Post Game Press Conference With Don Mattingly-News and Notes

Below is the post game press conference with manager Don Mattingly. Yes I was back up in the press box tonight folks. So for your enjoyment, here is most of the post game presser. Please note I wouldn’t have been late had there not been about 500 Dodger fans crowding outside the Vin Scully Press Box. Of course this is a good thing as it means the crowd was heavy tonight. But it delayed me en route to the media room.

Mattingly talks about Clayton Kershaw, and how he is the stuff of legends. Apparently Kershaw smiled at Mattingly when he walked back into the dugout after the eighth inning. This is Kershaw’s fifth complete game win of the season, which leads the National League.

Mattingly discusses how Kershaw is just such a fierce competitor and wants to finish every game he starts. It’s not about the stats with Kershaw, but about winning and losing. Kershaw is one lean mean pitching machine, boy I tell you what.

Mattingly also talks about the important of winning these close games, and Dee Gordon’s incredible play at second base. At the very end Mattingly talks about Matt Kemp’s power stroke. Which he seems to have found again.

Game notes

The Dodgers swept the Braves for the first time since a four game sweep July 26-29, 1990 at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers have gone 15-5 in their last 20 home games since June 13.

The Dodgers finished the month of July with a 14-10 record.

This was the seventh time this season the Braves were swept.

Kershaw has now won ten consecutive decisions, which ties a career high for him. Kershaw finished the month of July with a 4-0 record, and a 1.07 ERA in five starts and 42 innings pitched.

This was Kershaw’s first regular season win over Atlanta. (remember he beat them in the NLDS opener last season). Kershaw has now beaten every single team in the National League.

Yasiel Puig is now hitting .511 (23 for 45) with three home runs in his career against Atlanta.

The only run for the Braves scored on a challenge review in the top of the ninth inning.