It's becoming a season theme: Dodgers lose 4-3 when Braves score three times in ninth

It’s true, the Dodgers can invent new ways to lose. Painful, rip-out-the-heart ways. Ways to make the life of their 2010 season grow all the more dimmer.

It happened again, somehow, incredibly, on Monday night in Atlanta when the Dodgers were seemingly on their way to victory, only for everything to come crashing down, their old nightmare replaced by their new nightmare.

The Dodgers took a two-run lead into the ninth, and then the Braves scored three times and escaped with a 4-3 victory.

Hong-Chih Kuo was unable to pull off a two-inning save, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth.

Manager Joe Torre then called on Octavio Dotel to finish it off. He did, too, just not the way Torre had hoped.

Dotel walked David Ross to force in one run and then gave up a bouncing two-run single to Melky Cabrera as the Braves celebrated their come-from-behind win and the Dodgers looked on once again in disbelief.

The offensively challenged Dodgers scored their three runs without the benefit of a single hit with runners in scoring position. That left them 0 for 21 in that department in this four-game series.

The Dodgers scored twice in the eighth off Jonny Venters to take the lead, thanks to some defensive struggles by third baseman Brooks Conrad.

Pinch-hitter Reed Johnson opened the inning by drilling a one-hopper that took a wicked bounce off Conrad. Originally ruled an error, it was later changed to a hit.

Scott Podsednik drew a walk before Ryan Theriot hit a little bouncer toward Conrad, who charged and threw on the run. The throw sailed past Troy Glaus at first base for an error as Johnson scored.

Right fielder Jason Heyward had the wet ball ricochet off him in the corner, and Podsednik, who had stopped at third, came home. Heyward was not charged with an error, but could have been.

The Dodgers had opened the scoring with a run off Tommy Hanson in the first on a Theriot infield single and Andre Ethier double.

They handed the 1-0 lead to starter Chad Billingsley, who sported a 1.32 earned-run average in his last five starts, and told him to make it work. In a downpour, he acted like it was no problem. The guy must love rain.

He shut out the Braves for five innings, at which point it looked like the game might be called for rain and the Dodgers would escape with a 1-0 victory.

Instead, they spread some more dry dirt around the infield and sent the teams back out for more.

Which worked out for the Braves. Omar Infante led off the bottom of the sixth with his first triple of the season and Heyward lined a shot to right that almost screamed home run.

Only it lost steam in the rain and then Ethier made an outstanding running, leaping catch at the wall.

Infante tagged to tie the score, but Ethier took away an extra-base hit from Heyward. Ethier and the rain, anyway.

Billingsley went seven strong innings for the Dodgers. He gave up his one run on five hits and a walk, striking out eight.

The way things are going for the Dodgers, mired in fourth place in the NL West right now, seven strong is not going to be enough.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers second baseman Ryan Theriot is tagged out by Braves catcher Brian McCann in the eighth inning when trying to score on a fly ball by James Loney. Credit: Curtis Compton / McClatchy-Tribune.

It's Ted Lilly to the rescue, Hong-Chih Kuo for the save in Dodgers 2-1 victory over Braves

Ted Lilly, fifth starter. Or could it possibly be, Ted Lilly, stopper?

Lilly looks like the guy in high school who sat in the back of the class and barely said a word. Who could sing in a quartet and everyone would leave certain they’d heard a trio.

The mild-mannered Lilly, however, has been an explosive find for the Dodgers since coming over from the Chicago Cubs just before the July 31 trade deadline.

A staggering Dodgers team received the big start they needed Saturday night, as Lilly shut out the Braves for six innings and the Dodgers went on to eke out a 2-1 victory and snap their three-game losing streak.

The Dodgers collected 12 hits, but continued to have trouble driving in runs, their scores coming during a double play and a sacrifice fly.

But Lilly and four relievers made it hold up, with Hong-Chih Kuo delivering in his first opportunity as the team’s new closer by pitching a scoreless ninth.

Lilly earned the victory, and in his three starts for the Dodgers he is now 3-0 with a 1.89 earned-run average.

Former Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe matched Lilly early in the humid night before the Dodgers -- shut out the previous night in Atlanta -- scratched together a run in the fourth.

James Loney opened the inning with a single. With Loney running on the pitch, Casey Blake singled him to third. Matt Kemp bounced into a double play, but Loney scored for the Dodgers' first run in 14 innings.

The Dodgers doubled their lead against reliever Jonny Venters in the seventh after Scott Podsednik picked up a one-out hit and Ryan Theriot singled him to third. Andre Ethier’s fly to right was deep enough to score Podsednik.

In his six innings, Lilly (6-8 overall) allowed only three hits -- all singles -- and issued his first two walks with the Dodgers. He struck out four.

The Braves got one run back in the bottom of the seventh as rookie Kenley Jansen was charged for his first major-league run in nine appearances. Jansen gave up a leadoff walk to Matt Diaz. A one-out double by Melky Cabrera sent him to third.

