That's painful: Dodgers let one slip away with two outs in the ninth, fall 5-4 to Marlins

Momentum can come from a lot of places and the Dodgers went to several Monday. Turns out, they needed to find one more.

The kids came through, the old guy who looks like a kid came through, the struggling first baseman drove in the winning run and the veteran pitcher shined.

It was looking like it would add up to a 4-3 victory when Jonathan Broxton came on in the ninth and quickly recorded two outs.

Even after a walk and a single put runners at the corners, it seemed the Dodgers would escape with the victory when Scott Cousins hit a routine grounder to shortstop Jamey Carroll.

Only Carroll missed the ball for an error as Florida tied the score, 4-4. Then after an intentional walk loaded the bases, Omar Infante hit a line drive to rookie Jerry Sands in left field.

Sands misjudged the ball, took several steps in, then broke back, only for the ball to sail over his glove for the game-winning hit, the Marlins escaping with a 5-4 victory.

Dodgers make it look easy behind Garland, Ethier, in 6-1 victory

Then they played the game. And pretty well, too.

The Dodgers received a complete game from Jon Garland in his second start of the season, bountiful offense, played error-less defense and won in a breeze on a pleasant Wednesday night, 6-1, over the Atlanta Braves.

Just the way Frank McCourt envisioned it?

On an historic day that saw Major League Baseball take over the daily operations of the club from McCourt, the Dodgers went out and played like it was just another day at the ballpark. Or at least like one of those winning days.

Andre Ethier led an 11-hit attack with a double and his 100th career home run, extending his career-high hitting to 17 games. Juan Uribe, who had only three RBI on the season, had a pair of two-run singles.

In the second inning, Uribe even managed to give the Dodgers their first hit in nine attempts this season with the bases loaded.

Meanwhile, Garland -- who had been rocked for four runs on nine hits in the four innings of his first start -- gave the Dodgers a highly efficient, and much needed, complete game.

Dodgers have another power problem, surrendering four home runs among 19 hits in fourth straight loss

If chicks still dig the long ball, they should come to a Dodgers game. Nobody gives up more home runs than the Dodgers.

A team that is supposed to be built around pitching, the Dodgers have shown an alarming early propensity for giving up home runs. Lots and lots of home runs.

They gave up four more Friday night, naturally falling badly in the process, this time 11-2 to the Cardinals before what was announced as a crowd of 36,282.

It marked the Dodgers’ fourth consecutive loss. If the losing streak or the diminishing crowds weren’t cause enough for concern, then there’s this -- the loss dropped the Dodgers 5½ games behind the Rockies in the National League West standings.

That’s a fairly serious deficit 14 games into the season, which speaks less to the Dodgers’ middling 6-8 record and more to the Rockies'  blazing 11-2 start and seven-game winning streak.

Of course, if the Dodgers are hoping to get on a run themselves, they’re going to have to do something about surrendering constant home runs.

They’ve given up 21 home runs on the season, equaled only by the 2-10 Boston Red Sox.

Lance Berkman hit two home runs off Jon Garland, and there was nothing cheap about either. Albert Pujols then added home runs off relievers Kenley Jansen and Blake Hawksworth. Safe to say, Pujols is over that slow start.

It was a night of firsts for Garland. Friday marked the first time he had ever pitched coming off the disabled list. Then in the second inning, he was called for the first balk of his career. The first in 2,030 2/3 innings.

Garland looked like he was just coming off the DL, giving up five runs on nine hits in four-plus innings.

The Cardinals, who had 16 hits in their victory over the Dodgers Thursday, upped the total to 19 hits Friday.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers starting pitcher Jon Garland waits to return to the mound as Cardinals right fielder Lance Berkman rounds third base after hitting a home run in the fourth inning Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Dodgers call up Jamie Hoffmann, return John Ely to triple-A; Jon Garland lined up to start Friday

Hope he can hit.

The Dodgers added outfielder Jamie Hoffmann (pictured at left) to the 25-man roster before their game Monday against the Giants and sent right-hander John Ely back to triple-A Albuquerque.

That means the Dodgers are ready to activate right-hander Jon Garland the next time the fifth spot in the rotation comes up on Friday.

Which also means Hoffmann is scheduled to hang around for four games until then. Unless, of course, he actually hits in those few days and forces his way for a longer stay. The way the Dodgers are hitting, the opening is certainly there.

Hoffmann is the outfielder claimed in the Rule 5 draft a year ago, who nearly made the Yankees before being returned to the Dodgers.

