dodgers try to bridge what they hope is a short gap before Hanley
Ramirez's return to the position.
Mattingly said that Greinke (batting .385) is a pitcher he'd consider batting eighth, but the match-ups
would have to be right, say lefty-hitting Gordon starting against a left-handed pitcher.
"You don't really look at Zack like a pitcher (offensively)," Mattingly said. "You look at him like an
everyday player.
"I'd use him as a pinch-hitter. We have him spiked up (wearing cleats) when there's a situation where
we could use him."
ESPN.COM
Dodgers pitching taking over
By Mark Saxon
LOS ANGELES -- The day before Clayton Kershaw took the mound Sunday night, he sat down for a
conversation with ESPN's Orel Hershiser.
The two iconic Dodgers pitchers discussed the mechanics and mentality of pitching, but Hershiser
shifted gears and asked Kershaw about the Dodgers' dramatic midseason turnaround. Kershaw
discussed a few factors, then got around to Zack Greinke.
"He's pitching, basically, spring training games during the season, and he's competing, getting guys out,"
Kershaw said, "and now he's got his stuff to where he wants it, and he's dominant."
That makes two of them.
In the list of far-from-ideal circumstances major league teams can get themselves into, the Tampa Bay
Rays -- as solid a team as there is -- stumbled into a good one this weekend. They blew a six-run,
seventh-inning lead Friday, then had to face Greinke and Kershaw, two of the past eight Cy Young
winners on earth, in back-to-back games.
There's fighting your way uphill and then there's getting to base camp on K-2. This was some highaltitude degree of difficulty. As the Dodgers get closer to making the question how far they can go in the
playoffs, not whether they can get there, it is their greatest asset, the scariest weapon.
The night after Greinke pitched into the seventh inning without giving up a run, Kershaw pitched around
four Dodgers errors -- three by shortstop Dee Gordon -- in an 8-2 win over the Rays on Sunday. He
pitched eight innings, giving up three hits and striking out eight, though he almost surely could have
finished it if manager Don Mattingly hadn't been concerned about keeping his pitch count in the 100
range -- likely mindful of a postseason run.
Kershaw is big on saying nothing affects him -- not the attention, not the paltry run support and not the
defense behind him -- but he's not immune to all of it, according to those who know him.
"I just have a good feeling whenever he's on the mound, and then put him on a national stage [on ESPN]
and let him pitch in front of all his peers. That matters to him," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "He had an edge
about him today that was fun to be a part of."
Two days ago, the Dodgers quietly slipped into one of the more meaningful statistical leads in baseball.
Their starting rotation has the best ERA in the majors. Dodgers starting pitchers have given up more
than three runs only three times in the past 16 games. Their ERA is 2.70 over the past 60 games.
It has become a nightly tabulation, a simple one: Just add one to the win column. The Dodgers have
gone 37-8 since June 22. They're 20-3 since the All-Star break.
It's not all pitching, but it's probably the lion's share, especially lately with Hanley Ramirez and Matt
Kemp in various stages of recovery from injuries.
"You rattle off a streak like we have right now and it's probably a little more than luck," Kershaw said.
"We're a pretty good team right now."
They're 7½ games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who just lost their hottest hitter, Cody Ross, to a
season-ending hip injury. The rest of their division looks to be drifting at sea. It's really not all that
premature to wonder whether the Dodgers will soon start to think about gaining home-field advantage
for the playoffs.
Then again, do they want it? They've won 17 of their past 18 games on the road.
The scary thing is, the Dodgers just went 6-1 while trudging through the thick grass, playing two of the
better teams in baseball. Their next 10 games come against teams collectively 48 games under .500,
starting Monday with the New York Mets, who are the best of the bunch. Of their next 22 games, 19
come against sub-.500 teams.
Mattingly spoke in fairly emotional terms before the game about the Dodgers' inability to score runs for
Kershaw. He has led the major leagues in ERA most of the season, yet the Dodgers had a 13-11 record in
his starts coming into Sunday.
It reminded Mattingly of his former teammate, Ron Guidry, who once had a 2.76 ERA and won only 11
games.
"We need to change it. That's for sure," Mattingly said.
Nowadays, the Dodgers solve problems on the fly. For just the third time this season, they gave Kershaw
a comfortable cushion. Usually, he doesn't need that. He can make do with a hard wooden bench, or
even a craggy rock.
Kershaw didn't give up a hit until Yunel Escobar led off the fifth inning with a single to left. He didn't give
up a run until pinch hitter Sam Fuld hit a sinking liner near the right-field line, for which Yasiel Puig dove
and came up short to allow Escobar to score on the triple.
Kershaw got things going with his two-out RBI single in the second inning. Among his goals, he's intent
on catching up to Greinke, who is batting .389 in 39 at-bats. Mattingly has considered using him as a
pinch hitter.
"Greinke's wearing me out," Kershaw said.
Imagine the wear and tear from two of them, back-to-back.
Hanley Ramirez's recovery going slowly
By Mark Saxon
LOS ANGELES -- Hanley Ramirez continues to feel pain in his right shoulder when he makes throws from
shortstop and when he fully extends his arms while swinging a bat.
Thus, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be cautious with their .359-hitting shortstop. Manager Don
Mattingly told him he wants him to be 100 percent healthy before he returns to the lineup. The disabled
list remains a possibility. Ramirez jammed his shoulder falling into the stands to make a catch one week
ago at Wrigley Field.
"I just worry if the pain keeps repeating every time I throw a ball or something," Ramirez said. "If I have
to play like that the rest of the year, I'm going to play."
Mattingly used Ramirez as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Friday's game, meaning any disabledlist stint could be retroactive only to that date. Ramirez might be available as a pinch hitter in the next
few days, but it sounds as if he is several days away from returning to the field.
The Dodgers have gone 5-1 while Ramirez has been out and they've built a 6½ game lead in the National
League West, factors that have allowed them to take their time with their three-time All-Star.
Dodgers are hottest team ever!
By David Schoenfield
Behind the great Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers won again on Sunday, beating the Rays to complete an
impressive three-game sweep. Back on June 21, the Dodgers were 30-42, in last place in the NL West,
9.5 games out of first.
Since then, the Dodgers have gone 37-8, becoming just the fifth NL team in 75 years to win at least 37
games over a 45-game stretch, and the first since the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. Since June 22, the
Dodgers have the best wOBA in the NL (and third in the majors behind the Tigers and Red Sox); a 2.56
ERA, best in the majors; they've allowed the fewest runs (132), while scoring the second-most (222, tied
with the Braves, behind the Tigers).
