Sons of Steve Garvey

Today, the #Dodgers non-tendered RHP Ronald Belisario, making him a free agent.
— Dodgers PR (@DodgersPR) December 3, 2013

In one of the most amazing come-from-behind Dodgers playoff victories that I've ever seen (besides that one, of course), the Dodgers turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning due to the incredible exploits of Juan Uribe, who knocked a HR to left field.

That was the dagger. And with that dagger comes a pass to the NLCS, where we will face either Pittsburgh or St. Louis. The Dodgers are the first team to advance past the NLDS this October.

Clayton Kershaw started on short rest and gave up 2 R but 0 ER in a 6.0 IP performance (1 BB, 6 Ks). Adrian Gonzalez obliged on both of the Dodgers' errors (one fielding, one throwing), to give the Braves their two runs, which matched the two runs that two solo shots from Carl Crawford gave for the Dodgers.

In the top of the seventh, Ronald Belisario came in and got the first out on a comebacker, but then gave up a triple to right (exacerbated by Yasiel Puig's fielding slide that passed by the ball's carom), and an RBI single to PH Jose Constanza, before getting yanked.

With the Dodgers down 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Puig redeemed himself with a leadoff double, and Uribe came up and started bunting his way into a 0-2 hole, despite loud boos from the crowd on the managerial misstep. When finally allowed to swing away, Uribe hit that game-winning HR to left (scoring Puig). Kenley Jansen closed out the ninth by striking out the side, and we're moving on.

A glorious win for the Dodgers tonight. I'll have to write up my perspectives of the game, but for now I've gotta revel in this victory myself. In the meantime, let's celebrate our victory--GO DODGERS!

Uribear GIF via Chad Moriyama

BRAVES 4, DODGERS 3

The Braves got a Minor victory this evening, to split their two home games in Atlanta before the series moves to Dodger Stadium Sunday. The Dodgers outhit the Braves 10 to 6, but were beset by three GIDPs (Skip Schumaker, Mark Ellis, and Carl Crawford) that seemed to take the air out of any potential rally.

Zack Greinke pitched fine--6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB and 3 Ks--and muscled through an 83-pitch effort that wasn't his best stuff, and should have been enough to win (which went to the Braves' Mike Minor). Handed a two-run lead, a nightmare seventh inning involving Chris Withrow, Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, and J.P. Howell allowed the lead to stretch to 4-1.

Hanley Ramirez knocked a two-run HR to left in the eighth, with none out, to make it interesting at 4-3. But the Dodgers ninth-inning attempts to tie the game did not go well: A.J. Ellis with a one-out walk; Dee Gordon PR immediately CS for the second out; Andre Ethier with a two-out PH walk; and Crawford K swinging to end it.

Hey, it's one game. The series is now a best-of-3 series with two of the games at home. If we can string some of these hits together a bit better, we'll be fine. Credit Hanley Ramirez for going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI: the rest of you guys, take notes.

Hyun-Jin Ryu vs. Julio Teheran features two 14-8 pitchers with ~3 ERAs. Take a breath. This is a minor speedbump, not a big deal.

deviant Bioshock Infinite art from here

D'BACKS 9, DODGERS 4

Stephen Fife, spot-starter in place of Clayton Kershaw, didn't last very long. Wild pitches and walks helped the Diamondbacks score 4 ER, which took care of Fife with one out in the third inning.

The Dodgers muscled their way back into the game, making it 4-3 by the seventh inning, which doesn't account for a horrible call at the plate after Miguel Montero missed the tag on Michael Young (who was called out), as well as an unusual call at second (ejecting Adrian Gonzalez, who was voicing his displeasure having doubled without getting the RBI).

Still, the Dodgers' bullpen kept the one-run game close...until Ronald Belisario came in and picked up right where Fife left off. Belisario, who has been shaky for over a month now, gave up three walks and two doubles, putting the Dodgers down 6-3. Peter Moylan didn't do much better, inheriting the bases loaded and letting all three runners score.

Tim Federowicz added a two-out solo shot for the Dodgers in the ninth but who the hell cares. This wasn't one we expected to win, anyway, not with that lineup plus the umps working against us. Let's come back tomorrow for some early baseball and see if we can clinch this.