In his first four games at Albuquerque, the right-handed hitting Hoffman was five for 11, with a pair of runs batted in and runs.

Ely started Sunday against the Padres and was fairly mediocre. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out five.

Garland, meanwhile, threw a rehab game for the Inland Empire 66ers on Sunday. He allowed three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo credit: Morry Gash / Associated Press

John Ely to start for Dodgers on Sunday against Padres [Update: Hector Gimenez to DL]

It’s the return of John Ely. Anyway, his return for at least one game.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said after Saturday night’s game that the right-hander would be called up from triple-A Albuquerque and start Sunday’s series finale against the Padres.

That means, naturally, a player has to be sent down. That part of the equation he did not share. It’s presumed to be catcher A.J. Ellis, who has options left, as opposed to catcher Hector Gimenez, who does not. Personally, I’d stick with Ellis -- who turned 30 Saturday -- over Gimenez, who really hasn’t shown anything during the early going.

[Updated, 11:04 a.m.: Guess there was a reason the Dodgers did not announce who was making room for Ely on Saturday night. They were still making up their minds.

At first on Sunday, the Dodgers said Ellis was going down to triple-A Albuquerque and he was packing his bags. Then he was unpacking them. The Dodgers said Gimenez had right knee pain and placed him on the 15-day disabled list. Ellis was back.]

Dodgers Web musings: The return of Casey Blake (with beard)

Maybe it’s not the cavalry riding to the rescue, but right about now any lift to the Dodgers’ offense has to be considered a plus.

Since as The Times’ Dylan Hernandez noted, the Dodgers scored only 13 runs in their first five games and are batting .233, any upgrade is an upgrade.

Don Mattingly immediately inserted Casey Blake in the lineup Wednesday after he was activated, and batted him second. To make room for Blake, the Dodgers optioned rookie Ivan De Jesus Jr. to triple-A Albuquerque. De Jesus, after hitting .317 this spring, was 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. Blake had been on the disabled list with a sore back.

Blake’s return to third means Juan Uribe goes back to second base.

Mattingly said he had no set formula for sitting the 37-year-old Blake but planned to give him regular rest.

Also on the Web:

-- The Times’ Steve Lopez said the Dodgers continue to have a problem with fans trashing the community surrounding Dodger Stadium, and much of the problem lies with the increased parking fee.

-- The Times' Richard Winton writes that doctors think the Giants fan who was the beating victim in the Dodger Stadium parking lot on opening day has a long road to recovery.

-- USA Today’s Tom Weir writes that the onus is on Dodger fans to help find his attacker.

-- Vin Scully Is My Homeboy’s Roberto Baly has info on the candlelight vigil Wednesday night for the victim, Bryan Stow.

-- Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown is on board with Matt Kemp finally feeling comfortable as a star in Los Angeles.

-- ESPN’s Buster Olney in a video says regardless of who owns the Dodgers, there will be much work ahead at rebuilding the organization because of a huge gap with incoming talent.

-- The Daily News’ Jill Painter on Jamey Carroll playing golf at Augusta.

-- MLB trade rumors offers its off-season review of the Dodgers.

-- Dodgers.com’s Owen Perkins says Jon Garland is close to returning and on schedule for an April 15th start.

-- Steve Dilbeck

No major surprises as Dodgers cut to 25-man roster, elect to go with three catchers

There were no real surprises when the Dodgers announced their 25-man roster to open the season after Wednesday’s game.

Of course, as the five Dodgers who will start the season on the disabled list start to trickle back in early April, more bodies will get shuffled.

For now, three nonroster invitees ended up making the team -- relievers Mike MacDougal and Lance Cormier, and infielder Aaron Miles.

The bullpen, infield and outfield pretty much fell into to place as expected. The only mild surprise was the decision to go with three catchers.

A.J. Ellis and Hector Gimenez both made the opening-day roster, meaning veteran outfielder Gabe Kapler was released. Manager Don Mattingly said General Manager Ned Colletti still planned to meet with Kapler, 35, to see if there is a mutual interest in his playing at triple-A Albuquerque.

Gimenez mostly made the team because the Dodgers liked his bat, but he can also play first and dabbled some this spring in the outfield.

"We’ve been trying to build with pitching and defense," Mattingly said. "Ellis knows our staff, knows our guys. Hector did a good job too, he just doesn’t know the staff as well."

Dodgers web musings: When the rites of spring are tweaks and sprains

One day, all is calm. Anyway, as reasonable a calm as it goes for teams coming off a losing season.

