The Dodgers wrap up their opening road trip with a 5-2 record after Wednesday’s loss to Oakland.
Be sure to follow along for the latest news, results and analysis as the Dodgers head home to play the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
Kenley Jansen blows save and Dodgers lose
OAKLAND — The Dodgers’ soft underbelly, the one glaring question mark for the consensus World Series favorites, was exposed on a chilly Wednesday afternoon inside an outdated concrete mass against the only team left in the majors searching for a win in 2021.
Kenley Jansen was tasked to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning and complete the Dodgers’ seven-game, season-opening trip. A save would’ve extended the Dodgers’ winning streak to six games, but he failed to do his job in the Dodger’ 4-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics in 10 innings at RingCentral Coliseum.
Jansen looked uncomfortable pitching on consecutive days for the first time this season. His velocity was down. His command was erratic as he threw 13 of his 22 pitches for balls. Matt Chapman welcomed him with a loud leadoff single and scored the tying run on Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice fly.
Jansen survived the inning, but the Athletics, who were outscored 50-13 entering Wednesday, won the game in the 10th on Mitch Moreland’s walk-off single against Jimmy Nelson.
Dodgers don’t score in top of 10th
Yusmeiro Petit now pitching for the A’s. Rios is the runner at second since he made the last out in the Dodgers’ half of the ninth. Lux flied to center. McKinstry flied to left. Taylor struck out swinging. Dodgers 3, A’s 3.
A’s tie it up in bottom of ninth off Kenley Jansen
Kenley Jansen on the mound to pick up the save. Chapman singled to center. Brown walked. First and second, none out. Ka’ai Tom ran for Brown. Kemp sacrificed the runners over. Jansen has no idea where the ball is going. Andrus flied to center, Chapman scoring. Smith tried a swipe tag but couldn’t come up with the ball. We’re tied, 3-3. Let the “Kenley Jansen should not be the closer” debate renew. Murphy walked. Time for a new pitcher maybe? Canha
Hey everyone, free Jumbo Jacks on Thursday*
*-antacid not included
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 12: Don Drysdale’s scoreless innings streak
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 12: Don Drysdale’s scoreless innings streak (8,307 points)
Every Dodger fan knows that Don Drysdale once held the record for most consecutive scoreless innings with 58. But remember how it almost came to a halt early?
Drysdale’s streak was at 44 innings in the ninth inning and leading 3-0 against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 31, 1968. The Giants loaded the bases with nobody out. It seemed unlikely that the Giants would fail to score in this situation as Dick Dietz stepped to the plate. And while 44 straight scoreless innings was excellent, it would have been only the seventh-best all time.
Dietz worked the count to 2-2 when the next pitch hit him, forcing in a run and ending the streak. Or did it?
“The ball just sort of grazed Dietz on the elbow,” Drysdale wrote in his autobiography “Once a Bum, Always a Dodger.” “He was all set to head to first base and ending my streak. But Harry Wendlestedt, the plate umpire, ruled that Dietz hadn’t tried to get out of the way of the pitch, so Dietz stayed right there. Dietz had made no effort to avoid the pitch, and that was confirmed to me the next day. Juan Marichal, the Giants’ great right-hander, told me that Dietz had said in the dugout before he came to bat, ‘If it’s anything but a fastball, I’ll take one and that will end the streak right there.’ In other words, knowing that a hit batsman would bring in a run, Dietz was willing to get in the way of a pitch.”
Giants manager Herm Franks argued, but Wendlestedt stood by his call. Dietz returned to the plate with a full count. Dietz hit a shallow fly to left fielder Jim Fairey and the runner at third, Nate Oliver, didn’t try to score. The next batter, Ty Cline, grounded to first baseman Wes Parker, who forced Oliver at home. Then Jack Hiatt popped to first. The game was over, but not the streak. It was also Drysdale’s fifth consecutive shutout.
I was fortunate enough to interview Vin Scully for my Dodgers book way back in 2013. Here’s what he had to say about Drysdale:
“I think one of the things when you look back over the years, you had Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax and they were as different as left and right.
“Sandy was very quiet. If Sandy were going out to dinner with a player, it would be the third-string catcher, or a backup infielder, and they would just go quietly and have dinner.
“Don was the Pied Piper. If Don was going to go out to dinner, he’d have six or seven players with him. Don had a magnetism about him. Sandy, the other players thought he was absolutely unbelievable. Don was one of them. He was very outgoing, so there was no surprise that he would eventually go into broadcasting, because that was his nature. He was a very happy-go-lucky guy and the players loved to be with him because where he would go there would be fun, guaranteed. Party hats and noisemakers and all of that.
“But, when he stepped on the field, he was a totally different person. He was a tremendous competitor who would not mind at all trying to frighten the hitter.”
Drysdale is well-known to throw inside, and maybe hit a batter or two if he felt it was necessary. Now, that part of the game is frowned upon. Would Drysdale have adjusted to today’s game?
Dodgers leave bases loaded in top of ninth
Seager singled to left. Lou Trivino replaces Diekman on the mound. Turner walked. Smith flied to right, Seager to third. Pollock flied to shallow right-center, Seager holding at third. Wasn’t deep enough. Muncy walked. Edwin Rios, batting for Barnes, struck out swinging. Dodgers leave the bases loaded again. Dodgers 3, A’s 2.
Dodgers take 3-2 lead into ninth inning
Lowrie grounded to first. Laureano lined to right. Victor Gonzalez comes in to fact the left-handed hitting Moreland, who grounds to short. Who pitches the ninth for the Dodgers? Blake Treinen? Or does Gonzalez remain in the game? Dodgers 3, A’s 2.
Dodgers go down quietly in top of eighth, lead 3-2
Jake Diekman now pitching for the A’s. Lux struck out swinging. McKinstry struck out swinging. Taylor grounded to third. Dodgers 3, A’s 2.
Matt Chapman’s homer pulls A’s within 3-2
Chapman homered to center. Corey Knebel is up in the Dodger bullpen. Brown struck out looking. Piscotty singled to center. Surprised that Bauer is staying in the game considering he is at 106 pitches. Andrus struck out swinging. Knebel comes in to pitch. The final line for Bauer: 6.2 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts. And he didn’t have his best stuff today. Sean Murphy, hitting for Garcia, walked. First and second, two out. Tony Kemp ran for Piscotty at second. Canha struck out looking. Knebel walked a tightrope there, but made it to the other side. Dodgers 3, A’s 2.
Your first Dodger memory: Almost losing your glove at Dodger Stadium
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Kevin Furuta of Pasadena: My first Dodger memory is one that my dad told me because I don’t remember it. But I became a Dodger fan in the early 70s around the age of 5. I kept bugging my pops to take me to a Dodger game, like non stop. And when he finally did ... I fell asleep by the second inning. Cut to a couple years later to another Dodger game, where we sat in the left field bleachers at the very back. I brought my ratty old glove from Little League hoping to catch a home run. I put the glove by my feet and accidentally kicked it and it fell all the way down the the concourse. Instead of getting mad at me, he immediately yelled, “Guard!”, to notify the usher nearby so that no one would just pick up the glove and take it. Not a specific Dodger memory per se but it was the first time I understood that my pops would always look out for me. He still does and we go to about 10 games a year together... and upgraded to loge seats!
Justin Turner’s double increases Dodger lead to 3-1
Former Dodger Sergio Romo now pitching for the A’s. Taylor was hit by a pitch. Taylor seems to be a magnet for the ball this season. Seager singled to center, Taylor to second. Turner doubled to deep left-center, scoring Taylor, Seager to third. Smith struck out looking. Pollock popped to short. Muncy was walked intentionally. Barnes lined to third. Dodgers 3, A’s 1.
Trevor Bauer cruises through six innings
Canha was hit by a pitch. Lowrie flied to left. Laureano flied to right. Moreland popped to first. Through six innings, Bauer has allowed one hit, one run, one walk and struck out eight, throwing 91 pitches. Dodgers 2, A’s 1.
Dodgers take 2-1 lead in top of the sixth
Luzardo is still pitching, which is a surprise since he will pass the 100-pitch count this inning. Pollock grounded to second. Muncy walked. Barnes singled to left, Muncy to second. That will do it for Luzardo, who did a good job today. Former Dodger Adam Kolarek will now pitch for the A’s. Lux grounded to first, advancing the runners. McKinstry bunted up the third-base line, Barnes was out when he slid past the bag, but Muncy crossed the plate before the out was recorded, so the run counts. Dodgers 2, A’s 1.
This day in Dodger history: Dodgers install a 42-foot high screen in the Coliseum
A’s go in order in fifth
Piscotty struck out swinging. Andrus grounded to third. Garcia grounded to short. Dodgers 1, A’s 1.
Dodgers don’t score in top of fifth
Taylor doubled to left. Seager flied to center. Turner grounded to third. On a 3-1 pitch to Turner, the ump missed an obvious ball four, calling it a strike. The pitch was a good four inches too high. Smith struck out looking. Dodgers 1, A’s 1.
A’s tie it up on wild pitch
Laureano was hit by a pitch. While Moreland struck out swinging, Laureano stole second. Chapman popped to short. Laureano stole third. Laureano scored on a wild pitch. A gift-wrapped run for Oakland. Brown struck out looking. Dodgers 1, A’s 1.
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 13: Dodgers hit four straight homers in ninth against Padres
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 13: Dodgers hit four straight homers against Padres (82 first-place votes, 7,552 points)
As the 2006 season neared its end, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres were neck-and-neck for the NL West lead. The night of Sept. 18, 2006, they were facing each other with the Padres clinging to a half-game lead in the division. Whoever won would be in first place with about 12 games to go in the season.
The Padres had a 9-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. The Padres had Jon Adkins on the mound, but if the Dodgers even hinted at threatening, San Diego could always bring in Trevor Hoffman, one of the best closers in the game.
The Dodger Stadium crowd started to empty out, when Jeff Kent led off the inning with the homer.
Kent: “I was trying to get my mind ready for Hoffman. I was surprised he didn’t come in after my hit.”
Nice, but it was still 9-6. The next batter, J.D. Drew, also homered, making it 9-7.
Drew: “We were still down three runs when I came up, so I was just trying to put a good swing on it. It went out of the park, so I guess I put a good swing on it.”
Suddenly, some of those fans who were leaving rushed back to their seats.
Padres Manager Bruce Bochy made the call everyone was expecting, bringing in Hoffman. No way the Dodgers would score two more runs. Not off Hoffman.
Russell Martin hit Hoffman’s first pitch over the left-field fence. 9-8 Padres.
