SB Nation - Luis Ayala

The Luis Ayala experiment is totally over

craig — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:18:21 -0000

Meant to mention this earlier but, oh well, the news is the same. Luis Ayala decided he could do better on his own.

On Saturday, Ayala was outrighted and he opted for free agency.

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Ayala appeared in 10 games for the Marlins, and he threw 7 2/3 innings. He struggled, posting an 0-3 record with an 11.74 ERA. He opened the season with the Twins, appearing in 28 games while tossing 32 1/3 innings. With Minnesota, he was 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA.

For whatever reason, Ayala just didn't perform when he was wearing a Marlins uniform and while we wish him the best -- he definitely won't be missed.

I seriously doubt he will be able to land another job for the remainder of the season. That is assuming his agent isn't in possession of some pictures of a GM playing golf with Satan. And no, I don't mean the hockey player.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:56:01 -0000

by Morry Gash - AP

Fans go after a foul ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Jody Gerut during the sixth inning Sunday.

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Some things to read while finding a use for mini helmets.

As of this writing I haven't heard any news on September callups today, but it's widely expected that J.J. Hardy will join the team tonight in St. Louis. Hardy said he feels like he was being punished by the club, and definitely sounds disappointed and upset with the way things have gone. Keep Turning Up the Heat! says the timing of Hardy's return "makes it clear to everyone that service time was the primary factor in Hardy’s demotion."

The Brewers open a three game series in St. Louis tonight, meaning one of two things is about to happen:

They'll lose the series and more or less end any hope of playoff contention, or
They'll win, and we'll all spend the next week hearing about how "disrespectful" they are.

In fact, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch didn't even wait for the series to get started, sneaking some jabs about Ryan Braun into this interview yesterday.

At least the Brewers can look back at this season and remember dominating the Pirates at home. Andy Smith of Bugs & Cranks takes a look back to May 3, 2007, the last time the Pirates won at Miller Park.

Also at Bugs & Cranks today, Tyler Maas and Jack Moore have teamed up to take a look at some lesser known Brewer stats.

Over the weekend, I reported the Brewers and Giants' deadline to work out a deal on Trevor Hoffman had passed, and he wouldn't be moving. It turns out the deadline was actually yesterday. Weekend hours apparently don't count. If that's the case, why do they say "48 hours" and not "two business days?"

In the minors:

Alcides Escobar is representing the Brewers on the PCL Postseason All Star Team. He was the only Brewer selected.
Second baseman Eric Farris, outfielders Caleb Gindl and Logan Schafer and pitcher Amaury Rivas were selected to the Florida State League All Star Team, joining coach Mike Guerrero.
No Brewer farmhands were named to the Southern League All Stars. I was really hoping a Star would win Best Hustler.
With Efrain Nieves heading out to represent Puerto Rico in the International Baseball Federation tournament, long time BCB favorite Maverick Lasker started last night for Wisconsin, and pitched seven shutout innings in his A-ball debut.

WhatifSports moved the Brewers up three spots to 16th.
The Hardball Times has the Brewers at 19th.
The Sporting News has the Crew at 17th.
Jon Heyman listed the Brewers as this season's sixth biggest disappointment.
Sweeping the Pirates moved the Brewers from 12th to 14th in Andy Seiler's projected 2010 draft order.

Dodgers:

acquired Jon Garland

infielder Tony Abreu

placed Guillermo Mota on the DL

will lose about $12 million this season

concession-area fruit stands

C. Trent Rosecrans

Kevin Orie

Thole Applesauce - Thole promoted to Mets, Santana and Perez surgery, Beltran rehab, Phillies WS lost

Joe Budd — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:52:38 -0000

Josh Thole is finally here. That is nice. To be fair, the Mets have a few young guys to be excited about based on their performance this year: Thole and Ike Davis. Davis continues to impress with an OPS of .951 and 13 homers in double-A. The accolades have just begun to start however. I'm waiting for the F! hype machine to start.

Meet the Mets

So much for waiting until September 6th. We get to catch a glimpse of Josh Thole tonight in Colorado. I have a reason to care again.

Carlos Beltran is doing his darndest to get back this year for some reason. He has been cleared to play live games and will rehab with the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Johan Santana and Oliver Perez will both undergo surgery today.

Ike Davis has been named to the US World Cup team.

Razor Shines gets caught in his own honesty. Also, this is the worst promotional idea I've seen in a while.

