Capuano Earns First Win Of The Season, With Help From Friends

The Dodgers won their first series in almost two weeks by winning the rubber game of the three game set with the Fish by a score of 5-3 on Mother’s Day. Chris Capuano, the Dodger’s starting pitcher for today took control of the game with a strong outing, but also received a little help from his friends along the way. The left hander earned his first win of the season. Remember these two wins were nice, but it’s the Marlins. The Dodgers still have a long way to go.

Chris Capuano beat rookie Tom Koehler who was replacing the injured Wade Leblanc on the mound for the Marlins. Despite Capuano’s 6.1 strong innings of one run ball, with seven whiffs, he still needed some help from some of his friends. That would be Scott Van Slyke, who was filling in for the sore Adrian Gonzalez.  The big slugger went 2 for 4 with a solo home run, RBI single, and made a great diving stop at first base on a line drive to save a run. And that would also be Matt Kemp, who was 2 for 3 and collected his 1,000 career hit. Lead-off Friend Carl Crawford collected two hits, and drove in a run with an RBI single. Other friends like Kenley Jansen helped out too, with two scoreless innings of relief.

The Dodgers scored one run in the second, fourth, and three more in the seventh. The Dodgers added sacrifice fly balls, from Punto, and Ethier.

Despite resident Bum closer Brandon League allowing two additional Fish runs in the top of the ninth, the Dodgers still held on for a 5-3 win on Mother’s Day. This win is for you Mom!

Capuano gets his first win of 2013-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Former Dodger Juan Pierre leads off the game with a fly ball to center, that Matt Kemp nearly misplays, but recovers to make the catch while reaching over his shoulder. Cappy whiffs Placido Polanco, Justin Ruggiano follows with a single to center. Marcell Ozuna’s line drive single moves Ruggiano over to third with two outs. The crisis is averted when Miguel Olivo flies out to Kemp. Mom would be proud.

Carl Crawford opens up the bottom of the first with a single off of Nick Green’s glove, as he had to come off the bag to field the hopper. Dee Gordon singles to center, and Crawford moves up to second. Koehler gets Kemp to fly out to right, and Crawford tries to tag up, but is gunned down at third by a great throw from Marcell Ozuna. It’s a double play and a Tootlban all rolled into one. Excellent Dodgers. Gordon steals second, but it’s too little too late, as Andre Ethier grounds out to end the frame.

Capuano retires the Fish in order in the top of the second. Cappy gets his first whiff of the day on a strikeout of Nick Green. The Dodgers jump out in front in the bottom of the second. Scott Van Slyke filling in for the resting and sore Adrian Gonzalez, homers over the center field wall, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. That’s Van Slyke’s third career major league home run.

Cappy whiffs Koehler and Polanco to make quick work in the top of the third. Move to the top of the fourth. Capuano gets into a bit of trouble, but gets a little help from his teammates to escape. A one out Ozuna single, and a wild pitch puts a runner into scoring position for the Fish. Olivo’s grounder moves Ozuna to third. After a walk to Green, Cappy gets Derek Dietrich to ground out to first, but it’s a great diving play by Van Slyke that gets the third out, and saves a run from scoring in the process. Nice work Scott!

Kemp collected his 1,000th career hit.-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers extend their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Tim Federowicz singles, and advances to third on a long double from Schumaker. Nick Punto’s sacrifice fly scores Fedex, and the Dodgers lead by two.

Matt Kemp collects his 1,000 career hit in the bottom of the fifth, on a broken-bat single. The Dodgers don’t score in that frame, but congratulations to Bison on a career milestone.

Capuano surrenders his third home run of the season, a solo shot to Justin Ruggiano. The home run which is Ruggiano’s seventh of the season, makes the score 2-1 Dodgers. Ryan Webb a right hander, takes over for To Koehler in the bottom of the sixth. Koehler made 79 pitches through five frames, and allowed two runs on seven hits. He walked one, and whiffed just one.

Webb retires the Dodgers 123 in the bottom of the sixth. That keeps the score 2-1, as we move into the seventh.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler (34) pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Dietrich’s one-out double in the top of the seventh, worries us, and puts a runner into scoring position for the Marlins. Mattingly hooks Capuano after just 79 pitches, and goes to Kenley Jansen to stop this late rally. Cappy allows one run on five hits, through 6.1, while whiffing seven.

Jansen comes in from the bullpen and easily whiffs Adeiny Hechavarria, and pinch-hitter Chris Coughlin. The Dodgers get out of it, and still cling to a 2-1 lead.

The Dodgers score three runs off the Fish bullpen in the seventh. With the gentle giant Jon Rauch on the mound in the bottom of the seventh, Punto singles to center, and Uribe’s (he was double switched in with Jansen.) ground-ball single to center, gets Punto to third. This forces the Fish to make a pitching change. Enter lefty Mike Dunn of the 1.62 ERA, Dunn. Crawford reaches to poke a single through the drawn-in infield to score Punto, and make it a 3-1 Dodger lead. Gordon’s sacrifice moves the runners to second and third with one out.  The Fish intentionally walk Kemp to load the bases.

Andre Ethier’s sacrifice fly is hit to the right side of the outfield, or should I say into left field, where Pierre’s noodle-like arm is unable to throw out Juan Uribe, as he scores to make it a 4-1 Dodger lead. Van Slyke’s line drive base hit to right, scores Crawford to give the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. Mattingly lets Jansen hit for himself, and he grounds out to end the frame.

Miami Marlins third baseman Placido Polanco (30) tags out Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford (25) at third base in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jansen makes quick work of the fish in the top of the eighth, getting Pierre to ground out, and whiffing Polanco and Ruggiano.

Move to the top of the ninth, with the Dodgers leading 5-1. Of course, Mattingly just had to bring in Brandon League. Why? I don’t know. The guy is cooked. Marcell Ozuna grounds out. Miguel Olivo bloop single to center starts it all. The Dodgers are unable to turn a double play on a Nick Green grounder, which turns into a force out. Dietrich’s single sends Green to third. Dietrich then takes second on defensive indifference. Hechavarria doubles in both runs, and the Fish are down 5-3. Finally pinch-hitter Gregg Dobbs makes the last out and grounds sharply to Uribe to end the game, and give the Dodgers a Mother’s Day victory.

Enjoy the winning while it lasts guys, because starting tomorrow night, Washington comes into town for a three game series. Tomorrow’s mismatch features Washington’s Jordan Zimmerman and his 1.59 ERA, against Josh Beckett’s winless record and his 5.13 ERA for the Dodgers. Tomorrow night’s game time is 7:10 PM. The Dodgers are now 15-21 on the season.

Before I sign off, I just want to give a shout out to my Mom, and tell her how much I love her. I love you Mom! This win was for you. Until tomorrow guys! Go Blue.