Dodgers Look To Start New Winning Streak, Chatwood Duels Greinke
By Scott Andes

Dodgers Lineup vs. Colorado
Schumaker 9M.Ellis 4Gonzalez 3Hanley 6Ethier 8AJ Ellis 2Hairston 7Uribe 5Greinke 1Tyler Chatwood-5-2 vs. Zack Greinke-7-2
The 3-0 shutout loss last night to the Colorado Rockies and the corpse of Juan Nicasio really sticks in my crawl. I have a huge pet peeve against giving up first inning runs to opponents. I hate it more than anything. I hate it worse than getting shutout, and a little worse than watching Brandon League blow saves. When it happens it means the Dodgers or any team is immediately losing right away. It’s deflating. Those two or three first inning runs allowed forces your team to play catch up the rest of the game, and it usually means a loss. It’s annoying.
Although getting shutout by terrible pitchers with ERA’s over 6 is also very aggravating. But the Dodgers have become experts in doing this. Poor Clayton Kershaw received no run support again. The Dodgers have these nothing games all the time. They haven’t had one of these in a while though. Poor plate approaches really hampered the Dodgers last night once again. With the exception of Hanley, and Puig, the rest of the guys just come to the plate and take first and second pitch strikes until they fall out of hitters counts and then pop out. Nicasio only walked one batter in his seven shutout frames, and had thrown 67 of his 101 pitches for strikes. There is very little thought process in involved when facing a guy like Nicasio since he throws fastballs 90% of the time. Poor plate approaches are often what hinders the Dodgers, and why we get these nothing games. The Dodgers had won 16 of their previous 19 games before last night. I know, I know what you are going to say. The Dodgers can’t win them all right? Of course I still want them too.
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Zack Greinke (21) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium.-Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Moving right along to the always lovely injury updates. The Dodger outfield is hurt again. Does this team have the worst training staff or what? Kemp was already hurt, but now Yasiel Puig is battling a sore hip, which has been bothering him since he injured it crashing into the Coors Field wall back on July 3. The Dodgers put him in the lineup last night but were monitoring his status closely. I think Mattingly wanted to see how things went with Puig last night before they lifted him from the game. Things ended up being real touch and go. Puig was removed again in the fourth inning after he grounded out in his two at-bats. It will be wait and see again to see if he will play today.
Carl Crawford is rusty again, His rusty back stiffened up for the hundredth time before last night’s game. So the Dodgers scratched him. It is becoming painfully obvious that Crawford is unable to stay healthy for any sustained period of time. The outfielder lives on the disabled list. Will the Dodgers be able to somehow get Crawford’s rickety body back into the starting lineup? They may have to cryogenically freeze him before and after each game.
The Dodgers will have to face left hander Tyler Chatwood. The Dodgers have faced the 23 year old left twice this season. The left hander is 1-1 this year against the Dodgers. He got a win in the April 29 game where he pitched six shutout frames and whiffed five Dodgers. He took a loss in the July 3 game at Coors Field in which he served up six runs on 11 hits in five frames in a game the Dodgers won 10-8.
The Dodgers better hit this guy.-Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Chatwood has had a decent season, but the numbers indicate he has been somewhat lucky this year. Chatwood is 5-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 62 innings. But he doesn’t strikeout many guys, just 42, to give him a 6.1 whiff per nine rate. He’s walked just 21, but has given up about a hit per inning. His FIP is actually 3.19, and he has primarily been a groundball pitcher. Chatwood is 3-3 with a 3.94 ERA against the Dodgers in six games. However Chatwood loves pitching at Dodger Stadium. He is 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA in three starts at Dodger Stadium.
PA
AB
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
Andre Ethier17
15
7
3
0
0
1
0
1
.467
.471
.667
A.J. Ellis16
12
2
0
0
0
4
2
2
.167
.267
.167
Adrian Gonzalez13
11
4
0
0
1
1
2
2
.364
.462
.636
Mark Ellis10
10
4
1
1
0
4
0
1
.400
.400
.700
Hanley Ramirez7
7
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
.571
.571
.571
Carl Crawford
6
4
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
.250
.400
.250
Yasiel Puig
3
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
.333
.333
.667
Juan Uribe3
3
1
0
0
1
2
0
0
.333
.333
1.333
Chris Capuano2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
.000
.000
.000
Zack Greinke
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
.500
.500
1.000
Nick Punto2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
.000
.500
.000
Skip Schumaker2
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
.500
.500
.500
Jerry Hairston1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
.000
.000
.000
Total
84
73
26
6
1
2
12
6
10
.356
.402
.548
The Dodgers will counter with Zack Greinke. The Birdman has faced Colorado twice this season, and is 1-0 with a no-decision in two starts, both at Coors Field. Last start, Greinke shutout the Dbacks, by tossing seven scoreless frames.
Greinke is 2-1 against Colorado with a 5.68 ERA, but is 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts at Dodger Stadium. Greinke is 7-2 with a 3.94 ERA this season. Greinke has whiffed 59 and walked 26 in 13 starts. Colorado is batting .252 (33 for 131) against Greinke all time. Check out what they have done versus Greinke lifetime.
PA
AB
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
Michael Cuddyer40
37
10
1
0
1
7
2
8
.270
.325
.378
Todd Helton16
13
2
1
0
0
0
3
2
.154
.313
.231
Troy Tulowitzki16
16
3
0
0
0
0
0
6
.188
.188
.188
Dexter Fowler15
14
2
0
0
0
2
0
7
.143
.143
.143
Carlos Gonzalez15
14
6
1
1
2
4
1
2
.429
.467
1.071
Yorvit Torrealba9
8
2
1
0
0
0
1
3
.250
.333
.375
Nolan Arenado6
6
2
1
0
0
1
0
1
.333
.333
.500
Jonathan Herrera6
6
2
1
0
0
1
0
2
.333
.333
.500
DJ LeMahieu6
5
1
1
0
0
2
0
3
.200
.200
.400
Wilin Rosario5
4
1
1
0
0
1
1
2
.250
.400
.500
Jhoulys Chacin4
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
.333
.333
.333
Jordan Pacheco4
3
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
.333
.500
.333
Tyler Chatwood
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
.000
Total
144
131
33
8
1
3
19
9
38
.252
.305
.397
The Dodgers will be showing a special screening of 42 after the game on the field. Brooklyn Dodger great Don Newcombe will be on hand to answer questions about the film, and Jackie Robinson. Fans sitting in the pavilions will also be allowed to be down on the field to watch the film. The game is also on field photo day as the fans will be able to take photos with their favorite Dodger on the field before the game. You can enter through the center field gates which open at 1 PM.
Catch the game today at the unusual early evening late afternoon start time of 4:15 PM. The game will be televised on Fox, and don’t forget to check out our game recap once the game is over. The Dodgers are 46-46 and 2.5 games back of Arizona in second place in the NL West.
Can the Dodgers swing the bats today? Seriously Dodgers score! Go Blue.