SB Nation Los Angeles - Dodgers Vs. Cardinals: L.A. Loses Series Finale, One Game Back In Wildcardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2012-09-17T07:27:27-07:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/30913792012-09-17T07:27:27-07:002012-09-17T07:27:27-07:00Scott Elbert Injury: Dodgers LHP Will Have Elbow Surgery, Out For Season
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> LHP <span>Scott Elbert</span> is now scheduled to undergo an operation Wednesday that will "clean up" his throwing elbow and effectively end his season, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-0917-dodgers-notes-20120917,0,7573293.story" target="_blank">according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times.</a></p>
<p>The surgery will be preformed by a team physician. Elbert is expected to be good to go by the start of 2013 spring training.</p>
<p>Elbert was placed on the disabled list with elbow soreness on August 27, ten days after he came off the DL for a related elbow inflammation injury. He pitched in a simulated game this past Friday but manager Don Mattingly explained that he was feeling "the same thing" following his test run.</p>
<p>The loss Ebert leaves the Dodgers with two lefties in their pen: <span>Randy Choate</span> and <span>Paco Rodriguez</span>.</p>
<p>Elbert had a 2.20 ERA with 29 strikeouts across 32.2 innings pitched in 2012.</p>
<p><i>For more information on Dodgers baseball, head on over to <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/" target="_blank">True Blue L.A. </a></i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/17/3346478/scott-elbert-injury-los-angeles-dodgers-elbow-surgeryCody Ulm2012-09-16T17:39:35-07:002012-09-16T17:39:35-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Game Recap: St. Louis Wins 5-2 In Extra Innings
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<p>The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> and <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a> entered Sunday's series finale tied for the second wildcard spot in the National League. On a day <span>Stephen Fife</span> and <span>Adam Wainwright</span> started, it was the Cardinals who came out on top after 12 innings, 5-2. With the loss, the Dodgers sit one game back of a wild card spot and are 7 1/2 back in the NL West.</p>
<p>Fife pitched well over five innings of work. He surrendered just two runs in the first inning, settling in nicely after that. He struck out nine and scattered four hits and a walk. Fife's ERA is down to 2.49 this season.</p>
<p>Wainwright was equally impressive, with his lone mistake coming on a two-run homer to Ethier in the third inning. He worked six innings on the mound, giving up five hits and two walks. Wainwright struck out four on the afternoon.</p>
<p>The score remained tied after plenty of offense early. <span>Allen Craig</span> doubled in the first inning to plate the first run, and then <span>Matt Holliday</span> came around to score on a wild pitch. <span>Ethier</span> tied the game with his two-run blast in the third, his 19th of the season.</p>
<p>With the score tied 2-2 in the 12th, <span>Jon Jay</span> doubled down the right field line to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Craig singled home another run, and then <span>Yadier Molina</span> walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-2. Los Angeles went down in the bottom half of the frame without scoring, with Ethier flying out to left for the final out.</p>
<p>The Dodgers are off on Monday before beginning a big three-game series with the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nationals</a>, who have the best record in baseball.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Dodgers, be sure to check out </i><a href="http://truebluela.com" target="_blank">True Blue LA</a><i>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/16/3344254/dodgers-vs-cardinals-wild-card-final-score-recapScott Coleman2012-09-16T12:13:37-07:002012-09-16T12:13:37-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Starting Lineups: Shane Victorino Back To Leadoff
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> look for their third straight win on Sunday afternoon as they host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> in the finale of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly changed up his lineup again, moving <span>Shane Victorino</span> back to leadoff.</p>
<p>Victorino batted leadoff after getting traded to the Dodgers, but after struggling was moved to second, then sixth, especially against right-handed pitchers, earlier this week. But on Sunday Mattingly moved leadoff man <span>Mark Ellis</span> down to seventh and put Victorino batting first, with <span>Andre Ethier</span> hitting second against <span>Adam Wainwright</span> of the Cardinals.</p>
<p>Here are Sunday's starting lineups, with the winner assuming the lead in the battle for the second wild card in the National League:</p>
<h3>Cardinals (76-70)</h3>
<p>Jay CF<br> Beltran RF<br> Holliday LF<br> Craig 1B<br> Molina C<br> Freese 3B<br> Schumaker 2B<br> Kozma SS<br> Wainwright P</p>
