Matt Magill’s Masterful Debut is Marred By Matt Guerrier

Dodgers 4 7 1

Brewers 6 9 2

WP- Peralta (2-1)

LP/BS – Guerrier (1-1)

S- Henderson (6)

HR- Ethier (3), Gomez (3), Maldonado (1)

The injuries have become devastating to the Dodgers this April. Mark Ellis is day-to-day with a sore quadriceps, Stephen Fife hits the DL with shoulder bursitis, and before the game we learned that Adrian Gonzalez was in the hospital being treated for a minor skin infection in his right leg. Gonzalez returned to the Dodger dugout during the second inning. With Matt Magill‘s MLB debut tonight, the Dodgers have now used nine starters so far this season. They had begun with eight starters on the 25-man roster to open the season. Magill, a Southern California local from Simi Valley, will make his start in front of his parents and family. Magill began his professional career in the Gulf Coast League at the Rookie level. Magill would be promoted each and every season thus far within the Dodgers’ farm system, and last year with the AA-Chattanooga Lookouts Magill  went 11-8 in 26 games started with a 3.75 ERA. He pitched a minor league career high of 146 1/3 innings, and he struck out a personal best 168 batters while walking 61. He also recorded a minor league career best SO/BB (2.75) and SO/9 (10.3). He was selected to the Southern League midseason All-Star team. I ranked Magill #6 on my 2013 Top Ten Dodgers Prospects.

Apr 27, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Matt Magill (36) sits in the dugout during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Magill pitched his heart out in front of his adoring family at Dodger Stadium. He struck out 7 batters often utilizing an effective rising fastball. After being lifted in the seventh inning with just one more out to make, due to a pitch count supposedly, Don Mattingly‘s decision to go to Matt Guerrier in the bullpen is costly. Guerrier proceeds to give up two, yes two two-run homeruns in less than an inning of work. The Dodgers would get back one run on a solo homerun by Andre Ethier in the eighth. The Dodgers couldn’t beat Milwaukee closer Jim Henderson who picked up his sixth save of the year.

Matt Magill starts off by walking Norichika Aoki in the top of the first. Carlos Gomez is Magill’s first strikeout victim as he goes down swinging. Ryan Braun hits a deep fly ball to center field, and Matt Kemp makes a very nice catch to retire him. With Yuniesky Betancourt at the plate, Aoki steals second base. Betancourt manages an infield single even after Luis Cruz stops the ball deep from the hole at short and makes a close throw at first. It prevents Aoki from scoring, and he has to stop at third on the play. Luckily Rickie Weeks has been struggling, and he grounds into an inning ending force out. Magill gets out of the early jam.

Wily Peralta quickly strikes out Carl Crawford in the bottom half of the first. A.J. Ellis, who is batting second tonight, grounds out. Andre Ethier flies out to center as the Dodgers go down in order.

With his family cheering him on from the stands, Matt Magill opens up the top of the second inning by striking out Martin Maldonado. Blake Lalli hits another deep fly ball to center, but luckily Kemp is there again to snag it right in front of the wall. Alex Gonzalez also hits a fly ball to center, and Kemp makes the third out.

Kemp and Skip Schumaker both ground out in the bottom of the second. Jerry Hairston Jr. smacks a stand-up double to left center with two outs. Luis Cruz hits his signature pop-out, and JHair is stranded at second.

Wily Peralta strikes out swinging, and that’s Magill’s third whiff of the game and young career. Aoki gets a free pass for the second time. Carlos

Apr 27, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis (17) looks out to the field as Milwaukee Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado (12) crosses the plate after a two-run home run in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Gomez singles to right. Ryan Braun hits a little comebacker, and Schumaker can’t stay on the bag to get the runner at second after Magill turns and throws to the wrong base. The Brewers have the bases juiced with one out. Betancourt singles to center, and Aoki scores giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead. Rick Honeycutt goes out to counsel the young pitcher. A second run scores on a groundball to third. Uribe gets the out at second instead of getting the force at home, and they aren’t in time to double them up at first. 2-0 Milwaukee. Magill strikes out Maldonado to end the rally.

