Dodgers Lose Three in a Row; Matt Kemp Leaves Angrily with Injury

Dodgers 3 10 0

Brewers 6 14 0

WP- Gallardo (4-4)

LP- Kershaw (4-3)

S- Axford (10)

Clayton Kershaw goes to the mound tonight in hopes of bouncing back from his disappointing home loss against Houston last Friday. Kershaw uncharacteristically gave up a two-run homer in 7 innings and five extra base hits in total. Usually we can tell right away if he is in command. Interestingly Kersh has never beaten the Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Tonight would not be the night for Kershaw or the Dodgers. Not only do the Dodgers lose three games in a row for the first time this season, but they lose the series to the Brewers, and they potentially lose their star player to injury once again.

Things start out sketchy as Corey Hart narrowly missed hitting one out as Bobby Abreu makes the catch right up against the wall. Norichika Aoki singles up the middle. While Ryan Braun is busy whiffing on a Kershaw breaking ball, Aoki steals second. Aramis Ramirez strikes out on a ball in the dirt after a check swing call. The Dodgers finally have snapped their recent streak of allowing runs in the first inning.

Yovani Gallardo goes to work  to take care of Elian Herrerain the top of the first who is leading off for the Dodgers tonight. Herrera goes down

on strikes looking. James Loney, who for some unknown reason is batting second, hits into a signature groundball. Matt Kemp walks on four pitches. Andre Ethier keeps doin’ what he’s doin’ and hits a long double which allows Matt Kemp to score all the way from first. That’s Dre’s 44th RBI and 17th double. The Dodgers take a 1-0 lead.  Matt Kemp seemed like he wasn’t running at full speed.  We then see Kemp breaking his bat in frustration over his leg and throwing it down in the dugout. It seems as if he’s reinjured his hamstring, and Tony Gwynn Jr. is getting ready to take over in center field. I have never seen Matt Kemp that angry. Later in the game we learn that he has re-aggravated the left hamstring, and he will undergo a MRI tomorrow. Meanwhile Abreu and Adam Kennedy draw the second and third walk of the inning to load the bases up with two outs. A.J. flies out to end the inning.

In the second inning, Tony Gwynn Jr. takes over in center field for the injured Kemp. Rickie Weeks and Cody Ransom strike out back-to-back against Kershaw. Carlos Gomez singles, but he is picked off for the third out.

In the Dodger half of the second, Dee Gordon whiffs to lead off. Clayton Kershaw singles on a groundball to second, but Herrera grounds into an inning ending double play.

In the third, Martin Maldonado leads off with a single to left field. During his at bat he just missed hitting one out, but luckily it was just a long fly ball down the left field line. Gallardo successfully sacrifice bunts Maldonado over to second. Corey Hart strikes out swinging. Aoki grounds out.

Loney flies out to start the bottom of the third off. Tony Gwynn and Ethier hit back-to-back singles. Abreu strikes out. Adam Kennedy strikes out.

We move to the fourth, and Ryan Braun strikes out for the second time on a big slow breaking ball. Ramirez is all over a pitch down around the knees, and he doubles to left. Kershaw loads up the bases by giving up back-to-back walks to Weeks and Ransom. Carlos Gomez comes up with a single to left field, and two runs score. The Brewers take a 2-1 lead. Rick Honeycutt goes out to counsel Kershaw. The second out finally comes on a Maldonado fly ball. Cody Ransom takes third on a wild pitch with Gallardo at bat. Gallardo strikes out looking for the final out.

 The Dodgers go down very quickly in order for the bottom of the fourth.

Corey Hart reaches on an infield single in the fifth. Gordon barely missed throwing him out at first-a play he probably should have made. Aoki sacrifices Hart over to second. They intentionally walk Braun. Kershaw just made his 100th pitch, and Javy Guerra begins to warm in the bullpen. Somehow they get a clutch double play from Ramirez to end the threat.

