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Kemp is the fifth fastest player in National League history to 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season.
Before tonight's series opener with Arizona at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have placed relief pitcher Kenley Jansen on the 15-day disabled list with cardiac arrhythmia. Jansen complained of an irregular heartbeat after picking up the save in Tuesday's win over Colorado. The Dodgers recalled rookie Josh Lindblom from Double A to take Jansen's place on the active roster.
Since returning from the DL on June 18, Jansen has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings, with seven walks and 26 strikeouts. He was taken to the hospital after Tuesday's game, and stayed two nights in the hospital for observation before getting sent home on Thursday.
Lindblom made his major league debut on June 1 this season, and in his first stint in the big leagues pitched 10 2/3 innings in eight games, allowing two runs while walking three and striking out five. The 24-year old has spent most of his season as the closer for Double A Chattanooga, and he was 1-3 with 16 saves and a 2.18 ERA for the Lookouts, with 14 walks and 51 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings.
In other reliever news, the Dodgers announced today that Carlos Monasterios, who spent all of 2010 on the big league roster as a Rule 5 pick, underwent Tommy John surgery on July 15, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Monasterios, who pitched just one game this year for Triple A, in April, is expected to be out a year.
Tonight's 7:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more news and information on the Dodgers, or tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
The Dodgers open a three-game weekend series with the Diamondbacks on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Ted Lilly gets the start for the Dodgers, facing rookie Josh Collmenter for Arizona. Here are tonight's starting lineups:
Bloomquist SS
Johnson 2B
Upton RF
Young CF
Nady 1B
Roberts 3B
Cowgill LF
Blanco C
Collmenter P
Before tonight's game, the Diamondbacks acquired Ryan Langerhans from the Seattle Mariners for cash considerations. SB Nation Arizona has more details on the move. Langerhans will report to Triple A Reno.
Furcal SS
Miles 3B
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Rivera LF
Loney 1B
Navarro C
Velez 2B
Lilly P
Interesting to note that Jamey Carroll is not in tonight's starting lineup, and that Eugenio Velez, who rarely plays, is at second base. Carroll has been the subject of trade rumors of late.
Tonight's 7:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more news and information on the Dodgers, or tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
The Dodgers open a three-game series Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The question is, with the trade deadline coming Sunday afternoon, which Dodgers won't be here by the time the series ends. Hiroki Kuroda is the big prize, though he has a no-trade clause and might stay, but infielders Jamey Carroll and Rafael Furcal are candidates to be moved.
Ted Lilly gets the start for the Dodgers, looking for a solid outing. In his last seven starts, Lilly is 1-5 and has given up 32 runs in 37 1/3 innings. He has made two starts against Arizona this season, and has allowed four runs in each game, both losses.
Josh Collmenter is 6-5 with a 2.74 ERA in his rookie season. The 25-year old with a funky delivery had a John Ely-type start this season, and in fact was even better, with a 1.12 ERA as late as June 9. Collmenter then came crashing back to Earth with a four-game losing streak, during which he allowed 19 runs in 22 2/3 innings. His first major league start was at Dodger Stadium on May 14. Collmenter pitched six scoreless innings for the win, while Chad Billingsley allowed one hit, and one run, for the loss.
The Dodgers have lost four of six to Arizona this season.
Tonight's 7:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more news and information on the Dodgers, or tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
Matt Kemp Powers Dodgers Over Diamondbacks, 9-5
Matt Kemp homered and drove in five runs, leading the Dodgers to a 9-5 win over the Diamondbacks in the opening game of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The nine runs scored were a season high at home for the Dodgers, who have won nine of their last 11 games at home. For Kemp, the home run was a milestone in what is becoming a great season for him.
Kemp's home run was his 25th of the year to go along with his 27 stolen bases. Kemp's season is the seventh 25/25 season in Dodgers history, and at 105 team games Kemp is the fifth fastest in National League history to join the 25/25 club. The only ones faster were Eric Davis (83 team games, 1987), Bobby Bonds (93, 1973), Alfonso Soriano (97, 2006), and Howard Johnson (99, 1989). "It shows that hard work and focus, plus talent, is a good combination," manager Don Mattingly said of Kemp after the game.
The Bison wasn't alone in the Dodgers offensive attack. Andre Ethier reached base four times, Aaron Miles had two hits and two runs scored, and Juan Rivera hit two doubles for the third time this season, and first time as a Dodger. Those nine runs made a winner of Ted Lilly, who allowed three runs in his five innings.
Justin Upton homered in the seventh inning, and has been on fire of late. In his last 10 games, Upton has 19 hits in 38 at-bats with six doubles, a triple, and six home runs. However, he also made a two-base error in the bottom of the inning, and made a poor throw home on a sacrifice fly by Jamey Carroll, allowing molasses-footed Dioner Navarro to score.
For more news and information on the Dodgers, or tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog True Blue LA.
Jul 29 11:16p by Eric Stephen