+4
James Loney went 4-for-4, raising his season numbers to .204/.225/.245
Andre Ethier wasted no time Tuesday night extending his hitting streak, getting an RBI double off Chris Volstad in the first inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 lead over the Florida Marlins. The hit gave Ethier a 23-game hitting streak, the longest in MLB this season, and the longest April hitting streak in MLB history. The previous record for longest April hitting streak belonged to Ethier's last manager, Joe Torre, who hit in 22 straight for the Cardinals in April 1972.
Ethier has had a hit in the first inning in each of his last three games, and in fact has reached base in the first inning in six consecutive contests (three via walk). The right fielder is hitting .429/.520/.571 in the first inning this season. Through the first inning tonight, Ethier is hitting .412/.485/.588 during his hitting streak, and he has nine extra-base hits in his last 11 games.
The last Dodger to have a 23-game hitting streak was Brett Butler, in 1991. There have only been five longer streaks in LA Dodger history, capped by Willie Davis hitting in 31 straight in 1969. Up next for Ethier is John Shelby's 24-game hitting streak from 1988.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
The Dodgers will try to bounce back from Monday's loss tonight against the Marlins, and might have a new closer should they have a lead in the ninth inning. Jonathan Broxton, who has allowed 19 baserunners in 10 2/3 innings, is apparently out as full-time closer. General manager Ned Colletti addressed the situation in a radio interview today on KABC, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
"We hope to get [Hong-Chih] Kuo back Friday. [Vicente] Padilla's been back a few days. We hope to give [manager] Donnie [Mattingly] three choices or so at the end of the game and let him make up his mind based on matchups or whatever until Broxton can get his confidence back and get settled."
Kuo is eligible to be activated from the disable list on Friday. Padilla has pitched twice since he was activated from the DL last Friday, including giving up a run last night. Here are tonight's lineups, which are once again without Juan Uribe (left thigh tightness, fourth straight game) and Casey Blake (swollen left elbow; second straight game):
Miles 3B
Carroll SS
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Sands LF
Loney 1B
Barajas C
DeJesus 2B
Kershaw P
Coghlan CF
Infante 2B
Ramirez SS
Sanchez 1B
Stanton RF
Buck C
Helms 3B
Bonifacio LF
Volstad P
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
The baseball pipeline between Los Angeles and Pittsburgh has continued on Tuesday, as outfielder Xavier Paul was claimed by the Pirates, as first reported by Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. Paul was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on April 18 to make room for prospect Jerry Sands, who has started seven of eight games in left field since joining Los Angeles. Paul continues the recent tradition of Dodgers prospects making their way to the Pirates.
Delwyn Young was designated for assignment by the Dodgers in April 2009, and was traded to the Pirates for minor league pitcher Eric Krebs and one dollar. Other prospects have made their way to Pittsburgh via trade, all after winning awards in the Dodgers' system. Andy LaRoche was the Dodgers minor league player of the year in 2005, but he netted Manny Ramirez in 2008. Last year's trade of 2009 Dodgers minor league player of the year Andrew Lambo and 2007-2008 minor league pitcher of the year James McDonald, for relief pitcher Octavio Dotel, provided less of a return for LA.
As for Paul, he has had a few opportunities with the Dodgers over the last three seasons, but was either injured or unproductive, or both during his major league stays. Paul hit .233/.280/.329 in 160 PA during the last three seasons. Paul was called up on May 7, 2009 when Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games, but he suffered a staph infection and had leg problems that lingered all season. Paul made the opening day roster for the Dodgers this season, and made two starts in left field, and had three singles in 11 at-bats.
Over the last three seasons, Paul hit .320/.380/.502 in 885 PA in the offensive friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League. Paul is out of options and will have to be added to the Pirates' 25-man and 40-man rosters. He is making a salary of $419,500 this season. The Pirates transferred Scott Olsen from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to make room for Paul on the 40-man roster, but will need to make another move to place Paul on the active roster.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
The Los Angeles Dodgers look to rebound from Monday's walk-off loss to the Florida Marlins, and will send ace Clayton Kershaw to the mound Tuesday night looking for a win. Then again, the Dodgers got good starting pitching Monday night, from Jon Garland, and still lost, when Jonathan Broxton blew his first save of the season. It was the latest in a series of shaky outings for Broxton, and yet might have ended with a Dodger win were it not for an error by Jamey Carroll on what would have been the final out of the game.
Kershaw is 2-2 this season with a 3.00 ERA, and has averaged 6.6 innings per start so far this season. He was one out away from a two-hit complete game in his last outing, against Atlanta, but left after 8 2/3 innings allowing three runs. The Dodgers rallied for an extra-inning win that day, but Kershaw's longest outing of the season is his only no-decision.
Kershaw is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers. Chris Volstad, 1-1 with a 6.60 ERA this season, makes his fourth start of the season for the Marlins. Andre Ethier has a 22-game hitting streak for the Dodgers, tied with Joe Torre (1972) for the longest April hitting streak in baseball history. Tonight's 4:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by KCAL.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
Dodgers Fall To Marlins Again, 4-2
Chris Volstad limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs over seven strong innings, leading the Florida Marlins to a 4-2 win, their second straight victory over L.A.. Mike Stanton hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning off Clayton Kershaw, giving the Marlins their first and only lead of the game. Kershaw fell to 2-3 on the season.
The game was tied at 2-2 heading into the sixth inning, and Kershaw had thrown just 65 pitches through his first five frames. But the Marlins rallied for three hits and two walks off Kershaw, and Stanton's base hit gave them the final margin of victory. Leo Nunez pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two, for his seventh save of the season.
The Dodgers were without starting infielders Juan Uribe (left thigh tightness, out of the lineup for the fourth straight game) and Casey Blake (swollen left elbow, missed second straight game), though Uribe did pinch hit in the ninth inning, grounding into a force play. The offense managed seven hits and two runs of Volstad, who had given up 14 runs in his first 15 innings this season.
James Loney had a bounce back game tonight for the Dodgers, going 4-for-4. Loney's average rose (yes, it rose) to .204, the first time Loney has had an average at or above .200 since April 6 in Colorado. Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 23 games, a new major league record for April.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
Apr 26 7:28p by Eric Stephen