Dodgers Look to Send Angels Back to Hell in Freeway Series Finale

Dodgers Lineup vs. Angels

C.J. Wilson-7-4 vs. Nathan Eovaldi-0-2

It is no secret how much I hate the Angels. They are a pathetic organization, and I wish them nothing but failures. When the Angels lose it warms me, and I feel joy inside. After years of watching the stupid Halos beat the Dodgers in interleague play, last night’s victory was so sweet. First they took up residence at our beautiful Dodger Stadium for four seasons. Then they took our former catcher turned coach as their manager. Finally they steal our city name to incorporate into theirs, even though they clearly play in Anaheim. The Dodgers before this series were 12 games under .500 against the Halos all time. enough is enough, it is payback time!

The Dodgers have an uncanny ability to persevere through troubled times. After the Dodgers were swept by the Brewers in a four game series at home, and after they dropped a series in Colorado, they battled back to sweep a four game series in Philadelphia. After they were no-hit last Friday in Seattle by Kevin Millwood, and a bunch of Seattle noobs, they battled back again, and won the next two games by outscoring Seattle 16-5.

The Dodgers proved their resilience again, by coming from behind to win last night’s game after dropping the opener on Monday to the Angels, and evening the series. The win snapped the Dodgers little five game home losing streak, and also snapped the Angels ten game road winning streak.

I thought the Dodgers were toast, but Ethier’s RBI single and 500 career RBI, and Juan Rivera’s three-run bomb put the Dodgers ahead for good in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ironically it was manager Mike Scioscia’s late inning blunder leaving in the tiring Jerome Williams that led to the Halos eventual demise at the hands of the Blue. Ironically the night was Mike Scioscia bobblehead night, where the former Dodger backstop was honored for his achievements as a Dodger catcher for a dozen seasons. Tonight the Dodgers will look to finally win a series against the Angels, before a scheduled off day tomorrow.

The Dodgers and Don Mattingly do some minor lineup tinkering. Ethier is moved down to the cleanup spot, and Rivera bats third. I guess you gotta go with the hot hand right? Herrera is back in center field, with a lefty on the mound Gwynn gets the night off. Uribe is back at third base and batting eighth.

The Angels will give the ball to ace lefty C.J. Wilson. The young lefty is having another all-star type season. He is 7-4 with a 2.39 ERA, and 73 whiffs in 79 innings. Wilson has never had a decision against the Dodgers, but has been pitching very well of late. In his last three starts he has allowed just two runs, while whiffing 26 batters. The Dodgers collectively have hit .260, against him (13 for 50), but haven’t see him much. Only a few Dodgers have had more than one or two at-bats against Wilson. Juan Uribe is 1 for 6. The much maligned Adam Kennedy is 3 for 9. Bobby Abreu really struggles against Wilson, hitting a paltry .125 (2 for 16). However there is one Dodger who has hit Wilson very well over the years. Last night’s hero, Juan Rivera is batting .438 (.7 for 16) off of Wilson with a home run, and two RBIs. Rivera is batting .271 against Lefties this season.

The Dodgers will counter with rookie right hander Nathan Eovaldi. It seems as if Eovaldi is the new Hiroki Kuroda of the pitching staff. Since filling on for the injured Ted Lilly, and who knows when Ted is coming back, Eovaldi has been excellent. Nathan is 0-2, but has a minuscule 1.93 ERA. Eovaldi has only allowed four runs total in his four starts since being called up from the minors. Last start, Nathan pitched six scoreless frames, which is usually good enough to win in most games, but of course that was the no-hitter game last Friday in Seattle. Poor Eovaldi just can’t seem to catch any breaks. The Dodgers just seem to never be able to score any runs for him. This explains why Eovaldi is still in search for his first win of the season. The Angels have never faced him before, and the only Angel to ever have seen Eovaldi at all, is Albert Pujols. In three at-bats, Pujols is 1 for 2 with a single.

The Dodgers remain 4.5 games in front of the Giants in the NL west. The Giants are at home again against Houston. After the scheduled off day tomorrow, the Dodgers will play a three game set against the Chicago White Sox over the weekend.

Game time tonight is the usual 7PM start time, and the game is televised on Prime Ticket. Join us after the game for our nightly game recap. I will be on twitter as usual, hooting and hollering. I have been hoping that the Angels finish dead last and I still am. I hate the Angels. I hate their stupid mickey mouse uniforms, and their fan base annoys me. They win one championship in like 50 years, and they think they are like hot stuff now or something. News flash stupid Angels, you suck, and you will always be second fiddle to the Dodgers. The only way the Angels could ever win a world series is behind a former Dodger. There is only one true Los Angeles team, and they wear Blue. Go to hell Angels. Go Blue.