Dodgers Trounce Toronto 14-5 as A.J. Ellis Drives in Five

Dodgers 14 16 0

Blue Jays 5 13 5

WP- Ryu (8-3)

LP- Johnson (1-6)

HR- A.J. Ellis (5), Schumaker (1)

The Dodgers had to use their passports on Sunday night when they headed up to Ontario, Canada to play a rare three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers exploded offensively for the second night in a row. They knocked starting pitcher Josh Johnson out after two fateful innings. The Dodgers scored four runs in an inning three times- the second, sixth, and seventh innings. A.J. Ellis was the man in charge as the catcher drove in 5 runs on 4 hits with 3 runs. Carl Crawford had three hits and made a great catch in left field. Andre Ethier hit two doubles while bringing in 3 runs. Then Skip Schumaker joined in on the festivities by clobbering his first homerun as a Dodger, a towering three-run shot. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. At that point the Dodgers had 14 runs on 16 hits. They’ve scored 23 runs in the last 2 games. The Blue Jays committed 5 errors on the night, and five of their pitchers allowed at least one run. Need I say more? A feast for the eyes.

Hyun-jin Ryu picks up his eighth win in front of Korean fans in Canada. Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Ready for some Dodger baseball, eh? Josh Johnson is on the mound for the Blue Jays to open a three-game series up in Toronto. The roof at Rogers Centre is open to reveal a beautiful Canadian sky. Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig tap out to first, and Johnson strikes out Adrian Gonzalez to end the top of the first.

Hyun-jin Ryu makes a slick play on a grounder hit by Jose Bautista as he shovels the ball underhand from his glove to the bare hand of Adrian Gonzalez! That’s the second out, but then Edwin Encarnacion singles over the head of Uribe to the left field corner. Adam Lind singles to center field. The Astroturf allows the ball to quickly get past the Dodger infield. Ryu finally gets the final out as Melky Cabrera grounds out to Mark Ellis at second. The Blue Jays fail to cash in on their consecutive singles.

Hanley Ramirez fans at a slider for the first out of the top of the second. Andre Ethier, the Dodgers designated hitter, hits a bouncing ground-rule double over the right-center field wall. Then A.J. Ellis proceeds to crush a two-run homerun to center field! That’s A.J.’s fifth homerun of the year. Skip Schumaker lines out to Lind at first. Uribe gets plunked right on his wrist, and the Dodgers trainers go out to check on him. He stays in the game and takes first base. Mark Ellis drops a single into right field, and the Dodgers have two on with two outs. Carl Crawford hits a single up the middle past the kickin’ leg of Johnson, and Uribe scores standing up as the throw gets away. MEllis takes third on the throwing error by outfielder Colby Rasmus. Puig also hits one right up the middle, and the fourth Dodger run of the inning comes in with MEllis! Adrian Gonzalez draws a walk as the Josh Johnson meltdown continues. The Dodgers have totally batted around, Hanley is back up to bat for the second time. Hanley fouls a ball off his leg, and the trainers have to come out again. Hanley fouls a second ball off his leg. Hanley ends up grounding into a force out to end the inning, but not before the Dodgers hang up a big four on the board.

In the home half of the second, Mark DeRosa singles to lead-off. Rasmus flies out to center. Ryu strikes out J.P. Arencibia for his first whiff of the game. Hanley falls down, but he makes the play to force out DeRosa on a grounder by Brett Lawrie.

Andre doubles again in the top of the third! This time he hustles into second as the ball bounces off the left field wall. That’s

Andre Ethier doubles twice and now has 8 consecutive seasons of 20+ doubles. Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Ethier’s 20th double of the season, and he now has eight consecutive seasons with 20 doubles or more. A.J. Ellis singles in Ethier, and the Dodgers take a padded 5-0 lead. A.J. takes second on a wild pitch with Schumaker in the box. Schumaker is safe at first when catcher’s interference is called on the Arencibia. His glove comes off after Schumaker hits a grounder. That’s going to be all for Johnson who only makes it through 2 innings and allowed 5 runs on 7 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk on 67 pitches. Aaron Loup, a lefty sidearmer, comes out of the Toronto bullpen to take over. Uribe lines out to second for the first out. MEllis flies out. Crawford gets an infield single as he hits a ball off Loup’s glove. Puig swings at three pitches far off the plate, and he goes down on strikes. The Dodgers are able to add a run and knock out Johnson.