Juan Uribe lines a single to center to lead-off in the bottom of the third. Matt Magill drops a successful sacrifice bunt to move Uribe to second in his first career MLB at-bat. Uribe takes third on a wild pitch with Crawford at the plate. Crawford strikes out for the second time. A.J. Ellis flares a single just over the leaping Weeks to bring in Uribe! 2-1 Brewers.

Magill strikes out Lalli to begin the fourth. Gonzalez also strikes out, and Magill now has six strikeout. He’s been using his rising fastball to his advantage. Peralta grounds out as Milwaukee goes down 1-2-3.

Kemp plunks a single to center. With Schumaker at the plate, Kemp steals second. That’s his fourth stolen base of the season in four attempts. Schumaker’s chopper is thrown away by Gonzalez as Kemp scores on the error. Schumaker ends up at second. The game is tied up 2-2.

Other than a one-out single by Carlos Gomez, Magill pitches another nice inning.

To quote Vin Scully: “The Dodgers tiptoe quietly through the fifth inning.”

Apr 27, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) gets a broken bat single in the fourth inning of the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Magill cruises through the sixth as the Brewers go down in order.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Dodgers score again. Matt Kemp and Skip Schumaker hit consecutive singles. Kemp advances to third on a fly out by JHair. Matt Kemp scores on a groundout by Luis Cruz. The Dodgers take the lead for the first time in the game as they lead 3-2.

Matt Magill starts the seventh inning, and he gets two outs on a ground out from Alex Gonzalez and a strikeout (Magill’s seventh of the game). Then for some reason Don Mattingly decides to take out Magill. He couldn’t get the last out of the inning? Inexplicable. He brings in Paco Rodriguez, and Aoki promptly drags a bunt for an infield single. He advances to second after Skip Schumaker throws the ball away for an error. Mattingly brings out the hook again, and decides to go with the worst pitcher out of the pen. Yes. Matt Guerrier. Carlos Gomez hits the Guerrier meatball high and deep. The two-run homerun give the Brewers a 4-2 lead. Braun walks but is thrown out by A.J. Ellis attempting to steal second to end the inning.

Matt Magill pitched 6 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks on 103 pitches.

Wily Peralta pitched 6 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk on 96 pitches.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers are shut down by lefty Tom Gorzelanny. Adrian Gonzalez, who has returned from the hospital, grounds out. Crawford and A.J. both are retired by Gorzelanny.

The Brewers get another two runs in the top of the eighth thanks to a struggling bullpen. A Dodger starting pitcher has not won a start since back on April 13th. Rickie Weeks singles with one out. Martin Maldonado hits a two-run homerun off Guerrier who is for some reason still pitching. Brewers are up 6-3. Guerrier has now served up two two-run homeruns to the Brewers. J.P. Howell has to be brought in, and he strikes out Lalli and retires Gonzalez on a ground ball.

John Axford is in for the bottom of the eighth inning. Andre Ethier goes deep with a solo homerun off Axford giving the Dodgers one run back which they had lost the previous inning, but it’s still 6-4.

Josh wall will pitch the ninth for the Dodgers. Logan Schafer singles to lead-off. Aoki tries to bunt for a single again, but this time A.J. gets the ball and guns it to Gonzo for the out. Gomez strikes out. Wall intentionally walks Braun. Betancourt grounds out to Punto who is now in at third to end the frame.

Jim Henderson comes in to close down the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth. He’s 2-0 with a .90 ERA going into this game. Luis Cruz pops out as usual for the first out. Nick Punto draws a walk. Good at-bat from Punto. And here he is…Adrian Gonzalez…but he merely flies out. On would have been the last out, the grounder hit by Crawford bounces off Betancourt’s glove. The Dodgers now have runners at third and first with two out and A.J. Ellis up to bat. Crawford steals second base. Henderson finally wins the battle as he gets A.J. to ground out to third base.

The Dodgers dip below .500 again and are now 11-12.

Tomorrow I’ll be enjoying the game with my daughter at Dodgers Stadium. Scott will be handling the game coverage. The 1:10 p.m. rubber game features a great match-up between Clayton Kershaw and Kyle Lohse.