Dodgers End Home Stand With Epic Pitching Duel Between Kershaw And Old Friend Kuroda

Dodgers Lineup vs. New York

Crawford 7 Puig 9 Gonzalez 3 Hanley 6 Ethier 8 A.J. Ellis 2 Schumaker 4 Uribe 5 Kershaw 1

Hiroki Kuroda-10-6 vs. Clayton Kershaw-10-6

M.Ellis’s clutch single in the bottom of the ninth with two outs last night was the clutchiest of clutch hits and gave the Dodgers another come from behind win. As it turns out, it was Andre Ethier’s single and rare stolen base that setup the Mark Ellis RBI single off of Shawn Kelley that won the game for the Dodgers 3-2. The Dodgers are making up history as they go. With each win another historic record is broken. The Dodgers have now become the first Dodger team since 1963 to win 27 out of 33 games. The team has now gone 10-1 since the all-star break and they are now the first Dodger team ever to do that. This hot streak has turned into one of the greatest hot streaks of all time. This is the greatest Dodger hot streak in Dodger history. The Dodgers are so blazing hot right now, that they have hot streaks on their hot streaks. Tonight the Dodgers take on the Yankees again in game two looking for a sweep of the short two game series.

It’s been a busy time for the Dodgers. Yesterday we learned they signed relief pitcher Blackbeard Brian Wilson. We learned that the deal is only for this season and the terms are for one million dollars. I still can’t wrap my brain around the fact that Brian Wilson the Blackbeard is now a Dodger. We have entered the twilight zone.

Besides Wilson, today is also July 31, the trade deadline. The deadline ends at 1PM pacific time. I’ve got to admit this is one of the most boring trade deadlines I can remember. This year’s trade market is one of the weakest in recent years. Matt Garza, and K-Rod have already been traded. Jake Peavy got traded to the Red Sox. Zzzzzzzzz. The Tigers got Jose Veras. Snooze. That’s pretty much it. In case you are wondering, no the Dodgers are not trading for Cliff Lee, and no the Dodgers aren’t going to make any trades.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers won 2-1.-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The trade deadline market has been weakened thanks to the second wild card. Too many teams still think they are in contention. I guess you could say it’s a buyer’s market. So let’s go over this once again before you start tweeting that the Dodgers are trading Steve Garvey and Sandy Koufax for Cliff Lee. No the Dodgers are not trading for Cliff Lee. No the Dodgers are not trading Zach Lee, or any other kind of Lee. They’re not trading for a Lee, they’re not trading a Lee. The only “Lee” you will hear today is that the trade deadline passed quiet-“ly”. No the Dodgers are not trading Joc Pederson, or Andre Ethier. The Dodgers are not making any trades more than likely.

With the trade market being so thin, and the Dodgers being full at most positions, means the Dodgers don’t need to make any trades. We thought they would maybe pick up a reliever, and they already did with the Wilson signing. And they didn’t have to trade with anyone. So as this trade deadline passes quietly, the Dodgers will be taking on the Yankees tonight in game two at 7:10 PM.

The Yankees traded for Alfonso Soriano, which is funny since Soriano came up with the Yankees. The Yanks are in fourth place in the AL East with a 55-51 record, and 8.5 games behind Tampa Bay. They are also only 3.5 games behind the second wild card spot. After last night’s loss the Yankees are now a break even 26-26 on the road. Btw don’t forget to listen in as I was recently a guest on the Yanks Go Yard Preview Show with host Ricky Keeler. Take a listen as we talk about the Yankees/Dodgers series, the trade deadline, PuigMania, and the Dodgers hot streak.

The Dodgers will be honoring Mariano Rivera since this is the last time we will see him. Apparently according to sources Rivera is actually retiring next season. No seriously, I really think he’s retiring. The 43 year old future hall of fame closer could probably pitch until he was 60 years old. The Dick Clark of closers will get a nice little tribute from the Dodgers and Don Mattingly. We didn’t see Rivera last night as Joe Girardi chose to use Shawn Kelley instead as Rivera watched from the visitor’s bullpen setting off another debate about whether managers should use their closers in a tie game on the road. We wish Mariano Rivera a great retirement and I hope we don’t see him pitch again tonight. Go ahead and relax in the bullpen Rivera, no need to get up.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (18) pitches during the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.-Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Tonight’s pitching match-up is one for the ages. It’s also somewhat bitter sweet as the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw will face-off against former Dodger and old friend Hiroki Kuroda. This is the second time the Dodgers have faced Kuroda this season. One of the last great sins of the McCourt regime was the non-signing of Kuroda. Losing Kuroda was a great shame. I was a huge Kuroda fan when he was a Dodger. I loved the guy. His quiet solidness, and ability to focus drew me to him. Kuroda was one of the most consistent Dodger pitchers in years, and I was super bummed to see him leave via free agency. Kuroda would have resigned with the Dodgers had they made him an offer. Kuroda waited by the phone for a call that would never come. It was the Yankees that called him, and he signed with the Pinstripes. It still feels weird seeing him in pinstripes and not in Dodger Blue. Kuroda should have been a Dodger forever. The 38 year old right hander should have never been allowed to leave.