Dodgers don’t score in top of fourth
Barnes flied to left. Lux grounded to short. McKinstry grounded to first. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Bauer strikes out the side in the bottom of the third
Aramis Garcia struck out looking. Canha struck out looking. Lowrie struck out swinging. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Dodgers don’t score in top of third
Smith flied to right. Pollock struck out swinging. Muncy struck out looking. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Dodgers 1, A’s 0 after two innings
Mitch Moreland lined to third. Matt Chapman struck out swinging. Seth Brown singled to right. Stephen Piscotty walked. Elvis Andrus struck out looking. Bauer is still hanging pitches. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Dodgers don’t score in top of second
Gavin Lux singled to left. McKinstry forced Lux. Taylor singled to left, McKinstry to second. Seager struck out swinging. He has finally cooled off and seems to be having trouble seeing the ball. Turner flied to center. Luzardo is what they call “effectively wild.” Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
It’s 1-0 Dodgers after one inning
Trevor Bauer pitching for the Dodgers. Mark Canha flied to left. Jed Lowrie lined to right. Ramon Laureano flied to left. Bauer is hanging his breaking ball. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Your first Dodger memory: Dodgers vs. Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Janice Markauskas: It was July 18, 1966 and I had just turned age 10 on the 13th. For my birthday my Uncle Steve who lived in Philadelphia took us to Connie Mack Stadium to see the Dodgers play the Phillies. For the Dodgers the starting pitcher was Sandy Koufax. Unfortunately the Dodgers lost that game 4–0, but Sandy did get one of the Dodgers hits in that game. This was my first Major League game. It was a memory that I never forgot.
Dodgers take 1-0 lead after top of first
Left-hander Jesus Luzardo pitching for Oakland. Chris Taylor walked. Corey Seager walked. Justin Turner struck out swinging. Will Smith struck out looking. AJ Pollock singled, scoring Taylor, Seager to second. Max Muncy walked, loading the bases with two out. Austin Barnes flied to left. Dodgers miss a big chance there. Dodgers 1, A’s 0.
Here is the starting lineup for the Oakland A’s
Mookie Betts is out with a stiff lower back
OAKLAND — As expected, Cody Bellinger isn’t in the Dodgers’ lineup for their series finale against the Athletics on Wednesday.
Mookie Betts’ absence, however, wasn’t expected. About a half hour before first pitch, the Dodgers announced that Betts isn’t playing because of a stiff lower back. Manager Dave Roberts didn’t speak to reporters before the game so further details will have to wait until after the game.
The 2020 NL MVP runner-up started in center field and played all nine innings in Tuesday’s win. He didn’t appear to be limited. He went 2 for 5 and slugged his first home run of the season in the ninth inning. He’s 8 for 23 (.348) through five games this season.
Bellinger is unavailable for the second straight day after getting spiked on his calf in the ninth inning Monday. Roberts on Tuesday said tests didn’t reveal any structural damage, but Bellinger could still end up on the injured list.
Chris Taylor is back in the lineup after getting hit on the left elbow Monday. He was available Tuesday, but only for pinch-runner and defense. He’ll lead off and play center field.
Austin Barnes, not Will Smith, will be the team’s designated hitter. Smith will catch Trevor Bauer in his second start as a Dodger. Zach McKinstry will play right field and bat ninth.
The Dodgers are looking to sweep the winless A’s and extend their winning streak to six games to complete their seven-game, season-opening road trip.
DODGERS (5-1)
Chris Taylor CF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Will Smith C
AJ Pollock LF
Max Muncy 1B
Austin Barnes HD
Gavin Lux 2B
Zach McKinstry RF
Trevor Bauer P
Greatest moments in Dodger history No. 14: Sandy Koufax’s shutout in Game 7 of 1965 World Series
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 14: Sandy Koufax tosses shutout in Game 7 of 1965 World Series (38 first-place votes, 6,545 points)
The 1965 World Series between the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins was heading to a decisive seventh game. Dodgers manager Walt Alston had a decision to make. Who should start Game 7? Don Drysdale on three days’ rest, or Sandy Koufax on two?
“It will either be Sandy Koufax or Don Drysdale tomorrow,” Alston said after the Game 6 loss. “I won’t decide until morning, maybe not until game time, because I want to think about it.”
Koufax wanted everyone to know that he was ready.
“I feel good. My arm feels good. There’s nothing to save my arm for after tomorrow. If I’m asked to pitch, I’m not going out there to lose.
Drysdale, on the other hand, was a little sore.
“My hand was a little numb pitching in the ninth in Game 4, but it’s OK, just a little tingling sensation at times.”
Alston went with Koufax, but he had Drysdale warming up in the bullpen in the first couple of innings, just in case.
He needn’t have bothered.
In one of the most amazing pitching performances of all time, pitching on two days’ rest in Game 7 of the World Series, Sandy Koufax struck out 10 Twins, including the last two batters of the game, and gave up only three hits as the Dodgers won the game, 2-0, and the World Series, 4-3.
What made Koufax’s performance even more amazing is that his arm was hurting so much, he couldn’t control his curveball. So he threw nothing but fastballs from the third inning on.
“I didn’t have a curve ball at all,” Koufax said. “When I threw it I couldn’t get it over. And those first few innings I really didn’t know how long I was going to last.
“Then I seemed to get my second wind. In the last three, the fastball seemed to move better and I got stronger.”
Paul Zimmerman, with The Los Angeles Times, then asked Koufax if he ever had other days when he had to rely exclusively on the fastball.
“Yes, but if I had a choice I’d rather not have it happen in a World Series, like it did to me today.
“I was worried in the fifth and again in the sixth when I seemed to lose my rhythm. When Walt came out to talk to me he told me not to try and get anything extra on the ball, just pitch to spots.”
And with that, Koufax cemented his legacy. Or, as Drysdale said to him during the celebration after Game 7, “You beautiful, beautiful fellow.”
Little did anyone know it would be Koufax’s last World Series victory, or that he only had one more season left in his amazing career.
A closer look at today’s pitching matchup
Trevor Bauer of the Dodgers takes on Jesus Luzardo of the A’s in today’s game, with first pitch scheduled for 12:37 p.m. PDT. A closer look at both pitchers:
Trevor Bauer
2021:1-0, 5.68 ERA
Career: 76-64, 3.91 ERA, 1.262 WHIP
Career vs. A’s: 1-4, 3.72 ERA in eight starts
Career at O.co Coliseum: 0-3, 3.25 ERA in five starts
Doesn’t want to face:
Matt Chapman, .333 (2 for 6, 1 double)
Mitch Moreland, .273 (3 for 11, 1 double, 1 homer)
Won’t mind facing:
Ramon Laureano, .000 (0 for 5, 3 strikeouts)
Tony Kemp, .000 (0 for 8, 3 strikeouts)
Jed Lowrie, .077 (1 for 13, 7 strikeouts)
Jesus Luzardo
2021: 0-1, 9.00 ERA
Career: 3-3, 4.03 ERA, 1.211 WHIP
Career vs. Dodgers: 0-0, 9.00 ERA (3 IP)
Career at O.co Coliseum: 3-2, 3.04 ERA in seven starts
Current Dodger hitters have only nine total at-bats against Luzardo, hitting .222
Your first memory: World Series with Grandpa
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Michael Edgerle: My first Dodger memory is sitting way up in the reserved section -- with my dad, uncle and grandpa for one of the World Series games at Dodger Stadium versus the Yankees in 1977. I was just 5-years-old. I don’t recall too much of the game, other than my uncle accidentally stepped on my pennant and broke the stick when I was trying to pick it up, and the Dodgers lost that game and eventually the series (and I haven’t liked the Yankees ever since). That was just the first of many games that I attended with my dad and grandpa at Dodger Stadium. Forty years later, in 2017, I’d have the opportunity to go back to the World Series with my Grandpa, who was 99 years old. We attended Game 6 at Dodger Stadium versus the Astros. The Dodgers won the game, and who knows if we may have been able to celebrate a championship at the stadium that night if the Astros didn’t cheat. Unfortunately, grandpa passed away at age 101 in 2019, prior to the Dodgers winning it all again last year, but I know both he and my dad had a great view.
Dodgers win 5-1, improve to 5-1
OAKLAND — The flyball landed a few hundred feet away, down the left-field line, and Clayton Kershaw was convinced that it didn’t sail inside the foul pole at RingCentral Coliseum on Tuesday night.
To him, it was obvious, and he emphatically pleaded his case, initially to no avail as Stephen Piscotty trotted around the bases thinking that he had cracked Kershaw. That maybe, just maybe the Oakland Athletics, the lone remaining winless team in the American League, had a chance to mount a comeback and beat the Dodgers.
That hope was crushed within moments. The umpiring crew convened and changed the call to a foul ball. A quick replay review confirmed the switch. The home run was erased, Piscotty grounded out to end the fourth inning, and Kershaw didn’t stop mowing down the Athletics in the Dodgers’ 5-1 win.
Fueled by a nasty slider, Kershaw retired 20 of the final 22 hitters he faced after yielding a run on back-to-back doubles in the first inning. He surrendered the one run on four hits across seven innings. He had eight strikeouts without a walk and threw 91 pitches.
Mookie Betts’ homer extends Dodgers lead to 5-1 heading into bottom of ninth
Jordan Weems pitching for the A’s. McKinstry struck out swinging. Betts homered to deep left-center. Seager lined to right. Turner lined to center. Dodgers 5, A’s 1.
It’s 4-1 Dodgers going into the ninth
Blake Treinen now pitching for the Dodgers. The final line for Kershaw: 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts. Andrus struck out swinging. Kemp walked, but the ump missed two strike calls. Canha struck out swinging. Lowrie flied to left. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Your first Dodger memory: Seeing Sandy Koufax pitch
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
John Claeys: The year, 1963. The air quality in Los Angeles could be “cut with a knife.” That didn’t matter. I was at Dodger Stadium because my neighbor, who worked for Shell Oil, had box seats off first base, Row 138, Loge level. What incredible seats, just the right vantage point! I was 11, no father to speak of, so little sports exposure. Sandy Koufax on the mound. No, I don’t remember anything about the game, but I was star struck. And, my first Dodger Dog! It wouldn’t be my last. Nothing has changed except the world. The Dodgers still give me goosebumps.
We head to the bottom of the eighth, Dodgers 4, A’s 1
Yusmeiro Petit now pitching for Oakland. Pollock walked. Rios grounded into a double play. Lux singled to center. Barnes struck out swinging. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Clayton Kershaw has struck out eight through seven
Chapman struck out swinging. Murphy struck out swinging. Piscotty doubled to deep right-center. That’s the first baserunner for Oakland since the third inning. Moreland grounded to first. Will Kershaw pitch the eighth? He has made 91 pitches. So the guess is no. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Dodgers 4, A’s 1 after top of seventh
Lou Trivino now pitching for the A’s. He was a great golfer, can he pitch too? Seager struck out swinging. Turner grounded to third. Muncy grounded to short. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Fernando at 40: Why you should watch The Times’ new series
To honor the 40th anniversary of Fernandomania, The Times has produced a multi-episode documentary series that examines star pitcher Fernando Valenzuela’s impact on the Dodgers, Major League Baseball and the Latino community in Los Angeles 40 years ago.
Valenzuela continues to resonate long after wrapping up his baseball career and taking over as the Dodgers’ Spanish-language TV color commentator. He is featured on murals and has inspired countless other works of art, serving as a role model for the Mexican-American community.
Times’ Deputy Sports Editor Iliana Limón Romero answered a few questions about the series and why it is much-watch for Dodger fans:
What can we expect from this video series?
It’s a look back at all the elements that Fernandomania unique and special. It examines his rise to stardom as a Dodger, his vast impact on Major League Baseball, his impact on Los Angeles and how much he meant to the Mexican-American community.
It will feature unique interviews, including artists who continue to be inspired by Fernando to this day.
And in addition to the series, you can expect a wide range of columns, articles and photo galleries highlighting all aspects of Fernandomania.
How often will new videos be released?
Each episode is roughly 10 minutes and they will be released every two to three weeks. We will share links to them here on the live blog every time a new episode is released.
