Dodgers fall to Cardinals, 9-5, as Kuroda goes backward
Now if only the team could make you feel secure.
The media spotlight fell on the Dodgers organization Thursday, as the team announced its beefed-up security plans. Lots of additional police officers, new lights in the parking lots, new watchful eyes on those imbibing.
Alas, back on the field the Dodgers were roughed up by the St. Louis Cardinals all night long. That LAPD protection can only go so far.
The Cardinals racked up 16 hits on the way to an easy 9-5 victory, the Dodgers looking fairly ragged in the process.
Hiroki Kuroda, who had been just shy of brilliant in his first two starts, was out of whack from the second inning on. He left after five innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits and having thrown a career-high three wild pitches.
The Dodgers also committed two errors. Not their prettiest game.
It wasn't as though St. Louis left-hander Jaime Garcia was overpowering. He lasted only five innings but was able to limit the damage.
The loss dropped the Dodgers to under .500 (6-7) for the first time this season and marked their first three-game losing streak.
Kuroda entered the game 2-0 with a 1.72 earned-run average. He came within one out of a complete game in his last outing.
But everything Thursday seemed to be a struggle, whether it was a run-scoring infield hit by Matt Holliday, a line-drive home run by Albert Pujols or throwing pitches so far off the plate that Johnny Bench couldn’t have touched them.
The Dodgers had 11 hits, but only two went for extra bases. Jamey Carroll, now apparently entrenched at shortstop with Rafael Furcal out because of a broken thumb, led the L.A. attack with three hits, two runs and a run batted in. Matt Kemp added a solo home run in the ninth.
-- Steve Dilbeck
Photo: Hiroki Kuroda. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
Wow, I thought for a while Kemp was content with just stealing bases.
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 04/14/2011 at 11:02 PM
Steve - any word on Marcus Thames? It appeared that he hurt himself yesterday rounding the bases. Jamie Hoffman up today and down today. What is Thames' condition? by the way - worst Dodger game I've attended in ten years tonight. Wanted to shoot myself. Stayed til the bitter end of course. No life. No movement. No desire.
Posted by: Hollywood Dodger Mark | 04/14/2011 at 11:08 PM
Hollywood Dodger Mark: Thames has a sore quad, so they started right-handed hitting Jaime Hoffman in left. Hoffman went 0-for-3 and after the game was sent back to triple-A Albuquerque, so as planned, they could make room to activate Jon Garland to start Friday night.
Posted by: Steve Dilbeck | 04/14/2011 at 11:18 PM
Im so disappointed with the Dodgers..... two years ago a game away from the world series..... then here come the giants..... wow,,, kuroda hasn't been the same since he got drilled which is too bad. broxton looks like crap,,,,,,,, furcal hurt again, uribe come on man, man up or shall i shall manny up.... Andre... be quite and play ball.....Wake up dodgers its been since 1988 and i am not well pleased..... please tell me i don't have to play mlb2k11 to win a world series with the dodgers.... really what is it going to take ????
Posted by: dee summers | 04/14/2011 at 11:41 PM
here is a winning line up
carrol ss
thames lf
ethier rf
kemp cf
barajas c
loney 1b
uribe 2b
blake 3b
pitcher
try it Don, i really like thames i think he can have a great year if given the chance< barajas too
Posted by: dee summers | 04/15/2011 at 12:02 AM
In the 7th inning of Kuroda's last start, when Uribe started going out to talk to him, he suddenly started having control issues. At the same time, he noticeably started rubbing his elbow between pitches.
There were meetings on the mound. Kuroda apparently talked them into letting him finish the inning.
It was a very cold night. He KEPT rubbing his elbow when they brought him out to pitch in the 8th. And then, incredibly, they let him pitch the ninth. He had not pitched more than 84 pitches before that night, but then, he pitched 100+ pitches, struggling to finish as he fought through obvious and visible pain.
He got a standing O for it. But was it worth it? Really?
I posted my concerns then, and I am not surprised to see that whatever happened that night has indeed had lingering effects. If we don't get Kuroda on the DL with elbow problems sometime this year, I'll be surprised.
Posted by: Blueeyedgal | 04/15/2011 at 01:12 AM
Dee Summers seems to enjoy the yummy kool aid. Please wake up, Dee. This team is awful.
Posted by: FormerLifelongDodgerFan | 04/15/2011 at 01:35 AM
Dee, What's it going to take? A new owner!
Posted by: Steve Wimer | 04/15/2011 at 05:22 AM
I like your passion, Dee... but there is no combination of that lineup that should ever be described as "winning". Only 2 of the guys in the current Dodger lineup would start for a good team.
For a team that clearly needs 2-3 aces to win games, this bunch is in trouble. Kershaw is an ace... Lilly has been bad. Kuroda was bad last night. Bills has been awful. Garland will be mediocre at best..
.500 is optomistic with no punch in that lineup other than Kemp and Ethier. No table setters.
Posted by: BMeador8 | 04/15/2011 at 07:18 AM
It will take a sale of the team to someone that can afford to run it, for the Dodgers to reach the World Series, that is without them having to buy tickets first.
Posted by: McCourt blows | 04/15/2011 at 07:57 AM
it's going to be a long season. thank god there's the Lakers annd the nba playoffs!
Posted by: Lakeshowinphx | 04/15/2011 at 09:15 AM
Last night, the umpires called Mattingly out on to the field in the middle of the inning (the 3rd, I think). I was at the game and could not figure out what was going on. Does anyone know? Did Vin say anything on TV?
Posted by: Mark | 04/15/2011 at 04:11 PM
This is the way it' going to be this season. Let's just face it. I can't add anything to what's already been said, except that it would have been a lot worse if Aubrey Huff and his teammates hadn't helped us out in the opening series. Can we win one of these game against the Cards? Maybe one, when Kershaw pitches.
I'd also like to know who at Fox keeps feeding Vinny the wrong stats about the Cards and Dodgers over the past 100 years. We're not even with this team, not by a long shot. The Cards have owned us ever since Niedenfuer served up that cookie to Jack Clark in '85. They've been pounding us ever since.
Posted by: Since '58 | 04/15/2011 at 04:37 PM
Mark: Joe West was complaining that the ribbon of lights that surround the inner part of the stadium along the bottom of the second deck were flashing. If only Mattingly had the remote control. Mattingly passed it on upstairs. Apparently there was a short.
Posted by: Steve Dilbeck | 04/15/2011 at 08:45 PM
Steve Dilbeck, Thanks for resolving the mystery! I noted that Mattingly did not cross the foul line. It looks like he learned from his previous experience.
Posted by: Mark | 04/16/2011 at 06:39 AM