Dodgers Drop Game One in Day-Night Doubleheader With Defensive and Offensive Fails

Dodgers 5 8 1

Orioles 7 10 0

WP- O’Day (2-0)

LP- Rodriguez (0-1)

S- Johnson (7)

HR- Ethier (2), Hardy (3), Reimold (3)

The Dodgers started out the game with some offensive pop when Andre Ethier crushed a three-run homerun (the first three-run homerun for the Dodgers this season) as they took the early lead. They scored again in the second, but the Birds were able to tack on two in the bottom of the second off a J.J. Hardy two-run blast to cut the lead in half. After that the Dodgers offense was stagnate, and they only managed one additional run in the seventh. The O’s on the other hand continued to chip away and add a run in the fourth, two in the sixth, and two more in the bottom of the eighth to seal the deal and defeat the Dodgers. Ryu wasn’t involved in the decision, and we can’t be too hard on the lefty since his curveball was on and other than a couple bad pitches, he looked good. The Dodgers have now lost five in a row. They continue to leave runners in scoring position, the bullpen continues to struggle (I’m not talking about you Kenley), and the defense made some big mistakes this game as well including an error from Kemp, a misplay by Ethier, and a passed ball by Hernandez. Here’s how it all happened…

Apr 20, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier (16) hits a three-run home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Ellis smacks a single to right field with one out in the first inning as we get a long day of baseball underway in Baltimore. Matt Kemp follows with a single of his own to left field. Adrian Gonzalez hits a long fly ball to left field, and for some reason Mark Ellis can’t tag up on that. Luckily it doesn’t matter because Andre Ethier comes up and wallops a HUGE three-run homerun to right field! The Dodgers go up 3-0! Ramon Hernandez draws a walk, and Jason Hammel is struggling here in the first inning as he curses to himself on the mound.  Skip Schumaker strikes out to end the inning.

Nick Markakis leads off the home half of the first for the O’s with a single off Hyun-jin Ryu. Ryu comes back to strike out Manny Machado on three pitches. Adam Jones draws a walk. Matt Wieters grounds into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat!

Justin Sellers singles in the second with one out. Carl Crawford doubles to left field, and Nolan Reimold dives but the ball bounces away. That could have easily been ruled an error on Reimold. That gives the Dodgers runners at second and third with one out. Sellers tags up and scores on a sacrifice fly by Mark Ellis, and the Dodgers are up 4-0. Matt Kemp strikes out to end the inning.

The O’s lead off the third with a single again, this time by Chris Davis. J.J. Hardy then hits a two-run homerun to left field, and all of a sudden the O’s have cut the Dodgers lead in half with one swing of the bat. Steve Pierce, the DH, grounds out. Reimold strikes out. Alexi Casilla singles and ends up at second bases on a line drive that is bobbled by Matt Kemp after the ball takes a bad bounce. Kemp draws his first error on the season. Luckily Kemp’s error is not cashed in by the O’s as Markakis grounds out to Ryu to end the frame.

The Dodgers go down 1-2-3 in the third inning.

In the bottom of the third, Adam Jones and Chris Davis strike out. Ryu now has 4 Ks through three innings. The O’s go down in order. Ryu’s curveball is looking very good today. It has a big break to it.

Hammel walks Schumaker to open the fourth. Luis Cruz once again pops out. Sellers hits into an inning ending double play.

Ryu strikes out Hardy to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Nolan Reimold comes up and smacks a solo homerun to left field, and now it is a one-run ballgame, 4-3. Casilla strikes out.

Mark Ellis doubles to left center field with one out in the fifth. Matt Kemp hits an infield single on a chopper to third. The Dodgers have runners at first and third with one out. While Gonzo is busy whiffing at the plate, Matt Kemp steals his first base of the season. They intentionally walk Ethier to load the bases up for Ramon Hernandez. Hernandez strikes out on a foul tip into the catcher’s glove to strand all the runners, and we yearn for A.J. Ellis.

Ryu has an easy 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the fifth, and the Dodgers go down in order in the top of the sixth.

Hyun-jin Ryu’s quality start is obliterated by the Dodger bullpen and the offensive shortcomings. Photo: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Wieters singles on a ball hit to Ethier which he can’t keep a hold off to start the bottom of the sixth. Ethier tries to slide, and the ball is bumbled in his hands. Then Chris Davis doubles to the center field gap, and the O’s are in business with runners at second and third with nobody out. Wieters scores on a sac fly by Hardy, and the ballgame is all tied up 4-4. Steve Pierce singles, and the O’s take the lead 5-4 as Davis scores. Rick Honeycutt goes out to the mound for a meeting with the infield. A Reimold fly out and a Casilla force out finally ends the costly inning.

Pedro Strop, a righty, will relieve Hammel in the seventh. Jason Hammel pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks on 113 pitches. Mark Ellis draws a walk with one out. Matt Kemp squeaks a broken bat infield single past Davis, and Ellis takes third on the play. The Dodgers are very fortunate this inning, and a wild pitch with Gonzo at the plate allows Ellis to score! Kemp takes second as well. The game is tied up 5-5. They then intentionally walk Gonzalez to get to Ethier. Buck Showalter will go to the pen and bring in a lefty, Brian Matusz, to face Dre. Ethier strikes out. Hernandez’s warning track power fly out ends the rally and inning.

Kenley Jansen comes out of the Dodgers bullpen to pitch the bottom of the seventh. Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 6 innings, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks on 95 pitches. Kenley pitches a perfect seventh inning with a strikeout of Adam Jones for good measure.

Darren O’ Day comes in to pitch after Schumaker is retired by Matusz in the eighth inning. O’Day puts Cruz on after hitting him with a pitch. Sellers pops out, and Crawford strikes out.

Jason Hammel settles down after an early meltdown at Camden Yards. Photo: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Jansen will pitch the bottom of the eighth. The Dodgers don’t want to burn through too many arms since it’s a doubleheader today. He induces a groundout from Wieters, and then Mattingly decides to go to Paco Rodriguez to face Chris Davis. Davis proceeds to promptly double off the center field wall. Kenley couldn’t get two more outs? Mattingly goes to the pen again, and Ronald Belisario will come in. He promptly walks Hardy. Honeycutt comes out for another infield mound meeting. Ramon Hernandez changes his mitt. With Nate McLouth batting a passed ball by Hernandez allows the runners to advance to second and third. An intentional walk to McLouth loads the bases up with one out. Reimold then doubles down the right field line, and the Orioles plate two runners and now lead 7-5. Belisario looks awful. Showalter puts on the squeeze, and McLouth is tagged out trying to come home as Casilla misses the bunt attempt at the plate. That’s two outs. Casilla strikes out swinging, but the damage is done.

Jim Johnson will try to shut the door on the Dodgers in the top of the ninth inning. Mark Ellis goes down on strikes for out number one. Matt Kemp grounds out. Gonzalez grounds out.

The Dodgers now fall two games below .500 as the downward spiral continues. They  will try to regroup before they take the field for game two at 4:05 p.m. Scott will have the game two recap for you following the game.