Kuroda faced the Dodgers back in the June 19 doubleheader. Kuroda beat the Dodgers by pitching into the seventh inning and allowing just two runs on eight hits, The Dodgers couldn’t figure him out back then which resulted in a 6-4 Dodger loss. Meanwhile Kuroda has been having another solid season. Perhaps this is one of his best? Kuroda is 10-6 with a 2.51 ERA for the Yankees this season. In his last start Kuroda threw seven shutout innings against Texas to win his tenth. Kuroda is 20-21 with a 3.43 ERA lifetime at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers haven’t seen much of Kuroda outside of that last game in June. Adrian Gonzalez is the big bopper with a .343 batting average against, and three home runs. Check out what the rest of the Boys in Blue have done versus Kuroda.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Adrian Gonzalez

.343

.439

.714

Hanley Ramirez

.333

.429

Skip Schumaker

.412

.471

Nick Punto

.222

.333

Juan Uribe

.286

.444

.857

Jerry Hairston

.125

Carl Crawford

.167

Mark Ellis

.000

A.J. Ellis

.500

.333

.500

Andre Ethier

.000

.333

.000

Yasiel Puig

.333

Ricky Nolasco

.000

Total

127

116

.293

.341

.474

The Dodgers will counter with ace Clayton Kershaw. Last outing against the Reds Kershaw picked up his tenth win by tossing eight innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 Dodger win. Tonight he faces the Yankees, a club he has only faced once. The one time Kershaw faced the Yankees, he pitched seven frames, allowing two runs on four hits and whiffed five. Kershaw’s cy young season continues. He is 10-6 with a league leading 1.96 ERA. Kerahaw has whiffed 156 and walked just 35. Even more amazing is that Kershaw is allowing less hits than he’s ever allowed. That is truly spectacular as he leads all of Baseball with a paltry 5.9 hits per nine innings allowed. Kershaw allows just six hits per game! That’s incredible. His 0.873 WHIP is tops in Baseball. The Yankees have hit five home runs against him though. Alfonso Soriano and Vernon Wells have each hit a pair.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Alfonso Soriano

.364

.417

1.000

Chris Stewart

.556

.889

Vernon Wells

.286

1.143

Ichiro Suzuki

.500

Robinson Cano

.000

Derek Jeter

.667

Andy Pettitte

.000

Brett Gardner

1.000

Lyle Overbay

.000

Total

.390

.419

.780

Before I sign off, I would like to talk to you guys about something non-Dodger and non-Baseball related. Whenever I can use the blog to help people, or help stop people from getting hurt, or to help a charity I always take the opportunity. I like helping people. I got an email about a worthy cause recently. Unfortunately i found out through this email that many people are still dying from asbestos related deaths in this country. Remember asbestos? Yes the stuff on the ceiling of your house can be toxic. Exposure to this deadly stuff can cause cancer, and other diseases.

The ACVRC (Asbestos cancer victims rights campaign) is a national campaign dedicated to protecting the rights of cancer victims and their families as well as raising awareness. Asbestos is still not banned in the US, and some greedy companies are trying to pass a bill that interferes with cancer victims rights. Please take a moment and sign the petition at this link here. It only takes a few seconds. Every voice counts. Please help to fight asbestos related cancer.

Join us here after the game for our nightly Dodger recap. Tonight is the last game of the home stand before the Dodgers head back out on the road where they will travel to Chicago and St. Louis on an eight game trip. The Dodgers are now 3.5 games in front of the Snakes in the NL West. Everything is turning up roses for the Dodgers. Can they continue this incredible run? Tune into Prime Ticket tonight to find out. Go Blue.

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