Hyun-jin Ryu-4-2 vs. Wily Peralta-3-4

The Dodgers are a team desperate for one thing right now. No, it’s not accountability, although I’ve already discussed how they need that. Is it runs? Yes, they need to score more runs, but it isn’t that. Is it better defense, or base running? Or is it improved relief pitching? They need all of those things to be competitive, but they need one thing more than all of those important skills. If there is one thing the Dodgers need more than anything else, is change. Yes the Dodgers need some change. The Dodgers need a whole helping of change. Give the Dodgers a spoonful of change, and perhaps things start to get a little better.

The Dodgers sit in last place in the NL West, and after their 5-2 loss to the equally bad Brewers last night, the Dodgers are now 18-26 on the season. The Brewers also have the same exact record as the Dodgers. The Dodgers just need some change. Here we are one quarter of the way through the season (game # 45), you know where change should start? It should always start at the top. Because things aren’t changing right now, and don’t appear to be anytime soon.

Can Ryu give the Dodgers a series win today in Milwaukee?-Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers have only won one game on this six game road-trip, with one more to play this afternoon. The Dodgers are on pace for their worst May record in franchise history. Right now they are 5-13 in the month of May. The Dodgers have to go 6-4 to avoid that infamous record. That seems highly unlikely given the team’s inability to win ballgames.

Hyun-jin Ryu will be looking to administer some change with a strong outing. His last performance in Atlanta was mediocre. Ryu has been very strong this season for the Dodgers. He has a 4-2 record, and posted a 3.42 ERA. Ryu has 56 whiffs against 20 walks. That gives him a 9.1 whiff per nine rate. He’s been very solid, regardless of where he’s pitched. On the road he is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 30 frames.

The Brewers will counter with right hander Wily Peralta. The 24 year old Dominican pitcher has a 5.94 ERA in 50 innings pitched. So of that means the Dodgers will get four hits off of him, right? Peralta has a 3-4 record, in nine starts. Peralta is 1-0 against the Dodgers with that only win earlier this season. Peralta is 3-2 with a 4.57 ERA in eight games at Miller Park. No Dodger has had more than three at-bats against Peralta. The Dodgers are hitting .250 (5 for 20), with a .536 OPS against him.

I fully expect for the entire B-team to be in the lineup today. We know Ramon Hernandez will be. I wouldn’t doubt it if the rest of the auto outs make it in. Skip Schumaker, Luis Cruz, and anyone else hitting below the Mendoza line. You know, day game after a night game on a getaway day, so herp derp. Don’t expect much scoring today. If you believe Ken Rosenthal’s article, this may be Don Mattingly’s final game as Dodger manager. I don’t think it will be though. However a loss in today’s rubber game will give the Dodgers another series loss, sinking them to nine games under .500, and could further put a nail in Mattingly’s coffin.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Wily Peralta pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the 1st inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t know if anything can save Mattingly or the Dodger season anymore. Things seem pretty bleak at the moment. The Dodgers need some change. More than anything else, they are a team in need of big change.

Grab some coffee, and try to wake up. Or sneak away from your desk, or get away from work for a few minutes. It’s early morning Dodger Baseball! (10 AM start time) It’s the battle of the cellar dwellers as the Dodgers and Brewers duel in the rubber game of the three game set. Tune into Prime Ticket on your television set, then jump over here on your computer, electronic device, or mobile and check out our recap. We can’t promise we won’t rip management for this embarrassment of a season. We will promise you we will be entertaining. What else do we have this year if we can’t entertain ourselves? The Dodgers certainly are not entertaining us with their boring play. Will that change today?

Go Blue.

Last night’s complete game Clayton Kershaw win was a welcome refreshing reprieve from the usual loss factory. Birdman Zack Greinke came into tonight having never lost at Miller Park in his career. He was something like 16-0 all time in that park. Of course as soon as he puts on a Dodger uniform he’s destined to lose. I’m beginning to think the Dodgers have super losing powers. They’ve only won one game on this entire road-trip, and lost again 5-2, as the Brewers evened the series.