George Sherrill relieved Jansen and got David Ross to bounce out to third, but Diaz scored on the play. Octavio Dotel struck out Omar Infante to end the inning and then pitched a perfect eighth.

That set it up for Kuo, who had been given the closer’s role over struggling Jonathan Broxton the previous day.

Kuo, throwing up to 97 mph, struck out the first two Braves he faced in a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Ted Lilly, who pitched six shutout innings against the Braves on Saturday, is now 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his first three starts with the Dodgers. Credit: Tami Chappell / Reuters

Joe Torre makes the move: Jonathan Broxton loses his closer's role to Hong-Chih Kuo

It seemed inevitable, or it would have if the manager wasn’t Joe Torre.

Torre, loyal almost to the point of being hard-headed, nonetheless saw what most everyone else has been seeing in Jonathan Broxton the last six weeks -- that he no longer could get the job done as the team’s closer.

So before Friday’s game in Atlanta, Torre said Hong-Chih Kuo would take over the closing duties for now. Now, however, not being Friday night.

If the Dodgers get ahead Friday, Torre said he would use Octavio Dotel.

Although Kuo pitched to only one batter Thursday, he has pitched on consecutive days and Torre apparently doesn’t want to push it with an elbow that has been surgically repaired four times.

Kuo is 3-0 with a 0.90 earned-run average this season and has saved three games in four opportunities.

Dotel arrived from the Pirates before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline. He had been the closer in Pittsburgh, saving 21 games in 26 opportunities -- the same number as Broxton.

Said Torre to reporters in Atlanta: "Brox understood and knows he needs to earn it back. We need him to get back. ... He's an All-Star closer. He's the reason the NL has home field in the World Series. We just need to get him going again. The game will dictate what situation we use him in.

"I think its more mental than physical."

The hard-throwing Broxton, however, has been in a funk for the last six weeks. Since his June 27 meltdown against the Yankees, he has a 9.87 ERA in his last 14 games.

The final blow came Thursday, when the Dodgers lost a seven-run lead in the final two innings in Philadelphia. Broxton surrendered four runs in the ninth without recording an out.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Hong Chih-Kuo delivers against the Cubs last season. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Time for a new Dodgers closer: Joe Torre must realize he can no longer count on Jonathan Broxton

I hate to go there now. After everyone is so angry, after it seems like an almost obvious post.

I’ve been slow to criticize Jonathan Broxton, feeling his overall body of work merited patience. Feeling most every closer goes through poor stretches. That at 26, he is still reasonably young, still maturing.

But loyalty, even as Joe Torre must be learning by now, has its limits. When your eyes and your gut are both telling you the same thing, it’s time to move on.

And the Dodgers need to move on to another closer.

Maybe it makes no difference, but honestly at this point, what is there to lose? The Dodgers’ season hangs by its fingertips and Torre cannot afford to wait any longer.

Unlike past years, he does have options. Hong-Chih Kuo has been brilliant and is showing his fragile elbow can apparently within stand pitching in back-to-back games. Octavio Dotel arrived from Pittsburgh with 26 saves.

Moving Broxton to a set-up position hardly has to be permanent, but for now, if the Dodgers cling to any hope of re-entering the race, it has to be done.

I don’t care what Broxton says, he can’t be a bundle of confidence right now. There have been just too many meltdowns in too many big situations.

"I'm a little wild right now," he said. "Every pitcher goes through it. Hopefully, I'll be out of it shortly and be back to my normal self out there.’’

Only the Dodgers no longer can wait. It’s not like his struggles have been just one or two games.

Broxton has been on a downward spiral ever since that incredible ninth inning against the Yankees on June 27, when he threw an astounding 48 pitches.

Prior to that game, he had been remarkable:

He had converted 16 of 18 saves, sported a minuscule 0.83 ERA and had 48 strikeouts in 32-2/3 innings.

From that game forward:

He has converted five of eight saves, has a 9.87 ERA and has struck out 12 in 13-2/3 innings.

He has not been the same pitcher. He hasn’t even been its shadow. It’s hard to know who he is, really, only that when he went out to start the ninth Thursday and hit his first batter, the outcome felt inevitable.

Except, perhaps, to Torre.

Yet after the game, unlike when Broxton had given it up in the past, Torre less than endorsed him as his closer. He also didn’t say Broxton would lose his role.

"Let the smoke clear here before you get me to say something I didn't think about," Torre said.

Torre even suggested Broxton might have been shaken by pitching back at Citizens Bank Park, site of last year’s National League Championship Series, where Jimmy Rollins hit a game-winning double in Game 4 and the 2008 NLCS game when Matt Stairs hit his game-winning homer.

Broxton denied it, but what’s he supposed to say? This place gives me the willies?

Broxton also said there is nothing physically wrong with him, and he was clocked at 98 mph Thursday, so it’s best to give him the benefit of the doubt. Still, his pitches look flat. His location inconsistent.