Mets Geek takes a look at closers in Met history.

Around the NL East

Omar Infante's two-run triple led the Braves over their wild-card competition Marlins. Both teams are still likely out of it.

Florida called up Cameron Maybin and optioned Luis Ayala who was not happy about it.

Phillies Nation argues that Jimmy Rollins is having one of the best seasons ever... defensively...

Apparently the Phillies marketing staff got World Series rings for last year. One of them lost their's. It's worth $15,000.

Around MLB

The White Sox are in salary dumping mode. They sent Jim Thome to the Dodgers. And Jose Contreras to the Rockies.

The Dodgers also got Jon Garland.

San Francisco won the Brad Penny sweepstakes and expect him to start against Philadelphia.

Andy Pettite was perfect through the first 20 batters and the Yankess won.

Raging California wildfires have forced Rafael Furcal to evacuate his home.

Trevor Hoffman will stay a Brewer for this year.

Twins Weekend Notes: Rich Harden, Brad Penny, September Callups

Jesse — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:20:36 -0000

Another weekend come and gone, and another series victory for the Twins. Let's hit some weekend highlights.

The Twins picked up Ron Mahay.
The Twins picked up Jon Rauch.
Joe Crede has finally hit the disabled list.
Yohan Pino was shipped to Cleveland to complete the Carl Pavano deal.
The Twins claimed Rich Harden. Lots of interesting stuff on that front over the weekend. Joe Christensen believes the Twins could pull something off without negotiating an extension, although "two people close to Harden" think a deal with Minnesota isn't likely. By now you probably know that Harden would be a type-A free agent after the season, has a string of arm injuries under his relatively young belt, and has pitched like a gang buster (whatever that means) since the All-Star Break.
In the same report, it sounds like Christensen essentially believes the Twins will exhaust options on the Harden front before committing money to Brad Penny. We've talked about that, too. Whatever happens, we should have a lot more answers by this time tomorrow night.
Tyler Mason at MLB.com says that Gardenhire's list of September callups will include Brian Buscher, Matt Tolbert and Anthony Swarzak. It also sounds like Gardy would like to see somebody called...let me check the name...Daniel Valencia?
John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus believes the Twins will be using both Francisco Liriano and Glen Perkins out of the 'pen when they return, which should bolster that side of the pitching staff even more than it already has been. It would of course mean a spot could be found in the rotation for a Harden or a Penny.
Patrick Reusse somehow believes that the Twins had veterans they could have traded in order to bring in some minor league talent, but that their .500 record in a sub-par division has robbed them of that luxury. I don't know who those veterans could have been this year, unless you want to count R.A. Dickey, Sean Henn, Luis Ayala or...really, I don't know. Mike Redmod? Michael Cuddyer? Dynomite idea. The Twins have made a series of moves that have improved this year's club without mortgaging anything of definite value in the future. I'm not sure what the problem is here.

See you tomorrow!

Chris Volstad and Gaby Sanchez optioned to NOLA

craig — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:54:46 -0000

As I'm sure you all know, Chris Volstad and Gaby Sanchez were optioned to New Orleans in search for some bullpen help.

The bullpen is so shot that not only was Volstad optioned to Triple A, but so was infielder Gaby Sanchez. The Marlins plan to call up a couple of pitchers, one of which is expected to be reliever Luis Ayala.

The other is expected to be Tim Wood.

I must give credit where credit is due: DSTRO was the first to report it is going to be Ayala and Wood to be called up. (via twitter) She most definitely broke the story.

I must admit neither player excites me, though Wood has at least shown some signs he can still pitch at the major league level, but of course, that was earlier in the year. Now don't get me wrong, Ayala has had some good years in his past and maybe he can regain the magic of old. But I wouldn't count on it.

The Marlins haven't announced who is going to be added to the roster, at the time this is being written, so I will leave it alone until they do.

Whomever is called up to fill out the roster slots will get a chance to show their wares, since the last two starters only combined to go 5.1 innings which has resulted in the bullpen being overtaxed. And it has shown.

The September call ups can't happen soon enough.

Meet: Armando Gabino

Jesse — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:34:49 -0000

Who else we've met in 2009: Luis Ayala, Jose Morales, Sean Henn and Bob Keppel

After having the luxury of being able to watch the Twins run off a streak of wins before taking a major league mound for the first time, tonight Armando Gabino will become the tenth pitcher to start a game for Minnesota in 2009.