Obviously, 37-8 is pretty rare. Here are the teams with 37 wins in 45 games since 1950 (data from ESPN
Stats & Info and the Baseball-Reference Play Index):
2013 Dodgers: 37-8, +90 run differential
2005 A's: 37-8, +134
2001 A's: 37-8, +148
1998 Yankees: 37-8, +130
1977 Royals: 37-8, +99
1954 Indians: 37-8, +99
1953 Dodgers: 37-8, +127
1951 Giants: 38-7, +92
By the way, those 2005 A's didn't even make the playoffs, finishing 88-74. Like the Dodgers, they started
slow and were 27-39 when they began their hot streak. They were leading the Angels by a game heading
into September but went 13-17 down the stretch and finished 7 games out of first.
I thought it would be fun to check the best 45-game stretches of some of baseball's most memorable
teams, so here those are:
2002 A's (103-59): 36-9 (won 20 in a row)
2001 Mariners (116-46): 36-9 (they also had a non-overlapping 34-11 stretch)
1984 Tigers (104-58): 36-9 (started the season 35-5)
1975 Reds (108-54): 36-9
1939 Yankees (106-45): 37-8
1935 Cubs (100-54): 34-11 (won record 21 in a row)
1931 A's (107-45): 38-7 (won 17 in a row)
1927 Yankees (110-44): 36-9
1916 Giants (86-66): 33-9 (had 26-game unbeaten streak that included a tie)
1906 Cubs (116-36): 41-4 (!)
Usually, the best in-season stretches of 45 games top out at 33 or 34 wins. Here are the best streches
during the wild-card era:
2012: Yankees, 33-12
2011: Brewers, 34-11
2010: White Sox, 34-11
2009: Yankees and Angels, 34-11
2008: Astros, 33-12
2007: Red Sox, 33-12
2006: Twins: 35-10
2005: A's, 37-8
2004: Astros and Cardinals, 35-10
2003: Braves, 34-11
2002: A's, 36-9
2001: A's, 37-8
2000: White Sox and Giants, 32-13
1999: Diamondbacks, 34-11
1998: Yankees, 37-8
1997: Braves, 33-12
1996: Braves and Indians, 33-12
1995: Indians, 34-11
Scouting top Dodgers, Padres prospects
By Keith Law
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. -- En route from Long Beach, where I was at the New Balance Area Code Games all
week, to San Diego, for the Perfect Game All-American Classic, I stopped in Lake Elsinore on Friday night
for a look at the Dodgers' top prospect, shortstop Corey Seager, younger (but bigger) brother of
Mariners infielder Kyle.
Seager, 19, was recently promoted to high Class A Rancho Cucamonga, and the Quakes were in town to
play the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres).
Seager's swing and stance have only slightly changed since he was a first-round pick last year out of
Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, N.C. A left-handed hitter, he's always had a wide base after
his stride, rolling over his front foot slightly through contact, but the stride is a little longer now and that
front side goes a little softer due to his overrotation. It's a minor issue, maybe something to address if
he's still hitting .190 in a few weeks, but otherwise the hand strength and leverage that made him a top
prospect as an amateur are all still present.
His athleticism is evident when he's out at shortstop, but his actions aren't good enough for him to stay
there, and his size is a major factor working against him -- at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds he'd be the largest
shortstop in major league history if he played even one full season at the position, and his body isn't
going to become faster or looser in time. I think he goes to third base and becomes an impact bat there
with 25-plus-homer potential.
• The Storm had two hitting prospects of note in their lineup in shortstop Jace Peterson and outfielder
Travis Jankowski. (Top prospect Austin Hedges was promoted to Double-A 10 days earlier.)
Peterson stood out in a good way, especially on the triple he smoked in his final at-bat. His approach is
quiet and simple, with good hand acceleration from his load position, and he rotated his hips very well
to drive the ball the other way. After that, his plus running speed took over and he made it to third
easily.
Peterson was a supplemental first-round pick in 2011 and a two-sport player at McNeese State, also
playing football, but despite a lack of major conference baseball experience, he's shown solid feel for
the game, including strong plate discipline and good hands at short. (He was the DH on Friday night, so
observations on his fielding come from other scouts who've seen him.)
My only real concern on him is that he's old for the level, 23 in the hitter-friendly Cal League, and the
Padres haven't promoted him yet even though he's not blocked in Double-A. San Antonio's shortstop is
Jeudy Valdez, who has a .302 OBP and was outrighted off the Padres' 40-man roster earlier this year. It's
time to move Peterson up so we can all see if he might be a long-term answer for the Padres up the
middle.
• Jankowski, on the other hand, looked weak, almost frail, with less bat speed than he had when I saw
him in the Cape Cod League All-Star Game two years ago. He can still run, but he's slugging all of .359
despite playing in the Cal League, and even that is a touch misleading because many of his extra bases
are due to his speed, not power.
I can't see him being more than an emergency call-up guy unless he gets a lot stronger, as pitchers at
higher levels are going to pound him on the inner half.
DAILY NEWS
Dodgers Notebook: Hanley Ramirez not sure when he can start
By Tony Ciniglio
Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez continued to make strides in his return from a bruised shoulder, but
still remains uncertain when he will be healthy enough to start a game in the field.
"It's getting better every day," Ramirez said.
Ramirez fielded ground balls at shortstop before Sunday's game and also took batting practice.
Ramirez put on an impressive power display in his time in the cage, blasting several tape-measure
homers into the empty Dodger Stadium bleachers before the gates were open.
And although he did not appear tentative in his fielding or his throws, he said he is not 100 percent.
"I'm still feeling it," Ramirez said. "I just worry if I'm going to keep feeling it every time I throw the ball. I
hope it's not something I'll have to deal with the rest of the season, but if it is, I've done it before.
"They want me to get to 100 percent so I don't aggravate it. We're being careful. But I told everyone
they're making it easier on me with all these Ws."
The Dodgers won five of six games after Ramirez sustained the injury Aug. 4 in Chicago.
He returned in a pinch-hitting appearance on Friday and struck out against Tampa Bay Rays ace David
Price.
Manager Don Mattingly said it might be a few more days until Ramirez can return to the lineup but
defended the Dodgers' decision not to put Ramirez on the DL.
"He's missed six days and we went 5-1, so the question becomes when does it hurt you? We've been
able to survive," Mattingly said. "Let's say he misses 10 days. That still saves us five."
Gritty veteran Nick Punto has filled in admirably in Ramirez's absence. Entering Sunday's game, he was
hitting .500 (9 for 18) with five runs scored, three doubles and five RBIs since Aug. 2.
He also has drawn five walks and has a .583 on-base percentage, although Mattingly decided to rest
Punto for Sunday's finale against Tampa Bay.
"I'm just trying to fill in for Hanley; those are really big shoes to fill," Punto said.
"Obviously I want to be in there every day, but Donnie knows that sometimes a day off is good for me."
Kemp making strides
Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp took live batting practice before Sunday's game and continues to add to
his activities in his attempt to return from a nagging sprained ankle.
Kemp has missed 19 games since his ill-fated slide in Washington on July 21, but Mattingly said the
center fielder continues to progress.
Kemp took live batting practice and showed some gap power.