<h3>Dodgers (76-70)</h3>
<p>Victorino LF<br> Ethier RF<br> Kemp CF<br> Gonzalez 1B<br> Ramirez SS<br> Cruz 3B<br> Ellis 2B<br> Treanor C<br> Fife P</p>
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<p><i>For more Dodgers coverage, check out <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/">True Blue LA</a>. </i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/16/3342532/dodgers-vs-cardinals-starting-lineups-shane-victorino-leadoffEric Stephen2012-09-16T11:42:27-07:002012-09-16T11:42:27-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Game Preview: Stephen Fife Starts As L.A. Seeks 3rd Straight Win
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<p>Without ace <span>Clayton Kershaw</span>, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> send <span>Stephen Fife</span> to the mound Sunday to take on the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a> as Los Angeles looks to take three of four from the Cardinals in Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Fife, a rookie, had been in Triple-A most of 2012, but was called up earlier in the season for three starts, during which he compiled an 0-1 record with a 2.16 ERA. Fife and the Dodgers will look to send the Cardinals to their ninth loss in their last 11 contests.</p>
<p>The Cardinals counter on Sunday with <span>Adam Wainwright</span>, who has struggled in his last three starts, posting a 8.56 ERA over the three appearances.</p>
<p>The meeting between the two clubs as the season enters its home stretch is their 11th and final showdown. The Dodgers have taken six of the 10 previous meetings, including a home sweep of the Cardinals in May.</p>
<p>First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. PST.</p>
<p><i>For more Dodgers coverage, check out <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/">True Blue LA</a>. </i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/16/3342382/dodgers-vs-cardinals-game-preview-stephen-fife-adam-wainwrightAsher Feldman2012-09-15T21:42:17-07:002012-09-15T21:42:17-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Final Score: L.A. Rallies For 4-3 Win, Wild Card Tie
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<p>Three consecutive two-out hits in the bottom of the ninth gave the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> a 3-2 comeback win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers and Cardinals are now tied for the second wild card spot in the National League.</p>
<p>Down 3-2 with two outs in the ninth inning, <span>Andre Ethier</span> opened the rally with a single, then was pinch ran for by speedster Dee Gordon. Even though <span>Yadier Molina</span> is tough to run on behind the plate, Gordon managed to steal second base to get into scoring position for <span>Luis Cruz</span>, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Cruz added to his growing legend with a double over the head of John Jay in center field to tie the game, then pinch runner <span>Elian Herrera</span> scored when Juan Rivera hit a ball just out of the reach of <span>Daniel Descalso</span> at second base. The ball caromed off Descalso's glove, and as he scrambled to get the ball Herrera scampered home with the winning run.</p>
<p><span>Ronald Belisario</span> recorded the final four outs for the Dodgers, earning his sixth victory of the season.</p>
<p><i>Stick with<a href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/13/3327338/dodgers-vs-cardinals-pitching-probables-tv-times-radio-lineups-recap"> this StoryStream</a> for updates, scores and more from the Dodgers vs. <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> series. For more insight and analysis, check out <a href="http://www.truebluela.com">Dodgers blog True Blue LA</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/15/3340292/dodgers-vs-cardinals-wild-card-final-score-recapEric Stephen2012-09-15T15:56:04-07:002012-09-15T15:56:04-07:00Clayton Kershaw Will Miss Sunday Start, See Hip Specialist In New York Tuesday
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<p>The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> will be without <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> this Sunday, as the Dodgers ace will miss his scheduled start with hip pain. Kershaw had an earlier start pushed back due to the same issue. He will see a hip specialist in New York while the team travels to Washington for a series against the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nationals</a>.</p>
<p>Stephen File will take his place on Sunday, <a href="https://twitter.com/THEREAL_DV/status/247093153365114881">according to David Vassegh of KLAC-570</a>.</p>
<p>Kershaw missed his start at San Francisco last Sunday, but after a cortisone shot he was able to pitch two days later at the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a>. He made a strong showing there but took the loss despite only giving up one run over seven innings.</p>
<p>Kershaw has been key for the Dodgers this season, and he leads the league in strikeouts (206), WHIP (1.016), innings (206 2/3) and has the second lowest ERA (2.70).</p>
