You know I had a nice recap all planned out for this game, but the pathetic Dodger loser-pen robbed me of being able to use it. Even though the Dodger bullpen blew it again, this was a team wide defeat. Another pitiful performance from the offense, and shoddy defense made for another painful loss in a long line of them this year. Not even mother nature could save us on this day.

We were already aggravated enough when we learned that poor Tim Federowicz was optioned down to Albuquerque to make room for the return of Mark Ellis. That poor decision leaves the horrendous Ramon Hernandez as the backup catcher, while .100 hitting Luis Cruz also remains on the roster. We did hear before the game on twitter that Cruz has some kind of inflammation in his throwing elbow, or something like that. I thought it was a bogus injury the Dodgers thought up to avoid having to DFA him. Maybe not. Whatever.

Regardless, the Dodgers would lose again, by a score of 5-2, and are swept by the Braves. The Dodger bullpen blew their third consecutive game. They were unable to hold a 2-1 lead for four innings. Big shock there right? Royal High school graduate Matt Magill (Like Capuano) did all that he could. I could focus on the positives of Matt Magill. The youngster threw five innings plus of one run baseball, allowing just four hits, and whiffing eight. But this team sucks, and they deserve to be ripped for their pathetic play, not praised.

Matt Magill pitched well, but the Dodger Bullpen sucks balls-Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

I refuse to try and spin this team’s escapades. They suck, and no amoutn of optimism is going to change that. They play crappy Baseball. The team is unable to consistently win Baseball games. I won’t pretend otherwise.

Magill’s opposing starter Mike Minor almost matched Magill with six innings and allowed just two runs on three hits while whiffing nine Dodger hitters. The Dodger offense was nowhere to be found again. The bats only could muster two runs on three measly hits. Still it was almost good enough to win, until the bullpen blew it again.

The Dodgers had the lead despite the game being delayed by rain, by about an hour and a half. The Dodgers scored a run in the first when Crawford doubled and scored on an Adrian Gonzalez RBI single. Gonzalez knocked in the second run as well in the third. Crawford walked, and was moved to third on a Matt Kemp double. He scored on a Gonzo sacrifice fly.  We had hoped the game would be rained out when it started to fall in the bottom of the sixth with none out. Unfortunately the second delay would only last for 15 minutes before the game resumed in the sixth.

The Braves scored their first run in the bottom of the fifth, but that’s all they could muster off of Magill, who was very sharp. Don Mattingly tried to bring in Brandon League in the bottom of the eighth, for a six out save. Or that’s what I’m assuming.  I don’t really know what he was thinking. All I know is that the Dodgers were up 2-1, and Jansen had given up a single and a walk with none out. League enters , and there is a costly bunt error from Uribe that loaded the bases. Then the Braves exploded for four runs. Gerald Laird and Chris Johnson had run scoring singles, and Ramiro Pena hit a sacrifice fly. That was it. The Dodgers immediately went down 123 in the top of the ninth, and now go to Milwaukee with their heads between their tails. Bow your heads in shame guys, this was a sickening series. Well, if you are a glutton for punishment, or maybe just a masochist, read on for the lowlights!

Carl Crawford leads off the game with a double that gets by right fielder Jason Heryward. The Atlanta outfielder tried to back-hand the ball on a bounce and it rolls past him. Crawford stumbled rounding first and has to settle for a double. Mark Ellis in his first at-bat quickly grounds out. The grounder moves Crawford over to third. Matt Kemp whiffs. Adrian Gonzalez follows with a single to center. The RBI single gives the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Matt Magill starts out by whiffing Jordon Schafer, but walks Jason Heyward. After going 3-2 to the dangerous Justin Upton, Magill battles back and whiffs Upton, while A.J. Ellis throws out Heyward trying to steal second. It’s a strike em’ out throw em’ out double play. We go to the second.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Minor whiffs Scott Van Slyke, and Juan Uribe to start the top of the second. Nick Punto walks to bring up Magill, who whiffs to end the inning. Magill works around a two out Simmons infield single. He whiffs Brian McCann and Ben Francisco to get out of the inning.

The Dodgers score in the top of the third. Crawford walks. After M.Ellis whiffs, Kemp doubles Crawford to third. Gonzalez scores Crawford with a sacrifice fly, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. A.J.’s deep fly to center ends the frame. Magill gets two ground outs in the bottom of the third, then walks Schafer. Heyward’s grounder into the hole at short is stopped by Punto, who makes a great throw across his body to get the out. Dodgers still lead 2-0 after three.

Magill whiffs Upton and Freeman in the fourth, and gets out of the inning thanks to A.J.’s second caught stealing of the game.

The Braves rally for a run in the bottom of the fifth. It’s the first time the Atlanta hitters have done anything off of Magill, but it runs his pitch count up. Simmons reaches on a fielding error, when Punto slips on the wet infield grass, and can’t make the play on his slow roller. Francisco whiffs. Ramiro Pena’s force play is the second out. Of course, Mike Minor the opposing starter singles. Jordan Schafer’s line drive single to center scores Simmons to cut the Dodger lead to 2-1. Magill gets Heyward to whiff for his eighth whiff of the game, which sets a new career high for the youngster.

