Hanley Hurts Hand and Dodgers Lose Series

Dodgers 1 6 1

Giants 2 7 1

WP- Machi (3-0)

LP- Howell (1-1)

S- Romo (4)

The Dodgers offense could only plate one run off of San Francisco pitching on Wednesday night in the second loss in a row at AT&T Field giving the Giants the series victory. The starting pitchers, Paul Maholm and Ryan Vogelsong, pitched equally well. Each only allowed one run over 6 frames, but neither hurler was involved in the decision. The Dodgers couldn’t ask for a better start from Paul Maholm, but the offense and defense once again came up short.

The lone Dodger run came in the sixth on a RBI triple from the hot hitting Dee Gordon. Gordon had 3 hits on the night, but the rest of the Dodger lineup was unable to come up with little else offensively. The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the seventh, and the opportunity is erased after Uribe grounds into a double play. A costly pick-off of Matt Kemp in the second spurred Mattingly to challenge the play, but the outcome was not in the Dodgers favor.

Paul Maholm pitched well, but the Dodgers looked listless in the loss. Photo: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Poor base running, less than stellar defense, struggling bullpen pitching, and a bad decision by Mattingly to intentionally walk Pence to get to Sandoval in the seventh cost the Dodgers this game. Mattingly also unwisely stuck with Carl Crawford after Bochy called in Lopez from the pen instead of going to a right-handed batter like Scott Van Slyke off the bench.

The scariest moment came in the top of the seventh when Vogelsong hit Hanley in the hand with a pitch. Thankfully it was reported that Hanley’s x-rays came back negative, but it still is concerning to lose Hanley for any amount of time.

Dee Gordon leads off the top of the first by laying down a nice bunt single which rolls along the grass line on the third base side to stay fair. Ryan Vogelsong doesn’t allow Dee the chance to steal after he retires Crawford on a fly ball out, and Hanley Ramirez grounds into an inning ending double play.

Angel Pagan hits a comebacker to Paul Maholm who handles the first out of the bottom of the first himself. Hunter Pence hits a deep fly ball to center field. Carl Crawford is yelling out there, but Matt Kemp is the one who grabs the ball. Kemp, who loses focus, drops the ball. Pence ends up on second on the Kemp error. Pablo Sandoval grounds out to Uribe. The inning should be over, but it’s not. Buster Posey flies out to Kemp, and Maholm gets the “fourth” out.

Matt Kemp draws a one-out walk in the second, but he gets picked off first with Ethier in the batter’s box. Don Mattingly protests the call, and the umpires gather around to watch the replay. He looked out to me. After a lengthy delay on the challenge, the umpires uphold the call. Ethier is jammed, and he is out on a comebacker to the mound.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Belt walks. Joaquin Arias flares a single to right, and the Giants have runners at first and third with two outs. Vogelsong taps out to third to end the threat.

Uribe leads off the third with a single to left field, but his base hit is soon erased when he gets mowed down by a mile by Posey. That looked like a possible busted hit-and-run play, because Uribe was out by a mile. Drew Butera grounds out, and Maholm goes down on strikes.

The Giants get on the board in the bottom of the third. Angel Pagan draws the dreaded lead-off walk. Pence grounds into a force. The Panda singles sharply past Hanley, and Posey’s single to left brings home Pence. Giants take a 1-0 lead. Michael Morse grounds into an inning ending double play. Gordon almost blows it by sailing a throw high, but Gonzo is able to hang on to the ball to get Morse.

Vogelsong easily sends the Dodgers down in order in the fourth.

Loose balls. Photo: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Maholm also pitches a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth.

The Dodgers can’t muster anything against Vogelsong in the fifth, and the right-hander has retired eight Dodgers in a row now.

Other than a single by the annoying Pagan, Maholm pitches another scoreless inning in the bottom half of the fifth.

The Dodgers’ bats finally come out of hibernation in the top of the sixth when the Dodgers tie up the game on a two-out walk to Maholm and a triple by Dee Gordon. That’s Gordon’s second triple of the season.

Maholm only allows a single to Belt in the bottom of the sixth.

In the seventh, the Dodgers lose Hanley when he is hit with a pitch on the left hand. Hanley is furious and slams his helmet down and is in serious pain. He has to come out of the game, and Justin Turner takes his place at first base. Gonzo singles, and that’s going to be all for Vogelsong who is responsible for the two runners on. Jean Machi will come out of the San Francisco bullpen to pitch to Kemp. Matt is fooled on a pitch way outside, and down he goes for the first out of the inning. Ethier manages an infield single to load the bases. Uribe hits a comebacker, and the Giants double up the Dodgers at home and first to end the disastrous inning.

J.P. Howell will relieve Maholm in the bottom of the seventh. Yasiel Puig comes into the game in right field, and Turner will stay in and play shortstop. Howell walks the lead-off guy Arias. Ehire Adrianza sacrifice bunts Arias over to second. Pagan is called out strikes on a check swing. They’ll intentionally walk Pence to try their luck with Sandoval. Of course the plan backfires as Sandoval singles up the middle. Kemp is playing way too deep to make a throw to home, and Arias scores giving the Giants a 2-1 lead. Howell leaves the field frustrated as Chris Perez comes in to replace him. Kemp runs down the last out hit by Posey.

Paul Maholm allowed 1 run on 5 hits over 6 innings with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks on 92 pitches.

Damn you Vogelsong! Photo: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Vogelsong pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks on 83 pitches.

Santiago Casilla will pitch the top of the eighth for the Giants. Gordon collects his third hit of the night, a single with two outs. Bruce Bochy will go to left-hander Javy Lopez to pitch to CC. Gordon flusters Casilla who throws away the ball on a pickoff attempt. Gordon takes second on the error. Crawford grounds out to first, and once again the Dodgers strand Dee.

If our dreams weren’t already shattered, Mattingly will bring in the one and only Brandon League to pitch in the bottom of the eighth. Morse promptly singles up the middle to lead-off. Belt hits it hard, but Gordon makes a nice backhand grab on his knees and initiates the double play. That’s the third double play turned by the Dodgers this evening. Brandon Hicks strikes out, and the Dodgers will have three more outs to work with in the ninth.

Sergio Romo will come in to pitch for the Giants. Turner flies out on the first pitch he sees. Gonzalez strikes out. Kemp strikes out.

The Dodgers fall to 9-6 on the season. Tomorrow the series wraps up in an afternoon matinee as the Dodgers try to fend off the sweep. Hyun-jin Ryu will counter Madison Bumgarner at 12:45 p.m. PT