Astros 3 Dodgers 1: At Least They Got Hits?

In a way, the Dodgers won on Saturday.

After getting no-hit Friday night by Mike Fiers, the Dodgers were hitless through three innings against Scott Kazmir on Saturday. Then, something magical happened. A Dodger hit the ball and it didn’t get caught! Jimmy Rollins blooped a single over the infield, but because it’s the Dodgers, he was thrown out going for second. It still counted as a hit! The Dodgers did that six more times on Saturday. Not getting TOOTBLAN’ed, the hit part. They had seven of those, including two from both Rollins and Adrian Gonzalez. 

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They even scored a run! A whole run! After Rollins hit his 500th career double in the sixth, Yasiel Puig grounded him over to third like a #professional. Then, Justin Turner broke an 0-19 slump with a first pitch single to score Rollins. They small-balled their way to a run!

Aug 16, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (right) celebrates with Carlos Correa after Altuve hit a walk off single against the Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid Park. The Astros defeated the Tigers 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, in a more realistic way, the Dodgers also lost on Saturday. Zack Greinke was good, but gave up two home runs for the first time this season (both solo) and gave up a leadoff triple to Jose Altuve, who is kind of my hero as a vertically challenged human. Turner made an error at third and Altuve scored, which gave Houston the lead in the first. Altuve and Luis Valbuena, who both came into the game hitting over .400 against Greinke, each added solo homers to give Houston their three runs.

So the whole “losing the game part” was less than ideal, but at least this game wasn’t as embarrassing as getting no-hit. Kazmir was very good for the Astros, scattering six hits and striking out eight in six innings of work. Will Harris, Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson each pitched an inning in relief and combined to strike out four and allow one hit to secure Houston’s 68th win of the season, which is two fewer than they had all last season.

Houston only had three hits in the game, but they made them count. The Dodgers got Dodgered today, and despite outhitting Houston they lost because of the longball. I guess that’s karma for all the previous times the Dodgers have been outhit, but won with dingers. Scott Van Slyke almost hit one, but Tal’s Hill kept that one in the park. Enrique Hernandez hit one to the warning track, but it stayed in. Sometimes, that’s just baseball.

In better news, the Pirates beat the Giants so the Dodgers remain a game and a half up on them in the West. The Dodgers also have Dallas native Clayton Kershaw on the hill tomorrow, so that’s always promising. Kershaw against the team with the second most strikeouts in baseball should be entertaining.