DODGERS 9, D'BACKS 3

Like a geyser waiting to erupt, the Dodgers lineup (finally at full strength, thanks to the return of Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp in the starting lineup) exploded for four runs in the first inning and two runs in the third inning. Matt Kemp played a key part in the first inning, hitting a two-run double in the first inning (Juan Uribe homered Kemp home. Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run HR in the third. 'Zona starter Patrick Corbin lasted only 2.0 IP (7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB and 1 K).

The Dodgers scored two more runs in the fourth (Mark Ellis singled home Zack Greinke, who walked and advanced on a Yasiel Puig groundout; Kemp singled to center scoring Ellis). And they scored one more in the eighth on a Michael Young triple, scoring Ramirez.

Quite an offensive blowout for the Dodgers--12 hits in all--with the exception of Puig (0-for-5 in the leadoff spot) and AJ Ellis (0-for-5 with 7 LOB). Kemp, in his first start in months, went 4-for-4 with 3 RBI, a run scored, and two doubles.

And that Greinke kid? Just another 6.0 IP performance (6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks). Ronald Belisario had a shaky eighth, but we'll save that concern for later. For now, let's just revel in the fact that the Dodgers' magic number is down to 2. Whaddya say, Tommy? Ready to feast?

DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3 (11)

Scott Van Slyke had a walkoff pinch-hit HR with Mark Ellis aboard and one out in the bottom of the 11th, nailing a 1-0 Josh Collmenter pitch just inside the left field foul pole. Wow.

The Dodgers got two in the second inning thanks to a Miguel Montero throwing error on an Edinson Volquez bunt, and then a Yasiel Puig force out RBI. Arizona got one back in the fourth and took a 3-2 lead in the fifth, off a Didi Gregorius HR. Andre Ethier doubled in Hanley Ramirez in the bottom of the fifth to tie it.

Volquez went 6.0 IP with 4 H and 3 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks. Not a bad outing for a pickup dueling for the fifth starter slot. Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, Kenley Jansen, JP Howell, and Chris Withrow all combined for scoreless innings to hold down the fort, giving Van Slyke the opportunity to get ready.

And so it went to extra innings, where Van Slyke's heroics ended it. Magic number drops to six. And the magic seems like it's coming back...

Dodgers tickets

DODGERS 7, ROCKIES 4

Michael Young, who estimates that he went to Dodger Stadium around 20 times a year while growing up in Covina, got his first hit as a Dodger tonight. Young was 0-for-4 in the ninth inning when he singled to left field, and then came around to score on Charlie Culberson's three-run E7 (dropped fly ball). There's your Dodgers memory, Young! Cherish it forever!

Ricky Nolasco had another solid if not shutout outing (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 3 Ks). J.P. Howell was nails in the seventh, Ronald Belisario was the opposite of nails in the eighth and ninth (this is starting to be worrisome, if he's reverting to early-season form), and Chris Withrow got the final out.

Carl Crawford went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI; Nick Punto followed in the two-hole by going 4-for-5; and even Tim Federowicz had a 2-for-3 night with an RBI. Andre Ethier went 1-for-2 with three walks (two runs scored) and that fly ball in the ninth off the bat of Mark Ellis was the insurance we needed to win the game. Dodgers take the series, with the final game at Coors Field tomorrow evening.

Magic number drops to 13, pending the outcome of the Blue Jays @ D'backs game (6-4 Toronto in the bottom of the seventh).

DODGERS 10, ROCKIES 8

Not sure how to feel about this one. One the one hand, Kershaw looked less than mediocre for the second time in a row, and though he got the win, he left after 5 innings (81 pitches). A succession of May-like relievers followed; Wilson was effective but Belli and League were not. Even Kenley looked human, giving up a home run and barely scraping three outs. Aside from the pitching, the fielding was shaky at times and there were a few questionable base-running situations. Michael Young struck out on three pitches in his Dodger debut. Worse, Puig had to leave the game with a mild strain of his right knee.

On the other hand, the offense produced ten runs and just kept chugging along despite the pitching keeping giving up leads. Ethier had a bomb and went 3-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. Uribe went 3-5 and had some timely hits. Even Kershaw got in on the offense, getting 2 hits and 2 RBI. Dodgers move to 12.5 games above the Dbags and narrow the magic number to 14.

Sooooo...we won, but the hard way. Leaves this reporter thirsty and surly, just the way the day began.