How important was Fernando to the Latino community in L.A.?
He’s a legend and was massively important to the Latino community. First, he convinced Mexican-Americans to give the Dodgers a chance after they were brutally removed from the land used to build Dodger Stadium. And as he sustained his success during a magical year, Mexican-Americans were proud to see someone who unquestionably looked like them win on the biggest stage. It was rare to have such a likeable and undeniable Mexican-American hero. Times columnist Gustavo Arellano wrote about this in a column you can find posted online Wednesday morning and in Wednesday’s newspaper.
Do you have any personal recollections of Fernando?
I was too young to recall the early days of Fernandomania, but I vividly remember sitting with my grandfather watching Fernando pitch later in the ‘80s. My grandpa wore his Dodgers jersey during most of those games. My uncle took him to see a game at Dodger Stadium during the height of Fernandomania in 1981 and he never forgot it. He wasn’t unique in my hometown of El Paso, Texas. It’s a 90 percent Hispanic community on the U.S.-Mexico border and it’s full of Dodger fans.
Do you think the Dodgers should retire his number?
Absolutely. I could say more, but why? It’s just a clear yes.
If I’m a Dodgers fan, or just a Fernando fan, why should I watch this series when so much has already been written and shown about him?
It’s fantastic. If I had not joined the Times staff, I would have devoured every element of this because it’s a great opportunity to learn more and relive the best moments of Fernandomania. The video series really stands out because it was produced by talented and passionate people who know Los Angeles and features community leaders who still live in Los Angeles. It makes a huge difference in the quality of the storytelling.
Clayton Kershaw dominates through six innings
Canha flied to left. Lowrie flied to center. Laureano popped to first. Through six innings, Kershaw has given up three hits, one run, no walks and struck out six. Those of you worried about him can relax now. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Dodgers don’t score in top of the sixth
After a slow first couple of innings, this game is sailing right along. Barnes struck out looking, McKinstry flied to left. Betts grounded to the pitcher. Bassitt has really settled down. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
It’s 4-1 Dodgers after five innings
Morleand struck out swinging. Andrus grounded to second. Kemp popped to second. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
It’s 4-1 Dodgers after top of fifth
Pollock singled to center. Rios struck out swinging. Lux grounded into the very rare 4-5-3 double play (the shift was on). Dodgers 4, A’s 1
A’s lose a home run, still trail 4-1
Chapman grounded to short. Murphy struck out swinging. Piscotty hit a high, high ball down the left-field line. The third-base ump called it fair, but Kershaw immediately pointed foul. The four umpires convened and called for a review, after which they called it foul, though how they could tell is beyond me. The ball was about as high as any I have ever seen. Then Kershaw retired Piscotty to end the inning. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Your first Dodger memory: Jackie Robinson
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Steve Maxwell of Atlanta: Growing up in eastern Iowa, at a time in the late 1940s before games were shown on TV, I generally disregarded radio broadcasts of the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. I had to choose a favorite team to play a four-dice baseball game invented by my older brother.
The stirring story of Jackie Robinson impressed itself on my childhood memory so much that I chose the Dodgers. As I heard more about him and as he performed so well in our homemade baseball game, I became a bigger fan. In art class, I colored a pie plate with Jackie’s image and other Dodger details, then mailed it to him for him to autograph. Months went by until I almost forgot about my artwork. Suddenly, one day it showed up in the mail, a bit banged-up but with his signature on it! Excitedly, I showed it around to so many people, to the point that it somehow disappeared.
Major-league bummer for this “Bum”-inspired effort. Perhaps because my dad sensed my despair, he took me to a Dodger game at Wrigley Field in Chicago — about a five-hour trip — to see Jackie and all of “the Boys of Summer.” I took a lot of photos of the game with my Brownie Hawkeye camera, which had no telescopic lens. So, the most prominent feature of all these photos was the ivy-covered walls, which, I believe, are still a part of Wrigley Field. Sadly, my memories of that game have receded to the size of the images on those photos, and disappeared, along with my Jackie Robinson pie plate.
Someone please make the A’s drummers stop
When the A’s opened their season at home against Houston, there were highlights played of the fans playing trash cans as drums to mock the Astros for cheating in the 2017 World Series. It was great. Perfect.
Now the Dodgers are in town, and those fans, stationed in the outfield, are now playing actual drums. And the TV crew must have a microphone near those fans. Because it is loud on TV. Annoyingly loud. How loud? THIS LOUD!
For the love of all things holy, somebody please make it stop. Or, go buy stock in Tylenol, because I’m going through a lot of them.
Dodgers strand leadoff single in top of fourth
Betts singled to right. Seager struck out swinging and Betts stole second. Turner flied to right. Muncy flied to center. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Still 4-1 Dodgers after three
Tony Kemp grounded to second. Canha grounded to short. With Lowrie batting, Barnes took a hard foul ball off the mask, but seems to be OK. Lowrie singled to left-center. Laureano grounded to short. Kershaw looks very comfortable so far tonight. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
Watch the home runs by Edwin Rios and Max Muncy
Max Muncy, Edwin Rios homers give Dodgers 4-1 lead in top of third
Turner singled to center. Muncy homered to right, his first of the season. Pollock flied to right. Rios homered to right-center. Lux popped to third. Barnes hit a high chopper to third, Davidson was unable to bare-hand it, and Barnes was credited with a single. Tough play for Davidson. McKinstry grounded to third. Dodgers 4, A’s 1.
A’s go quietly in bottom of second
Kershaw has already generated more swings-and-misses tonight, seven, than in his first start, five. Stephen Piscotty fouled to the catcher. Mitch Moreland struck out swinging. Elvis Andrus flied to center. Dodgers 1, A’s 1.
Dodgers tie it up in top of second
Edwin Rios singled sharply to center. Gavin Lux walked. Austin Barnes doubled to left, Rios scoring, Lux to third. Is there anyone on the Dodgers who can’t hit right now (I see your hand, Matt Beaty). Zach McKinstry lined to short. Betts grounded to first, Lux out attempting to score. First and third, two out. Betts stole second. Seager hit a grounder down the first-base line. Moreland made a great diving stop and threw to the pitcher covering. Dodgers 1, A’s 1.
Orel Hershiser’s snack of the day is.....
(Required)
A’s take 1-0 lead after first inning
Clayton Kershaw pitching for the Dodgers. Mark Canha struck out swinging on a pitch that bounced. He must have thought he was playing cricket. Jed Lowrie doubled off the fence in left-center. Ramon Laureano doubled to left-center, scoring Lowrie. Matt Chapman struck out swinging. Sean Murphy struck out swinging. A’s 1, Dodgers 0.
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 15: Winning the 1981 World Series
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 15: Dodgers win the 1981 World Series (5,922 points)
The Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield was on its last legs. If they were going into the history books as champions, it had to be now.
The Dodgers fell into a 2-0 hole in the Series, losing Game 1, 5-3, and Game 2, 3-0. Both games were at Yankee Stadium.
Games 3, 4 and 5 were at Dodger Stadium, and that’s when the Dodgers turned things around.
Fernando Valenzuela’s performance in Game 3 can best be described with one word: Tenacious. He seemed to be in trouble every inning, but somehow managed to pitch a complete game, giving up nine hits and walking seven in a 5-4 victory. The Yankees seemed to threaten to blow the game open every inning, and Valenzuela escaped every serious jam. In the eighth inning, Aurelio Rodriguez and Larry Milbourne singled to put runners and first and second with none out. Bobby Murcer came up to pinch-hit for pitcher Rudy May. Murcer was a power hitter who finished his career with 252 homers. In a surprise move, he tried to bunt and popped the ball foul between third base and the dugout. Ron Cey raced and dove for the ball, catching it and then doubling Milbourne off of first to effectively end the Yankees’ final threat of the game.
Afterward, Lasorda was asked why he stayed with Fernando for the whole game.
“I thought about taking him out, but I said to myself, ‘This is the year of Fernando.’ That was one of the guttiest performances I’ve ever seen a young man do. He was like a championship poker player, bluffing his way through a hand.”
Cey was also a star of the game, not only making that great defensive play, but hitting a three-run homer in the first inning.
The losing pitcher for the Yankees was reliever George Frazier. That becomes important later.
Game 4 was a hitters’ paradise, with runs being scored in every inning except the fourth and the ninth. Ten pitchers were used in the game (back when using 10 pitchers in a game was unusual).
It was 6-3 Yankees in the bottom of the sixth when Jay Johnstone pinch-hit for Tom Niedenfuer and slammed a two-run homer to bring the Dodgers to 6-5. Davey Lopes reached on a two-base error, stole third and scored on Bill Russell‘s single to tie things up. In the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers took an 8-6 lead on a sacrifice fly by Steve Yeager and a single by Lopes. They held on for an 8-7 victory.
The losing pitcher for the Yankees was George Frazier.
Game 5 matched two veteran left-handers, with the Dodgers sending Jerry Reuss against Ron Guidry.
The Yankees scored in the second inning when Lou Piniella singled to score Reggie Jackson. It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh.
Guidry appeared to be cruising after he struck out Dusty Baker leading off the seventh, bringing Pedro Guerrero to the plate. On an 0-1 pitch, Guerrero launched a ball to deep left-center to tie the score. Four pitches later, Yeager launched a ball to almost the identical spot in left-center, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
The worst moment of the game for the Dodgers came in the eighth inning. Goose Gossage, a future Hall of Famer who owned a blazing fastball, let go of a 94-mph heater that hit Cey square in the helmet. The thwack of the ball hitting the helmet reverberated around the stadium, the ball ricocheted down the third-base line, Cey collapsed to the ground, holding his head, and the fans grew silent.
And no one felt worse than Gossage. “I was saying to myself ‘Oh, God.’ If he doesn’t have the helmet, he might be dead. I kept saying ‘Get up, get up.’ There was nothing more I could do.
“Sure you want to win the game at any expense. But not this one. There was no way I was throwing at him. I generally try to throw my fastball right down the middle, but with Cey I was trying to keep it up. The ball sailed. There was nothing I could do about it.”
Cey walked off the field, but was uninjured and returned to play in Game 6. Meanwhile, the Dodgers held on to their 2-1 lead and took a 3-2 Series lead.
The teams returned to New York for Game 6.
The key moment came in the bottom of the fourth. With the score tied, 1-1, the Yankees had two runners on with two out with their starting pitcher, Tommy John, due up. John had gone 9-8 with a 2.63 ERA in 1981 and had held the Dodgers to one run in 13 innings during the World Series. Plus, the Yankees bullpen had been unsteady during the Series.
Manager Bob Lemon decided to hit for John, sending Murcer up to the plate. John was irate, with TV cameras catching him saying “Unbelievable!” in the Yankees dugout.
Murcer flied out to end the inning, making Lemon’s decision look even worse.
“I wanted to get some runs,” Lemon said. “I didn’t think it was a gamble. I’ve seen John look better. He’d given up six hits in four innings. I just thought I’d make a move then, get some runs.”
Lemon replaced John on the mound with ... George Frazier. Here’s what happened: single by Lopes. Sacrifice by Russell. Fly out by Steve Garvey. Single by Cey. Single by Baker. Triple by Guerrero. Rick Monday strikes out. Three runs score and it’s 4-1 Dodgers.
