Who says that "Dodgers can't hit" thing is all bad?
After all, their bats were mighty cold tonight (doesn't get much more frigid than a knock total of "nada"), yet they still managed to come out on top of the Angels to the tune of 1-0. Certainly not the most conventional of victories (only the fifth time since 1900 a team has triumphed without a hit), the Dodgers found their only score coming in the fifth inning after a series of happy mishaps involving Matt Kemp. First, his rinky dink nubber back to Jered Weaver may not have had much pop, but it definitely came equipped with some crazy English. Enough spin, in fact, that Weaver couldn't keep a handle on the ball while looking to make the play at first. From there, Jeff Mathis sailed his attempt to catch Kemp's second base swipe attempt, which gave the center fielder an extra bag. From there, Blake DeWitt's sac fly cleared the path for the diamond's final 90 feet. No runs for either side followed, meaning Chad Billingsley evened up his record to 7-7 and Weaver got tagged with an "L" despite throwing six innings of "no no." Some brutal luck, to be sure, and Bills could even muster up some sympathy and a rueful laugh when I asked if he felt a little bad for his fellow pitcher-in-arms. "I don't ever want to experience that."
Anything but a dominating way to create prosperous box scores, but Chad Billingsley summed up the bottom line in apt fashion. "Hey, we won. That's all that matters." Players were asked if they minded picking up the victory in a somewhat dubious fashion, if they felt more bummed about not managing a hit than pleased over just barely coming out on top. Everyone within my earshot was all about the happiness, plain and simple. "It was an interesting game. You'll see it on SportsCenter," nodded Billingsley. Joe Torre described the unlikely turn of events as "magical." As far as Russell Martin was concerned, the dudes in the visitor's clubhouse were the ones in need of a pick me up. "You could ask them. They'd rather have won the game than throw a no-hitter." And Kemp was just plain giddy. "This is pretty exciting. I've never been a part of anything like this. I'm pretty excited right now. I'm going to Disneyland!"
The breakdown is below.
The Good
- Chad Billingsley: You can't pull a sans-hit "W" without a top notch starter's effort, which is exactly what Chad Billingsley provided. His seven innings of three hit/seven strikeout ball kept the Angels nearly as frozen as the team he represented. His opening quartet of frames featured just a pair of base runners, indicative of how in control he was throughout the night. And the few problems Bills did face, he worked his way out unblemished. There was a small scare in the sixth when a walked Garrett Anderson found his way to second after Jeff Kent bricked a grounder from Vladdy Guerrero. But no worries for the righty. Just fan Torii Hunter, get the third out and end this madness. Same thing when Angel Berroa's botched toss on a double play attempt extended the seventh inning a little further. Induce a ground out from Chone Figgins and call it a day. When asked who gets the game ball on a historically bizarre night like this, Kemp didn't hesitate with his response. The team's "work horse," Chad Billingsley.
- Aside from the above mentioned errors, the fielding: Similar to how hitless wins requires some quality tosses, they aren't likely to occur without some damn good D. And like Chris Berman, the Dodgers were with leather this evening. Blake DeWitt robbed Vlad Guerrero of a 2nd inning base hit with a running snare just barely gloved. James Loney made a diving grab of a Casey Kotchman gapper in the fourth. During the sixth inning, Andre Ethier gunned down Erick Aybar after he pushed his luck on a broken bat single. Dude threw an absolute laser to Angel Berroa to nail former Dodger Willy Aybar's bro. He later ran down a Howie Kendrick long ball into right center. Considering Kotchman was on base, this might have been an entirely different game if Ethier hadn't put on his track shoes. Finally, the ninth inning saw Luis Maza jump on board as a defensive sub for Jeff Kent and make a diving snare of a Kotchman hot shot. As it turns out, that may have been a game saver, since Howie Kendrick followed up with a double before Takashi Saito eventually shut down the contest for good.