CUBS 3, DODGERS 2

Is it just me, or does it seem like the Dodgers' run has lost a bit of its magic? After dropping the weekend series to the Red Sox, the Dodgers took care of business Monday but limped through tonight's game with some notable offensive absences: Adrian Gonzalez, 0-for-4 tonight and 0-for-9 in the series; Carl Crawford: 0-for-4 tonight and 1-for-8 in the series; Mark Ellis, 0-for-3 tonight and 0-for-6 in the series. The Dodgers went 2-for-7 with RISP tonight and left nine on base.

Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw lasted only (*for him, that is) six innings and gave up two runs, one of them earned, raising his ERA to 1.72. Ronald Belisario started to look like his early-season shaky self again, yielding another run to the Cubs in the seventh after two leadoff singles and a HBP put him in a hole early. Then Carlos Marmol came in for the ninth and was weak, made worse by Nick Punto's fielding error, but saved from damage by Paco Rodriguez.

Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe each had RBI singles. Excuse me, but that's not enough to get me celebrating, especially not when there could have been more--Skip Schumaker GIDPd with two on in the eighth to end the inning--and this is against the Cubs for pete's sake. We can do better. Let's get the series win tomorrow.

DODGERS 4, PHILLIES 0

The Dodgers welcomed new Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg to the role with a 4-0 crushing, extending their win streak to nine games. Welcome to manager life, Ryno!

While the Phillies were reeling due to the sudden news about Charlie Manuel's firing, Zack Greinke took advantage and shut the team down: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB and 3 Ks. Paco Rodriguez and Ronald Belisario each got an out and then Kenley Jansen wrapped up the shutout win.

On the offensive side of the ledger, we got two runs off of Hanley Ramirez' HR in the fourth (scoring Adrian Gonzalez, who singled with one out). Mark Ellis doubled in his "brother" A.J. Ellis in the seventh, to make it 3-0 LA. And in the ninth, Ramirez singled, stole second (his eighth SB), advanced to third on a throwing error by Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, and then game home when Scott Van Slyke singled to left. 4-0 Dodgers, and we're done.

drawing swiped from here

PHILLIES 3, DODGERS 2

Somebody moved spots, and now the ten-game win streak is over. Thanks a lot, people.

Don't blame Andre Ethier, who homered in the second and then scored in the fourth off a Jerry Hairston single, accounting for both of the Dodgers' runs.

And don't blame Ricky Nolasco, who lasted 6.0 IP giving up 5 H and 2 ER (1 BB, 5 Ks). Ronald Belisario and Paco Rodriguez each had scoreless appearances (three and four outs, respectively), and Brandon League gave up the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth with one out and the bases loaded.

But it wasn't League's fault, either; Hanley Ramirez must have rattled League, who entered with one out in the ninth, with a throwing error that allowed Casper the friendly Wells to reach base. Carlos Ruiz singled to get Wells to third (Yasiel Puig making an outstanding play in the field to keep Wells from scoring), Jimmy Rollins was intentionally walked, and then PH Michael Young, with two strikes, hit one sharply to Ramirez...who bobbled the ball, allowing the winning run to score.

Not that the double play was a definite; Rollins is speedy and was coming into second hard. But Ramirez' kneeling bobble was enough to give the Phillies the win and avoid the sweep.

Fine. Hanley has bad days, too. We start another streak in Miami tomorrow afternoon; it's the MLB.tv Game of the Day.

UPDATE 8/19 1:17a: Deadspin's recap, Phillies Finally Beat Dodgers On Walk-Off Error: "On Friday, the Phillies fired Charlie Manuel and appointed Ryne Sandberg interim manager. He picked up where Charlie left off and was shut out in his first two games. But then Sunday rolled around and Hanley Ramirez decided to start handing out wins." Deadspin also notes it was the Phillies' fith win in 26 games.

photo: Daniel Shirey / US Presswire

DODGERS 4, METS 2

The Dodgers just keep on winning, taking their sixth in a row by beating the Mets in the first of a three-game series. Though Dodger starter Ricky Nolasco had a rough second inning, allowing four straight singles to start off the inning (two runs) before settling down for a K and a GIDP, Nolasco settled down to last 6.1 IP with 7 H and only those 2 ER (2 BB, 2 Ks).