The wheels then came off for the Yankees. The Dodgers scored four more times in the sixth and one in the eighth to win Game 6, and the World Series, 9-2.
The losing pitcher was George Frazier, who became the first relief pitcher to lose three games in one World Series.
The win also made the Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield champions at last.
“They can do anything they want with us now,” Lopes said. “I’ve got the ring. They can’t take that away from me.”
Cey: “Now maybe they won’t call us too old. We’ve been as successful as anybody in the game. We’ve won four pennants and now we’ve won the World Series.”
Game 6 would be the final game the famed infield would play together. Lopes was traded to the Oakland A’s after the season.
Dodgers don’t score in top of the first
Chris Bassitt starts for the A’s. Hopefully he won’t hound the Dodgers. (Get it? Bassitt? Hound? I’ll be here all week). Mookie Betts grounded to the pitcher. Corey Seager grounded to first. Justin Turner doubled to right-center. Max Muncy was hit by a pitch. AJ Pollock struck out swinging. Dodgers 0, A’s 0.
Cody Bellinger unavailable, to undergo tests
OAKLAND — Cody Bellinger won’t be available tonight after getting spiked on his calf Monday and was scheduled to undergo tests, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Roberts didn’t know what type of tests were in store for Bellinger, who suffered the injury in the ninth inning.
“The docs want to make sure what other potential outside of two cleat contusions,” Roberts said. “There might be more to it. So, while there’s still soreness, there can be any number of things that they’re testing for. So all I do know is that there’s testing to make sure, to be as thorough as we possibly can with Cody.”
Chris Taylor also left Monday’s game when he was plunked on the left elbow, but he’s available to pinch-run and play defense Tuesday. Taylor was on the field pregame taking groundballs.
“Extension, as far as the swing, doesn’t feel great about that yet,” Roberts said. “So, we’ll probably say away from him in that capacity.”
Without Bellinger, the team’s starting center fielder, and Taylor, their next-best option in center field, the Dodgers decided to move Mookie Betts to center. It will be Betts’ first start in center field as a Dodger. Zach McKinstry will start in right field.
“I think Mookie’s the next best option,” Roberts said.
Your first Dodger memory: Listening to the game with dad
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Kathy Neavill: My earliest Dodger memories started with my dad listening to the Dodger games on a little transistor radio in our backyard under a big apricot tree. The Dodgers had just moved to L.A. He loved the Dodgers so much but would get so upset with them because he wanted them to win so badly! He took me to games before Dodger Stadium was built. And later I got to see games at the stadium the first year. And many years after. I am now 75 and still a big fan.
A closer look at tonight’s pitching matchup
Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers takes on Chris Bassitt of the A’s in tonight’s game, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PDT. A closer look at both pitchers:
Clayton Kershaw
2021: 0-1, 7.94 ERA
Career: 175-77, 2.45 ERA, 1.006 WHIP
Career vs. A’s: 0-0, 1.35 ERA in four starts
Career at O.co Coliseum: 0-0, 1.71 ERA in three starts
Doesn’t want to face:
Mark Canha, .500 (3 for 6)
Won’t mind facing:
Aramis Garcia, .000 (0 for 6)
Stephen Piscotty, .000 (0 for 6)
Jed Lowrie, .167 (2 for 12)
Chris Bassitt
2021: 0-1, 5.06 ERA
Career: 19-22, 3.61 ERA, 1.273 WHIP
Career vs. Dodgers: has never faced L.A.
Only batter on Dodgers who has faced Bassitt is Chris Taylor, who is 0 for 1 against him.
Monday was a big day for Max Muncy, on the diamond and on the hardwood
OAKLAND — Max Muncy’s three-hit game Monday was memorable for two reasons: It came against the team that cut him and while Baylor, his alma mater, was winning the NCAA men’s basketball national championship.
Monday was Muncy’s third multi-hit game in five games this season. He recorded the output Monday as the designated hitter, which allowed him to periodically follow Baylor’s upset win over Gonzaga when the Dodgers were on defense.
“I was following it very closely,” Muncy, 30, said. “I was thankful that I got to DH last night so I could, in between innings, run up and check on the score and see how the boys were doing. It was kind of funny how it worked out like that for me.
“But it was awesome. It was a really cool moment for us, for me and my wife. We’re both Baylor grads and we were texting back and forth just celebrating it.”
Muncy is 8 for 20 through five games after a frustrating 2020 regular season that was preceded by him fracturing a finger in summer camp. He wound up batting .192 with 12 home runs and a .720 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 59 regular-season games.
He was better in the postseason, hitting .250 with 20 walks and a .904 OPS in 18 games, and has carried the improved production into 2021.
This year, unlike the previous three, Muncy is expected to almost exclusively play first base as opposed to bouncing to second or third base. He said the change “makes things a little easier.”
“Last year was just a little rough with the injury at first and then trying to mentally come back from that,” Muncy said. “And then realizing you only had a certain number of games to get things going and it’s kind of just pressing right from the start. It was a bad mixture of a lot of things and this year just kind of getting back to a normal routine.”
Oakland was where Muncy broke into the major leagues and made his debut in 2015. The Athletics drafted him in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. The organization gave him his first chance to achieve his dream.
But the feelings are mixed. He said he still has good relationships with people on the other side, but the negative memories outweigh the positive ones. Muncy batted .195 with five home runs and a .611 OPS in 96 games for Oakland.
The team cut him at the end of spring training in 2017. He signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers the next month and made his Dodgers debut a year later.
Muncy described returning this week for the second time — he was with the Dodgers when they played in Oakland in 2018 — as “weird.”
As for racking up three hits Monday? Muncy cracked a smile.
“I can’t lie,” Muncy said. “I’d say it’s very satisfying to get several hits against your old team. It felt really good.”
Mike Scioscia returns to managing
For the first time since leaving the Angels three years ago, Mike Scioscia is back in the dugout.
Scioscia was selected Tuesday as manager of the United States team looking to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Although nine former major league managers have been hired by clubs since Scioscia last managed the Angels, he said he did not take the Team USA job to enhance his visibility for another major league job.
“I don’t expect to manage in the major leagues,” he said. “That’s my decision.”
Dodgers batting stats through Monday’s game
| Pos | Name | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Will Smith | 4 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | .500 | .625 | 1.300 | 1.925 | 419 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1B | Max Muncy* | 5 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .400 | .478 | .550 | 1.028 | 186 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2B | Gavin Lux* | 5 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .375 | .389 | .625 | 1.014 | 177 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | Corey Seager* | 4 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | .529 | .636 | .706 | 1.342 | 274 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3B | Justin Turner | 4 | 20 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .353 | .400 | .588 | .988 | 171 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| LF | AJ Pollock | 4 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .188 | .235 | .188 | .423 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CF | Cody Bellinger* | 4 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .211 | .286 | .368 | .654 | 81 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RF | Mookie Betts | 4 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | .333 | .478 | .444 | .923 | 160 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pos | Name | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
| UT | Chris Taylor | 4 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | .300 | .563 | .400 | .963 | 175 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UT | Zach McKinstry* | 4 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .545 | .500 | 1.091 | 1.591 | 328 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CI | Edwin Rios* | 4 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .111 | .333 | .111 | .444 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | Austin Barnes | 2 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .286 | .444 | .286 | .730 | 110 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DH | Matt Beaty* | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | -100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pos | Name | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
| Team Totals | 5 | 227 | 184 | 36 | 61 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 45 | .332 | .430 | .516 | .947 | 163 | 95 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | |
| Rank in 15 NL teams | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Non-Pitcher Totals | 5 | 214 | 175 | 35 | 59 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 41 | .337 | .439 | .531 | .971 | 169 | 93 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Pitcher Totals | 5 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .222 | .222 | .222 | .444 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Pos | Name | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
Your first Dodger memory: Standing on a bus to watch the game
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Raul Morales of Laguna Niguel: I grew up in Alhambra from 1955 through my Occidental baseball career ending in 1973.
When I was 13, 14, or 15, can’t remember exactly but around 1965, we were poor, dad worked two jobs, four of us lived in a one bedroom duplex on Mission Blvd and Electric. I was playing baseball and making it a priority in my young life.. One day a friend said, you know you can walk down these tracks six miles to LA all the way to Chavez Ravine. Look for the lights and find the way up the hill through the neighborhoods.
Two of us set it on that journey not thinking things through. Not knowing of the many Hobo Junctions along the way. With young legs we could out run any hobo.
Finally getting to Dodger Stadium, it was in the fourth or fifth inning. Oops, forgot to mention we had no money and the turnstiles we guarded. Just being there gave me energy, and a sense of wonderment. I needed to get into the stadium! We walked around and there it was was, the opportunity. The bus that parked behind left bullpen was unattended. I climbed up the ladder to the roof and could almost see the game. Had to climb down to find a milk crate. With that and on my tippy toes I saw my first play of a major league baseball game. It was late innings, Pete Rose in left field (almost positive), a Dodger on second, and a line drive one hopper to Pete. On a dead run, picks it up and throws a strike, the Dodger runner was out at the plate.
We got in so much trouble getting home at 1 a.m. But I was hooked! I went on to have a great baseball career at Alhambra High (won the championship in 1968), earning a scholarship to Occidental College.
But as snot-nosed immigrant from Mexico, poor as dirt, one of my life’s highlights was when I was invited to Dodger Stadium to take part in a Dodger rookie tryout (summer of 1969). Pitchers got six outs facing the best in L.A. I struck out the first five. I was so sky high on adrenaline. I remember Al Campanis with a clipboard, speed gun, and a cigar. I had his full attention! The sixth batter hit a hard ground ball to second, it was booted. Going into a stretch, I gave up two doubles and struck out the sixth batter.
Needless to say I was not invited to come back or offered a contract. I was 5 foot 8, 165 pounds and not enough heat. But what an honor and thrill being on that mound competitively.
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 16: Roy Campanella Night
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 16: Roy Campanella Night (54 first-place votes, 5,858 points)
Roy Campanella, the greatest catcher in Dodgers history and a three-time MVP, was expected to be one of the cornerstones of the team in their first few seasons in Los Angeles. That all changed on Jan. 28, 1958.
Campanella owned a liquor store (remember, these were the days when athletes needed off-season jobs just to make ends meet) in Harlem. On Jan. 28, he closed his store and drove home on a cold winter’s evening. While traveling on an S-curve on Dosoris Lane, his car hit a patch of ice and skidded off the road, overturning and hitting a telephone pole. Campanella suffered a broken neck, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down. While he eventually regained use of his arms, he would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
On May 7, 1959, the Dodgers paid tribute to Campanella by holding a special night in his honor before an exhibition game against their old rivals, the New York Yankees. And the people of Los Angeles showed how much they loved their new team and respected the team’s legends, as a record 93,103 people showed up for the game and to honor Campanella.
As thousands of lighters illuminated the Coliseum, Campanella was wheeled to home plate by Pee Wee Reese. The microphone was lowered, and 93,103 people remained totally silent as Campanella spoke:
“I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. This is something I’ll never forget as long as I live. I want to thank the Yankees for playing this game, and my old Dodgers team, too. It’s a wonderful tribute. I thank God I’m able to be here and see it.”
And with that, 93,103 people gave Roy Campanella a standing ovation that lasted for seven minutes. “My legs aren’t working, my heart is soaring,” Campanella said of the ovation.
