Dodgers Stung by Snakes in Second Straight Blowout

The Dodgers made one last move before the deadline came to an end. The Dodgers traded for the much maligned outfielder Shane Victorino to bat lead-off and play left field. The Dodgers sent Josh Lindblom, and Ethan Martin to the Phillies in return. The rest of the teams in the division made their moves as well. Arizona picked up Chris Johnson,  traded Craig Breslow, and designated Tattoo man Ryan Roberts, before trading him to the Rays. The Giants made their counter move as well, acquiring outfielder Hunter Pence from the Phillies for Nate Schierholtz, and a couple of minor leaguers. Shane Victorino is expected to arrive tomorrow, and Brandon League the Dodgers other acquisition was activated for the game. The Dodgers designated Michael Antonini for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Victorino, but we won’t know until tomorrow who will get cut from the active roster to make room for our rat boy. I am praying it is Uribe that gets the pink slip.

Tonight was Kirk Gibson boblehead night, and the Dodgers had another pathetic performance against a division rival. Chris Capuano had another 6^th inning meltdown, but before had pitched ok. He allowed two runs to score in the bottom of the first. It was guess who? That annoying Paul Goldschmidt who homered to left after Kubel had walked. Goldschmidt came into the game hitting .449 against left handed pitching, and went 3 for 4 with two RBI. The Dodgers were 11-4 against left handers at home, but Wade Miley the Dbacks top young pitcher held the Dodgers mind numbingly bad offense quiet. The Dodgers were only down 2-1 until the 6^th inning, when Cappy allowed three runs with two outs. Two singles, and a three run home run from Montero made it another blowout. Arizona would score three more runs in the top of the ninth off of Jamey Wright, and Ronald Belisario. The Dodgers could muster only three hits off of Miley who went seven innings of one run ball walking one and whiffing seven. Only Mark Ellis’s home run in the bottom of the first was the lone blemish on Miley’s great night. In contrast, Capuano allowed five runs in 5.2 innings, walking three and whiffing six. I seriously hope Paul Goldschmidt gets an annoying case of hemorrhoids.

The Giants won their game against the Mets, so the Dodgers drop out of first place, one game behind the Giants with a 56-49 record. Arizona remains 3.5 games behind the Giants, and 2.5 behind the Dodgers. I don’t understand how they can sweep the Giants and then come home and get embarrassed by a division rival at home for two nights in a row. How did the crap festival happen?  If you’re a glutton for punishment read my recap of the crap festival.

Top of the first.  Chris Young begins the game by lining a Cappy meatball down the left field line, slicing, but Jerry Hairston makes a fine running catch in the corner on his glove side. Aaron Hill whiffs. Jason Kubel draws a two out walk. Of course as on cue, Paul Goldschmidt annoyance expert, launches a Cappy meatball into the lower Field level seats in left field to give Arizona another first inning lead 2-0. Justin Upton grounds out to end the frame.

The Dodgers get on the board in the bottom of the first. Hairston whiffs. Mark Ellis batting second takes Wade Miley deep to left field for a solo shot. 2-1 Arizona. That’s Ellis’s fourth home run of the year. Matt Kemp flies out to deep center, and Andre Ethier grounds out.

Miguel Montero grounds out to first to lead off the top of the second. Chris Johnson walks. Stephen Drew’s grounder to first advances Johnson to second. Opposing starter Wade Miley goes down swinging to end the top of the second.

Bottom of the second. Hanley Ramirez grounds back to the box. Juan Rivera flies out. Luis Cruz, who continues to impress us, doubles to the wall in center, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Matt Treanor draws a walk. But of course Cappy’s little flare dribbler to second goes for naught, and the score remains 2-1 Snakes.

In the top of the third, Young whiffs. Hill grounds out. Kubel whiffs, to give Cappy an easy 123 inning. MIley has a 123 inning of his own in the bottom of the third, whiffing Hairston and Bison.

Some good defense helps get the Dodgers and Cappy out of a jam in the top of the fourth. Goldschmidt singles , and reaches base again. Upton whiffs. Montero hits a deep slicing liner to right, that Ethier flags down on the warning track. Hairston makes a great diving catch on Johnson’s pop fly to shallow left field, which gets the Dodgers out of the inning unscathed.

Of course the Dodgers go down pathetically 123 in the bottom of the fourth. The typical whiffs and grounders. Ethier and Rivera whiff, and Ramirez grounds out. Top of the fifth. Cappy gets Drew to fly out to right. Miley whiffs. And he retires Young on a grounder to third.  Miley retires the Dodgers in order again in bottom of the fifth. Both pitchers are locked in.

Bottom of the fifth, Miley breezes through another inning. Treanor and Cappy both whiffing. The top of the sixth is where the game gets away, and we see yet another mid inning meltdown with two outs. Hill grounds out, and Kubel pops out, and with two outs all seems right. Then Cappy just loses it. Goldschmidt a line drive single. Upton a single to right. Montero hits one into the Dodger bullpen for a three run home run to put the Dbacks up 5-1. Then Johnson doubles, and the Dodgers have to intentionally walk Drew to retire Miley.

More ohfers for the Dodgers in the bottom of the sixth. Hairston pops out. Ellis grounds out. Kemp singles. Ethier flies out.  Shawn Tolleson retires Young, Hill and Kubel in the top of the seventh after taking over for Cappy. Miley again retires the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the seventh.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Tolleson walks Montero, and is hooked for Jamey Wright. James Loney is double switched into the game with him. Johnson gets a broken bat flare single into center. Drew walks to load the bases. Finally Wright whiffs Miley to end the frame.  Miley stays out for the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Dodgers roll right over again. Treanor, Loney, and Hairston all make outs.

You know what? What does it matter, because this game was done as soon as the ceremonial first pitch was thrown. The Dbacks would score another three runs to put the game away. The Dodgers would plate one meaningless run in the bottom of the ninth, on a Kemp single, Ethier double, and a Hanley grounder. The Dodgers lose their second crapfest in a row, tonight by the score of 8-2. I refuse to talk about this game any further.

Tomorrow the Dbacks announced that Patrick Corbin will be called up to start. The Dodgers will counter with rookie Stephen Fife. Tomorrow’s game is an afternoon game at 1210PM.  I’ll also be doing another edition of our podcast, with Nick Hamilton after the game at 5PM. Don’t forget to tune in for that as Nick and I discuss the Dodger’s t moves this trade season. We’ll talk then. Have a great night guys. Go Blue.