 Elian Herrera strikes out for the second time in the bottom of the fifth. Herrera has gone 0 for 3 in the leadoff spot tonight. Loney follows with another one of his trademark groundouts. Gwynn strikes out, and apparently our offense has totally stalled out with the exception of Ethier.

Rickie Weeks doubles to open up the sixth with Kershaw still on the mound. Ransom walks, and Kershaw jumps on the mound in frustration. Gomez attempts to bunt, and the ball lands right in front of home plate. A.J. Ellis makes a great heads up play, and throws to second to get the front runner. Maldonado squeeze bunts in the run as Loney has to make the out at first, and the Brewers now take a 3-1 lead. Gallardo, who is also still in the game, singles on a very long fly ball which hits the wall. Gomez scores, 4-1. Mattingly left Kershaw in way too long. Just ridiculous. Javy Guerra comes in to relieve Kersh, and he promptly allows a single to Hart. The ball deflects off Gwynn’s glove in his unsuccessful attempt at catching it. Aoki’s groundball to second is a close play, but he is fast and safe. Another run scores, and this inning just won’t end. The torture finally ends on a fly out by Braun.

Clayton Kershaw pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing 8 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, and 7 strikeouts on 117 pitches.

Andre Ethier leads off the bottom of the sixth with a single-his third hit of the game. Dre’s attempt at something called “offense” is quickly erased with a ground ball double play by Abreu. Kennedy strikes out again.

Todd Coffey is the third pitcher for the Dodgers, and he comes into pitch the seventh. Somehow he escapes unscathed, but he does allow a walk and a single.

A.J. Ellis tries to lead the Dodgers back as he singles in the bottom of the seventh. Dee Gordon gets a rare hit, and Ivan DeJesus comes into pinch hit for Coffey. IDJ gets the third single in a row, and the bases are loaded with nobody out. Gallardo is finally hooked after 112 pitches. Manny Parra, left-hander, comes into pitch to Herrera who singles to right field! Two runs comes in, and the Dodgers have cut the Brewer lead to 5-3. James Loney shows bunt, but strikes out after two strikes. He goes 0 for 4 and is now hitting .245. Tony Gwynn grounds into a double play to end the rally. That was just the second DP he’s hit into all year.

Yovani Gallardo pitched 6 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 8 strikeouts.

Ronald Belisario comes in for the eighth inning. Nyjer Morgan singles on the first pitch. Corey Hart follows up with another single. Aoki bunts over the runners to second and third. They intentionally walk Braun for the second time tonight to load the bases up with one out. Ramirez grounds into a force that should have been a double play, but Herrera double clutches and is unable to turn to make the throw. Another run scores on the play. Weeks strikes out, but it’s now 6-3.

Francisco Rodriguez comes in for the bottom of the eighth. Abreu gets a one-out single. Adam Kennedy, quite possibly the worst player in the majors, hits into an inning ending double play. Sigh.

Kenley Jansen is asked to pitch the top of the ninth. Ransom whiffs. Gomez doubles. Maldonado is hit by a pitch. Taylor Green walks to load the bases with one out. Hart strikes out. They decide to bring in Scott Elbert with the bases loaded and two outs. He makes just one pitch to get Aoki to pop up, and somehow the Brewers don’t score in the inning.

Once again John Axford comes in to close up shop in the bottom of the ninth for the Brew Crew. He blows A.J. Ellis away for the first out. Dee Gordon draws a walk. Gordon moves over to second on defensive indifference while Jerry Hairston Jr. is at bat. Hairston flies out. Herrera strikes out.

The Dodgers fall to 32-18. The Giants lost, so we don’t lose any ground to them in the standings. Kershaw loses his second game in a row. More worrisome is that we may lose Matt Kemp again. As soon as we know the results of his MRI, we will pass the information along.

Tomorrow the Dodgers will try to avoid the four-game sweep at home. Chad Billingsley will go up against Zack Greinke at 7:10 pm. Let’s end the month on a winning note!