Meanwhile, the Dodgers bided their time until breaking out in the sixth inning, opening up with three straight singles of their own (Carl Crawford, Mark Ellis, and Adrian Gonzalez--just like they drew it up), and helped by a throwing error by Mets CF Juan Lagares on a ball that skipped past third base and into the Dodgers dugout. Yasiel Puig hit a sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers the 3-2 lead. And an inning later, Nick Punto launched his second HR of the year into right for a 4-2 lead.

Ronald Belisario and Paco Rodriguez picked up holds, and Kenley Jansen got a 1.1 IP save. 18 games over .500, the Dodgers are definitely NOT unbeatable. But man, they do look pretty damn good lately.

The Dodgers tied their franchise record with their 12th-straight road victory, and because the game was so early, I wasn't there to see it. Neither was Mark Ellis or Don Mattingly, both of whom were ejected in the fourth inning arguing a called strike three (to Mellis, not Mattingly).

But that two-run fourth inning, in which the Dodgers stretched their lead to 5-1 (thanks to a Hyun-Jin Ryu single, a Nick Punto infield single, an Adrian Gonzalez RBI single, a Yasiel Puig HBP, and a Scott Van Slyke sacrifice fly), was the dagger.

Ryu only ended up going 5.1 IP and giving up 11 H but only 2 ER, along with 0 BB and 6 Ks. J.P. Howell completed the sixth inning and Brandon League, Ronald Belisario, and even (gasp!) Carlos Marmol followed with scoreless innings each.

Tomorrow's game is @ 1p again. I'll be ready this time.

DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 2

Well, sort of. Ricky Nolasco lasted only 5.1 IP and gave up 8 H and 2 ER. He had 2 BBs and 2 Ks. Stephen Strasburg, on the other hand, lasted 7.1 IP and had 6 Ks, on a two-run Hanley Ramirez HR in the third (scoring Adrian Gonzalez).

Tied it went to the ninth, when Andre Ethier jacked a solo HR to right off of Rafael Soriano. Kenley Jansen nailed down the bottom of the ninth, and the Dodgers get a win in their first game back from the break. Ronald Belisario, who pitched 0.1 IP getting former Dodger Jayson Werth to fly out, "earned" the win.

Video taken by SoSG Alex Cora at last night's game (June 24, 2013), in which the Dodgers beat the Giants 3-1, and Ronald Belisario did pretty well for a change.

Yasiel Puig would not be chosen by Giants manager (and NL All-Star Game manager) Bruce Bochy, according to his comments made on SiriusXM Radio:

"I would have a hard time picking somebody who has been here three weeks, to be honest," Bochy said. "The numbers would have to be so stupid that you say, 'OK, I'll consider it.' But, you know, I couldn't take away from a player who has been here and done it the whole half and been out there grinding every day and he doesn't go. I couldn't look at that player. I couldn't look at myself, to be honest. So that's why I'm saying, that's a really long shot."

On face value, that's not that crazy of an comment. Except it involves the meteoric young player on the arch-rival Dodgers. And suddenly, it's controversial. Not to mention just the kind of bulletin-board material you want a non-English speaker to tape to his locker.

Tonight, Puig made sure Bochy saw what he could do, up close. In the first inning, Brute 66 took the third pitch he saw from Madison Bumgarner into right field for a solo HR. The Giants scored in the top of the second, and the game stayed 1-1 until the eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Puig had men at the corners with none out and broke the 1-1 tie with a ground ball to left, scoring Nick Punto from third. The Dodgers added another run when Hanley Ramirez grounded to short, scoring Mark Ellis (who had advanced to third on a wild pitch). Puig ended up going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and is now batting .442.

Kenley Jansen nailed down the ninth despite a wild pitch giving the Giants a fourth out. Hyun-Jin Ryu went 6.2 IP and gave up 8 H, but only 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 Ks.

Even more surprisingly, Don Mattingly's calls all worked out well tonight: Ronald Belisario pitched 0.2 IP and had two Ks; Paco Rodriguez then pitched another 0.2 IP and got 1 K; and Jansen had a nice ninth, with 3 Ks.

The baseball gods were smiling on the Dodgers; Buster Posey was on second base in the fifth inning when Pablo Sandoval singled to center, but Posey slipped rounding third and fell. Brandon Crawford (in for the injured Joaquin Arias, who pulled a hamstring in the first inning scoring the Giants' only run) then hit into a 1-2-3 GIDP (the Giants had two GIDP in tonight's game).

Dodgers win three in row for only the second time this year. Could we stretch it to an unprecedented four wins in a row? Be still my beating heart!