Thirty years later, Campanella remembered the game, and team owner Walter O’Malley, who was responsible for organizing the special night.
“A lot of people didn’t know O’Malley for what he was,” Campanella said. “He stood by me every minute after my accident, helping me to see my way through. No one knows that after that wonderful night he had for me in the Coliseum when 93,000 showed up, he gave me a check for $50,000. And he continued my salary, which was more than $50,000 a year, for years after that. He was a great pioneer in integrating baseball.”
Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor not in tonight’s starting lineup
OAKLAND — Cody Bellinger (calf) and Chris Taylor (elbow) are not in the Dodgers’ lineup Tuesday against the Athletics after leaving Monday’s win with injuries.
Taylor left the game in the fourth inning after he was hit by a pitch on his left elbow. Bellinger departed in the ninth inning when Athletics left-hander Reyman Guduan spiked him on his calf at first base as he legged out an infield single.
After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said both were players were “day to day.” X-rays on Taylor’s elbow were negative.
As for Tuesday, Mookie Betts will move from right field to make his first start in center field as a Dodger.
The 2020 NL MVP runner-up logged two innings in center field late in a game last season, but didn’t start there. He last started a game in center field Sept. 7, 2019 for the Boston Red Sox.
Zach McKinstry will play right field. Gavin Lux returns to the lineup at second base after not starting Monday. AJ Pollock will start in left field.
Clayton Kershaw is starting on the mound so, as expected, Austin Barnes will catch. The Dodgers could’ve chosen to have Will Smith as their designated hitter — he’s homered in each of the last two games — but they elected to have Turner DH. Edwin Ríos will start at third base.
DODGERS (4-1)
Mookie Betts CF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner DH
Max Muncy 1B
AJ Pollock LF
Edwin Ríos 3B
Gavin Lux 2B
Austin Barnes C
Zach McKinstry RF
Clayton Kershaw LHP
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 17: Rick Monday’s 1981 NLCS homer
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 17: Rick Monday’s 1981 NLCS homer (13 first-place votes, 5,727 points)
The pivotal game of the 1981 NLCS took place on a cold day in Montreal. Dodgers vs. Expos, winner goes to the World Series.
Game 5 (NLCS was only five games then) was a pitchers’ duel between Fernando Valenzuela and Montreal’s Ray Burris. The score was tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the eighth, when Expos Manager Jim Fanning sent Tim Wallach up to pinch-hit for Burris with one out and the bases empty.
Valenzuela retired Wallach on a grounder, and the score remained 1-1 when the inning ended.
Fanning had a decision to make going into the top of the ninth: Who to bring in to relieve? He had left-hander Woodie Fryman, who had a 1.88 ERA and seven saves during the season, and right-hander Jeff Reardon, who had a 1.30 ERA and six saves.
Who to choose?
Fanning went with Steve Rogers, the Expos’ best starting pitcher, but who hadn’t pitched in relief since 1978.
Rogers retired Steve Garvey and Ron Cey to start the inning, bringing up Rick Monday.
Monday’s eyes lit up when he saw the first pitch, a belt-high fastball, but he fouled it back.
“I said to myself, ‘You won’t get another one like that,’ ” Monday said. “But I got a better one.”
With the count 3-and-1, Rogers grooved another fastball. This time Monday launched it over the center-field fence. But Monday lost track of the ball, and didn’t immediately realize he had homered.
“I didn’t know where the heck the ball was,” Monday said. “I had to look at the outfielders to see where the ball went. I saw the two outfielders turn at the wall and then realized that it went out of the park. I almost fell down between second and third.”
Pedro Guerrero struck out to end the inning, but there was still a bottom of the ninth to be played. Valenzuela got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, then walked two. Tommy Lasorda bypassed his closer, Steve Howe, and brought in Bob Welch, who retired Jerry White on a grounder to second.
The Dodgers were headed to the World Series again, to face their vaunted enemy, the New York Yankees. But that’s a greatest moment for another day.
Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. suffers shoulder injury
After a violent swing on a strikeout during the third inning of Monday’s Giants-Padres game, San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. immediately crumpled to the ground in front of the plate and stayed there for a full minute, on his knees with his head bowed almost to the dirt as he winced in pain.
The burgeoning superstar, who signed a 14-year, $340 million contract before spring training, was eventually helped to his feet and walked off the field with manager Jayce Tingler and an athletic trainer holding his left arm in place.
Why Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. might need surgery
It was 22 years ago Tuesday that the Angels opened their season, the debut of the man who was then the highest-paid player in franchise history. Mo Vaughn, the $80-million man, did not make it through the opener. He tumbled into the dugout while chasing a foul ball, injured his ankle, and never regained the form that made him an elite slugger for the Boston Red Sox.
For the fans of the San Diego Padres, they can only hope what happened Monday at Petco Park will leave no such scars on their franchise. Fernando Tatis Jr., the $340-million man, took a mighty swing and crumpled to the ground in agony. The ball did not hit him.
He had partially dislocated his left shoulder, and not for the first time this spring.
“Comes out,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “Comes back in.”
Yet Tingler acknowledged he never had seen Tatis in such pain. Tingler said Tatis would undergo tests and further evaluation Tuesday but declined to speculate on Tatis’ condition until then.
However, Dr. David Chao, a former Chargers team doctor, said Monday night that Tatis probably would require surgery, whether now or later.
Zach McKinstry proving he belongs
OAKLAND – The bases were loaded in the second inning Monday night and Zach McKinstry, one of the Dodgers’ hottest hitters to start the season, was in the batter’s box. Mookie Betts was on deck with one out. Oakland Athletics right-hander Frankie Montas was reeling.
McKinstry laid off two 96-mph sinkers for balls, took a called strike at 96 mph, and fouled off the fourth pitch, a 97-mph fastball. The fifth pitch was another 97-mph fastball and he lifted it just far enough to left field for Max Muncy to tag up from third base. And with that, the Dodgers had a 1-0 lead and didn’t look back in a 10-3 thrashing.
McKinstry’s production didn’t end there. Starting in left field, McKinstry tallied three hits, including a double, and over his next four at-bats. By the end of the night, he had three RBI and a run scored.
“The superstars are right behind me, like Mookie and Seager, so I don’t really have to do that much,” McKinstry said. “Just got to get in scoring position and they’ll do the rest.
McKinstry, a 33rd-round pick in the 2016 draft, is 6 for 11 with three doubles and an inside-the-park home run this season. He’s performing his way into more playing time.
“Absolutely. I think that the plan for Zach was to play,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that we have a lot of good players. There’s some other guys that are going to play as well. But for me to make sure that I keep him involved and get playing time, is important and I’ll continue to do so. But it certainly helps that he’s playing well.”
McKinstry batted ninth and started in left field Monday. He moved to second base when Chris Taylor exited the game in the fourth inning and back to left field late. Roberts said 25-year-old utilityman will also play shortstop and right field this season.
“He’s one of my favorites,” Roberts said. “From the moment I met Zach and watched him work and play and conversations and dealings with coaches and teammates, it’s been fantastic. He’s a ballplayer. He’s smart, he’s talented. He’s very good on the team.”
Roberts described McKinstry as a left-handed Chris Taylor. He’s joined Taylor as one of the team’s super utility players, replacing Kiké Hernández in the role after making his major-league debut and appearing in four games last season. This year, he’s capitalizing on his opportunities.
“He’s a guy that has a great story,” Roberts said. “He’s a grinder, he’s a baseball player an he’s getting an opportunity. He earned this opportunity to make this club and he’s taking advantage of it. I feel comfortable moving him anywhere on the diamond and when he’s getting those opportunities, it’s good to see him come through.”
Dustin May dominates in 10-3 victory
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May’s biggest challenge on a chilly 54-degree Monday evening in the Oakland Coliseum wasn’t the opposing lineup.
It was trying to stay warm and loose while his teammates used their keen batting eyes to push Athletics starter Frankie Montas’ pitch count to 90 in the first three innings, a patient approach that helped the Dodgers build an early seven-run lead en route to an eventual 10-3 victory.
May was hardly fazed by the long stretches of inactivity. The flame-throwing right-hander gave up a leadoff single to Mark Canha in the first inning, a two-out single to Mitch Moreland in the sixth and nothing else.
In striking out eight in six shutout, two-hit innings, May matched career highs for innings and strikeouts. Of his 85 pitches, 57 were strikes.
Mixing a sinking fastball that averaged 97.7 mph with a four-seam fastball (98.4 mph), nasty cut-fastball (93.0) and occasional curve (84.9 mph), May induced a career-best 16 swings and misses, four more than his previous high.
“You just gotta stay locked in,” said May, who wore a hoodie between innings to stay warm. “It’s a big league game, we’re here to do a job and get guys out. You have to stay locked in no matter what the situation is, staying hot, being able to stay warm in a cold dugout. That was the biggest thing.”
Dodgers defeat A’s, 10-3
Lux to second. Pollock to center. McKinstry to left. Scott Alexander pitching. Kemp grounded to short. Canha grounded to second. Lowrie grounded to short. Dodgers win.
Dodgers lead 10-3 after top of ninth
Reymin Guduan now pitching for the A’s. McKinstry doubled to left. Betts grounded to short. Seager grounded to first, McKinstry to third. Turner singled to short, McKinstry scoring. Bellinger grounded to first. Bellinger and the pitcher reached first at the same time. Bellinger was safe, but the pitcher accidentally spiked him in the left calf. The ump called him out, but it was reversed on appeal. Turner to second. Gavin Lux ran for Bellinger, who limped toward the clubhouse. Guduan appears to have hurt his pitching hand on the play and also came out of the game. J.B. Wendelken now pitching for Oakland. Smith walked, loading the bases. Beaty struck out swinging. Dodgers 10, A’s 3. Three outs to go.
Cody Bellinger leaves game after collision
OAKLAND — The Dodgers have a win nearly sewn up, but a scare emerged in the ninth inning.
Cody Bellinger left the game with two outs after colliding at first base with pitcher Reymin Guduan legging out a single.
Bellinger hit a groundball to first baseman Matt Olson and sprinted to first base in search of his first hit in a seven-run game. Guduan didn’t give him much room at the bag and appeared to spike Bellinger’s left foot or ankle.
Bellinger was called out, but the ruling was reversed. More importantly, the center fielder emerged limping. He tried running off the pain, but was pulled from the game. Gavin Lux replaced him as the pinch-runner.
Bellinger’s exit came after Chris Taylor left the game with a left elbow contusion after getting hit by a pitch.
It’s 9-3 Dodgers after eight innings
Canha homered to deep left. Two games, three homers allowed by Price. Lowrie walked. Olson hit a nubber in front of the plate and was thrown out at first, Lowrie to second. Stephen Piscotty, batting for Moreland, singled to right, Lowrie to third. With the shift on, Chapman singled between first and second, Lowrie scoring. First and second, one out. Murphy flied to left. Tom singled to center, Piscotty scoring. First and second, two out. Andrus grounded to second. Dodgers 9, A’s 3.