And then one pitcher goes down, and then another, and yet one more. Not to mention your starting third baseman and backup catcher.

Maybe Vicente Padilla is ahead of schedule in his return from arm surgery, and Jon Garland’s strained oblique isn’t all that serious and Tim Redding really won’t be sidelined that long from his back injury.

When you’re making plans during spring training, it best be in your lightest No.3 pencil. Being flexible is the key, and newbie Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly is getting an early test to his fluidity this spring.

You shuffle as best you can with what you have, which is why John Ely was reassigned to the minor-league camp Saturday so he can stay behind and throw long in a start in Arizona.

The Dodgers don’t have to use a fifth starter until April 12, so whether they go with Ely or Redding -- there are no other real options at this point -- they still have time to rearrange things.

At least until the next injury and the next adjustment.

Also on the web:

-- The Times’ Bill Shaikin takes a poignant look at how baseball reaches out to help its own while at the charity game to benefit the victims of the Tucson shooting tragedy.

-- ESPN/LA’s Jon Weisman introduces Joe Block, the new co-host of Dodger Talk on 790 AM, with a question-and-answer piece.

-- Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick said right-hander Jon Garland was so encouraged after throwing off the mound Saturday for the first time since straining his oblique on March 9, the Dodgers think he might only miss one or two starts.

-- The New York Daily News’ Bill Madden writes that Commissioner Bud Selig is concerned his legacy could take an even greater hit from the financial quagmire of the Dodgers and Mets than it did from the steroids scandal.

-- True Blue LA’s Eric Stephen wonders if signing Juan Uribe this offseason may prove to be a costly addition.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly during an exhibition game against the White Sox on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Credit: Rick Scuteri / Reuters

Tim Redding added to list of injured Dodgers

Right-handed starter Tim Redding exited the Dodgers' 6-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning Friday because of lower back pain on his right side. Redding immediately returned to Phoenix, where he was scheduled to be examined.

With Jon Garland expected to start the season on the disabled list because of a strained side muscle, Redding was the favorite to replace him as the Dodgers' fifth starter. If Redding is hurt, the job is likely to  go to John Ely.

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-- Dylan Hernandez, reporting from Tucson

Photo: Tim Redding works against the Giants in a spring training game two weeks ago. Credit: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

Dodgers Web Musings: Was Jonathan Broxton's drop-off a mental issue?

The problem is not his arm, it’s his head. Jonathan Broxton's ability did not suddenly leave him, just his confidence to use that ability.

So says former Dodgers minor league manager Kevin Kennedy in his role as baseball commentator for Fox Sports.

Kennedy, pointing to his head, said: "He faulted because of what went on up here."

 

Also on the Web:

-- The Times' T.J. Simers writes that left-hander Clayton Kershaw is the Dodgers' biggest star, albeit in a limited team universe.

-- The Times' Dylan Hernandez says that despite the Dodgers’ offensive woes, hitting instructor Jeff Pentland is confident their offense won’t struggle as it did in the second half last season.

-- Forbes magazine has released its annual Major League Baseball team financial evaluations, and though the Dodgers’ value increased 10% to $800 million, kind words were hardly plentiful. Forbes says Frank and Jamie McCourt -- you know, the co-owners -- "had racked up a staggering $459 million in debt, much of which was used personally. Forbes estimates that almost all of the team’s profits were being used to pay down just the interest."

-- Yahoo Sports' Steve Henson looks at the recovery from a serious neck injury and the attempted comeback of Padres infielder David Newhan, son of The Times’ Hall of Fame baseball writer, Ross Newhan.

-- Baseball America treats the Dodgers better than most in its annual ranking of major league farm systems, picking them 11th. ESPN’s Keith Law previously ranked the Dodgers 22nd (Insider status required), and Baseball Prospectus had them at 18th.

-- Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal says most Diamondbacks players are responding positively to their new, intense manager, Kirk Gibson.

-- The honeymoon phase continued: Sports Illustrated's Joe Lemire says Manny Ramirez is happy in Tampa and getting off to a positive start with coaches and teammates.

-- True Blue LA’s David Young takes a look at Broxton's comeback and is moderately confident.

-- LA Dodger Talk's Mark Timmons offers his best guess at the Dodgers' season-opening 25-man roster.

-- Dodgers.com's Ken Gurnick writes that Jon Garland appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from a strained oblique and that it’s possible he won’t miss his start the first time he is expected to be needed, April 12.

-- Steve Dilbeck