Dodgers Look To Limp Bizkit All Over The Nations Capital, Greinke Duels Gio

Dodgers Lineup vs. Washington

M.Ellis 4Puig 9Gonzalez 3Hanley 6Uribe 5Ethier 8Van Slyke 7Federowicz 2Greinke 1

Zack Greinke-8-2 vs. Gio Gonzalez-7-3

The Dodgers are rolling! They’re rollin, rollin, rollin! They’re rolling! Not the dinner variety. I am talking about a great roll of almost Fred Durst like in nature. A roll so big that they now find themselves only one and a half games back after last night’s Arizona defeat to the Giants in San Francisco. yes that means they have now won 18 of their last 23 ball games. I know, we all feel dirty having to root for the Giants, but we need Arizona to lose until we take over first place. Once that happens then the Dodgers can never look back. Until then, ironically the Giants can actually help us with a win over the Snakes tonight. Yuck, I think I need a bath now.

The Dodgers look to Limp Bizkit all over the Nationals in game two tonight at 4:05 PM. Last night’s game was pretty awesome. Andre Ethier’s ninth inning solo blast was the difference maker.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher

A.J. Ellis

(17) and starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) celebrate the 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re wondering why Don Mattingly removed Yasiel Puig from the game last night then you’re not the only one. I was wondering the same thing after watching Mattingly using one of his beloved double-switches that removed Puig out of the game in the seventh inning. Puig was switched out for Skip Schumaker, and no matter how you try and look at that in a positive light, it remains stupid. Far be it for me to argue about anything Mattingly does right now since the team is winning, but if I didn’t look for things that are hugely erroneous then what kind of service am I providing over here right?

Of course I will still play armchair athlete, but no matter how you shake it, taking out anyone for Schumaker is not a good idea. Schumaker is not an upgrade offensively or defensively over anyone. So doesn’t that piss you off? I mean do I have to use my Richard Dreyfuss voice while asking you that? Huh? Think about it. My voice is just getting higher and whinier, and more Dreyfuss like. But think about it, Puig for Schumaker? heh?! I think he did it to give the rookie a rest, considering he went 0 for 4 in the game last night. He still made an outstanding catch in the right field corner, and made two amazing throws that really looked on the money, but the umpires blew both calls. Anyways, what do you think about the move last night? Do you think Mattingly was right to take out Puig? Puig and the rest of the Dodgers will battle Washington again tonight, as Zack Greinke will take the mound for the Boys in Blue.

Gio Gonzalez-David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Greinke’s last start against Colorado the previous Saturday before the break was one of his best starts of the year. Greinke pitched a two-hit shutout, blanking the Rockies while whiffing nine. This time he’ll face a Washington team he has only faced three times and has never pitched against at National’s Park. Greinke is 3-0 against Washington in his career with a 1.86 ERA, which includes a win over them at home earlier in the season. In that game Greinke allowed just one run and five hits across 5.1 innings. Greinke has been pretty good versus the Nats. he’s whiffed 19 Nationals, and walked just one. Greinke has allowed just four earned runs to the Nationals in his entire career. Although looking at the numbers, a couple of the Washington guys have hit him before. That includes Denard Span, and Kurt Suzuki, who have each batted over .300 against Birdman in past meetings. Greinke is 8-2 on the season with a 3.49 ERA.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Denard Span

.321

.367

.429

Kurt Suzuki

.313

.389

.313

Chad Tracy

.600

.667

1.000

Roger Bernadina

.400

Ian Desmond

.000

Adam LaRoche

.800

1.400

Jayson Werth

.333

.500

.333

Scott Hairston

.000

Steve Lombardozzi

.000

Ryan Zimmerman

.000

Wilson Ramos

1.000

1.500

Craig Stammen

.000

Total

.329

.376

.443

Washington will counter with left hander Gio Gonzalez. The 27 year old Florida native has had a tremendously solid year so far. Gonzalez is 7-3 with a 3.03 ERA. Gonzalez has improved upon his shaky control, allowing just 34 walks, but whiffing 114.

Gonzalez has not faced the Dodgers at all this year, and has only faced them once in his career, in which he threw six frames ad allowed two runs on three hits and whiffed seven while walking five in a loss. The Dodger hitters have hardly faced him, and are 10 for 46 (.217) against Gonzalez. Juan Uribe is the lone Dodger with a home run versus the left hander.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Juan Uribe

.375

.545

.750

Adrian Gonzalez

.222

Nick Punto

.500

Carl Crawford

.143

Hanley Ramirez

.000

Mark Ellis

.000

Andre Ethier

.000

.667

.000

Skip Schumaker

.000

Chris Capuano

.000

Total

.217

.294

.283

Oh and Matt Kemp is rehabbing right now, and is eligible to be activated from the DL tomorrow, but we’ll see when he’s ready to be activated.

Well that’s about it for this morning. We need the Snakes to keep losing here. You can catch the game at 4:05 PM today on Prime Ticket. Tomorrow’s affair is an early morning 10:35 AM start time. So grab your coffee. Stacie will be covering tonight’s match. Once the game is over hop on over here for our recap, which will immediately follow the game. Go Blue!

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