Truth be told, any of the above mentioned excellence, although feeling like just your run of the mill web gems at the time, played a crucial difference maker between winning and losing.
- Matt Kemp's luck with errors in the fifth inning: All kidding aside, that was pretty gosh darn fortuitous.
The Bad
- The bats: As mentioned earlier, it's only the fifth time a team has squeaked out a winner without a hit in their back pocket. I wouldn't advise going for the repeat.
- Angel Berroa: 0-3 with two strikeouts, an error and a batting average now sitting at .175, plummeting 39 points from .214 over the course of a week. Raffy Furcal cannot return soon enough.
- Beach ball interruptions: Three in all. C'mon, people. Baseball moves slowly enough as it is. Get it together or safe it for actual beach.
- The dude who proposed during the "Kiss Cam" segment: Karina may have said "yes," but her eyes, body language and rather unenthusiastic nod said, "Really? You're proposing to me at a Dodger game? Really?" I wouldn't be shocked if she returned the ring the minute they got into the car. If I've said it once, I've said it 1000 times. I don't care how big a sports fan your lady is, she will NOT like you popping the question at a stadium or arena. Just don't do it.
The Ballsy
- Matt Kemp not sliding while scoring off Blake DeWitt's sac fly to right: I know it probably doesn't come up in a lot of scouting reports, but Vlad Guerrero can actually huck a ball. Kemp made it with about 1.5 steps to spare, but still, I'm just saying...
AUDIO
- Joe Torre: Download joe_torre_postgame_angels_2.mp3
- Russell Martin: Download russell_martin_postgame_angels_2.mp3
- Matt Kemp: Download matt_kemp_postgame_angels_2.mp3
- Chad Billingsley: Download chad_billingsley_pstgame_angels_2.mp3
AK
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I told you this team was one for the ages!
Swn watch! Bet joe starts him today?
Posted by: Benzojones | June 29, 2008 at 07:29 AM
Well I just read SIMERS and he is trying to make big deal about batting coach and talks about how they should get Mattingly to coach not mentioning about the situation that Don has been in for the first half of the season, this always wants to get people fired and I wish in rhe end that he gets the ax from the times, but then again do the times brass even read the paper.
Posted by: pk-in-the-mesa | June 29, 2008 at 08:08 AM
what an "offensive" Xplosion!.........2 straight over the halos, & only one to go for sweep!
can the "clippers" sweep the "lakers"?????
Posted by: dodger55 | June 29, 2008 at 08:54 AM
I understand that Smirky Face Jones is getting better. So, I propose this open letter to Tonya Harding:
Dear Tonya,
Is there any chance of getting contact information for your goon squad? Some of us Dodger fans have a knee that needs a good whacking.
Posted by: wausroamer | June 29, 2008 at 09:30 AM
wow what a nail biter of a game. As AK mentioned, many of the youngsters contributed in one way or another. Kemp using his gifts to help manufacture the run. Dewitt coming through with a timely and perfect at bat. Loney and Ethier with the glove. Broxton, steady as always in the setup and finally the bringing in the wise old samurai Saito at the end to shut er down. On another note:
Can someone please explain why the Times continues to employ SImers? Doews he not know that sports are supposed to be fun. If you want to make a moral statement about the behavior of sports stars please do so. But to just time and again simply criticize without conscience in such a negative manner makes reading his article so truly unpleasant and to top it off, just plain boring. He needs to take some notes from these guys:
http://www.tv.com/uservideos/?action=video_player&id=dnI6n2P55bsIszXe
cuz at least when these guys hate, i laugh my @zz off.
Posted by: thekidCA | June 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM
by the way I forgot to give props to Billingsley. He pitched one heck of a game. Th pressure of pitching against a guy throwing a no-hitter and still fighting and scraping to keep your opponent scoreless. Wow, if the Dodgers other pitchers can work themselves any where near the way that Chad is pitching right now, the Dodgers will start to win some games.