It was back to the same old poor fundamentals show for the Dodgers. Starring lousy offense, poor base running, no hitting with runners in scoring position, bad relief pitching, and shoddy defense. Personally I am sick of this show and would like to change the channel for once.

Greinke looked poor tonight as he lasted just four innings, allowing five runs and nine hits, while walking three. Greinke was behind in counts, and the Milwaukee hitters ran up his pitch count, by fouling off a lot of pitches. Greinke had way too many three ball counts which helped lead to Greinke’s first loss at Miller Park for the first time in his life.

The losery has now spread to Birdman-Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Brewers starter youngster Hiram Burgos wasn’t very good either. He was lifted after only 3.1 frames. He allowed two runs on six hits, with four walks, and three whiffs.

The Dodgers again left a small army of runners on base. The Dodgers left 13 men on base, and were 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers were behind early, as Greinke allowed a two-out walk to Ryan Braun. And consecutive singles to Aramis Ramirez, and Jonathan Lucroy to put the Brew Crew ahead 1-0.

The Dodgers scored two runs in the top of the fourth, but otherwise stranded runners in every inning. The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the second frame, after a single to Matt Kemp, and a walk to Andre Ethier. A.J Ellis flied out, Skip Schumaker looped out, and Dee Gordon grounded out. The Dodgers left the bases loaded again in the top of the third. Greinke and Crawford both singled, and after Nick Punto’s sacrifice moved the runners over, the Brewers pitch around Gonzalez to load the bases. However Burgos whiffs both Kemp, and Ethier and the Dodgers don’t score again.

Gomez’s two-run ground-rule double was the deciding blow-Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers did finally score in the top of the fourth, but they still blew a whole slew of scoring opportunities. In the fourth inning, Schumaker singled, and Gordon walked to put two runners on. Greinke’s RBI single to left scored Schumaker to tie the game at 1-1. Crawford walked to load the bases, and Punto’s single up the middle plated the second run to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. They could have had more, but of course, Gonzo whiffed, and Kemp grounded into a force. The Dodgers screwed themselves in the fifth inning as well. After singles from Schumaker and Ethier, Gordon’s ill-advised squeeze bunt was botched, and Ethier was thrown out at the plate. The Dodgers couldnt score yet again.

The Dodgers then typically in fine 2013 fashion, melted down to allow the Brewers to score four times in the bottom of the fifth. Once that happened, that was it. With Greinke still on the mound, the Brewers used four consecutive hits to score the four runs. Jean Segura tripled over Andre Ethier’s head to lead-off the inning. Braun singles to score Segura and tie the game at 2-2. Ramirez a bloop single into center, and Lucroy singles as well. Carlos Gomez’s ground-rule double scores Ramirez, and Lucroy to put the Brewers up 4-2.  The Dodgers hooked Greinke, and brought in Matt Guerrier, who allowed one additional run to score on a Betancourt RBI grounder, and the Dodgers end the inning down 5-2.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy tags out Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier trying to score on a squeeze bunt in the 5th inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers and Nick Punto are down and out yet again-Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

That’s how the score would stay. Because when the Dodgers get knocked down, they do not get back up. The Milwaukee bullpen pitched 5.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits to the Dodgers. The Dodgers only had three hits after the fourth inning. It was pathetic. The Dodgers had ten hits, but could only score twice. The pitching staff gave up five runs on 12 hits.

That’s all she wrote guys. Mike Fiers picked up the win, and Jim Henderson picked up his ninth save for the Brewers. The Dodgers fall to 18-26, and a loss tomorrow would give them five of six losses on this road-trip.

Could tomorrow be Don Mattingly’s final game as Dodger manager? I doubt it, but you never know. Remember, according to Ken Rosenthal’s article, Mattingly could get canned by Thursday. The Dodgers will give the ball to Hyun-jin Ryu, as the Brewers will counter with Wily Peralta in tomorrow morning’s rubber game at an early 10AM start time. Get up to catch some folgers in your cup, and watch some early morning Dodger Baseball on the tube. Sure they suck, but they are still our Bums. Catch the fever! Go Blue.