More of the Same

Dodgers   2 9  1
Cardinals 9 13 0
WP- McClellan (2-0)
LP-Kershaw (2-2)
HR- Craig (1)

The Dodgers drop their third game in a row to the Cardinals and their 5th game in a row overall falling to 3 games below .500. Tonight's game looked pretty much the same as the previous two, with St. Louis clamoring the Dodgers with hits, and the Dodgers meekly sitting in idle failing to score with runners in scoring position. Clayton Kershaw could only go 4.2 innings after pitching 30 pitches in the second inning and 40 pitches in the third. He allowed 6 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks, and struck out 5.

Kershaw started strong going 1-2-3 and striking out Pujols in the first inning, but his pitch count spiraled out of control in subsequent innings. In the second inning he walked Freese, allowed singles to Craig and Laird to load the bases, but he gets out of the jam after striking out both Greene and McClellan.

The Red Birds would get their first of many runs for the night in the third inning. Theriot singles, Rasmus walks, Pujols strikes out for a second time, Holliday walks to load the bases, and Theriot scores on Freese's fly ball making it 1-0 Cards.

In the fourth there's more scoring for the Cards. McClellan walks, Theriot (yes, Theriot) doubles off the wall scoring McClellan but then in usual TOOTBLAN style, Theriot is tagged out between 2nd and 3rd. 2-0 Cards. In the bottom of the fourth the Dodgers would get one of two of their runs when Ethier singles which extends his hitting streak to 13 games, Kemp singles, Uribe's fly ball advances Ethier to 3rd, and Ethier stealthily avoids the tag at homeplate and scores on Loney's grounder making it 2-1. Kemp is robbed of a stolen base when the ump orders him back to second base after Bog Rod is hit by the pitch.

Kershaw can't make it through the 5th inning after Pujols singles, and  Holliday walks. Mattingly pushes his luck with a tuckered out Kershaw hoping he can make the last out. Nope. Allen Craig slams a 3-run HR making it 5-1. MacDougal comes in and gets the last out.

In the 6th MacDougal hits Greene, and the umps give their usual daily warnings. Greene steals 2nd, and MacDougal commits an error attempting to pick off Greene at second throwing the ball into center field and allowing him to score making it 6-1.

Kenley Jansen pitches a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th. Ivan De Jesus gets his first career hit in the bottom of the inning.

McClellan goes 7.0 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, and striking out 2.

More batting practice ensues as the newly called up Ramon Troncoso comes into pitch the 8th and 9th innings. In the 8th, Craig singles and steals 2nd, Laird sacs him to third, Greene then singles in Craig making it 7-1. The Dodgers get their second run off of Miguel Batista when Blake walks, Ethier doubles when Holliday can't handle the ball getting Blake to third. Kemp gets a leg single scoring Blake making it 7-2.

The 9th would be some more batting practice off of Troncoso. Theriot singles again, Rasmus singles, and Pujols singles. Luckily Theriot doesn't know how to run the bases and Xavier Paul throws him out at the plate where Big Rod is waiting. Then Holliday proceeds to single in Rasmus 8-2, Freese singles in Pujols 9-2. Eduardo Sanchez strikes out the side (De Jesus, Paul, & Blake) in the bottom of the ninth to end the painful night for the Dodgers.

We have another one to play tomorrow. Chris Carpenter who pitches well against the Dodgers will go up against Chad Billingsley at 1pm. Let's hope we can fight off the sweep Dodger fans!