Carl Crawford makes a fine catch on a deep fly ball by Jose Reyes as he catches it hitting the wall against his back in the bottom of the third. Joey Bats grounds out. Encarnacion singles on a ball hit to Hanley. Hanley throws high and it goes past Gonzo. Lind walks. Cabrera singles, and Encarnacion brings in the first Toronto run. DeRosa singles to right field, and Schumaker can’t make the diving catch. Lind scores, and it’s now 5-2. Rasmus strikes out, and the inning finally concludes.

Gonzo draws a lead-off walk against Loup in the top of the fourth. Hanley hits a long single to left, and Gonzo advances to third. Adrian Gonzalez scores on a double play ball hit by Ethier. A.J. Ellis reaches safely on a throwing error by Reyes. That’s Toronto’s third error of the game. Skip grounds out to third, but the Dodgers add to their lead, 6-2.

Ryu strikes out Arencibia to start the bottom of the fourth. The southpaw then walks Lawrie, but Mark Ellis makes a very nice turn to complete a double play on a groundball by Reyes.

Jerry Hairston Jr. hugs coach Lopes in the dugout before the game. Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Dustin McGowan is the new pitcher for Toronto. Mark Ellis singles with one out. Crawford reaches safely after the pitcher McGowan commits a throwing error on a force attempt. That’s the fourth error on the night for the Jays. Puig flies out, and Gonzo grounds out to end the frame.

Edwin Encarnacion singles again in the bottom of the fifth with one out. Adam Lind grounds into an inning ending double play.

Hanley leads off with a free pass in the sixth. Ethier reaches on what they ruled an error later on for first baseman Adam Lind. It goes down the right field line for his third hit of the night. A.J. singles, and that’s his third hit as well, and Hanley scores the seventh Dodger run. The Blue Jays will go to their pen again, and this time Brett Cecil will come in. Skip Schumaker singles up the middle to load the bases up. Uribe grounds out, but Ethier scores. The Dodgers score their ninth run on a sacrifice fly by MEllis. Crawford singles again, his third hit, and Skip scores. 10-2 Dodgers. Puig strikes out to end the inning.

Cabrera leads off with a single in the bottom of the sixth. DeRosa lines out to Schumaker who makes a nice catch in right field. Rasmus singles. That’s going to be all for Hyun-jin Ryu who went 5 1/2 innings while allowing 2 runs on 9 hits with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks on 102 pitches. Young flamethrower Jose Dominguez will come in with runners at first and second with one out. Arencibia singles to short since Hanley’s force attempt throw is just beat out by Rasmus. Lawrie hits a grounder to Uribe at third which he gets the out at second as a run scores. A wild pitch allows Rasmus to score, and it’s now 10-4. Reyes pops out in foul territory, and A.J. makes a good catch for the third out.

Steve Delabar will pitch for the Jays in the top of the seventh. Gonzo draws a lead-off walk. Hanley doubles on a line drive to left field which is deflected by DeRosa at third. A.J. Ellis hits his fourth hit of the ninth and drives in his 5th RBI on a single to right! Then something magical happens that hardly ever happens to gritty old utility players… Skip Schumaker, with his new number of 55, proceeded to hit a towering three-run homerun to right field. The Dodgers now lead 14-4.

J.P. Howell will pitch the bottom of the seventh for the Dodgers, and he retires the side in order.

Darren Oliver comes in for the eighth inning for the Jays. Puig is hit by a pitch. Hanley scorches a line drive to third, but DeRosa is able to corral it for the end of the inning.

DeRosa hits a ground-rule double to lead-off the bottom of the eighth versus Howell. Rasmus also singles, and DeRosa scores. Arencibia and Lawrie are retired to end the inning. It’s 10-5 in favor of the Dodgers.

Josh Johnson only makes it through two innings. Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Casey Janssen comes in to pitch the top of the ninth for Toronto in this blowout. Ethier strikes out. A.J. Ellis grounds out. Schumaker strikes out on a foul tip.

Chris Withrow comes in to shut the Blue Jays down in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Emilio Bonifacio singles to left. Puig makes a catch in center to retire Rajai Davis, but he collides with Skip Schumaker. Luckily he is able to put the brakes on quickly before he steamrolled over the little guy. Withrow strikes out Josh Thole. Adam Lind strikes out, and the Dodgers take game one in Canada!

The Dodgers remain undefeated in the second half as they win their fourth consecutive game since the All-Star Break. They are now 4 games above .500 at 51-47. If the D-backs lose tonight the Dodgers will be in sole possession of first place.

Tomorrow game two will be at 4:07 p.m. on KCAL. Chris Capuano will face Todd Redmond.