"He's going the right direction," Mattingly said. "He was walking out of the weight room and he was
good. But we've still got to get him cutting full speed. He was doing stars and turns, but I don't know if
that was at full speed."
Mattingly estimated that Kemp could be out another 10-14 days, then admitted that he's misfired this
season with his injury assessments.
"Ten to 14 days. That's my projection," Mattingly said. "I've not been very good with that. Take it for
what it's worth. I can't believe you guys are still writing it down."
Wilson perfect again
Brian Wilson turned in yet another 1-2-3 performance, needing just 11 pitches for the Triple-A
Albuquerque Isotopes against the Tacoma Rainiers.
Wilson entered in the seventh inning and got a popout, groundout and swinging strikeout on a full
count.
Wilson has retired all nine batters he's faced in three minor-league innings and is scheduled to pitch
again Tuesday.
There has been no date set for a potential Dodger debut.
"They have a specific schedule for him, and we want to see how he feels," Mattingly said. "We want him
to be ready and we want him to feel like he's ready."
TRUE BLUE LA
Dodgers 8/11/13 minor league report - Baker delivers in Isotopes win
By Brandon Lennox
Minor League Player of the Day – John Baker (AAA) - 4 for 4, 2 HR's, 1 2B, 5 RBI's. The slumping Baker
broke out in a big way on Sunday as he crushed a pair of homers while going a perfect 4 for 4 at the
plate.
AAA – John Baker and the Isotopes put a beating on the Rainiers as Albuquerque defeated Tacoma
(Mariners) 12 to 5. As mentioned above Baker had a huge game, plating 5 of the runs and finishing a
triple shy of the cycle while mashing two homers. Nick Buss also chipped in as he drove in 4 runs with a
double and single, and Justin Sellers connected on a long ball as well. Red Patterson started the game
and allowed just 2 runs over 5 innings despite giving up 4 hits and issuing 5 walks, then Kelvin De La Cruz
picked up the win in relieve even though he permitted two scores. Brian Wilson tossed a perfect inning
in his second game with the Isotopes, striking out 1 and needing just 11 pitches.
AA – The Lookouts still can't seem to generate much offense as they fell to the Stars (Brewers) 4 to
0. Chattanooga had just 3 extra base hits in this game, and two of them actually came from their
pitchers as Ross Stripling and Pedro Baez both doubled. Rafael Ynoa had the other double and went 2
for 4 on the day, while Joc Pederson had another hitless game as he went 0 for 3 (although he did walk
twice). Stripling threw pretty well as he allowed 2 runs (1 earned) over 5.1 innings, but without any
offense it's tough to win games.
HiA – The Quakes were quieted by the Storm (Padres) on Sunday in a 2 - 1 loss. Rancho only had 4 hits
on the day, with Darnell Sweeney's double the only one that went for extra bases. Corey Seager went 1
for 4 with a pair of strikeouts and now has a .172 average. Starter Lindsey Caughel threw well in the loss
as he nearly tossed a complete game, and in total he allowed just 2 runs over 7.2 innings while striking
out 7.
LoA – The Loons walked off with a 3 - 2 win over the Lugnuts (Blue Jays) on Sunday. After each team
scored a pair of runs in the 2nd, things were very quiet until the bottom of the 9th which is when Aaron
Miller and Tyler Ogle hit back to back doubles for the exciting victory. For Ogle it was his second hit of
the game, and the only other base knock for Great Lakes in this one was a 2-RBI single by Jose Capellan
that scored the two runs in the 2nd. Starter Julio Urias again had a shortened outing as he lasted just 2
innings, and while he did strike out 4 he also made one big mistake and allowed a 2-run homer. As has
been the trend Geoff Brown picked up in relief, then Ralston Cash made his first appearance for the
Loons since May 23rd and threw 2 shutout innings that included 3 K's.
Rookie Ogden – The Raptors had more than twice the number of hits as the Owlz (Angles), but Ogden
was still shutout by Orem 2 to 0. Jesus Valdez went 2 for 4 with a double while Austin Cowen and Alex
Santana connected on a two bagger each to round out the extra base hits. On the mound Zach Bird
continued his strong second half as he allowed just 3 hits and 1 earned run over 6 innings. Kyle Hooper
and Michael Johnson tossed a shutout inning each in relief.
Rookie Arizona – The Arizona Dodgers almost let one slip away as they allowed 3 runs in the 9th, but
they still managed to come away with a 4 - 3 win over the Brewers. The rehabbing Blake Johnson threw
a very good game as he allowed just 2 hits over 5 shutout frames, then Shawn Tolleson saw his first
game action since April and threw a scoreless inning of relief. Victory Arano got through the next two
innings without any issues, but he ran into trouble in the 9th and gave up 3 runs. It was at that point
that former 3rd baseman Bladimir Franco came into save the game, and his conversion to pitcher must
have happened while I was in Europe because this is the first I've seen of him on the mound. At the
plate shortstop Cristian Gomez hit his 3rd homer of the year although he's still batting just .156, while
Michael Ahmed and Cody Bellinger both a double each to account for all the extra base hits for the
Dodgers.
DSL – Off day
Coming up – It will be a relatively quiet day on Monday with just four games on tap, including Chris
Anderson taking the mound for the Loons. The only other announced starter is Angel Castro for the
Isotopes.
Minor League Transactions – AAA/AA: In somewhat of a surprising move Onelki Garcia was promoted to
Albuquerque while Rob Rasmussen was sent back down to Chattanooga.
Dodgers postgame notes: Adrian Gonzalez lightheaded, Clayton Kershaw's dominance, Dee Gordon's
errors
By Eric Stephen
The Dodgers continued their improbable run with a sweep of the Rays, culminating in an 8-2 victory on
Sunday nightbehind a resurgent offense and a typically brilliant Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers have not
lost a series in over seven weeks, and haven't even lost consecutive games during that span. They are
37-8 in their last 45 games.
With how well they have been playing and how long this string of good play has been, maybe the run
was probable.
"I don't know if 'surprise' is the best word, but you rattle off a streak like we're on right now it's probably
a little more than luck. We're a pretty good team right now, and it's a lot of fun coming to the yard every
day and winning games," Kershaw said after the game. "We're trying not to get too caught up in it, and
just keep playing every day."
Kershaw took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but with a 6-0 lead he was only focused on one thing.
"I don't know if you ever feel like tonight's the night or anything like that," he said. "When you get some
runs, all you want to do is go deep in the game."
Okay, maybe it was two things. Kershaw's second-inning single opened the scoring and snapped an 0for-24 skid. Kershaw is hitting just .140 (8-for-57) on the season, well behind Zack Greinke (15-for-39,
.385), but Kershaw does lead the staff with six runs batted in.
"I got one, finally. It took like two months," Kershaw said. "Zack's been beating me out so I finally had to
get some hits to keep up with him."
Kershaw is now an absurd 49-0 when he receives four or more runs of support.
