The Dodgers Drink Decaf Coffey During Loss to Angels

Dodgers 3 11 2

Angels 12 14 3

WP- Dan Haren (3-0)

After I was disappointed by the game’s one hour tape delay, I became even more annoyed with Todd Coffey’s appearance in tonight’s exhibition game in Anaheim. The entire bullpen was looking tired and overmatched by the Angels tonight. Except for Jamey Wright who started and Josh Lindblom, each of the seven Dodger pitchers allowed at least one run.

The Dodgers go down in order in the top of the first inning which concludes with a Matt Kemp whiff by Angels’ starter Dan Haren. Jamey Wright counters with a very good inning in the bottom half. He strikes out both Erick Aybar and Howard Kendrick, and then Juan Uribe makes a good play at third on a sharply hit grounder by Albert Pujols.

The second starts off with an error on Aybar after he drops a pop foul, but Andre Ethier goes down on strikes anyways. Juan Rivera, who is continuing to hit well, follows with a single after beating out the throw on a softly hit grounder to third base. James Loney pops out, and Juan Uribe strikes out swinging wildly to end the frame. His at bat looked really bad, and on the second swinging strike he swung so hard he fell to his knees. Jamey Wright only allows a single to Vernon Wells in the bottom of the second inning who advances to second on a Dee Gordon throwing error. Matt Kemp makes a nice diving catch on a fly ball by Trumbo for the third out, and the game remains scoreless.

In the top of the third A.J. Ellis, Adam Kennedy, and Dee Gordon all fly out in succession. Todd Coffey comes in to relieve Jamey Wright in the bottom of the third inning. Wright pitched 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, no runs, no walks, and 3 strikeouts. Coffey starts off by striking out Chris Iannetta, but things go sour quickly. Peter Bourjos and Aybar hit back-to-back singles, and then Coffey walks Howard Kendrick to load the bases. Coffey, who has not been looking as good as he did in the beginning of Spring, walks Pujols to bring in the first run of the game. Rick Honeycutt makes a trip to the mound. He must have said something right, because Coffey then promptly strikes out Kendrys Morales. Yet Coffey then serves up a single to Torii Hunter which brings in two runs, and gives the Angels a 3-0 lead. Coffey gets the hook, and Josh Lindblom is brought in. Lindblom walks Vernon Wells, but then manages to strike out Mark Trumbo to finally end the inning.

The Dodgers finally get on the board in the fourth inning. Mark Ellis starts it off with a single, but Matt Kemp follows up with a strikeout. Ethier’s fly ball is the second out. Mark Ellis steals second base with Juan Rivera at the plate. Rivera continues his onslaught and hits a double bringing in Ellis to score, 3-1. Loney flies out to end the inning. The Dodgers commit their second error of the game when James Loney misses a catch and Chris Iannetta reaches first safely. Peter Bourjos grounds into a double play to erase the error. Aybar strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Juan Uribe starts off the fifth inning with a single followed up by another single from A.J. Ellis. Kennedy flies out, and Gordon reaches on a fielder’s choice-Juan Uribe is out at home. Mark Ellis ends the inning by flying out. Mike MacDougal comes in to pitch the bottom of the fifth. He promptly allows a double to Kendrick. Dougie gets Pujols to ground out, but Morales then doubles in Kendrick. The Angels tack on another run, 4-1.

In the sixth, Ethier singles and steals second as Juan Rivera strikes out at the plate. Dan Haren is taken out of the game and replaced by David Pauley. Dan Haren pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run, no walks, and 5 strikeouts. Loney flies out to end any hope of scorin’. Scott Elbert comes out of the pen to pitch the bottom of the sixth for the Dodgers. Chris Iannetta doubles, and Bourjos singles him home. 5-1. Aybar singles on a ball deflected by Elbert. After a 11-pitch at bat, Howard Kendrick reaches on a fielder’s choice. Bourjos is out at home. Kenley Jansen comes in to replace Elbert with two outs and Pujols on tap. He gets Pujols to pop out to end the inning.

Jason Isringhausen pitches the seventh for the Angels. Uribe leads off with a single, and he steals second with Kennedy at the plate. So let me get this straight…tonight we’ve seen a stolen base from Ellis, Ethier, and Uribe. Kennedy then singles, and Uribe scores but Kennedy is thrown out at second base, 5-2. Dee Gordon and Mark Ellis hit back-to-back singles and reach second and third on a throwing error by Aybar. Mike Scioscia brings in David Carpenter to face Matt Kemp with two on and two outs. Matt Kemp strikes out to leave two runners on base. Kenley Jansen walks Bobby Abreu the first batter in the bottom of the seventh. Torii Hunter singles. Vernon Wells strikes out. Then Mark Trumbo hits a two-run homer giving the Angels a commanding 8-2 lead. Ronald Belisario is brought in with two outs. He gets Bourjos to fly out to end this dreaded inning.

In the eighth Hairston has a single, but Treanor hits into a double play to quickly end the inning for the Dodgers. Belisario is still in for the eighth and well it doesn’t end pretty. He allows a double to Alberto Callapso, strikes out Kendrick, Alexi Amarista singles, Bobby Abreu walks, and then Kole Calhoun doubles in two runs. Cantu grounds in to only the second out of the inning. Matt Treanor‘s passed ball allows Calhoun to score. Langerhans walks which prompts a Honeycutt mound visit. Then of course there has to be a wild pitch for good measure. FINALLY Iannetta flies out to end the torture. It’s now 12-2 Angels.

Justin Sellers starts off the ninth by striking out against Kevin Jepsen. Luis Cruz also strikes out. Adam Kennedy draws a two-out walk. Josh Fields walks as well. Matt Angle reaches base on an error by Cantu (the third Angel error of the evening), and Luis Nunez the pinch runner for Kennedy scores. 12-3. Minor leaguer Blake Smith strikes for the third and final out.

Tomorrow’s game will be televised (hopefully live this time) on KCAL at 7:10 pm at Dodger Stadium. Vin Scully will be announcing, so don’t miss it!

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