SB Nation Los Angeles - Ted Lilly Magnificent As Dodgers Beat Ubaldo Jimenez & Rockieshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2010-09-27T21:48:53-07:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14788112010-09-27T21:48:53-07:002010-09-27T21:48:53-07:00Dodgers 3, Rockies 1, Postgame Notes: Kuo Closing In On Record
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Los Angeles loaded the bases in the first inning. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/883/rafael-furcal">Rafael Furcal</a> singled to begin the game and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/696/ryan-theriot">Ryan Theriot</a> walked. After the next two batters were retired, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/888/matt-kemp">Matt Kemp</a> walked and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/91/casey-blake">Casey Blake</a> hit a grounder up the middle that caromed off Jimenez and over the head of shortstop <span>Troy Tulowitzki</span>. Furcal and Theriot scored on the play. Jimenez then fanned <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/32763/trent-oeltjen">Trent Oeltjen</a> to end the inning.</p>
<p>Having cut their deficit in half on Gonzalez's 34th home run of the season, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> threatened in the fifth. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/490/todd-helton">Todd Helton</a> led off with a double, and <span>Jonathan Herrera</span>'s one-out walk preceded a sacrifice bunt from Jimenez. Lilly induced a ground ball by <span>Eric Young</span> Jr. to escape unscathed.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/33284/a-j-ellis">A.J. Ellis</a> singled home Blake in the ninth to extend the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>' lead to 3-1.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/929/hong-chih-kuo">Hong-Chih Kuo</a> was perfect in the bottom of the inning to earn his 11th save. Kuo has allowed eight runs in 57 innings this season for an ERA of 1.26. If he pitches three more scoreless innings this season, Kuo will have the lowest ERA in the 127-year franchise history of the Dodgers (minimum 50 innings). Three more innings would lower Kuo's ERA to 1.200, slightly lower than <span>Eric Gagne</span>'s 1.202 ERA in 2003.</p>
<p>Blake had three hits...Helton was 2-for-2 with a walk...Lilly hadn't lost five straight decisions since pitching for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/new-york-yankees">New York Yankees</a> in 2001...Jimenez has a career-high 204 strikeouts, six shy of tying the Rockies' single season record set by Pedro Astacio in 1999...The Rockies announced <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/613/jason-giambi">Jason Giambi</a> is likely done for the season with a strained left biceps.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2010/9/27/1716521/dodgers-3-rockies-1-postgame-notes-hong-chih-kuo-closing-in-on-recordEric Stephen2010-09-27T20:45:33-07:002010-09-27T20:45:33-07:00Dodgers 3, Rockies 1: Ted Lilly Outpitches Ubaldo Jimenez
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Denver, CO (Sports Network) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/785/ted-lilly">Ted Lilly</a> pitched eight strong innings, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/los-angeles-dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> dealt a devastating blow to Colorado's slimming playoff hopes with a 3-1 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field.</p>
<p>Lilly (9-12) scattered four hits, walked two and struck out eight. His lone mistake came in the fourth inning, when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31379/carlos-gonzalez">Carlos Gonzalez</a> homered to center field. The veteran left-hander had gone 0-4 with a 6.91 ERA in his previous five starts after posting a 1.83 ERA in winning his first five outings with Los Angeles.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/537/ubaldo-jimenez">Ubaldo Jimenez</a> (19-8) was denied in his second attempt to become Colorado's first 20-game winner. The right-hander gave up two first-inning runs, but settled down to pitch seven full frames.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/colorado-rockies">Rockies</a> fell five games behind the NL West-leading <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/san-francisco-giants">San Francisco Giants</a>, who were idle on Monday, and 4 1/2 games back in the wild card race with six games remaining.</p>
<p><i>For more information about this game, be sure to read the SB Nation <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> blog <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2010/9/27/1716355/lilly-gets-it-done-dodgers-beat-ubaldo-rockies">True Blue LA</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2010/9/27/1716434/dodgers-3-rockies-1-ted-lilly-ubaldo-jimenezEric Stephen2010-09-27T15:03:57-07:002010-09-27T15:03:57-07:00Dodgers At Rockies: Pregame Notes & Lineups
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> open a series at Coors Field against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> with a chance to officially eliminate Colorado. The Rockies' elimination number in the National League West is two, and their elimination number for the NL Wild Card is four.</p>
<p><span>Ted Lilly</span> leads all National League starters in throwing strikes, per STATS LLC, with 68.8% of his pitches thrown for strikes.</p>
<p><span>Ubaldo Jimenez</span> of the Rockies has his second try at his 20th win of the season, which would be a first for the Rockies. The last pitcher to pick up his 20th win of the season against the Dodgers was <span>Randy Johnson</span>, who did so with Arizona on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI200209040.shtml">September 4, 2002</a>.</p>
<p>This is the final road series for the Dodgers, who are 11-25 away from home since the All-Star break.</p>
<p>Here are tonight's lineups.</p>
<p><b>Dodgers</b><br> Furcal SS<br> Theriot 2B<br> Ethier RF<br> Loney 1B<br> Kemp CF<br> Blake 3B<br> Oeltjen LF<br> Ellis C<br> Lilly P</p>
<p><b>Rockies</b><br> Young 2B<br> Fowler CF<br> Gonzalez RF<br> Tulowitzki SS<br> Iannetta C<br> Helton 1B<br> Payton LF<br> Herrera 3B<br> Jimenez P</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2010/9/27/1715752/dodgers-rockies-pregame-notes-lineupsEric Stephen2010-09-27T08:36:12-07:002010-09-27T08:36:12-07:00Dodgers Begin Final Road Series Of Year In Denver Against Rockies