Gabino's career began quietly, signing with the Cleveland Indians as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2001 when he was 17. He was also a third baseman originally, and was converted to a pitcher in 2003. In 2004, the 20-year old right-hander made his debut in the State-side Indians' system, pitching a decent but unimpressive 19 innings for Burlington, a Cleveland rookie-league squad. He allowed just one home run on 20 hits, walking five and striking out 12. He allowed 13 runs, but only nine were earned.

Left unprotected, the Twins nabbed him in the Rule 5 draft after the season. Whatever he may have shown in those 19 innings, Minnesota must have seen something that caused them to take a flier. They may have even liked him prior, as he played in the Dominican. Making his Twins-system debut in '05, Gabino made just three starts in 17 appearances and was hammered. 45 hits and 12 walks in just 30 innings led to 28 runs, and suffice it to say the Twins started in rookie league for the third consecutive season in '06.

This time, however, five good games (including one start, his last until this season in Rochester) earned him a promotion almost immediately. He spent most of 2006 in Beloit, appearing in relief 16 times while not experiencing significant fluctuations in walk or strikeout rates. His groundball rate did rebound, which helped keep balls in the park.

Excellent walk rates, allowing less than a hit per inning and keeping the ball in the park earned him a promotion after just 22 innings with Beloit in 2007. In Fort Myers, now 23, Gabino continued to excel: 27 hits in 37 innings, just one home run and 25 strikouts earned him his second promotion of the year. In 16 innings in New Britain, Gabino didn't allow a run. He retired 14 on strikes, and generally was on fire.

Minnesota kept him in double-A for the whole of 2008, where he made 49 relief appearances and accumulated 81.1 innings, to the tune of a 3.10 ERA. The walk rates had doubled since Beloit, but he was still excelling at keeping the ball in the park.

This season saw him dropped into triple-A for the first time at 25, eight years after signing with Cleveland. His first 31 appearances were all out of the bullpen, but with Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak in Minnesota the Red Wings were in need of starters. In those five starts, Gabino compiled a 2.16 ERA. Impressive, to be sure.

Owning what's been called a "heavy" fastball in the low to mid-90's, a breaking ball and an off-speed pitch, Gabino's "stuff" might actually be better than Swarzak's. When he makes his debut tonight, watch the movement he displays not just on that slider, but on his fastball as well. Right now, the Twins are in desperate need of a guy to step up and fill some empty shoes, and if Armando can strike while the iron is hot, then this will becomes his job to lose.

Good luck tonight, Armando. Pitch your tail off.

Armando Gabino

#63 / Pitcher / Minnesota Twins

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Aug 31, 1983

Sean West recalled, Ayala sent down

craig — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:52:23 -0000

After last night's game Sean West was recalled for the start in tonight's.

As expected, Sean West is being recalled from Double-A Jacksonville. The 23-year-old, who was optioned on July 11, will be making his 11th start at the big league level. The 6-foot-8 lefty is 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA with the Marlins.

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To make room on the roster, reliever Luis Ayala was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. Ayala has appeared in nine games with the Marlins, and in 7 1/3 innings, he has yielded seven runs on eight hits.

It will be interesting to see if West has further developed his breaking pitches. The kid has talent, no doubt about that, it is just a matter of seasoning.

Ayala won't be missed by Marlins fans. By the opponents - sure. But not by Marlins fans.

Return To Sender: Washington Nationals Trade Anderson Hernandez Back To The New York Mets...

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:19:17 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

6 months ago: Washington Nationals' Anderson Hernandez, celebrates after scoring during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, June 11, 2009, in Washington. National won 3-2. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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Washington Post writer Tracee Hamilton is reporting, in an article entitled, "Hernandez Traded Back To Mets For Minor Leaguer" that the Washington Nationals have sent second baseman Anderson Hernandez back to the same New York Mets they acquired the 26-year-old infielder from back on August 20, 2008. The initial deal sent former DC set-up man Luis Ayala to NY in exchange for Hernandez, who goes back with minor league second baseman Greg Veloz coming to DC this time. Hernandez was stuck on the bench in DC, having played just 77 games this season in which he hit .251 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR and 23 RBI's while posting a .310 OBP, .320 SLG and a .630 OPS. Hernandez hasn't received regular playing time since June prompting some to question his status in recent weeks. The Mets, who lost Luis Castillo to an ankle injury when he fell on the dugout steps Tuesday night, have been plagued by injuries all season, and they are apparently desperate enough that they're bringing Hernandez back into the fold.

