The Twilight Zone

What in the world is going on?

On Tuesday night the Dodgers give up 15 runs to the Phillies, and now on Thursday night the Mets get 13.

I was going to write off Tuesday’s game as a fluke. It happens, and the Dodgers just had to forget it and move on.

Now I sense some bells starting to ring.

Prozac gave up eight earned runs in only three innings pitched. Actually the only Dodger pitcher not to give up an earned run was 42-year old Roberto Hernandez whom the Dodgers picked up from waivers off of the Cleveland Indians earlier this month.

Could this be a sign that the Dodger’s pitchers are getting a bit weary?

Another thing that’s a bit alarming is the offense.

I know they’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the season, but the Dodgers had only four extra-base hits. That is 15 singles. Unless they start hitting to the gaps better, the Dodgers are going to be plagued with running station-to-station.

And base running? Twice Dodger’s base runners were called out at third base after a run scored to end an inning: Jeff Kent on a Luis Gonzalez single in the first inning; Nomar on an Olmedo Saenz sacrifice fly to end the third. If these outs didn’t occur, the Dodgers possibly could have won the game.

Granted the Dodgers made this an exciting game, but the fact that for the second time this week the Dodgers gave up more than ten runs is a bit alarming.

By the way, the longest nine-inning game in MLB history was on October 5, 2001. The Dodgers defeated the Giants in San Francisco 11-10 in 4:27. Gary Sheffield went 3-3 for the Dodgers with two singles, a homer in the sixth inning and four RBIs.