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Dodgers Lose a Must-Win
San Francisco Giants pitchers Jonathan Sanchez (10-8) and Brian Wilson (save #40) dropped Hiroki Kuroda (10-12) and the Los Angeles Dodgers a game further from postseason hopes with a 3-0 win and a 2-1 series victory on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball in front of 43,758 at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers now find themselves nine games behind Division-leading San Diego, and just as many games back from the Wild Card lead.
“We need to do our part, and we just haven’t been consistent,” said Manager Joe Torre on the Dodgers’ performance down the stretch.
With the anemic bats found on the Dodger bench, it’s hard to tell when a low-scoring game is a result of strong pitching or sluggish offense.
“We haven’t been hitting with any regularity, but I certainly don’t want to take anything from Jonathan Sanchez because he was good tonight,” said Torre. “He has electric stuff, I don’t think there’s any question about that.”
With a 1-0 Giant-lead through the game’s first 6 frames, Juan Uribe broke the game open in the seventh inning, in his first official at-bat, having been intentionally walked during his first two at-bats.
“We’re going to see Uribe in our sleep,” said Torre.
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Uribe’s two-run home-run (#19) off Kuroda plated Pablo Sandoval (who had doubled) to turn the scoreboard to what would be the game’s final score: 3-0.
Both Kuroda and Sanchez threw 112 pitches each. Kuroda’s night lasted eight innings. He gave up six hits, three earned runs, while walking six and struck out eight. Sanchez, through seven, gave up eight hits, one walk, hit one batsman (James Loney) and struck out nine.
The first four batters in the Dodger lineup -- Jamey Carroll, Ryan Theriot, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp -- combined for nine strikeouts, with Ethier and Kemp earning three each.
And Whatnot
* The Dodgers next series begins tomorrow against the NL West-leading San Diego Padres at Petco Park, 7:05 p.m. (Vicente Padilla vs Mat Latos)
Follow Caleb Bacon on Twitter @thecalebbacon.
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