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>(Sports Network) - The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/colorado-rockies">Colorado Rockies</a>' postseason hopes may now be a longshot, but the franchise has an opportunity to have the first 20-game winner in its history in tonight's opener of a three-game series with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/los-angeles-dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> from Coors Field.</p>
<p>Losses in six of their last seven contests have put the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> in a very tough spot in regards to reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive season. After dropping two of three tests at home in a critical weekend set with National League West front-runner San Francisco, Colorado now finds itself four games behind San Diego for the lead in the league's wild card standings with only seven to play.</p>
<p>"To lose two out of three in a big series is tough," Rockies shortstop <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/493/troy-tulowitzki">Troy Tulowitzki</a> said after Sunday's 4-2 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/san-francisco-giants">Giants</a>. "At the same time, anything can happen."</p>
<p>The Rockies were stymied by San Francisco's <span>Matt Cain</span> in yesterday's rubber match, with the standout pitcher taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning in leading his club to victory.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/10/jay-payton">Jay Payton</a> spoiled Cain's bid with a one-out infield single in the bottom of the eighth. Two batters later, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/36/melvin-mora">Melvin Mora</a> smacked a home run over the center- field wall to bring Colorado within 4-2.</p>
<p>That was as close as the Rockies would get, however, as Cain allowed just one baserunner the rest of the way in going the distance.</p>
<p>Jorge De La Rosa (8-6) worked the first six innings for Colorado and was reached for three runs on four hits and walked five batters.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/537/ubaldo-jimenez">Ubaldo Jimenez</a> will try to revive his team's fading playoff chances tonight, when the All-Star hurler seeks to join Philadelphia's <span>Roy Halladay</span> and St. Louis' <span>Adam Wainwright</span> in the NL's 20-win club this season.</p>
<p>The NL Cy Young candidate sports a 19-7 record with a 3.00 earned run average in 31 starts, although he's lost five of his past seven decisions following a sensational 17-2 beginning to the year and has surrendered four runs or more in three of his four most recent assignments. He's coming off one of his shortest efforts of 2010, a four-inning stint last Wednesday in which he permitted five runs and walked four in a setback at Arizona.</p>
<p>Jimenez did beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> in Los Angeles in his previous start, but gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings and got plenty of offensive support in a 7-5 verdict on September 17. The hard-throwing righty had lost in both of his two prior encounters with the Dodgers this season, and is 6-5 with a lackluster 5.27 ERA in 15 career appearances (14 starts) against LA.</p>
<p>A return home may help Jimenez get back on track and reach the milestone, as he's compiled a 9-1 record and 3.23 ERA in 14 Coors Field starts this year.</p>
<p>He'll be taking on a Dodgers squad that's a poor 6-15 since September 4 and just lost the final two matchups of a three-game series in Arizona. Los Angeles failed to hold on to a late three-run lead in Sunday's finale, with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/arizona-diamondbacks">Diamondbacks</a> scoring four times in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out a 5-4 decision.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/921/tony-abreu">Tony Abreu</a> brought Arizona within 4-3 with a two-run homer off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1058/george-sherrill">George Sherrill</a> in the eighth, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/959/kelly-johnson">Kelly Johnson</a> followed with a single to put the potential tying run aboard. Chris Young then greeted reliever <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/897/jonathan-broxton">Jonathan Broxton</a> (5-6) with a home run to left to put the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in front.</p>
<p>The bullpen's breakdown ruined a sensational performance from Dodgers starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/924/chad-billingsley">Chad Billingsley</a>, who yielded just one run on four hits and matched a career best with 13 strikeouts in seven innings.</p>
<p>"The loss doesn't mean as much as Billingsley coming away empty-handed," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre. "He battled his tail off."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/216/rod-barajas">Rod Barajas</a> finished 2-for-4 for Los Angeles and had given his team a short- lived 4-1 advantage with a two-run homer in the top of the eighth. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/890/james-loney">James Loney</a> had a two-RBI earlier on for the Dodgers.</p>
<p>Torre will send the struggling <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/785/ted-lilly">Ted Lilly</a> to the mound for tonight's opener. The midseason acquisition is 0-4 with a 6.91 ERA over his past five starts after winning his first five outings since coming over in a late-July trade with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/chicago-cubs">Chicago Cubs</a>.</p>
<p>Lilly's slide began with a rough showing at Coors Field back on August 29, with the veteran lefty battered for eight runs and nine hits -- including two homers by Rockies outfielder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31379/carlos-gonzalez">Carlos Gonzalez</a> -- in four innings of a 10-5 setback. Two starts earlier, however, he fired a two-hit shutout and registered a season-best 11 strikeouts to best Colorado at Dodger Stadium on August 20.</p>
<p>The 34-year-old did have a solid effort in his most recent start, holding San Diego to three runs and striking out eight in seven innings despite coming out on the short end of a 3-1 decision last Wednesday.</p>
<p>Lilly, who hasn't lost five straight decisions since pitching for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/new-york-yankees">New York Yankees</a> in 2001, is 4-2 with a 5.20 ERA in seven lifetime starts against Colorado.</p>
<p>The Dodgers have won eight of 15 meetings with the Rockies so far this season, but Colorado has prevailed in four of the last five matchups. The two NL West foes have split six games held in Denver in 2010.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/9/27/2321644/dodgers-begin-final-road-series-of-year-in-denver-against-rockiesEric Stephen