For More Discussion On The Trade:

• Check Out Today's Nationals/Marlins GameThread

• Check Out The SB Nation's New York Mets Blog: Amazin' Avenue.

• Greg Veloz's MiLB.com Player Page.

BREAK UP THE NATIONALS!! Washington Nationals Win Fourth Straight, 5-4 Over Florida Marlins.

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:32:39 -0000

More photos » by Haraz N. Ghanbari - AP

4 months ago: Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman, right, rounds third base after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

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Who knows what it is...? Is it Jim Riggleman's influence? Is it the stern talking-to he gave the Nationals a few weeks back? Is it having Elijah Dukes back in the lineup? Is it Josh Willingham hitting well in the 5-spot behind Adam Dunn? The combination of Nyjer Morgan and the slap-tastic Cristian Guzman at the top of the order? The suddenly-solid bullpen, led by Mike MacDougal, who's converted 10 of 11 save opportunities, or Sean Burnett, who before tonight, hadn't allowed a run since surrendering a home run to these same Florida Marlins in his first appearance for DC back on July 1st? Tyler Clippard? Could he be the difference? Or maybe it's the fact that Ryan Zimmerman has hit 7 home runs and collected 14 RBI's in his last 12 games with Adam Dunn behind him going deep 4 times and driving in 15 runs over the same stretch? Whatever it is, the Washington Nationals, after tonight's 5-4 win over Florida, are 8-4 in their last twelve games, and with a win tomorrow against the Marlins, DC's favorite baseball team will have a season-high five-game win streak and a three-game series sweep for the first time this year...

Sweep the Fish? The Fish who came to DC Tuesday 9-0 against the Nationals in '09?

Tonight's Win? Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn hit back to back blasts in the first, to the right field corner for Zimmer-- THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! and the upper deck in right for Adam Duh--SHAKE...N...BAKE!!! Cristian Guzman hit an RBI double in the second and an RBI triple in the third after Ronnie Belliard started the frame with a solo shot to left. It's 5-1 Nationals after four. DC lefty John Lannan allows just 2 runs on 8 hits in 6.0 IP, 5-2 when Lannan leaves, then 5-4 DC after lefty reliever Sean Burnett gives up a leadoff single and a walk, both of which score though righty Jorge Sosa gets out of the seventh with the one-run lead. Sosa comes back with a 1-2-3 eighth and then Mike MacDougal gets two groundouts and a sweet swinging K out of the best hitter in the league, and the third best in baseball, Hanley Ramirez to end it.

Nationals win, 5-4 final.

• Doghouse - "Game 108: The Curse is Dead."

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

• Check Out The SB Nation's Florida Marlins Blog: FishStripes Open Thread And Ichthyomancy.

BACKPAGE:

• The Guz Is Streaking!!!

• "Cool Hand" Gets It Done.

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals now 36-72. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stuck At...28).

BACKPAGE: (Under Construction)...

• The Guz Is Streaking!!!

Of all the hot hitters currently in the Nationals' lineup, Cristian Guzman might actually be the hottest. After going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's tonight, including the game-winner on a triple in the fourth, Guzman's 24 for 51 (.471) over his current 12-game hit streak, collecting 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR's (2 walks) and 15 RBI's along the way, and he's seen his average jump from .290 when the streak began on July 23rd to .314 after his home-run-short of a cycle performance against the Marlins. After hitting .256 for June, with a .270..., .a 270 OBP, Guzman's 10 for 21 through the first 5 games in August.

• "Cool Hand" Gets It Done.

John Lannan (8-8, 3.39 ERA), earned his eighth victory of '09 with 6.0 innings of work on the mound tonight, over which he allowed 8 hits but just 2 ER. Lannan threw 102 pitches, 65 for strikes, inducing 9 groundouts and 3 flyouts, while striking out 6. In Lannan's last start before this evening's, on the road in Pittsburgh, the Nationals' 24-year-old lefthander gave up 9 hits and 5 ER in 7.0 IP, but before that Lannan had two strong starts in a row, surrendering just 1 ER in 17.0 IP, with a complete game shutout win over the Mets and no-decision in DC's extra-inning win over the Padres in which Lannan gave up just 1 ER in 8.0 innings pitched.