Someone threw an inflatable trash can on the field where the Astros are playing
Justin Turner’s home run gives Dodgers a 9-0 lead
Sergio Romo, another former Dodger, on the mound for the A’s. Romo spent his first nine seasons with the Giants and pitched well for them, then came to the Dodgers in 2017 and his pitching was miserable, a 6.12 ERA in 30 games. He was traded in July of that year to Tampa Bay for cash, and had 1.47 ERA for them in 25 games. He has pitched well since then. Anyway, Turner homered. Turner has 125 home runs in his career. Only four before May. Bellinger popped to short. Smith walked. Matt Beaty, hitting for Muncy, grounded to Andrus, who was shifted over to the right side of the infield. He bobbled the ball, threw to second, where Chapman dropped it. Smith was safe at second. The A’s had no one covering third because of the shift, so Smith ran to third. First and third, one out. Pollock popped to short. Rios grounded to first. Dodgers 9, A’s 0.
Dodgers maintain 8-0 lead through seven
David Price now pitching for the Dodgers. A three-inning save perhaps? Dustin May went six inning, gave up two hits, two walks and struck out eight. He made 85 pitches. Murphy walked. Tom lined to center. Andrus grounded to third, Murphy to second. Kemp grounded to second. Dodgers 8, A’s 0.
Dustin May dazzles in season debut
OAKLAND — Dustin May’s focus all spring was on striking his curveball for strikes — in and out of the strike zone. Dave Roberts repeatedly said that would allow May to change eye level and miss more bats, the next step in his development.
May didn’t need many curveballs to dominate the A’s on Monday.
The right-hander limited Oakland to two hits in six scoreless innings. He compiled eight strikeouts to two walks and just nine of his 85 pitches were curveballs.
May instead relied on the hard stuff most of the night, cycling through his cutter, sinker, and four-sea fastball to overwhelm the Athletics. The cutter was his most effective pitch. He generated whiffs on nine of his 18 cutters, which average 93 mph and touched 95.2.
The 23-year-old induced 16 whiffs in all, a positive sign as the Dodgers look to have him convert his elite stuff into more strikeouts.
Through one turn in the rotation, Clayton Kershaw’s 5 2/3 innings in the season opener is the shortest outing for a Dodgers starter this season. Kershaw makes his second start Tuesday.
The Athletics, meanwhile, have scored just nine runs through nearly five games this season.
Here’s something you don’t see much of anymore
Dodgers 8, A’s 0 after top of seventh
Adam Kolarek now pitching for the A’s. He was with the Dodgers the last two seasons and had an 0.88 ERA in 46 games. The problem is, he kills lefties, but righties kill him. He was traded to Oakland in February for Sheldon Neuse. Pollock singled to right, with the infield shifted to the left. Rios grounded to third, Pollock to second. McKinstry singled to center, scoring Pollock. Betts flied to left-center. Seager struck out swinging. Dodgers 8, A’s 0.
First Dodger memory: A special game with mom
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Jeff Turkell of Los Angeles: In 1970, I was 9-years-old, and my mother’s boss gave her the company’s tickets to a Dodger game — my first game. My parents never watched sports, my father was a Holocaust survivor who knew nothing about baseball, and I didn’t even play in Little League. So of course we had the best seats in the house: Field Box 1, six rows behind the plate. There we were as a Dodger crushed a fly ball. My father and I leapt to our feet and screamed. My mother just sat there and said, quietly:
“Too high.”
Too high?
As it turned out, the center fielder agreed with Mom. But how did she know? I’d never heard that her best friend growing up was the daughter of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports editor, and that she’d gone to many a game and sat in the press box ... and had climbed over the fence at League Park and seen many more day games on her own. She’d left the rest of her family behind when we’d moved from Cleveland to L.A. a few years earlier, and maybe her love of baseball stayed back in Ohio. But I leaned that evening in 1970 that I had a parent who could talk baseball with me.
Plenty of room for more fans at RingCentral Coliseum
OAKLAND — The Athletics are allowed to have up to 12,000 fans for games at RingCentral Coliseum at the moment. That doesn’t mean they’re reaching that number.
The A’s have never drawn well and Monday, even against the defending World Series champions, is no different. The team announced an attendance of 6,653.
Most are wearing Dodger blue. They’re all braving a chilly evening; temperature at first pitch was 55 degrees and has since dropped to 52.
The Dodgers have been cleared to allow 15,560 fans at Dodger Stadium.
Dustin May cruises into the seventh with a 7-0 lead
Lowrie grounded into the shift. Olson struck out swinging. Moreland singled to center. Chapman grounded to second. May is cruising along.
Dodgers go in order in top of sixth
Bellinger grounded to second. Smith flied to center. Muncy struck out swinging. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Dodgers 7, A’s 0 after five
Andrus grounded to third. Kemp struck out swinging. Canha lined to center. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Chris Taylor leaves game with left elbow contusion
OAKLAND — Not much has gone wrong for the Dodgers tonight, but one concern arose for them in the third inning when Frankie Montas plunked Chris Taylor with a fastball on the left elbow.
Taylor initially stayed in the game after a visit from the trainer to run the bases. He eventually scored as part of the Dodgers’ three-run inning, but didn’t emerge to play second base in the bottom of the frame.
The initial diagnosis, however, is encouraging for Los Angeles. The Dodgers announced that Taylor left with a left elbow contusion, fancy speak for bruise.
Zach McKinstry moved from left field to second base and AJ Pollock entered the game to play left field.
Dodgers don’t score in top of fifth
McKinstry grounded to short. Betts walked. Seager struck out swinging. Turner lined to short. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
First Dodger memory: The Boys of Summer
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Elliot Brown: Since I’m 73 and born in Brooklyn, I can tell you that my first Dodger memory was of my father taking me to Ebbets Field to watch what, much later in life, I realized was one of the best Dodger teams ever.
I do remember him telling me that we were going to be staying for the entire game, but that I didn’t understand what he meant.
What stood out to me were all of the fans screaming at just about anything the Dodgers did. I didn’t understand what was going on and why it made all these people yell, but they all seemed to be happy.
My father, pausing his own yelling as much as he could, tried to explain things to me, but it went over my head.
What I know was that I was watching Roy Campanella catching, Gil Hodges (who should be in the Hall of Fame) at first, Jim Gilliam at second, Pee Wee Reese at shortstop, Billy Cox at third, Carl Furillo in right, Sandy Amoros in left and The Duke, Duke Snider in center. If memory serves, the great Don Newcombe was pitching.
Again, it didn’t mean much to me way back then, but as the years have gone, now being a baseball lifer and bleeding Dodger Blue, man, what an incredible team that was!
Watch Will Smith’s home run
A’s go down quietly in fourth, Dodgers lead 7-0
Chapman struck out swinging. Murphy grounded to first. Tom grounded to first. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Dodgers leave bases loaded in fourth, still lead 7-0
Turner grounded to second. Bellinger flied to left. Smith walked. Muncy singled to center. He is three for three tonight, eight for 19 on the season. Smith and Muncy moved up on a wild pitch. Pollock walked, loading the bases. Rios struck out looking. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Dodgers maintain 7-0 lead through three
AJ Pollock in the game in left. McKinstry moves to second. Taylor out of the game after being hit in the elbow with a pitch the previous half-inning. Lowrie flied to right. Olson struck out swinging. Moreland struck out swinging. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Dodgers take 7-0 lead after top of third
Bellinger struck out swinging. Smith homered to left. Muncy singled to center. Taylor was hit by a pitch. How is Frankie Montas still in this game? Rios struck out swinging. McKinstry singled to right, scoring Muncy, Taylor to third, McKinstry taking second on the throw. How is Frankie Montas still in this game? Taylor scored on a wild pitch, McKinstry to third. How is Frankie Montas still in this game? Betts walked. A.J. Puk now pitching for the A’s. Seager struck out swinging. Dodgers 7, A’s 0.
Montas loses steam quickly
OAKLAND — Frankie Montas came out firing in a scoreless first inning but he threw 25 pitches to secure the three outs. That output was a sign of things to come.
Montas was chased with two outs and runners on the corners in the third inning after throwing 90 pitches. He left with the A’s trailing 7-0.
A.J. Puk, a once heralded prospect, was recalled earlier in the day and replaced Montas.
His first assignment? Figuring out a way to cool off Seager. He succeeded, striking out Seager to end the inning. Seager has now reached base in 14 of his 19 plate appearances this season.
So Montas’s final line is this: 2 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.
It’s 4-0 Dodgers after two innings
Sean Murphy struck out looking. Ka’ai Tom struck out swinging. Elvis Andrus grounded to third, Turner threw the ball away for a two-base error. That is three errors for Turner in five games. Tony Kemp walked. Canha forced Andrus at third. Dodgers 4, A’s 0.
Corey Seager isn’t slowing down
DENVER — Corey Seager hasn’t cooled off since being named NLCS and World Series MVP last October.
Seager has a walk and a three-run double through two innings, raising his batting average to .692. The shortstop has reached base in 14 of 18 plate appearances — five walks, three doubles, and six singles — with six RBI.
Seager’s double off A’ starter Frankie Montas gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead in the second inning after a rare defensive miscue from A’s third baseman Matt Chapman.
Chapman is considered one of the two best defensive third basemen in the majors — it’s between him and Nolan Arenado. He’s won two Platinum Glove awards, given to the best defensive player in each league.
But Mookie Betts’ groundball to his left bounced off his glove, allowing Betts to reach base to load the bases with two outs. Then Seager delivered again to continue his torrid run.
Orel Hershiser’s snack of the night
Your first Dodger memory: Sandy Koufax at the Polo Grounds
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Gary Miller: I grew up less than two miles from Ebbets Field and by the time I was 6, I had been to five games. The Dodgers lost them all.
I was 7 when the Dodgers left Brooklyn. All the grown ups hated them but I told my mother I would still root for them since Sandy Koufax was from Brooklyn. In 1962, the Dodgers returned to New York for the first time since leaving to play the Mets in a Memorial Day doubleheader at the Polo Grounds and I went with my father. So did more than 55,000 other fans.
That day I saw: Koufax go all the way despite giving up six runs and 13 hits including a home run to former Dodger Gil Hodges. Maury Wills hit two homers as did Willie Davis and Ron Fairly. Frank Howard homered, too.
Willie’s second blast won the nightcap in the ninth inning despite two more Hodges homers off Johnny Podres. In his previous at bat he had lined into a triple play.
Pretty good baseball day for a 12-year-old Dodger fan.
Corey Seager’s bases-loaded double gives the Dodgers a 4-0 lead
Will Smith flied to right. Max Muncy, the only Dodger to appear in every game so far, singled to left. Chris Taylor singled to left, Muncy to second. Edwin Ríos walked, loading the bases. Zach McKinstry flied to left. Betts singled off third baseman Chapman’s glove, runners advancing a base. Ball didn’t bounce far enough away for Taylor to score. Seager lined the first pitch to deep center for a double, clearing the bases. Turner grounded to second. Dodgers 4, A’s 0.
This summer’s All-Star Game has a new home
Major League Baseball is expected to name Coors Field, home of the Rockies, as the site for 2021 All-Star Game after Atlanta was stripped of the game Friday, our Bill Shaikin reports.
Read about the decision here.
If the Dodgers’ season-opening series in Denver is any indication, expect the unexpected during All-Star week.
Dustin May escapes two-on, one-out jam
Dustin May pitching for the Dodgers. Mark Canha singled to right. Jed Lowrie flied to center. Matt Olson walked. Mitch Moreland strck out swinging. Matt Chapman grounded to second as May escapes the jam. Dodgers 0, A’s 0.
