Results tagged “claytonkershaw”

It has been a long wait for Dodger fans. The Phillies pushed the Dodgers around last year in the 2008 NLCS. Philadelphia made short work of the Boys in Blue, sending them home in just five games. And it wasn't that close.

Four hours after the Dodgers improbable 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to give them a stout 2-0 lead in the National League Divisional Series, euphoria is still running through my veins. The Cardinals had the game won. All left fielder Matt Holliday needed to do was make sure James Loney’s line drive got into his glove. Instead he lost the ball which hit him right in the gut. Whether he lost it in the lights or in the swirling white rally towels the fans were waving around is irrelevant.

The kid gloves come off today for starter Clayton Kershaw. The 21-year old phenom with that devastating 12-6 curveball that Vin Scully called “public enemy #1” will be at the adult table in game two of the National League Divisional Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. While such a daunting could give a kid a case of the butterflies, Kershaw doesn’t envision any problems.

The speculation of postseason rosters, pitching rotation and all that rot is over. October baseball has finally arrived for your Los Angeles Dodgers. The club is feeling confident but ready for a good fight. “I obviously know that it’s a tough task obviously going against a guy who probably was the frontrunner for the Cy Young,” game one starter Randy Wolf said Tuesday about going against St. Louis Cardinal’s ace Chris Carpenter.

What’s more interesting than a barren Dodger clubhouse? Watching Clayton Kershaw finish up his simulated game of course! “He had real good command,” Torre said of what he saw of Kershaw today. “Again a good part of that he wasn’t trying to over throw the ball. But I thought for being away for as long as he’s been away, I thought it looked pretty comfortable for him. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow, and we’ll schedule him for an inning out of the bullpen in Washington.”

Thanks to no offense and a couple of bad defensive plays, the Dodgers were defeated by the last place San Diego Padres 2-0. Padres starter Wade LeBlanc (1-1), who was recalled to the Padres from AAA Portland Beavers on August 29, pitched six shut out innings giving up only two singles and three walks while striking out two on 96 pitches. He had previously pitched against the Dodgers in Dodger Stadium twice last season losing both decision while racking up a 16.30 ERA.

Kelly Johnson’s two-run homerun off of Guillermo Mota (3 - 3) in the tenth inning was the difference in the Atlanta Braves’ (57 - 54) second straight extra-inning victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers (67 - 44.) The last two nights saw 22 frames played at Dodgers Stadium with no wins to show for the additional effort.

Notable Notes

20-year old left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw will be brought up from AA Jacksonville Suns to be the starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Toronto Blue Jays defeat LA Angels 4-3. One mistake was all it took for Ervin Santana to get the loss. In the sixth inning, Santana threw a pitch down the middle of the plate and a batter like Lyle Overbay knows what to do with it. It went out of the park, and that's all it took for the Canadians to salvage a game in the series.

I really keep hoping the Dodgers would break out and show they are a team that could contend for a World Series, but I have to face the fact they are making me look like an oracle. The Dodgers are a team that will make things interesting for a while but will come up short in the end.

LA Lakers over Utah Jazz 120-110. The same script from game one followed in game two. The Lakers pulled away from the Jazz in the second quarter, but the Jazz made it close with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Lakers woke up and snatched the win convincingly in the final minutes. The biggest difference was in this game Kobe Bryant received his MVP trophy before the game and played like he needed to prove he deserved the award. Kobe led all scorers with 38 points but also notched eight rebounds and six assists. Before we get too excited remember a playoff series doesn't start until the visiting team beats the home team. The Lakers will try to step on the throats of the Jazz on Friday night.