"It seems like all the stats go off the chart for Clayton," said manager Don Mattingly after the game.
Notes
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First baseman Adrian Gonzalez was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, after feeling
lightheaded on the bench. Mattingly said Gonzalez just needed to eat something and both
Mattingly and Gonzalez expect the first baseman back in the starting lineup on Monday night.
Gonzalez, who has driven in a run in six straight games, leads the club with 113 games played.
Dee Gordon made three errors on Sunday, including one that led to an unearned run in the
eighth inning.
"That was a little rough to watch tonight. I'm sure it wasn't any fun for Dee," Mattingly said. "It's
a little concerning. When you're in the field you've made one and you make another one, it's not
a good feeling when the ball comes to you. We'll continue to work."
Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday. In three minor
league rehab games so far, nobody has reached base against Wilson, who is scheduled to pitch
next on Tuesday. Wilson remains on track for possible activation by the end of the week.
Mark Ellis finished a triple shy of the cycle and has consecutive three-hit games for the first time
since July 1-2, 2011.
The Dodgers are 11-6 in interleague play this year, clinching their first winning season against
the American League since 2004, when they were 10-8.
The last MLB team before the Dodgers to go 37-8 was the Athletics in 2005. The last National
League team to do so was the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. No Dodgers team has gone 38-8 since
1899.
Up next
The Dodgers welcome the Mets to town beginning Monday night. Ricky Nolasco starts the series opener
against New York, with Jenrry Mejia starting for the Metropolitans.
Don Mattingly has considered batting Zack Greinke 8th
By Eric Stephen
In a weekend series that has already been quite interesting and noteworthy, the Sunday night finale
between the Dodgers and Rays features yet another quirk. Tampa Bay starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson
is bating eighth for the Rays, the first hurler to do so in Rays franchise history.
Starting Lineups
Rays
Dodgers
1B Rodriguez
LF Crawford (L)
CF Myers
2B Ellis
3B Longoria
1B Gonzalez (L)
RF Zobrist (S)
RF Puig
SS Escobar
CF Ethier (L)
2B Roberts
C
C
Lobaton (S)
3B Uribe
P
Hellickson
SS Gordon (L)
LF
Bourgeois
P
Elis
Kershaw (L)
The Rays actually had a pitcher bat somewhere other than ninth once, but that was more of a lineup
card screw up. On May 17, 2009 pitcher Andy Sonnanstine batted third when manager Joe Maddon
accidentally listed two third basemen on his lineup card, forfeiting the designated hitter.
The last pitcher to bat eighth at Dodger Stadium was Zach Duke of the Pirates on May 1, 2010. The last
Dodgers pitcher to bat eighth was Randy Wolf on Aug. 6, 2009, but manager Don Mattingly said he
would consider batting Zack Greinke eighth if the circumstances were right, such as Dee Gordon at
shortstop (like tonight) but against a left-handed pitcher.
"With Dee, against a left-handed pitcher, it would make more sense to hit Zack eighth. Zack can really
hit. You can't look at him like a pitcher. I would use this guy as a pinch hitter. Every day he's available,
we have him spiked up. We don't do it the day before he pitches ever, and it kind of depends on the day
ever," Mattingly said. "You don't feel like you're down a guy because we'd use him."
Greinke is hitting .385/.467/.436 with five walks on the season, in 49 plate appearances. He has been
used as a pinch hitter once this season, and walked. The Dodgers franchise record for batting average by
a pitcher, with at least 50 plate appearances, is .383 by Earl Yingling in Brooklyn in 1913. Yingling also
holds the franchise record with a .464 OBP that same year.
Hanley Ramirez getting closer to return to lineup
By Eric Stephen
Hanley Ramirez fielded ground balls and threw across the diamond on Sunday before the Dodgers battle
the Rays in the finale of their three-game series. It marked the first time the shortstop has tested his
shoulder throwing on the field since jamming his shoulder last Sunday at Wrigley Field.
Starting Lineups
Rays
Dodgers
1B Rodriguez
LF Crawford (L)
CF Myers
2B Ellis
3B Longoria
1B Gonzalez (L)
RF Zobrist (S)
RF Puig
SS Escobar
CF Ethier (L)
2B Roberts
C
Elis
C
Lobaton (S)
3B Uribe
P
Hellickson
SS Gordon (L)
LF Bourgeois
P Kershaw (L)
Before Ramirez began taking grounders and throwing, the first time the Dodgers had on-field batting
and fielding practice during this three game series — after arriving home late Friday morning and a day
game Saturday — manager Don Mattingly said it would likely be a few days before Ramirez is inserted
into the starting lineup.
"Another day would be pretty optimistic," Mattingly said. "We're not quite there yet."
Ramirez, who has been cleared to hit and made one pinch hitting appearance in this series — a strikeout
Friday night — felt something while playing catch on Friday. Mattingly wouldn't call it a setback, but
rather a gauge.
"When he tried to throw the other day he found out he wasn't really ready to throw, but other than that
we're still in the same spot," said Mattingly.
Had the Dodgers immediately placed Ramirez on the disabled list, he wouldn't have been eligible to
return until Tuesday, Aug. 20, when the Dodgers are in Miami.
"We've missed him six days and we're 5-1," Mattingly said. "We've been able to survive it so far. But
let's say he misses 10 days. This still saves us five."
Mattingly did acknowledge that Ramirez could surprise him and be ready to play sooner rather than
later.
"I can't see him chucking it across the diamond, but with Hanley you never know. He ends up kind of just
going," Mattingly said. "We'll see where we're at."
Ramirez, after Mattingly spoke to reporters, did throw several balls across the diamond, and also hit
several balls over the fence during batting practice.
Perhaps the optimistic outlook could come to fruition. At the very least, it seems likely that Ramirez will
be in the lineup at some point during the series against the Mets, which runs Monday to Wednesday.
Now it's just a matter of which day.
Game info
Time: 5:05 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Dodgers 8, Rays 2: Clayton Kershaw gets plenty of support to complete sweep
By Eric Stephen
Clayton Kershaw continued to pitch like Clayton Kershaw and finally got some run support, as the
Dodgers completed their sweep of the Rays with an 8-2 romp on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium. The
Dodgers are now a season-high 7½ games up in the National League West.
Kershaw allowed just three hits and two runs, one earned in eight innings, the 10th time in 25 starts he
has lasted that long. Kershaw struck out eight, walked two and lowered his MLB-best ERA to 1.88.
After getting one total run of support in his last two starts, both Dodgers losses, Kershaw took matters
into his own hand in the second inning. With runners on second and third base and two outs, Kershaw
singled to right field for a quick 2-0 lead.
Not only did the hit snap an 0-for-24 skid at the plate for Kershaw, but it also gave him a career-high six
runs batted in on the season.