Your first Dodger memory: Roy Campanella night
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Sherry Fisher of Columbus, Ohio: When I was 12 and living in Granada Hills, I never paid much attention to baseball, but enjoyed playing the game. One night my Dad was listening to a game on the radio, and for some reason, I caught the announcer (Vinnie) saying that there were 90,000 people in the L.A. Coliseum, all holding a burning candle. I asked my Dad why, and he told me it was Campy’s Night, honoring Roy Campanella, a Dodger catcher who was paralyzed and in a wheelchair due to a car accident. And that was all it took. I started listening to the games, asked my Dad about the players, and the plays. Pretty soon I had memorized every player’s number, batting average or ERA, the lineup, where and when they were born, all about their families, etc. My closet door was plastered with LA Herald Express (before it merged with the Examiner) newspaper articles, and I remember one I had was with Sandy’s 18 strikeouts. Another one was when Johnny Roseboro ripped the crotch in his uniform. If Dodger games were being televised, I would always watch them, and in ’59 I remember begging my mother to let me stay home from school and watch the games when they were playing against the Giants. I loved watching Maury steal. I was the only girl huddled around a radio at recess, listening to the Dodgers play the Milwaukee Braves for the pennant that year.... I can still hear Vinnie announcing “We’re going to Chicago!” when we won the game. We played against the White Sox, and won the World Series.
I am 75 now, and a great-grandma, living in Columbus, Ohio (I was a transplanted military wife). I still love my Dodgers, and L.A.. I subscribe to MLB to watch the games when they are televised unless they are playing in a city too close to mine. I can understand games in this state being blacked out (we usually go to Cincinnati if the Dodgers are playing the Reds). But it burns my biscuits when games in Pittsburgh are blacked out. It’s a four-hour drive. Boo Hiss! I know we hardly play the Pirates any more, but still.
Frankie Montas came out firing
OAKLAND — Frankie Montas, the Athletics’ starting pitcher tonight, has always been a hard thrower. But he came out in the first inning throwing significantly harder than last year.
The right-hander threw 11 fastballs in the frame. The pitch averaged 97.2 mph and touched 99.3 mph. His fastball last year averaged 97.1 mph and never reached 99 mph.
He issued a one-out walk to Corey Seager, but struck out Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger to end the inning.
Maybe Montas was amped up to face his former organization. The Dodgers traded him as part of the package for Rich Hill and Josh Reddick in 2016 before he pitched at the big-league level for them.
Montas was one of the best pitchers in the majors in 2019 — and a candidate to start the All-Star Game for the American League — before he was suspended 80 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
Dodgers don’t score in top of first
Frankie Montas starting for the A’s. Montas used to be a Dodger farmhand. He was traded on Aug. 1, 2016, along with Grant Holmes and Jharel Cotton to Oakland for Rich Hill and Josh Reddick. Mookie Betts grounded into the shift. Corey Seager walked. Justin Turner struck out swinging. Cody Bellinger struck out swinging. Dodgers 0, A’s 0.
Dodger Stadium cleared for 15,560 fans to start season
Your first Dodger memory: Wally Moon and his “Moon shots”
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Jim Voge of Cambria: It was 1958 and my Dad took me to my first Dodger game at the L.A. Coliseum. I remember the short left-field wall and we were sitting high up in right field. It was a night game and I thought every foul ball was coming to me. Of course sitting in the stratosphere no ball ever came close but it didn’t matter. I was 7-years-old and life as I had known it would never be the same. Wally Moon was my favorite player with his left-handed “moon shots” to the short left field. I don’t even remember if they won or who they were playing but I knew right then that I was a Dodger fan for life.
A cloudy, chilly day in Oakland
New grip helps reliever Corey Knebel stay ahead of the curve
The sample size is tiny, but the data suggests Corey Knebel is trending in the right direction, an encouraging sign for a veteran reliever who missed all of 2019 because of Tommy John surgery and struggled to regain the velocity of his fastball and sharp break of his curve in 2020.
The Dodgers, who have a track record of rehabilitating underperforming relievers, took a chance on Knebel when they acquired the 29-year-old right-hander from the Milwaukee Brewers last December and signed him for $5.25 million.
Knebel struck out two in 1 1/3 hitless innings of his first two appearances for the Dodgers and needed only eight pitches in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 4-2 win over Colorado to notch his first save since Sept. 24, 2018.
Knebel’s average fastball velocity of 96.2 mph is a considerable jump from the 94.3 mph he averaged in 13 1/3 innings in 2020 and more in line with his 96.9-mph average in 2018, when he went 4-3 with a 3.58 ERA and 16 saves in 57 games for the Brewers.
And the spin rate on his 80-mph curve is higher than it has ever been, producing 10.2 inches of break, slightly more than his 10.0 inches in 2018.
“I didn’t know that,” Knebel said of his breaking-ball spin rates. “I’m holding it a little different now and throwing the crap out of it like I always do.”
Assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness and bullpen coach Josh Bard suggested a slight grip change in spring training. Knebel spent all winter honing his mechanics so his upper body and lower body were in sync. The result, the Dodgers believe, will give them another high-leverage relief option.
“When Kenley [Jansen, Dodgers closer] is down, to feel you can trust some other guys in the bullpen to finish a game is really important,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Corey is in that mix.”
Knebel said the more comfortable and confident he feels on the mound, the more aggressive he gets.
“You’re not going to try to locate pitches—you just go out there and throw it,” he said. “I think that’s when I’m at my best, when I’m not trying to throw strikes, or trying to aim the ball. …. I know I have the stuff. Every opportunity I get, I’m going to take it and run with it.”
Jam-packed, golden weekend on deck at Dodger Stadium
OAKLAND — The Dodgers will receive their World Series rings and raise their championship banner before Friday’s home opener against the Nationals, but the weekend’s pregame events won’t end there.
The team announced it will hold a tribute to Tommy Lasorda before Saturday’s game and a celebration recognizing the 40th anniversary of Fernandomania on Sunday.
On the field, the logos on their uniforms will be outlined in gold for the three-game series. There will be a World Series patch on the caps and a gold “VII” on the left sleeve of the jerseys, in reference to the franchise’s seven titles.
Friday’s pregame events will be televised on SNLA and carried on the radio (AM 570 in English and AM 1020 in Spanish).
The Dodgers have been cleared to allow 15,560 fans, socially distanced, at Dodger Stadium this weekend. That’s about 30% of the 56,000-seat ballpark’s capacity.
Dodger Stadium’s gates will open at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11:45 a.m. for the beginning of the ceremony.
Otherwise, gates and parking lots will open an hour and a half before first pitch Saturday and Sunday.
Your first Dodger memory: First game at Ebbets Field
In our Dodgers Dugout newsletter, we ask readers to send in their very first memory of the Dodgers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to send me your first Dodgers memory, and it might run in an upcoming Dodgers Dugout and here on the blog. Include your name and where you live. And don’t send only a sentence. Tell why that memory sticks out in your mind. You can email me your memory at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thanks.
Ed Cuthbertson of Austin, Texas: My first Dodger memory was attending a game with my Dad and uncle in 1955 at Ebbets Field. I was already a Dodger fan (my brother was a Yankee fan, ugh!). Taking the train in from Long Island to meet my uncle and then taking the subway to the ball park. I don’t remember much about the game. I actually think we lost that one, but it didn’t matter, our seats were just past the dugout on the third-base side of the field just above the box seats. If I hadn’t been hooked before, I was then. I followed them closely the rest of the season and through their World Series victory that year. We moved to Southern California in January of 1957, and the Dodgers had to follow me (their biggest fan) out there in 1958. At least that’s the story I like to tell people.
Gavin Lux gets the day off for the series opener
OAKLAND — The Dodgers committed to giving key contributors days off to rest in their season-opening series against the Rockies and that will continue over the next three days against the Athletics.
It’s Gavin Lux’s turn to sit Monday while Max Muncy will get a half-day off as the team’s designated hitter. Chris Taylor will start in second base with Lux on the bench.
One other notable wrinkle: Zach McKinstry, not AJ Pollock, will start in left field.
While McKinstry clubbed three extra-base hits in his first three at-bats this season, Pollock is 2 for 14 with seven strikeouts.
Further, McKinstry is a left-handed hitter, making him a better matchup against right-hander Frankie Montas, and Pollock bats right-handed. The combination prompted McKinstry’s second start of the season as the rookie utilityman continues to impress when given opportunities.
The Dodgers will cycle players through the DH spot in their three games here at RingCentral Coliseum (learned that was the name today) as they did last season when the DH was temporarily implemented in the National League.
Muncy gets the nod today. Justin Turner will start there tomorrow. Wednesday’s choice is TBA.
That means Dustin May won’t have to hit in his season debut. The hard-throwing right-hander can focus on attempting to shut down a club that opened the season with four straight losses to the Astros.
DODGERS (3-1)
Mookie Betts RF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Cody Bellinger CF
Will Smith C
Max Muncy DH
Chris Taylor 2B
Edwin Ríos 1B
Zach McKinstry LF
Dustin May P
Greatest moments in Dodger history, No. 18: Rick Monday saves the flag
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 18: Rick Monday saves the flag (5,412 points)
On April 25, 1976, Rick Monday was playing center field for the Chicago Cubs against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. At one point during the game, two men ran onto the field and ... well, let’s allow Monday to recount the moment in his own words:
“In between the top and bottom of the fourth inning, I was just getting loose in the outfield, throwing the ball back and forth. Jose Cardenal was in left field and I was in center. I don’t know if I heard the crowd first or saw the guys first, but two people ran on the field. After a number of years of playing, when someone comes on the field, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Is it because they had too much to drink? Is it because they’re trying to win a bet? Is it because they don’t like you or do they have a message that they’re trying to present?
“When these two guys ran on the field, something wasn’t right. And it wasn’t right from the standpoint that one of them had something cradled under his arm. It turned out to be an American flag. They came from the left-field corner, went past Cardenal to shallow left-center field.
“That’s when I saw the flag. They unfurled it as if it was a picnic blanket. They knelt beside it, not to pay homage but to harm it as one of the guys was pulling out of his pocket somewhere a big can of lighter fluid. He began to douse it.
“What they were doing was wrong then, in 1976. In my mind, it’s wrong now. ... It’s the way I was raised. My thoughts were reinforced with my six years in the Marine Corps Reserves. It was also reinforced by a lot of friends who lost their lives protecting the rights and freedoms that flag represented.
“So I started to run after them. To this day, I couldn’t tell you what was running through my mind except I was mad, I was angry and it was wrong for a lot of reasons.
“Then the wind blew the first match out. There was hardly ever any wind at Dodger Stadium. The second match was lit, just as I got there. I did think that if I could bowl them over, they can’t do what they’re trying to do.
“I saw them go and put the match down to the flag. It’s soaked in lighter fluid at this time. Well, they can’t light it if they don’t have it. So I just scooped it up.
“My first thought was, ‘Is this on fire?’ Well, fortunately, it was not. I continue to run. One of the men threw the can of lighter fluid at me. We found out he was not a prospect. He did not have a good arm. Thank goodness.
“After the guys left, there was a buzz in the stands, people being aghast with what had taken place. Without being prompted, and I don’t know where it started, but people began to sing ‘God Bless America.’ When I reflect back upon it now, I still get goose bumps.”
