Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson and Kiké’s Rally Banana Help End Scoring Drought

Home sweet home. The record setting scoreless drought mercifully came to an end on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Zack Greinke once again pitched well, and he went deeper into the game (7 2/3 innings) than any Dodger pitcher this season. Andrew Cashner also pitched well only allowing one run in the fifth inning, but neither pitcher was involved in the decision.

Andre Ethier, who has been so enjoyable to watch in his 10th season as a Dodger, channeled his inner Captain Clutch to hit the key RBI double off Cashner to finally bring in a Dodger run and break the scoreless streak in the 36th inning.

The Padres tied it up in the seventh, but the play at home was extremely close. Joc Pederson, who had been in his own slump, finally had that smile return after hitting a huge solo homerun in the eighth inning which would end up being the winning run. Chris Hatcher pitched the Dodgers out of a eighth inning jam, and he picked up the win. Kenley Jansen struck out two in the ninth, and he picked up his second save of the season.

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Kiké Hernandez had a rally banana in the dugout which surely helped the cause as well. Everyone went B.A.N.A.N.A.S. after the Joc homerun!

The bad news out of this game was the loss of Yasmani Grandal who might have a concussion. Grandal left the game in the fifth inning, and the Dodgers pulled catcher Austin Barnes from the Oklahoma City game on Friday night as a precaution.

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Dodgers 2 6 0

Padres 1 6 1

WP- Hatcher (1-3)

LP- Benoit (4-2)

S- Jansen (2)

HR- Pederson (11)

The Dodgers hadn’t scored a run since the fourth inning last Sunday, and they extended their scoreless streak right into Friday night’s match up with the San Diego Padres. Andrew Cashner retired the Dodgers in order in the home half of the first, and the beat goes on…

The Dodgers got a man to third base in the bottom of the second, but they ended up stranding Adrian Gonzalez extending the scoreless streak to 33 innings. Cashner didn’t want to challenge Gonzo, and he walked the first baseman to start the inning. Yasmani Grandal blooped a single into shallow center field, and the prospect of actual runs looked very promising.

May 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris (left) scores a run past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis in the 7th inning during the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

It was not to be. Justin Turner hit into a double play. Andre Ethier hit the ball well, but his former teammate Matt Kemp made a nice running catch to end the inning. Of course it had to be Kemp who would add another zero on the scoreboard after his catch.

Zack Greinke looked great again. He only allowed one hit, a single to Will Venable in the second inning, through three innings of work.

Yasmani Grandal was attended to by Stan Conte after being hit in the mouth by Yangervis Solarte‘s bat in his follow through after he popped out for the third out in the top of the third. The bat hit Grandal’s catcher’s mask.

Joc Pederson found the hole in the over shift with a groundball single to left field with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Then old friend and new foe Matt Kemp proceeded to make a diving catch to rob Jimmy Rollins of a base hit and possible RBI. It was a fantastic catch, and it looks as though Kemp still has it. The Dodgers on the other hand did not have it. Yet.

That’s 34 consecutive scoreless innings.

Adrian Gonzalez made a very nice defensive play right after the Kemp catch. Cory Spangenberg attempted to bunt for a base hit, but Gonzo made a nice reach to get the San Diego second baseman out at first.

The Dodgers hit three fly balls in the fourth. One to right field, one to left field and Yasmani Grandal hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in center.

“The Dodgers have gone 35 without a run.” -Vin Scully

Things get better before they get worse, right? Before the top of the fifth commenced, the Dodgers took Yasmani Grandal out of the game after getting hit twice in the head/face. The second time he was hit in the mask was from a Matt Kemp foul. A.J. Ellis came in to take over behind the plate. Luckily the catching change didn’t fluster Greinke at all who pitched a perfect fifth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth Justin Turner singled to center, and he took second on a fielding error by Venable who booted the ball.

Andre Ethier, Captain Clutch himself, finally broke the scoreless streak with a beautiful RBI double tothe right field corner. Justin Turner brought in the first Dodgers run in 35 innings. I feel so much better. The Dodgers made Cashner work in the inning (32 pitches), but they were only able to notch one precious run.

“The drought is over.”-Vin Scully

May 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the second inning during the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Padres got a man to third on a Yangervis Solarte double and groundout by Spangenberg, but Greinke handled a comebacker by Kemp to end the threat.

The Padres tied up the game in the seventh. Will Venable, who’s costly error helped the Dodgers get their run in the fifth, singled in Derek Norris who hit a one-out ground-rule double. Don Mattingly challenged the safe call at home after Joc’s strong throw to A.J., but the call was upheld.

Brandon Maurer took over for Andrew Cashner in the bottom of the seventh, and he retired the side in order.

Andrew Cashner pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits with 3 strikeouts and a walk on 109 pitches.

Zack Greinke officially went the deepest into a game by a Dodger starter this season once he got that second out in the eighth. On his 100th pitch, the ace allowed a single to Spangenberg which brought up guess who…Matt Kemp. Greinke ended up walking Kemp, and Mattingly had to come out to get Greinke after 105 pitches.

Chris Hatcher got the call to pitch to Justin Upton with two on and two outs. Upton ended up flying out to Ethier, and the 1-1 tie is preserved.

Zack Greinke pitched 7 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk on 105 pitches.

Props to Pederson.

Joaquin Benoit came out of the San Diego bullpen for the bottom of the eighth, and Joc Pederson finally gave Dodger fans what they were waiting for. Joc took a fastball for a ride over the right center field fence for a solo homerun. The Dodgers finally had a lead.

Kenley Jansen induced a groundout from Norris, and he struck out Venable and Middlebrooks to give the Dodgers the much needed victory!

The Dodgers improve to 25-16. The Giants were winning in rainy Colorado, so they would remain 1 1/2 games back of the Dodgers.

On Saturday, Mike Bolsinger will go for his third win while the Padres send Ian Kennedy to the mound.

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