<p><i>Stick with<a href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/13/3327338/dodgers-vs-cardinals-pitching-probables-tv-times-radio-lineups-recap%20"> this StoryStream</a> for updates, scores and more from the Dodgers vs. <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> series. For more insight and analysis, check out <a href="http://www.truebluela.com">Dodgers blog True Blue LA</a>.</i></p>
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https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/15/3339064/clayton-kershaw-injury-los-angeles-dodgers-hip-specialistPete Holby2012-09-15T06:43:46-07:002012-09-15T06:43:46-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Preview: Los Angeles Can Pull Even For Wild Card With Win
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<p>With two games against the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a> remaining, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> have a chance to seize one of the two National League Wild Card spots. The Dodgers are only one game behind St. Louis in the standings after <a href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/14/3336036/dodgers-vs-cardinals-final-score-recap-nl-wild-card/in/3091379">Friday night's 8-5 win</a>.</p>
<p><span>Joe Blanton</span> (9-13, 4.98 ERA) takes the hill for Los Angeles. He struggled in his last outing, giving up four runs on six hits in 5⅓ innings against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco Giants</a>. The Cardinals will send <span>Jaime Garcia</span> (4-7, 4.41 ERA) to the mound. He's fared worse than Blanton lately, losing five of his last seven, including allowing four runs on seven hits in three innings in his most recent start, an 11-3 loss to the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Diego Padres</a>.</p>
<p>The next two games are the Dodgers' last chance to play someone directly ahead of them in the NL Wild Card standings. Their strongest chance of a postseason run involves making the most of the opportunity.</p>
<p><b>Game Time:</b> 6:10 p.m. PT<br><b>Television Coverage:</b> FSMW, FSPT<br><b>Streaming Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mlb.tv">MLB.tv</a></p>
<p><i>Stick with <a href="http://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/13/3327338/dodgers-vs-cardinals-pitching-probables-tv-times-radio-lineups-recap#">this StoryStream</a> for more coverage from the Dodgers vs. Cardinals series. For more analysis and commentary, check out <a href="http://www.truebluela.com">Dodgers blog True Blue LA</a>. For the St. Louis perspective, check out <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com">Cardinals blog </a><a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com">Viva el Birdos</a>.</i></p>
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https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/15/3336852/dodgers-vs-cardinals-preview-los-angeles-can-pull-even-for-wild-cardPete Holby2012-09-14T22:46:51-07:002012-09-14T22:46:51-07:00Dodgers Vs. Cardinals Game Recap: Dodgers Win 8-5 To Pull Within One Game Of Wild Card
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<p>The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a> are back within one game of the NL wild card after topping the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> 8-5 in on Friday.</p>
<p><span>Andre Ethier</span> and <span>Luis Cruz</span> hit home runs to bail out a struggling <span>Chris Capuano</span> and the Dodgers held on for the win.</p>
<p>Capuano only lasted 4.1 innings and gave up four runs off of three home runs by Matt Holiday, <span>Matt Carpenter</span> and <span>Yadier Molina</span>. He was removed in the fifth inning with the Dodgers losing 4-3, but the Cardinals bullpen couldn't hold the lead.</p>
<p>Cruz hit a three-run homerun in the sixth inning off of <span>Edward Mujica</span> as the Dodgers took a 6-4 lead. <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> added a two-run double in the seventh inning for some insurance runs and the Dodgers moved within one day's striking distance of the wild card.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a> won as well on Friday night so no progress was made on the NL West front. The <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a> won as well, but the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> lost to create a little bit of breathing room in for the Dodgers. They sit one back, and the Pirates and <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Phillies</a> are three back from the wild card.</p>
<p><b id="internal-source-marker_0.18428052449598908"><i>For more on Dodgers baseball, be sure to read <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/">True Blue LA</a>. You can also check out everything we have to offer at <a href="http://baseball.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></b></p>
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https://losangeles.sbnation.com/los-angeles-dodgers/2012/9/14/3336036/dodgers-vs-cardinals-final-score-recap-nl-wild-cardPeter Woodburn