Seventh Inning Meltdown Dooms Dodgers to Series Loss to Halos

We were so close to beating the Angels today. But of course it didn’t happen. The Dodgers dropped the series finale, and the series to the Angels, losing 5-3. The Angels came from behind several times to finally rally with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win. The Dodgers jumped out in front early scoring two runs in the top of the first when Ethier doubled, and Abreu’s single scored him. The Dodgers plated another run in the second inning with two singled and a Dee ground out. The Angels would tie the game on a two-run home run by Peter Bourjos. Each team scored a run to knot the game at three, when the Angels would score two runs in the seventh inning, when Josh Lindblom just had to have a little meltdown. With two outs, he walked Pujols, hit Morales with a pitch, and gave up back to back singles to Trumbo and Kendrick to blow the tie.

Aaron Harang who found a mechanical flaw in his delivery, pitched admirably, pitching six innings, allowing three runs without whiffing anyone. He was able to duel opposing starter Garrett Richards who also received a no-decision.

As much as I would like to be mad at Lindblom for blowing the tie, I just can’t be. He has been excellent this year, and the Dodger bullpen has been great over the last couple of months. Once again it was the lousy pathetic punch-less offense, that screwed us. The Dodgers left a small army of runners on base. Probably enough to form an independent country of stranded base runners. I don’t understand how Don Mattingly expects to win when putting three automatic outs in the lineup. At this point Juan Uribe, Adam Kennedy, and James Loney are all automatic outs, and need to be released or DFA’d immediately. Not after dinner, not tomorrow, but right now as I am typing this. Here is how this pathetic loss played out.

Top of the first. Dee Gordon and Elian Herrera both whiff to start the game against Garrett Richards. Andre Ethier hits a bloop leg double to left field. Bobby Abreu, one of three former Angels playing tonight for the Dodgers, lines a single into center field to score Ethier. The Dodgers take the early 1-0 lead. Next batter Juan Rivera hits a bloop single to center, that drops between three converging Angels, and sends Abreu to third. James Loney flys out to Mike Trout to end the frame.

Bottom of the first. Mike Trout leads off the game for the Halos with a pop fly to second base. Adam Kennedy moves out to shallow right field, and proceeds to continue to be terrible at Baseball. Kennedy drops the easy pop fly, as it bounces out of his glove. Of course he doesn’t even use two hands. Alberto Callaspo walks putting runners at first and second. Albert Pujols flies out to Gwynn in center. Kendrys Morales flies out to Center, and the runners just get back to their respective bases. The big Mark Trumbo flies out to center, as Tony Gwynn races over to make the catch near the warning track, and Harang is out of it. No thanks of course to the perpetually useless Adam Kennedy.

Of course guess who is leading off the top of the second? You guessed it, Adam Kennedy. He reaches on an infield single to the hole between first and second. Second baseman Howie Kendrick’s diving effort and throw are just a tad late. Gwynn’s single into center sends Kennedy to second. For the first time in what seems like years, a Dodger batter executes a sacrifice bunt properly. The bunt executor was Matt Treanor. Dee Gordon’s ground out scores Kennedy to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. This is probably the first time all season, that a Dodger bunt helped or lead to a run. Elian Herrera grounds out to end the inning.

Bottom of the second. Howie Kendrick grounds out to Herrera. The always annoying Erick Aybar walks. Peter Bourjos slices a ball that lands just foul as Ethier tries to dive for the ball but it bounces up into the stands. After a closer look you could see the mark on the foul line where the ball landed. Mike Scioscia comes out to argue, but no dice. The Dodgers would have gladly took that double because Bourjos crushes a two run shot to left to tie the game at 2-2. Cacther Bobby Wilson pops out. Stupid Trout reaches on an infield single. Callaspo sends trout to third with a fly ball single to shallow left. Harang gets Pujols to fly out to Ethier to keep the game tied.

Top of the third. Another bloop double for Ethier to lead off the top of the third. Abreu moves Etheir to third with a grounder to first. The double play machine of James Loney ruins another rally with a 6-4-3 double play. Seriously Loney, you are useless!

Bottom of the third. Harang has a good 123 quick inning, retiring the Halos in order. Morales pops out, Trumbo flies out, and Kendrick flies out. The Dodgers go down 123 against Garrett Richards in the top of the fourth. Erick Aybar bunts for a hit to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Bourjos flies out to Ethier. Bobby Wilson grounds into an inning ending double play to end the frame. Herrera turns the 5-4-3 double play.