Lannan got help from the Nationals' D tonight. Ryan Zimmerman took a hotshot to the hot corner off his chest in the third after a two-out single, double and walk had loaded the bases, and only a diving barehand play kept Florida from cutting into the lead. In the fifth, Lannan got a double play grounder with runners on first and third and no outs, surrendering a run, but limiting the damage in what was then a 5-2 game in DC's favor, and in the sixth he gave up a one-out double to Cody Ross and a single to Ronny Paulino before striking out Emilio Bonifacio and pinch hitter Ross Gload to end his final frame of the game. Sean Burnett gives up 2 ER on 1 hit without recording an out, but the newest member of the DC bullpen, Jorge Sosa, settles things down and preserves Lannan's lead, giving "Cool Hand" the win when Mike MacDougal finally saves it.

GAME REPORT:

Florida Marlins At Washington Nationals. Game 108 Of 162.

Chris Coghlan flies out to Nyjer Morgan in center field. Nick Johnson grounds weakly to first for his replacement Adam Dunn. Jorge Cantu K’s staring at a curve that breaks corner to corner left to right across the zone...Nyjer Morgan tests Dan Uggla, who’s up to it. Rick VandenHurk pops Cristian Guzman up and out with one pitch. Ryan Zimmerman takes a fastball on the outside edge and lines it to the right field corner and GONE!!! Ryan Zimmer-THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! 1-0 Nationals. Adam Du-- SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Adam Dunn goes upper deck in right, too close to the scoreboard to believe!!! 2-0 Nationals. Josh Willingham chases a two-strike fastball up and in and K’s to end the first.

John Lannan gives up a HR to left and into the Nationals’ bullpen on the first pitch of the second to Dan Uggla. 2-1 Nationals. Cody Ross grounds to the hole at short, Cristian Guzman backhands and fires to first, in time. Ronnie Belliard throws to Adam Dunn to get Ronny Paulino. John Lannan walks the wrong guy, since all Emilio Bonifacio can do is run. VandenHurk K’s on a grounder in the dirt and Wil Nieves has to throw to first to end the Marlins’ second...Elijah Dukes lines out to straight center. Ronnie Belliard K’s swinging at VandenHurk’s heater. Wil Nieves grounds into Nick Johnson’s glove.

Chris Coghlan grounds out to Ronnie Belliard at second. Nick Johnson grounds so weakly to short he almost beats Guzman’s throw. Hanley Ramirez hits a two-out single to left, and Jorge Cantu follows with a sharp liner over third and off the seat that extend out into left field. John Lannan walks Dan Uggla this time around, loading the bases. Cody Ross grounds sharply to third and off Zimmerman’s chest, but Zim knocks it down, barehands it as he dives and throws to first, in time!!...John Lannan leads off the third with a groundout. Nyjer Morgan takes one on the toe. Morgan takes second, of course, and he scores when Cristian Guzman doubles to right. 3-1 DC. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to Jorge Cantu. VandenHurk gives Dunn the intentionals. Josh Willingham loads the bases with an excuse-me single in front of the plate. Elijah Dukes lines out to second.

John Lannan throws a two-strike change by Ronny Paulino. Emilio Bonifacio lines out to first, and Lannan gets the opposing pitcher swinging...Ronnie Belli-YARD!! Belliard takes VandenHurk deeep to left and over the wall, 4-1 DC!!! Wil Nieves K’s swinging for the first out of the fourth. John Lannan K’s chasing. Nyjer Morgan beats out a bunt. Cristian Guzman rips a line drive to right and to the wall, Cody Ross gets there, but he has no chance, Morgan scores, Guzman in safely at third, 5-1 Nationals. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to end the fourth.

Chris Coghlan singles to right to start the fifth. Lannan vs Johnson? Nick Johnson grounds to first and under Adam Dunn’s glove. First and third, no outs for Hanley Ramirez, who grounds to Belliard to Guzman to Dunn, double play. Run scores, 5-2. Cantu grounds out to short...Brian Sanches is on for VandenHurk in the fifth. Hanley Ramirez backs up into left to catch Adam Dunn’s pop out. Josh Willingham lines right back at Sanches, and into his glove. Elijah Dukes takes a two-out walk. With Belliard up, Elijah Dukes gets caught trying for second.