He can’t be counted on right now. Whether it’s mechanical, physical or mental, it doesn’t matter. He can’t be counted on.

So it’s time to move on. Loyalty can be served another day.

--  Steve Dilbeck

Dodgers make another move, acquire Octavio Dotel

Shortly before the 1 p.m. trade deadline, the Dodgers made their second move of the day, acquiring reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Dotel, 36, saved 21 games for the Pirates, posting a 4.28 earned-run average in 41 appearances.

To acquire Dotel, the Dodgers gave up right-hander James McDonald and minor-league outfielder Andrew Lambo. Once considered the Dodgers' top hitting prospect, Lambo was suspended for 50 games this year for testing positive for a drug of abuse for the second time.

The Dodgers received $500,000 from the Pirates to cover about half of Dotel's remaining salary.

Dotel could turn out to be a rental. He is on a one-year contract that will pay him $3.25 million this year. Because Dotel was traded, the $4.5-million club option for 2011 in his contract became a mutual option.

-- Dylan Hernandez

Photo: Octavio Dotel. Credit: Duane Burleson / Associated Press

Dodgers at the deadline: No mega-deal comes forth, but they're left improved [Updated]

Well, that’s over with. Feel better? No? Aren’t ready to order those playoff tickets just yet?

The non-waiver trade deadline ticked off Saturday, leaving the Dodgers with a new starter in their rotation, a new reliever, a new second baseman and extra outfielder -- and the same left-fielder, at least if he ever actually gets healthy. Who knew getting in touch with your female side was so time-consuming these days?

No blockbuster deal suddenly reared its head. No fresh star power, nothing to really get the juices flowing for the Dodgers’ faithful.

So they move on without a Cliff Lee, Dan Haren or Roy Oswalt. Move on without the addition of a serious bat.

Is the result disappointing for a team in the second-biggest market in baseball? Absolutely. Is it surprising? Sorry, silly question.

We’ll leave ruminating over the size of the L.A. market versus the size of the Dodgers payroll for another day -- or several -- and instead focus on the immediate question:

Are the Dodgers a better team today than they were last week?

And -- deep breath here -- the answer is: yes.

Ted Lilly is not the legitimate No.1 starter the rotation craves, but even at 34, he is a positive addition. Granted, his 3-8 record is not impressive, nor was his last little visit to Dodger Stadium.

In his three starts since, however, he has a 1.80 ERA (four earned runs in 20 innings). And his record is somewhat deceptive, given that the Cubs provided him the second-lowest run support (3.77 per nine innings) in the majors, second only to Oswalt's (3.07).

So a rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Vicente Padilla and Lilly is solid, one through five. That’s progress. The Dodgers will go out knowing they should have a chance to win every night.

[UPDATED:] Plus, the addition of the left-handed Lilly will enable to the Dodgers to again make Carlos Monasterios a reliever and unload one of those slugs dragging down the bullpen.

In a true deadline move, the Dodgers acquired reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for James McDonald and minor-leaguer Andrew Lambo. This is another deal that makes it clear the Dodgers are focused on winning this season.

Dotel is 36, but had been closing for the Pirates (21 saves in 26 opportunities) and should be a good addition for this season. Lambo, 22, is an actual prospect and losing him could come back to haunt. But he’s twice been suspended for testing positive for a drug on the banned list. McDonald never delivered on his promise; perhaps he benefits from a fresh start.]

Scott Podsednik is a solid addition to the outfield and a serious step up from Xavier Paul, Garret Anderson, and even Reed Johnson.

Essentially swapping Blake DeWitt for Ryan Theriot straight up is not exactly an exciting upgrade. Many of their numbers are fairly similar, and Theriot is six years older than DeWitt. Still, Theriot (who does have a scary .320 on-base percentage) is arbitration eligible next season, so this could be the Dodgers’ second baseman for a while.

And then there is the deal that wasn’t made, unloading Manny Ramirez to the White Sox. Their offer: We’ll pay $1 million on his remaining contract.

The Dodgers didn’t bite, and for very good reason. Whatever you may think of Ramirez, he is still a productive hitter when healthy. When healthy, alas, being a key phrase here.

If the Dodgers had dumped Ramirez, they would have essentially said they were giving up on the 2010 season. Which would go against every other move they made, and be the kind of move that would never fly in Los Angeles.

The Dodgers are struggling to score and need to add offense, not subtract it. If Ramirez comes back in a week or two, he’s certainly capable of giving the offense a spark.

So, sure, it’s disappointing the Dodgers couldn’t pull the trigger on a significant deal to get the masses all excited. Still, in the short term, the moves Ned Colletti made have left the Dodgers an improved team.

[UPDATED: Said Colletti: "I don’t know if it was a great trade deadline or not. We’ll find out. I know that we set out to add a starter and add a bullpen piece, and see if we can add some more speed and versatility to the lineup, and we did that. How it all turns out, we’ll see."]

And hey, next year Carl Crawford is a free agent …

-- Steve Dilbeck