Battle Hardened Dodgers Wrestle With Snakes For Series Win

Dodgers Lineup vs. Arizona

*Yasiel Puig has been scracthed from tonight’s lineup with a sore shoulder. He suffered the injury during last night’s brawl. He was seen walknig off the field during batting practice with the trainers. The Dodgers can thank themselves for their own stupidity. This is truly one of the most miserable seasons I can remember. I really hate this season. Alex Castellanos will play right field tonight and bat eighth.*

Patrick Corbin-9-0 vs. Hyun-jin Ryu-6-2

The battle hardened Dodgers will try for only their third series win versus a divisional opponent all season in tonight’s rubber game against the Snakes. The Dodgers had lost 16 of their last 20 to Arizona before last night’s thrilling come from behind brawl fueled win over the Dbacks. The Snakes had won six of the last eight played at Dodger Stadium, and the Dodgers finally winning last night was like getting the proverbial monkey off their backs. After all the Dodgers had lost seven of eight this year to Arizona before last night.

The Dodgers took advantage of three straight walks from David Hernandez in the eighth inning, and a three-run double from catcher Tim Federowicz to rally from a 3-2 deficit, to win 5-3. The defeat stopped a three game losing streak. The game was a crazy one with the Dodgers participating in another huge brawl during the bottom of the seventh inning. In that wild seventh frame, Ian Kennedy hit Zack Greinke in the head with a pitch before he was ejected, and then the benches cleared.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier (16) celebrates after scoring a run in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

It got ugly for a few minutes, and we won’t know for a while if anyone will receive suspensions because Joe Torre is on vacation. Although it stands to reason that Kennedy would receive some sort of suspension for throwing at Greinke. Do keep in mind that three other players were hit in the game. A beaning of Cody Ross earlier in the game came before a Jason Kubel two-run home run. Ironically after Kennedy hit Yasiel Puig in the head sparking off a frenzy of irate Dodger fans also came right before an Andre Ethier two-run home run. Then Miguel Montero was hit in the back with a pitch in the top of the seventh. Keep in mind though that Montero was hit in the back, and Greinke was hit in the head. Big difference. The Dodgers were not trying to kill Montero. It seemed like the Dbacks were trying to hurt Greinke. Regardless, yes both sides were stupid and there was plenty of blame to go around for the shocking display of testosterone. Eric Stephen has some pretty cool GIFs of the melee.

At this point the Dodger’s position in the standings means nothing at the moment. Tonight, the two teams will duke it out again, this time with the series bragging rights on the line. The Dodgers may be in last place but it’s June, and they are trying to win a Baseball game. There is bound to be some more bad blood between the clubs tonight.

The Snakes will give the ball to nine game winner Patrick Corbin. Corbin is the 22 year old pitcher that came over to the Dbacks in the Dan Haren trade, and has been one of the league leaders in wins, and ERA throughout the year. The left hander is from Clay New York and made his MLB debut last season and pitched in 22 games. He started 17 of those and posted a 6-8 record, and a 4.54 ERA. I have no idea why but this season he has been other worldly. He is 9-0 in 2013, with a 1.98 ERA. In 12 games he has whiffed 65 and walked 22. He’s only giving up 6.9 hits per nine, and has only served up four home runs all year.

Corbin is most notably a fastball, changeup, slider guy. He also has developed and uses a knuckle-curve. He generally hits between 90-92 on the radar gun. Last start against the Giants he went 7.1 innings allowing one run on seven hits and whiffed four in a 3-1 win. How has he fared against the Dodgers? Well he is 2-1 lifetime, with a 1.33 ERA and has made three starts and pitched in four games against the Boys in Blue. Last season he allowed two runs through 5.1 innings in a loss the first time he faced the Dodgers. One game he recorded a three inning save, and then another game he allowed just two hits through six innings in an eventual Dbacks win. This season he has only faced the Dodgers once, back on April 12, and picked up the win by allowing three hits in six frames. Corbin has held the Dodgers to a .152 (5 for 33) average with no home runs.

Patrick Corbin-Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers will counter with lefty Hyun-jin Ryu. The MLB rookie has been one of the few bright spots in the Dodgers miserable season. Ryu is 6-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 73 whiffs against 23 walks. Ryu has had a great season and is 1-0 against the Snakes. He beat them back on April 13 when he whiffed nine and allowed three runs in six frames, and collected three hits the bat for good measure. Ryu’s last outing against Atlanta resulted in a no-decision but a Dodger win. Ryu was spectacular whiffing six and tossing six innings of one-run ball.

Can we have one day go by without any injuries or brawls? It seems all the Dodgers are doing this year is getting hurt, losing and fighting with other teams. You can catch the game tonight at 7:10 PM on Prime Ticket. Tonight’s game will conclude the Dodger’s ten game home stand. After tonight’s game the Dodgers will have Thursday off, and then will embark upon a long ten game road trip. They’ll play a weekend series in Pittsburgh before flying to New York and then San Diego. We’ll have our recap over here after the game like we normally do. So don’t miss that. Go Blue.