But Kershaw wasn't the only one providing offense on Sunday. After scoring two or fewer runs in 13 of
his previous 24 starts, the Dodgers put plenty of runs of on Sunday night. It was a problem addressed
before the game by manager Don Mattingly, who said he has seen aces over the years get plagued by
poor run support, including his former Yankees teammate Ron Guidry.
"I don't know what it is. We need to change it, that's for sure. That's the one thing we do need to get
better at. I do think you're going to get the other guy's best effort when Kershaw is going to pitch,"
Mattingly said."But that still doesn't keep us from being able to do what we do. We've got to do a better
job of putting runs on the board for him."
Kershaw scored in the second inning when Mark Ellis doubled off the wall in left field, narrowly missing a
three-run home run.
The Dodgers tacked on another run in the third with a double by Puig followed by a pair of fly balls to
advance him to third, then home. The sacrifice fly by A.J. Ellis gave him 26 RBI in his last 30 starts.
A two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez in the fourth inning gave the Dodgers a 6-0 lead, and added to a
stellar weekend for the first baseman. Gonzalez, who drove in the tying run in the ninth inning on Friday
night and opened the scoring with a two-run home run on Saturday, has at least one RBI in his last six
games, matching Hanley Ramirez for the longest such streak by a Dodger this season.
Kershaw took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but Yunel Escobar led off with a single to left field and
advanced to second base on Carl Crawford's fielding error. Two outs later a triple by Sam Fuld just out of
the reach of Puig in right field gave the Rays a run to disrupt the shutout.
The run ended a string of 18 consecutive runs scored by the Dodgers in the series, all since they trailed
6-0 on Friday night. But the Dodgers answered back in the sixth inning, when Mark Ellis did not miss with
a two-run bomb into the left field pavilion.
Every Dodger starter got a hit, but perhaps the only Dodger who didn't have a good night was Dee
Gordon, who made three errors at shortstop. Gordon has started three of the seven games since
Ramirez injured his shoulder and is hitting .417 (5-for-12) since his call-up. But he has also made four
errors in those three games and has six errors in only 22 games at shortstop this season.
Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect ninth to end the game.
Stephen Fife pitches in relief in Triple-A, giving Dodgers options
By Eric Stephen
Stephen Fife on Saturday pitched in a new role, as the right-hander threw 2⅓ innings of relief for TripleA Albuquerque. The Dodgers say the move to the bullpen is only temporary, allowing the club to keep its
options open for the stretch run.
"Rick (Honeycutt, pitching coach) set up a schedule for him to pitch out of the bullpen a couple of times.
The thinking is if we would start him then something would happen the next day, he's four days away,"
manager Don Mattingly said on Sunday. "We keep him on a schedule where he gets a couple innings in,
just for a couple of times, to keep him fresh so his arm stays good, then we'll start him again."
Fife is 4-3 with a 2.47 ERA in nine starts for the Dodgers this season, with 40 strikeouts against just 12
unintentional walks in 51 innings. Saturday night was just Fife's third relief appearance since the start of
the 2009 season. He threw 47 pitches.
The Dodgers have no plans to make any rotation changes soon, but are keeping Fife in essence on call as
the emergency sixth starter, and pitching him in relief allows some flexibility depending on if or when a
rotation need may arise.
After Thursday's off day, the Dodgers play 13 games in 13 days, and Mattingly might use Fife as an
option to start around that time, if only to give the rest of the rotation an extra day of rest. The move
also gives the Dodgers options in September, too.
"We know who he is. We know he can pitch. Also we're thinking getting into September he may not be
starting and could come out of the pen," Mattingly said. "We want to make sure he has some type of
experience warming up and coming into a game."
FOX SPORTS
Kershaw dominates as Dodgers sweep Rays
By Michael Martinez
LOS ANGELES – Clayton Kershaw is the sure thing.
His win-loss record might not reflect it, but the Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander is as automatic as a
pitcher can be. He’s the sun setting in the west, as certain as afternoon gridlock and summer heat.
When he’s on, Kershaw is virtually untouchable. On Sunday evening, in front of another sellout at
Dodger Stadium, he kept the Dodgers humming along. And at the pace they’re going, it seems as if
there’s no looking back.
“It was a vintage Clayton game,” catcher A.J. Ellis said. “He had an edge about him. It was fun to be a
part of.”
How could it not be?
The Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-2 to complete a weekend sweep, won their fifth game in a row,
improved their record to 20-3 since the All-Star break and extended their lead in the National League
West to a robust 7-1/2 games over second-place Arizona.
“I don’t know if surprised is the best word, but you rattle off a streak like we’re on, it’s probably a little
more than luck,” Kershaw said. “We’re a pretty good team right now, and it’s a lot of fun coming to the
yard every day and winning games. But you can’t get too caught up on it.”
Kershaw pitched eight innings, gave up just three hits and one unearned run and even delivered a tworun single in the second inning. His record is 11-7, but it hardly reflects the kind of season he’s enjoying.
In 24 starts, Kershaw has held the opposition to one earned run or less 14 times. In his past nine starts,
he has given up as many as three runs just once, and Sunday’s 102-pitch outing trimmed his earned run
average from 1.91 to a major-league-low 1.88.
“It seems like all the stats go off the charts with Clayton,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s so
consistent that you don’t worry about him in a game like that. He’s going to try and make every pitch
and get every out.
“That’s his kind of game. He just keeps pushing. That’s his whole personality, to continue forward all the
time.”
Kershaw’s record is more the result of inefficient run support. Entering the game, the Dodgers were
scoring an average of 3.2 runs per game in his starts, the third-worst mark in the majors. They had
scored two runs or fewer 13 times when he started.
But he helped himself with his two-run single, and the Dodgers backed him with 14 hits, including three
by second baseman Mark Ellis, who hit a two-run homer in the sixth. A three-error game by shortstop
Dee Gordon was just a footnote by the end of the night.
“It doesn’t really change your approach,” Kershaw said of the big cushion he received, “but you’ve got to
be more cognizant, I guess, of pounding the strike zone. That doesn’t really change whether it’s 0-0 or 80. It just looks worse when you walk guys when it’s 8-0.”
The Dodgers now are 37-8 in their past 45 games, the best stretch in the National League since the 1953
Brooklyn Dodgers had the same record over the same span of games.
It would be understandable if there were some measure of surprise over their turnaround – from 12
games under .500 on June 21 to 17 games over today – but they are finally acknowledging this fact:
They’re among the best teams in baseball.
LAIST
Dodgers Keep Winning, Try To Stay Grounded
By Jimmy Bramlett
For weeks I was looking forward to this Dodgers-Rays matchup. I thought it was going to be a great test
against a team that is fighting for their AL East lives, the team whose frugal approach is a 180-degree
approach from the Dodgers free-spending ways.
It looked like it was going to be a tough series for the Dodgers when they stared a 6-0 deficit going into
the seventh inning stretch of Friday’s game facing off against David Price. Then came the epic comeback,
and from that point on the Dodgers have been stepped on the Rays’ throats. After winning the Saturday
afternoon game 5-0, the Dodgers beat up on the Rays again 8-2 for the sweep with Clayton Kershaw on
the mound.