Later that year, Monday was presented with the flag by the Dodgers, who traded for him during the off-season. He still has it hanging in his home.
Join us for a special look at Fernando Valenzuela
The Los Angeles Times is inviting subscribers to the exclusive premiere of the first installment of “Fernandomania @ 40,” the Times’ multi-episode documentary series that examines star pitcher Fernando Valenzuela’s impact on the Dodgers, Major League Baseball and the Latino community in Los Angeles 40 years ago.
Valenzuela continues to resonate long after wrapping up his baseball career and taking over as the Dodgers’ Spanish-language TV color commentator. He is featured on murals and has inspired countless other works of art, serving as a role model for the Mexican-American community.
Joe Davis lists the four voices of a baseball broadcast
Vin Scully quotes John Wooden
Greatest moments in Dodgers history, No. 19: Winning the 1988 World Series
Readers of our Dodgers Dugout newsletter were asked a couple of months ago to vote for the 10 greatest moments in Dodger history.
We received 7,237 ballots. The way it works: You listed your moments in order, and I assigned points, with first place getting 12 points, second place nine, third place eight, all the way down to one point for 10th. Add up the points and we get a top 25. In addition to it already running in the newsletter, we will repeat the countdown over the next few days here on the live blog.
No. 19: Dodgers win the 1988 World Series (22 first-place votes, 4,831 points)
The Dodgers had two terrible seasons in 1986 and 1987, finishing 73-89 both seasons. So, not much was expected in 1988. Marginal improvement, sure, but very few were predicting glory.
GM Fred Claire signed Kirk Gibson to a three-year deal on Jan. 29, so you knew the team would be better. But Gibson decided better wasn’t good enough. It’s not that often that a free agent signing actually turns a team around, but this one did. And it started in spring training. Gibson was all business and focused entirely on doing what it takes to win. Most of the other Dodgers had a different attitude. In an excerpt from “Extra Innings: Fred Claire’s Journey to City of Hope and Finding a World Championship Team” (the world’s longest book title), Tim Madigan writes:
“When Gibson reported to his first spring training with the Dodgers, he found a different atmosphere: “Everyone was screwing around and it was real loud and they were all yelling at Tommy [Lasorda].”
“One day, clowns literally jumped out of equipment trunks that had been placed in the middle of the locker room. The jollity carried over onto the field. During a fielding drill, Dodgers star Pedro Guerrero picked up a ball and hurled it into the outfield.
“Everybody started laughing, and I thought, ‘What’s funny about that?’” Gibson recalled. “Quite frankly I was a little nervous about our lack of focus. That went on every day.”
“Gibson, on the other hand, planned to play every preseason game like it was the seventh game of the World Series. The Dodgers’ spring training opener was against the Japanese national team. During warmups, Gibson ran outfield sprints with an intensity that caused his hat to fly off. Teammates and spectators immediately began to laugh.
“Kirk couldn’t understand the reaction until he reached up to his forehead and eye-black, that thick, greasy material use by athletes to deflect potentially blinding rays of the sun, came off in his hand.”
“A teammate had secretly spread the goo inside Gibson’s cap and now it was smeared across his face. Gibson snapped and left the field, making for the clubhouse. Lasorda asked Gibson to return, but he refused.
Newly acquired relief pitcher Jay Howell was in the Dodger clubhouse when Gibson came storming in and remembered him throwing his stuff in his locker and stripping off his uniform. “I thought, ‘This ain’t right,’” Howell recalled more than 30 years later. “I could see the eye-black and Gibson raising holy hell and yelling, ‘No wonder you guys finished last.’ I mean it went on and on and I was like, ‘Whoa, what do we have here?’”
The memory also remained vivid for Gibson: “I told Tommy, ‘Go get the bastard who did the eye-black.’ I said, ‘We’ve got clowns jumping out of the trunks. We do drills, and we’re throwing it into right field and everybody is laughing. There is nothing funny about that.’ That was just me being me. I’m taking no prisoners. I’m full go. Nobody knew that and nobody realized that. Tommy said, ‘They’re trying to make you feel welcome.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to feel welcome. I want to win. I’m not looking for friends; I’m looking for people who get after it.’ They wouldn’t go get the guy, so I left.”
Gibson met Lasorda and Claire early the next morning. The manager pleaded with his new star player to calm down, asking that when reporters questioned him, Gibson should attribute his absence the previous day to an unexpected family matter. The player refused: “I said, ‘This is what’s going to happen. Before the meeting, whoever did it needs to come up and I’ll talk to them. And secondly, when we have our meeting, I’ll speak. Either this happens or I’m out of here. Maybe I came to the wrong place.’ I didn’t care what happened. All I knew was that I was going to say what I had to say, and if they didn’t like me, they could get rid of me. Either I had made a terrible mistake or they were willing to change.”
Relief pitcher Jesse Orosco confessed to the prank.
“I told Orosco, ‘You know what, I’m the best teammate you’ve ever had but you screw with me one more time, you won’t pitch another inning in your life. Sorry man.’”
Then Gibson addressed the team: “I just stood up and I said, ‘You guys are a bunch of losers. You’ve lost the last how many years? It’s not hard to see why. You come in here and it’s a big comedy show. Winning is what’s fun to me.’”
Gibson saw jaws dropping as he looked around the room at his teammates.
“I can tell by the look on your faces that you don’t know quite how to take me,” he said. “But I will sacrifice for all of you in here.”
Then he challenged his new teammates to a fight, all of them at once if need be.
“I’m not worried about that,” he said. “What I’m worried about is you guys understanding how I am as your teammate. I may not be the toughest guy, but I’m crazy enough to believe I’m the toughest guy. We are going to be tough. We are going to get after their asses. Anybody who wants to get it on, let’s go.”
There were no takers.
“That was magnificent,” Howell recalled. “That was just theater. It was grand theater. I mean, I had visions of Clint Eastwood.”
Claire later wrote, “After one game in the spring, Kirk Gibson had assumed control of the Dodger clubhouse.”
————
And with that, Dodger attitudes changed. Gibson went on to win the MVP award. Orel Hershiser, always as focused on winning as Gibson, pitched 59 straight scoreless innings and won the Cy Young Award. The Dodgers upset the New York Mets in the NLCS and manhandled the mighty Oakland A’s in the World Series.
There are hundreds of stories to tell about the 1988 season. Every player on the roster had standout moments. Books have been written about this team. And there are two moments from this season still to come on our countdown.
Takeaways from the Dodgers’ season-opening series against Rockies
DENVER — The Dodgers stumbled on opening day but recovered to beat the Rockies the next three days to begin the season 3-1. So they head to Oakland on a three-game winning streak with Dustin May on tap to make his season debut Monday.
Here are a few takeaways from the four-game set at Coors Field…
Jansen looked dominant
The Dodgers’ bullpen was depleted enough Saturday, in their third game of the season, that manager Dave Roberts used Kenley Jansen for a five-out save to close out the team’s 6-5 win. After the game, Roberts said that wasn’t the plan for Jansen’s season debut. It was out of necessity.
Jansen responded with perhaps his best performance in recent memory. The closer touched 94 mph, but, most importantly, his command was precise and his cutter was moving.
This day in Dodger history: Orel Hershiser’s scoreless innings streak ends
On April 5 in Dodger history:
1913: In an exhibition game against the Yankees, 25,000 fans watch the Dodgers play their first game in Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beats New York, 3-2, with Casey Stengel hitting the park’s first home run, an inside-the-parker.
1957: The Phillies trade five players, Ron Negray, Tim Harkness, Elmer Valo, Mel Geho, and Ben Flowers (the player to be named later), and send $75,000 to the Dodgers to obtain much-touted Cuban infielder Chico Fernandez. Philadelphia’s new shortstop plays three seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, batting just .242, before being traded to the Tigers.
1989: At Riverfront Stadium, Dodgers’ hurler Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-inning streak ends at 59. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Todd Benzinger’s single scores Barry Larkin, who had been picked off after getting a base hit to lead off the game, but was safe on the ‘Bulldog’s’ throwing error.
1993: In front of 42,334 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, the Florida Marlins, making their major league debut, defeat the Dodgers, 6-3. Joe DiMaggio throws out the ceremonial first pitch, and the team retires uniform number 5 in tribute their late president Carl Barger, the number of his favorite player, fittingly Joe DiMaggio.
Source: nationalpastime.com
Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser discuss the Dodgers’ fast start
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Fireballing Dustin May to adjust quickly to batters that have trouble with the curve
It seems counterintuitive. Dustin May has one of the game’s most electric fastballs, a nasty two-seamer with tailing action that averaged 98.1 mph and often touched 100 mph in 2020, but to induce more swing-and-miss and soft contact this season, the Dodgers right-hander plans to hit the dimmer switch on his signature pitch.
“Just being able to mix my pitches more [will help],” said May, who will make his 2021 debut Monday night when he starts the opener of a three-game series against the Athletics in the Oakland Coliseum.
“I’ve been so fastball dominant down in the zone with my sinker, and [the hitters] kind of got a good idea of that — they know it’s my go-to pitch. So being able to mix some breaking balls down in the zone and flash some heaters up has been really good.”
A brief look at the Dodgers-A’s series
Dodgers (3-1) at Oakland (0-4)
A quick look at three-game series against the A’s that starts tonight in Oakland:
Tonight, Dodgers (Dustin May) at Oakland (Frankie Montas), 6:30 p.m. Sportsnet LA
Tuesday, Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw*, 0-1, 7.94 ERA) at Oakland (Chris Bassitt, 0-1, 5.06 ERA), 6:30 p.m., Sportsnet LA
Wednesday, Dodgers (Trevor Bauer, 1-0, 5.68 ERA) at Oakland (Jesus Luzardo*, 0-1, 9.00 ERA), 12:30 p.m., Sportsnet LA
*-left-handed
Dodgers’ top hitters so far
Corey Seager, .667 (8 for 12, two doubles, three RBIs)
Will Smith, .571 (4 for 7, two doubles, one homer)
Zach McKinstry, .429 (3 for 7, two doubles, one homer)
Dodgers’ worst hitters
AJ Pollock, .143 (2 for 14)
Chris Taylor, .222 (2 for 9)
Matt Beaty, 0 for 3, two strikeouts
Oakland’s top hitters
Ramon Laureano, .429 (3 for 7, one double, one triple)
Chad Pinder, .300 (3 for 10, one homer)
Mark Canha, .286 (4 for 14, one double, one triple)
Oakland’s worst hitters
Aramis Garcia, .000 (0 for 9)
Ka’ai Tom, .000 (0 for 6)
Stephen Piscotty, .000 (0 for 8)
ICYMI: Julio Urías continues where he left off in World Series by dominating the Rockies
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Julio Urías was about to pitch deeper into a major league game than ever before, in a ballpark that had given him nightmares in the past, and he couldn’t have looked more comfortable Sunday.
He whispered to himself. He coolly stretched. He dropped his arm slot. He was toying with the Colorado Rockies, exuding a quiet confidence, and they didn’t have an answer.
Fueled by a dynamite changeup, Urías picked up where he left off from his dominant postseason and dominated the Rockies over a career-high seven innings as the Dodgers beat the Rockies, 4-2, to take three of four games at Coors Field.
“All my pitches were working well,” Urías said in Spanish. “And it being in Colorado, I’m even happier, knowing how difficult pitching here is.”