Scrub City For Game Two, Nolasco Duels Zito

Dodgers Lineup @ Giants

Ricky Nolasco-13-10 vs. Barry Zito-2-5

It’s scrub city for the second game of the three game series between the Dodgers and Giants at Phony Book Park. This is the final series between the two teams for the season. I’ve already mentioned how strange it is that the Dodgers are moving on to the postseason, and the Giants are going home to their couches for October. It’s strange but wonderful.

As you can see most of the regulars are resting. Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Juan Uribe, and Mark Ellis are all sitting tonight. It’s an all scrub infield for the second game of the series!

Ricky Nolasco will battle Barry Zito in game two. The Giants had originally planned on starting Madison Bumgarner, but decided since these games are essentially meaningless, to shut down Bumgarner for the year, and start Zito instead. This will probably be ZIto’s final start with the Giants ever. His contract is up after the season, and he will not be back in san Francisco. Zito is like the contract albatross of San Francisco. He’s their Andruw Jones.

Until then let’s be thankful that it isn’t Bumgarner starting against the Dodgers. Bumgarner is 8-3 with a 2.58 ERA against the Dodgers. Although, Zito has given the Dodgers fits in recent years. Hollywood Zito is 9-10 with a 3.65 ERA versus the Dodgers in 162.2 innings. Zito has faced the Dodgers in 27 games. Wow. Although Zito is as old and rusty as a ten year old nail left out in the rain overnight on Carl Crawford’s lawn. Zito is 4-11 this year with a 5.91 ERA. He’s allowed 11.1 hits per nine innings, and whiffed only 84 in 162 frames. Just atrocious.

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Zito is an old, old, rusty man

The Dodgers will counter with right hander Ricky Nolasco, who is 5-4 with a 2.73 ERA against the Giants. Nolasco has pitched excellently at At&t Park. Nolasco is 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA in five starts at the phone book. He has allowed just six earned runs at San Francisco in 36 innings pitched. That is quite impressive Let’s hope Nolasco can get back on track after two poor starts in a row. Nolasco is 13-10 with a 3.55 ERA and 157 whiffs.

That’s about all I can give you guys today, since I’m feeling under the weather. These games are meaningless, except for factoring in the Dodger’s chase for home field advantage in the playoffs. Currently the Dodgers went into today trailing Atlanta by two games, and the Cardinals by a game and a half. The Cardinals won today at home over Washington, while the Braves play later tonight at home against Milwaukee. There is only five games left in the regular season, which ends this Sunday. Of course any game against the hated Giants is never meaningless, so let’s make those Giant fans suffer. I hope we can at least get some revenge back for that turdfest they gave us on the last home stand.

This is also the final game ever televised on KCAL 9, as the Dodgers will be moving to their new regional sportsnet channel on Timewarner cable. Enjoy what may be the final Think Blue TV we ever see tonight before the game.

We hope you join us later tonight after the game to check out our nightly Dodger game recap. Stacie will have all of the news and notes on the Boys in Blue after the final out of the game.

Game Time-7:15 PM

TV-KCAL 9

Go Blue!