There are two possibilities here. Perhaps I have overestimated the Rays. The fact they are fighting with
the Boston Red Sox for the AL East title may have me swayed for this little team that could. Or maybe
the Dodgers are just this good.
The facts are quite astounding:
 The Dodgers are 20-3 since the All Star Break.
 They Dodgers are 37-8 in their last 45 games.
 The last team to have as good of a stretch were the 1977 Kansas City Royals who also went 37-8
from Aug. 17 to Sept. 30, 1977.
 The last NL team to have good of a stretch were the 1953 Dodgers who also went 37-8 from July
19 (2) to Sept. 1, 1953.
 The Dodgers have been unbeated in their last 15 series (11-0-4) since losing two of three game
at the Pittsburgh Pirates from June 14-16.
 The Dodgers clinched their first winning season in Interleague Play going 11-6, their first since
going 10-8 in 2004.
 The Dodgers have a 7 ½ game lead in the NL West.
Despite all of this, the Dodgers are trying as hard as they can to not let it get to their heads.
“It’s a good feeling, but I keep trying to turn the page,” manager Don Mattingly said.
Mark Ellis, the 36-year old second baseman, knows better than to succumb to the moment. “You can be
humbled the next day in baseball,” he said. “It’s one of those games you can never get cocky.”
Despite some of the younger players coming up like Yasiel Puig, Chris Withrow and Tim Federowicz, Ellis
doesn’t feel the need to keep everyone level.
“We’re a very veteran team,” Ellis said. “We’ve just got keep moving forward. There are a lot of guys
with World Series rings on this team, a lot of playoff experience on this team. We know what we need to
do.”
What the Dodgers needed to do in this game was score some runs. Despite having the best pitcher in
baseball, the Dodgers had lost his last two starts and have scored three runs in his last three starts.
“We need to change that,” manager Don Mattingly said before the game.
Kershaw didn’t seem to want to rely on his teammates for this mythical run support. After Andre Ethier
and A.J. Ellis led off the second inning with singles against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson, Kershaw lined
a two-out single to right field to score Ethier and Ellis for the 2-0 Dodger lead.
“It was a fun night,” Kershaw said.
Yasiel Puig added a run in the third coming home on A.J. Ellis’ fly ball after leading off the inning with a
double, Adrian Gonzalez doubled home two in the fourth and Mark Ellis hit a two-run homer in the sixth
off of rapist and Rays reliever Josh Lueke.
Meanwhile Kershaw continued to do what he does on the mound going eight innings while striking out
eight. He lowered his ERA to a Major League leading 1.88. But there he was talking about not being able
to get his curveball over for strikes. “But I got some swings when I needed to. It got some big outs for
me.”
The Dodgers will finish up this homestand with three games against the New York Mets before heading
on the road with three games against the Philadelphia Phillies and four against the Miami Marlins.
While the Dodgers have to keep their heads on straight, as observers it’s hard not to think of the future,
particularly what will happen two months from now.
ESPN DEPORTES
Yasiel Puig, eufórico por Abreu
By Rigo Cervantez
LOS ÁNGELES – Yasiel Puig, el jardinero derecho de los Dodgers de Los Angeles, no pudo evitar una
exclamaaión de gusto, cuando, al ser entrevistado por ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com, este domingo, la
conversación tomó el rumbo de su 29ed an2929al José Dariel Abreu y la noticia de su salida de Cuba.
“Arriba Cienfuegos. Es el 29ed an29 cienfuguero que se va y yo estoy muy 29ed an29,” dijo, casi
gritando, el 29ed an pelotero del equipo de Chávez Ravine, entrevistado después de la barrida del
equipo azul a los Tampa Bay Rays.
“Estoy muy 29ed an29 de que él ya está aquí, ahora y espero que le salgan bien las cosas,” agregó Puig.
“Este es su momento que le dio Dios y espero que todo le salga bien en su 29ed an29, ya que él se
demoró un poco en venir al 29ed a beisbol del mundo, pero, finalmente, él ya está aquí,” siguió Puig
hablando de su 29ed an2929al, a quien definió como pelotero:
“Es un compañero que jugaba la primera base, en el mismo equipo donde yo jugaba. Es un tremendo
señor en el campo de béisbol, con poder, con 29ed a vista. Defiende bien la primera base,” lo 29ed a de
cuerpo entero, y también, le deseó suerte:
“Yo espero con el equipo que esté, le vaya muy bien y sé que le va a ir muy bien,” adelantó.
Puig considera que Abreu viene siguiendo los pasos y las hazañas de otros peloteros cubanos que ahora
juegan en grandes ligas: “El se fue porque le llamó la atención lo que estamos 29ed an2929 nosotros,
todos los compañeros cubanos.”
Y sobre los 29ed an29 de prensa que 29ed an2929 que Abreu podría llegar a firmar un contrato más
29ed an2929a que el de 6 años y 42 millones que él firmó con los Dodgers, a Yasiel Puig no le incomoda
ese tema:
“Es de mi misma 30ed an3030al y es el 30ed an30 que se va. Yo fui el primero que me fuí y rompí el
record y si él rompe el 30ed an mío, pues 30ed algo bueno.”
Y en cuanto a su propia experiencia, como jugador de grandes ligas, Puig habló del momento que está
viviendo.
“Lo más divertido, es esa cantidad de juegos que estamos ganando. No hay nada más divertido que
estar en primer lugar.”
¿En qué has cambiado como pelotero?
“Siento que voy mejorando cada día, gracias los consejos de compañeros como Adrián González y de los
entrenadores.”
Y cuando 30ed an base por bolas, intencional, quitándote el bate de las manos, ¿qué sientes?
“Quisiera batear, pero sé que generalmente tenego atras a un buen compañero, en este caso, a Andre
Ethier.”
¿Huele ya Dodgers la postemporada?
“Yo no la huelo, yo ya estoy en la postemporada. Lo he sentido desde que estamos a tres juegos por
encima de Arizona.”
Pepe Aguilar lanzó 1ª pelota en Dodgers
By Amanda M. Rivera
LOS ÁNGELES -- El cantante mexicano Pepe Aguilar lanzó la primera pelota en el Dodger Stadium el
domingo en el último partido de la serie entre los Dodgers de Los Ángeles y los Rays de Tampa Bay .
Voy a lanzar un rato pa evitar osos en el montículo !!! :-)
— Pepe Aguilar (@PepeAguilar) August 11, 2013
En una ceremonia previa al comienzo del juego en Chávez Ravine, Aguilar comentó estar contento por la
oportunidad de lanzar la primera pelota, y de manera muy sonriente dijo que lo haría al estilo de
Fernando Valenzuela, legendario abridor mexicano de los Dodgers.