Dan Uggla flies out to Dukes in right. Cody Ross lines to left, and it ties up Willingham who dives desperately at the end but misses it. Ronny Paulino singles, first and third, one out. Lannan throws a two-strike curve by Emilio Bonifacio. Ross Gload goes down looking, backwards K to end the top of the sixth...Ronnie Belliard flies out to Emilio Bonifacio. Luis Ayala gets a grounds ball to second out of Wil Nieves. Jorge Padilla!!! In HIs FIRST MLB AT BAT fouls off a few but lines out to right.

Sean Burnett surrenders a leadoff single to Chris Coghlan in the seventh. Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye™ to draw a walk. Jorge Sosa replaces Burnett with Hanley Ramirez at the plate. Ramirez pops up and Dukes drops it after hustling over to foul territory in right. Ramirez hits what should be a DP grounder to third, but Zimmerman bobbles and settles for the force. Jorge Cantu flies out to center, Morgan gets under it. Both runners advance when Nyjer Morgan throws to third ill-advisedly. Dan Uggla lines a full-count fastball to center, and two runs score. 5-4 DC. Cody Ross K’s swinging...Renyel Pinto gives up a leadoff walk to Nyjer Morgan. Morgan takes second right away. Cristian Guzman lines to left, Morgan pulls up around third, and races back to the bag. Guzman’s forced at second on a grounder by Ryan Zimmerman. Adam Dunn K’s chasing. Josh Willingham will face Brendan Donnelly, who gets a swinging K to end the seventh.

Ronny Paulino grounds out to short. Jorge Sosa’s back on the hill. Emilio Bonifacio grounds to third, Zimmerman fields and fires to first. Sosa drops a two-strike change off the outside edge to get Hermida swinging for a 1-2-3 eighth...Matt Lindstrom gets a line drive to Bonifacio out of Dukes. Ronnie Belliard lines out to Chris Coghlan in left. Wil Nieves grounds to short, and Heeeee’re We....GO!!

Mike MacDougal vs Chris Coghlan. Coghlan grounds out to second. Nick Johnson grounds out to second. Hanley Ramirez vs MacDougal...two-strike slider and a swinging K!!! MacDougal gets him!! Nationals win. Nationals win. Four-straight for the Nationals. 5-4 final.

Nationals now 36-72.

Poll

Sweep Or No Sweep? That Is The Question...

The Nationals Sweep The Marlins...TODAY!!

37 votes

It Would Be Nice, But It Ain't Happenin'...

8 votes

I'm Happy Just Taking 2 Of 3, Even Is The Nationals Are 36-72!!

16 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Casey At The Bat Has A Better Ending For Dodgers

Eric Stephen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:03:47 -0000

More photos » by Danny Moloshok - AP

The Bison Matt Kemp is the designated tackler for all walk-off celebrations at Dodger Stadium.

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After Casey Blake took the first two pitches from Luis Ayala for strikes, Ernest Lawrence Thayer looked like a prophet. However, the mighty Casey didn't strike out on this night. Instead, The Beard's bloop single with the bases loaded capped a 9th-inning rally tonight to give the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Marlins at Dodger Stadium. Some notes:

The Dodgers are now 16-2 in one-run games at home this season
Tonight's win was the Dodgers' 10th walk-off win of the season
Andre Ethier has reached base in eight straight plate appearances: single, double, double, walk, double, single, single, walk.
Hiroki Kuroda's splitter was on fire tonight, and he racked up nine strikeouts in his six innings of work. It was a solid outing by Kuroda, who allowed three runs (two earned) and only seven baserunners.
Just like last night, the Dodgers went into the bottom of the sixth inning trailing 3-1, and just like last night, they tied it at three in the bottom of the sixth
Jonathan Broxton picked up his seventh win of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning. At home this season, Broxton has allowed one run in 26.2 innings, allowing 11 baserunners while striking out 45.
Guillermo Mota, who turned 36 today, threw 36 pitches in his two scoreless innings of relief, extending his scoreless streak to 19 innings.
Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson were quite the table setters tonight, with five hits in 10 at-bats, including one single apiece in the ninth inning

The Dodgers are 6-3 on the homestand, which ends tomorrow with Jason Schmidt facing Chris Volstad.

WP - Jonathan Broxton (7-0): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

LP - Dan Meyer (2-1): 0.1 IP, 2 hits, 1 run

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