Dee Gordon singles to begin the fifth inning. Of course Herrera tries to bunt, cant do it, and whiffs. Again the bunt only leads to falling behind in counts. With Ethier at the plate ahead 3-0, Dee steals second as Ethier is whiffing at the pitch,. Bobby Wilson’s throw is no where near the area of second base or the infield. Kendrick actually catches the errant throw in shallow right field. Ethier ends up walking to bring up Bobby with runners at first and second. Of course Bobby Abreu grounds into a double play before Loney does. The Dodgers don’t get anything….again

Bottom of the fifth. Trout singles. Kendrick fouls out. Of course Trout steals second easily. Pujols who was not walked with first base open. Pujols predictably singles home Trout to give the Angels the lead 3-2. Morales singles into left, Pujols tries to advance to third but is thrown out by Rivera on a nice throw. Pujols thought he was safe, and so did Mike Scioscia, who comes out to argue and is tossed from the game. After a wild pitch, Trumbo grounds out to end the frame.

Rivera leads off the top of the sixth, with a booming double off the wall in center. Loney smashes a line drive right at Richard’s glove. Richard throws him out, but Rivera moves to third. Oh well, at least he didn’t GIDP. The inning now relies on Adam Kennedy getting the runner home from third. Kennedy’s sac fly to center scores Rivera, and the game is tied at 3-3.

Bottom of the sixth. Kendrick grounds out. Aybar pops out. Bourjos a two out double that bounces over Herrera’s head and down the left field line. Bobby Wilson grounds out and we’re still locked in.

Top of the seventh. Treanor pops out. Gordon bunts for a base hit. This is only Gordon’s fifth bunt single of the season. The Angels have a meeting on the mound. Richard is nearing 100 pitches. Herrera whiffs for the third time today. Finally with Dre due up, Richards is lifted, he goes 6.2 allows three runs, nine hits, walks two, and whiffs five. Enter Scott Downs, lefty reliever. Ethier flies out to left, and we are still deadlocked.

Josh Lindblom enters in the bottom of the seventh. Harang goes six innings, allowing three runs, seven hits, two walks, and no whiffs. He made 100 pitches, and still gets a quality start, and a no-decision.

Trout grounds out. Callaspo whiffs. Pujols draws the two out walk. Morales is hit by a pitch. Lindblom continues to meltdown, and just couldn’t get the last out. Trumbo singles to score Pujols to break the tie and give the Angels the lead. 4-3. Then Kendrick singles, to score another run to make it 5-3. Lindblom is hooked and in comes Todd Coffey to clean up the mess. Coffey gets the last out but the damage is done here.

Top of the eighth. Abreu is called out on strikes. Downs gets Rivera to ground out. Dejesus batting for Kennedy walks. Ernesto Frieri is brought into the game. He never allows runs, so things seem hopeless. With Hairston batting for Loney, Dejesus tries to steal second and is tagged out on his stupid head. Shawn Tolleson the rookiest of rookies comes in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. He walks two batters but somehow gets out of it without allowing anything, thanks to a great play by Dejesus, who was switched over to third base.

Move to the bottom of the ninth. Hairston who was left at the plate when DeJesus Tootblaned away the inning, singles. Gwynn whiffs. Treanor pops out. Gordon whiffs to end the game. The Dodgers lose 5-3, and lose another series to the Angels.

Seriously I have had enough with Uribe, Loney, and Kennedy. They need to get those bums off the team as soon as possible. I don’t care how good Loney, and Uribe’s defense is, they are all pathetic and depressing to watch. How much longer are the Dodger’s going to go with those three bums?

Thank god, the A’s beat the Giants today on a walk-off home run from Derek Norris. The Dodgers drop to 43-30, but retain their three game lead over the Giants with their loss at Oakland. The Dodgers will now limp into San Francisco, for a huge three game set. They have now lost five of the first six games on this terrible road-trip, and fall to a dismal 6-9 in interleague play.

This loss was depressing, but at least interleague play is finally over. I swear if I never see the stupid Angels ever again, I will die a happy Dodger fan. Tomorrow night, Nathan Eovaldi will counter Barry Zito. BTW, Kevin Youkilis was traded to the White Sox today, so we can finally go on with our lives now. The Dodgers will get someone, but it won’t be him. Oh well. See you tomorrow night. Go Blue.