Aguilar, quien es un gran aficionado del béisbol, dijo admirar al cubano Yasiel Puig, pero fue el mexicano
Adrián González, quien hizo el papel de "receptor", aunque no pudo atrapar la pelota.
El cantante de música ranchera, hijo de Antonio Aguilar y Flor Silvestre, vive en la ciudad de Los Ángeles,
pero aprovechó su visita a Dodger Stadium para promocionar los dos conciertos que tendrá en Universal
City, CA el 5 y 6 de septiembre.
Adrián González: el 'Titán' de hierro
By Rigo Cervantez
LOS ÁNGELES -- A un año de haberse vestido de azul, Adrián González se ha convertido en uno de los
pilares sobre los que descansan las expectativas de los Dodgers en la presente temporada.
'El Titán' de San Diego encabeza al equipo líder del oeste en la Liga Nacional, con 16 cuadrangulares y
con sus 72 carreras producidas.
Su promedio de bateo, de .294, también es de los mejores en el equipo de Don Mattingly.
Pero, principalmente, nadie en el plantel de los Dodgers ha intervenido en los 113 juegos (antes del
partido del domingo 11 de agosto) en que ha tomado parte Adrián González, el hombre de hierro del
equipo.
"Adrián es un jugador de todos los días, pero a mí me gustaría que, de vez en cuando, él se tomara algún
día libre. Y, de hecho, él tiene la prerrogativa de venir y decirme cuando es que necesita descansar,"
aseguró el timonel Don Mattingly, al referirse a su primera base.
"Ya pedí el jueves," dijo Adrián, cuando ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com le repitió las palabras de su
manager.
Pero ese día no hay partido, le replicamos. "Por eso, ese es el día que descanso," insistió el pelotero
mexicano estadounidense, que agregó: "Yo estoy aquí para jugar beisbol, no para verlo."
Y, ¿cuando vas a descansar?
"Cuando me retire."
Por cierto, y aunque su retiro parece aún muy lejano, 'El Titán' adelanta que no está considerando el
llegar a convertirse en manager cuando deje el beisbol.
"Cuando me retire, pienso dedicarme a mi familia," dijo, concluyente.
Luego, el pelotero explicó sobre su disposición para jugar a la pelota, todos los días.
"Durante toda mi carrera, muchas veces, he jugado a pesar de sufrir algunas lesiones. Yo llego todos los
día decididido a jugar y ayudar a mi equipo a ganar," dijo.
Y cuando el pelotero habló de ganar, se le recordó que, a últimas fechas, los Dodgers le han ganado
series a equipos como San Luis y a Tampa, que no son cualquier cosa.
"Es que somos un buen equipo," ripostó.
Y para dimensionar todo el aporte de Adrián González, al buen paso del equipo, el dirigente, Don
Mattingly, detalla:
"Adrián ha sido así todo el año, siempre sale y hace su trabajo. Sin hacer muchos aspavientos, él siempre
conecta un hit importante para nosotros. Es un jugador de tododos los día y yo simplemente me acerco
para preguntarle si está bien, porque sé que estará en la alineación," explicó el timonel, para concluir:
"Se trata de un profesional en toda la palabra, un bateador que ha madurado desde que yo lo recuerdo,
jugando en San Diego. El, siempre que sale a batear, tiene un plan, sabe lo que va a hacer y ese es un
secreto muy importante para lograr ser consistente."
¿Dejaron carreras para Kershaw?
Rigo Cervantez
LOS ÁNGELES -- El estelar lanzador de los Dodgers de Los Ángeles, el zurdo Clayton Kershaw, enfrenta
este domingo a los bateadores de Rays de Tampa Bay, en la última cita de su serie de interligas entre los
representantes de ambos extremos y ambas costas del país, con el deseo de que sus compañeros, que a
últimas fechas han mostrado una respetable capacidad para producir carreras, le tengan algunas
cuantas anotaciones reservadas para su causa.
Aunque, al ser abordado por ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com, el originario de Dallas, Texas, dijo solo
ocuparse de su labor: "Yo solo voy a lanzar y dejo que los demás se ocupen de hacer su trabajo,"
clarificó Kershaw.
Sin embargo, la realidad demuestra que en los más recientes cuatro triunfos consecutivos que acumula
el equipo de Don Mattingly, sus maderos se han encargado de producir un total de 30 anotaciones, o su
equivalente de las nada despreciables 7.5 carreras por juego.
Y en lo que se refiere a las tres últimas apariciones monticulares del ganador del premio Cy Young de la
temporada 2012, en las que Kershaw ganó un juego, perdió otro y en el tercero, no tuvo decision, sus
compañeros apoyaron, entre comillas, su labor con un total de tres carreras.
Una verdadera miseria.
Se trata de una simple realidad del juego de pelota, algo que Clayton no atribuye a la suerte: "No, no
creo en la suerte," aseguró.
Tampoco se puede considerar que el brazo de Kershaw no trabaja lo suficiente y eso sí que está
totalmente fuera de toda realidad, ya que en los 24 juegos que ha iniciado en la temporada, el zurdo ha
lanzado un total de 174 entradas y un tercio, lo que entrega un promedio de 7.25 entradas de trabajo
por partido.
Y así, como para olvidarse de todo ese apoyo, con carreras, que a útimas fechas no ha recibido de su
equipo, ¿qué hace un día antes de salir a lanzar, Clayton Kershaw?
"Veo videos y juego a las cartas," confiesa el lanzador, que llega a este duelo con su marca de 10
ganados y 7 perdidos y con un promedio de carreras limpias permitidas de 1.91.
Por parte de la novena de Tampa, se anuncia al derecho Jeremy Hellickson (10-5, con un ERA de 4.77).
LA AFICION APOYA
Los que no han escatimado su apoyo a la causa azul, son los aficionados, que llenan a su capacidad el
inmueble edificado en las Colinas de Chávez Ravine, casi a diario, con promociones de por medio, o sin
ellas.
Porque hasta la fecha, con 58 juegos disputados en casa, de los 116 que van en la temporada, 2,627,080
aficionados de sangre azul, han pasado en el 2013 por los torniquetes de Dodger Stadium, para apoyar,
incondicionalmente, a su equipo.
"Los aficinados han estado espectaculares, especialmente, en ese juego del viernes, en que nos
encontrábamos abajo, por seis carreras.
Ellos se mantuvieron todo el tiempo apoyándonos, gritando siempre y eso nos impulsó para iniciar esa
reacción que nos llevó al triunfo," aseguó Jerry Hairston Jr., uno de los jugadores que, muy a la calladita,
viene realizando un trabajo importante en el equipo.
Tal y como sucediera durante el, no apto para cardíacos, juego del viernes, cuando el miembro de la
dinastía ligamayorista de los Hairston, conectaba el batazo decisivo de la contienda. Cierto, fue una bola
saltarina hacia el montículo, pero que provocó el error del lanzador Fernando Rodney, para abrir la
puerta al triunfo azul, en medio de la virtual locura, tanto en las gradas, como en el campo de juego, en
Chávez Ravine.