Posted by: thekidCA | June 29, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Apparently, the Dodgers have been going about this offense thing all wrong. They've been trying to get hits, when really it's runs they need to worry about.
I propose more practice at scoring without getting a hit. They keep this up and they'll win every game.
I'm surprised nobody referenced this quote, from 40 years ago, when the Dodgers had an equally inept offense.
Don Drysdale was absent one night, and asked a teammate whether the team won.
Teammate: "Koufax threw a no-hitter."
Drysdale: "Yes, but did we win?"
Nice to see the blue on the other end of heartbreak for a change. This could be something to rally around.
Posted by: SaMo | June 29, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I read that article by Simers. Stupid both the article and my wasting a few minutes of my life reading it.
But it shows how cliches become embedded...For example, Loney going into last night was the Major League leading hitter in June at 381 but he is still lumped in as needing 'babying',not being commited to winning but just being happy to be in the Bigs, etc.
Just silly! Yeah, it's all the 'kids' fault that Furcal got injured and that Jones and Penny showed up hurt in Spring Training and didn't utter a word, and so on. The 'kids' should have 'stepped up' Hu, for example should have immediately matched Furcal's numbers, hit 366 with home runs, and I guess DeWitt should have stepped up for Nomar...but then again that would have meant he would have gone on the DL immediately!
Posted by: dodger55 | June 29, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Habs suck. GO LEAFS!!!
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | June 29, 2008 at 01:02 PM
SaMo,
they mentioned that quote on the radio broadcast last night
Posted by: K T | June 29, 2008 at 01:23 PM
Tony Jackson is reporting that Torre says Pierre will be the everyday left fielder when AJ returns. Can you guys hear the scream all the way from Ft Wayne?
I actually watched the entire game the other day when Kershaw pitched (not so impressive, I might add.)
Pierre is such a defensive liability. It was disgusting to watch a runner tag up and score from a a fly ball which was a little more than a pop up. Pierre catches the ball, double clutches and throws all of 20 yds. Pathetic. What happened to field the best team to win ball games?
I will grant you that Ethier and Pierre are providing about the same offensively; however, there is no comparison on the defensive end where runners routinely take extra bases on Pierre's noodle arm. When factoring in all of those wonderful stolen bases, he should have one subtracted every time he lets a runner advance due to his defenisive limitations.
It has already been a long season and looks like it will be even longer before the Blue see any post season success.
Sorry for the pessimistic comments.
Posted by: Lex | June 29, 2008 at 01:46 PM
I too am a little surprised by Joe's choice to stick with Pierre post AJ's return. My guess is Eithier or Kemp are being shopped. A little sad, but no one is going to take Pierre.
We might as well learn to like the little fella.
Posted by: Benzojones | June 29, 2008 at 02:06 PM
swn 6 for 61 for a wopping .098 batting avg...how long will we have to put up with his inability to hit....Oh yea he's one of the best pinch hitting players of all time...so what if he can't hit anymore
Pierre hurt his knee so maybe he won't be the regular outfielder when Jones comes back
Posted by: K T | June 29, 2008 at 03:17 PM
News Flash: Sweeney did not strike out!!
Although, he did make his one a day out. This guy is the official "Out" Machine!!! Now, he is batting double digits. How long will he continue to get trotted out there every day. Yet another former Giant destroying Dodger chances.
Posted by: Lex | June 29, 2008 at 03:18 PM
I just don't get it Sweeny is washed up and they can't figure that out, maybe if they tell him to go up there and strike out he will get a hit. They now need to bring up Repko to play in the outfield and pinch hit but they will probably find some washed up player for 5 mill. a year.
Posted by: pk-in-the-mesa | June 30, 2008 at 06:48 AM
why are you bagging on the poor dodgers? yea they me in a little slump with the hitting but they still won so what is the problem
Posted by: LAchicka | July 01, 2008 at 11:52 AM