YANKEES 6, DODGERS 4

An Asian won. An Asian lost. An Asian broke the game open. An ancient got the save. Yahtzee!

A couple of things stood out in this sparsely attended day game. First was the top of the fourth, when Adrian Gonzalez led off with a single to right, followed by a Hanley Ramirez double to right that sent A-Gon to third. Andre Ethier (0-for-2 on the day with 2 BB and 3 LOB) hit a ball right back to (winning pitcher) Hiroki Kuroda, who gloved the ball and threw to third for the double play. Juan Uribe promptly grounded to short, and the threat was extinguished before you could pinch off your urine stream.

In the seventh, with the Dodgers down 3-2, Don Mattingly pulled (losing pitcher) Hyun-Jin Ryu (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR) for J.P. Howell. Howell's leash was short, however, as he was pulled after 1/3 inning after yielding two singles. Mattingly goes to Ronald Belisario, basically ceding the game to the Yankees...which played out when Belisario let Vernon Wells reach on a fielding error, and then compounded it by throwing the ball away for a second error (the Dodgers had four in the game). Beli then hits Thomas Neal to load the bases. So Mattingly pulls Belisario, and Paco Rodriguez gives up a single to Ichiro Suzuki that put the Yankees up 6-2.

Hanley Ramirez hit a 2-run HR in the eighth, but by then, did it matter? Mariano Rivera notched his 25th save with an eventless ninth.

No worries. It's not like we have to play these guys again any time soon.

D'BACKS 8, DODGERS 6 (12)

With six "reservoir" SoSG dogs in attendance, the Dodgers fought bravely before rolling over and playing dead in the 12th and decisive inning. Ronald Belisario got two key outs in the 11th, but was useless in the 12th inning, allowing three straight hits and the go-ahead run (plus an IBB) before yielding to Brandon League. League, in typical League fashion, let three more runs score (putting the Dodgers down 8-4 in the 12th).

The Dodgers trotted out the tightened-shouldered Yasiel Puig, who scored one of two runs in the 12th to make it seem closer. But come on. With the exception of a gutty bottom of the fifth inning, in which Hyun-Jin Ryu had a run-scoring triple and a run, fueling the Dodgers' four-run inning, the team was moribund.

One night after emotion and momentum, the Dodgers gave it all away. At least us Sons had a lot of beer. Special thanks, and additional posts, dedicated to the Dodgers' David Siegel for putting us up in a suite tonight. Thanks, David!

DODGERS 9, BREWERS 2

With Clayton Kershaw (worst run support in the NL) looking on enviously, the Dodgers supported Hyun-Jin Ryu with an amazing seven runs of support, tacking on two more in the ninth inning just for good measure. Ryu did his part: 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 4 Ks over 109 pitches.

But the offensive support was so laughable, even 53-year-old Ramon Hernandez got a home run (Hernandez went 2-for-3). Brewers starter Wily Peralta was gone by the second inning (1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 4 ER), and the Dodgers rolled to a series victory.

Other Dodgers offensive highlights, which are typically so rare so we will call out:

• Carl Crawford, 2-for-4 with 2 R and 2 RBI;
• Matt Kemp, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 1 RBI;
• Scott Van Slyke, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 2 RBI;
• Nick Punto, 2-for-4 with 1 R and 1 RBI.

Not so good: Adrian Gonzalez, 0-for-5 with an RBI. Gonzalez had a tough series at Miller Park, going 1-for-13 with that single RBI; he was 2-for-23 on the roadtrip. Ronald Belisario also had a shaky two outs in the eighth, and League wasn't exactly automatic in the ninth, even with a seven-run lead (Nick Punto's fielding error didn't help any).

But a win is a win; the Dodgers vault to a scant 6.5 GB division leaders Arizona and SF. Thanks, Ryu!

MARLINS 5, DODGERS 4

Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in the first inning, but Ronald Belisario is horrible, resulting in our eighth loss in a row. Dodgers go 2-for-8 with RISP; Andre Ethier and Nick Punto each went 0-for-4 (the latter of which at least contributed a run), and Dee Gordon threw in a 0-for-3 just for the hell of it.

We try to go fishing again tomorrow. However, it's totally possible that the Marlins will leave Los Angeles with the same number of wins as the Dodgers currently have (13). So maybe that's why I'm feeling like Luca Brasi.