CBSSPORTS.COM
Grading the Week: Dodgers can't stop winning
By Matt Snyder
It's the end of the baseball week, so it's time to hand out some grades. We're dropping this feature back
to once a week, so we're checking out the entire week of games (Monday through Sunday).
As always, we're only going to assign each of the five letter grades -- possibly with a plus or minus -- to
one team with a few exceptions. No need for overkill. If we didn't include your favorite team, give 'em
whatever mark you want. Just be fair and honest.
For example, the Rangers are absolutely deserving of an A after going 7-0 on the week. Playing against
the mediocre-at-best Angels and hapless Astros, however, means they get squeezed out for the top
honors.
Anyway, red pen time.
Team Grade
Analysis
This is getting ridiculous. All the Dodgers did this week was go 6-1 against two playoffcaliber teams, outscoring them 42-20. They are 20-3 since the All-Star break and 37-8 since
their low point on June 21. They were 9.5 games out of first at that point and are now 7.5
A
games in first. With the Mets, Phillies and Marlins next up on the schedule, things aren't
likey to get worse any time soon. It's hard to imagine now, but they were a last-place team
for almost all of May and June.
If we were grading the entire second half (since the All-Star break, that is, not since game
number 81), the Royals would get an A+. They are 19-5 since the break. This week they
B+
went 5-2, including taking three of four from the first-place Red Sox. Why not an A? Well,
they lost 7-0 to the Twins Tuesday and twice total on the week, which is nitpicky to be
certain -- I just wanted to highlight the Royals. It was a stellar week, again, and they haven't
Team Grade
C
D-
F
F
Analysis
lost a series since July 12-14. They are absolutely a playoff contender.
The D-Backs swept a short two-game series against the Rays but then cancelled it out by
losing two of three to the Mets. With the Reds (winners of four out of their last five) and
the Dodgers playing well, a playoff berth for Arizona gets further and further away.
They were battered by the Dodgers at home, being outscored 22-12 and then dropped two
of three to the fourth-place Cubs. Getting two wins prevents them from F territory, but the
Cardinals are closer to being the second wild card than NL Central leader at this point. After
a scorching hot first several months, that didn't seem possible.
This was a huge week for the Indians. Heading into it, they were only three games behind
the Tigers in the AL Central and were set to host a four-game series against those Tigers.
Not only that, but the Indians had a half-game lead in the race for the second AL wild card.
A four-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers followed by losing two of three to the Angels
means the Indians are now seven out in the Central and four back in the second wild card.
Salvaging Sunday's game -- in come-from-behind fashion -- was a big step. And maybe they
will surge. They've had streaks (either winning or losing) of at least five games seven times
this season. But this past week was one to forget.
Yes, there are two Fs to hand out this week. Two playoff contenders were so miserable that
we had to point it out. The Rays had a tough road trip to Arizona and Los Angeles, but they
went 0-5 against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Again, that's a tough trip, but a playoff
contender from the best division in baseball needs to win at least two games of those five.
LA OPINION
Kershaw firma la barrida: 8-2
By Jairo Giraldo
Los Dodgers fueron de nuevo una máquina perfecta de alta producción ofensiva y pitcheo imbateable,
para derrotar 8-2 a los Rays de Tampa y consolidar su dominió en la División Oeste de la Liga Nacional.
Clayton Kershaw dio otro recital y anduvo perfecto hasta la quinta entrada para dejar su marca en (11-7)
y los Dodgers batearon 14 imparables para barrer la serie ante un rival de alto vuelo en la Liga
Americana.
Cuando ya los bates pesados de Dodgers habían agotado un turno, llegó como noveno al bate Kershaw
que encontró a Ethier y a A.J. Ellis en las bases, para sacudir un leñazo largo, a zona de Zobrist, que trajo
dos a home para inaugurar la pizarra y poner el 2-0.
Ellickson, el lanzador de Tampa, se metía temprano en problemas y lo aprovechó Crawford para darle
otro imparable.
El daño lo completó Mark Ellis, con un doble larguísimo que remolcó a Kershaw para firmar el 3-0
transitorio.
Todo el daño ocurrió con dos outs. Adrián González fue el tercero fuera y Yasiel Puig se quedó en zona
de espera.
En lo bajo de la tercera abrió la ofensiva Yasiel Puig con doble. Ethier con elevado fue el primer out, pero
el novato cubano llegó a tercera y enseguida pasaría por home cuando A.J Ellis bateó elevado a zona de
Myers.
Ellickson incapaz de contener a Dodgers fue relevado cuando Gordon, el octavo bate de los azules, le dio
imparable. Vino en su lugar el zurdo Alex Torres.
Más de lo mismo porque no pudo con Kershaw y le dio boleto a Crawford.
Luego se rehizo y ponchó a Ellis, pero Adrián González le devolvió al fondo una recta de 93 millas, que
fue buena para doble, y que trajo a Kershaw y Crawford para el 6-0.
Con Adrián en segunda y Puig, que recibió base intencional, en primera, vino Ethier. Zurdo contra zurdo.
Recta contra poder, que resolvió Torres a su favor con un adentro y bajito, para sacar el out y apagar la
candela.
La perfección de Kershaw duró hasta el inicio del quinto cuando Crawford dejó caer una larga de
Escobar, que se fue hasta la segunda almohadilla.
Luego vino el emergente Sam Fuld y le conectó profundo a zona de Puig, quien no pudo con la bola y así
Escobar pasó por home para el 6-1.
Josh Lueke reemplazó a Torres y recetó un bonito 1-2-3 con A.J. Ellis, Uribe y Gordon, para cerrar el
quinto episodio.
La ofensiva de Dodgers seguía implacable y después de que Kershaw fuera out, vino Crawford con
sencillo y Mark Ellis, se enfrentó a la recta de 94 millas de Lueke.
La vio, le gustó y la chocó por la costura, lejos de la cerca, para agregar dos carreras más y poner arriba a
Dodgers 8-1.
En la octava, Kershaw se metió en problemas, por única vez. Cuando caminó a Lobatón y Loney le dio
imparable.
Después un error de Gordon ante rodado de Bourgeois, llenó las bases, sin outs.
Entonces se vio al mejor Kershaw que, con paciencia de cirujano, hizo los ajustes y limitó el daño a una
carrera cuando un elevado de sacrificio de Myers remolcó a Lobatón. 8-2.
Los Dodgers de esta manera montan racha de cinco victorias y toman ventaja de 7.5 juegos sobre los
Diamondbacks en la lucha divisional.
El juego lo ganó Kershaw (11-7); perdió Hellickson (10-6).
Los Dodgers inician hoy serie en su patio ante los Mets de Nueva York en juego que empezará a las 7:10.
Por Dodgers estará abriendo Ricky Nolasco (8-9) y por Mets Jenrry Mejía (1-1).