Minor reaches 100 pitches in the top of the sixth. He still tosses a 123 inning, and preserves a 2-1 game. In the bottom of the sixth, Justin Upton leads off with a single off of Magill. Mattingly then immediately brings a hook for the young pitcher. Not sure why Mattingly trusts a bullpen that has blown the last two games. Magill had made 96 pitches with none out in the sixth. He allowed just one run on five hits, and walked three. He whiffed eight Atlanta hitters.

So close Punto, so close-Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

In comes left hander J.P. Howell. With an 0-2 count on Freddie Freeman, the rain starts to fall. The ground crew rolls out the tarp, and we go to rain delay. Has mother nature spared us from having to watch the Dodger bullpen blow another game?

After about a 15 minute rain delay, we resume play. Although more rain is expected. The game resumes exactly where we left off with Justin Upton at first and none out in the sixth. There is an 0-2 count to Freeman. The big first baseman hits what should have been an easy double play ball, but Mark Ellis boots it, and it’s another error for the Dodgers.  Howell whiffs Brian McCann, and gets Simmons to pop out.  Mattingly comes out again, this time to remove Howell for Ronald Belisario. Last night’s hero Evan Gattis is the Atlanta  pinch-hitter. Belisario gets Gattis to ground into a force out, and the Dodgers get out of it with the lead intact.

Right hander Anthony Varvaro replaces Mike Minor in the top of the seventh. Van Slyke fouls two balls off of his leg before popping out. He eventually comes out of the game, and it is unknown whether he is hurt or not. Punto’s grounder ends the top of the seventh.

Ethier replaces Van Slyke in right, and Belisario starts the bottom of the seventh. Pena flies out to right. Johnson grounds out. Belisario walks Schafer. Mattingly again goes to the bullpen to bring in Paco Rodriguez, who makes one pitch hitting Heyward. He then double switches Dee Gordon and Kenley Jansen into the game. Jansen gets the third out by whiffing Justin Upton, to preserve the lead.

Gonzo drove in the only two runs for the Dodgers today, during yet another crapfest-Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

We move to the bottom of the eighth, with the Dodgers still leading 2-1, and Jansen still on the mound. Freeman singles. McCann walks. In comes Brandon League to blow the game away. Simmons hits a sacrifice bunt that rolls along third and stops dead a few feet from the foul line. That loads the bases of course. Gerald Laird singles to score one, and Pena’s sacrifice fly gives Atlanta a 4-2 lead. Chris Johnson’s single scores a third run to give the Braves a 5-2 lead. Schafer tries to squeeze in a run, and bunts into an out. League whiffs Heyward to end the frame.

Craig Kimbrel comes in for another Atlanta save in the top of the ninth. Kemp whiffs. Gonzo whiffs. A.J. draws a walk. Ethier whiffs, and the Dodgers lose again, 5-2.

The Dodgers now fall to 17-25 and remain in last place in the National league West. With each pathetic loss, the calls for manager Don Mattingly’s head grow louder. How low can the Dodgers sink? Stick with us as we will keep documenting the Dodger’s failures. The Dodgers will fly to Miller Park to play a three game set with the Brewers. Tomorrow night the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw to dig themselves out of another hole. Milwaukee will counter with their ace Yovani Gallardo. The 5PM game will be televised on KCAL.

The Dodgers won their first series in almost two weeks by winning the rubber game of the three game set with the Fish by a score of 5-3 on Mother’s Day. Chris Capuano, the Dodger’s starting pitcher for today took control of the game with a strong outing, but also received a little help from his friends along the way. The left hander earned his first win of the season. Remember these two wins were nice, but it’s the Marlins. The Dodgers still have a long way to go.

Chris Capuano beat rookie Tom Koehler who was replacing the injured Wade Leblanc on the mound for the Marlins. Despite Capuano’s 6.1 strong innings of one run ball, with seven whiffs, he still needed some help from some of his friends. That would be Scott Van Slyke, who was filling in for the sore Adrian Gonzalez.  The big slugger went 2 for 4 with a solo home run, RBI single, and made a great diving stop at first base on a line drive to save a run. And that would also be Matt Kemp, who was 2 for 3 and collected his 1,000 career hit. Lead-off Friend Carl Crawford collected two hits, and drove in a run with an RBI single. Other friends like Kenley Jansen helped out too, with two scoreless innings of relief.

The Dodgers scored one run in the second, fourth, and three more in the seventh. The Dodgers added sacrifice fly balls, from Punto, and Ethier.

Despite resident Bum closer Brandon League allowing two additional Fish runs in the top of the ninth, the Dodgers still held on for a 5-3 win on Mother’s Day. This win is for you Mom!

Capuano gets his first win of 2013-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Former Dodger Juan Pierre leads off the game with a fly ball to center, that Matt Kemp nearly misplays, but recovers to make the catch while reaching over his shoulder. Cappy whiffs Placido Polanco, Justin Ruggiano follows with a single to center. Marcell Ozuna’s line drive single moves Ruggiano over to third with two outs. The crisis is averted when Miguel Olivo flies out to Kemp. Mom would be proud.

Carl Crawford opens up the bottom of the first with a single off of Nick Green’s glove, as he had to come off the bag to field the hopper. Dee Gordon singles to center, and Crawford moves up to second. Koehler gets Kemp to fly out to right, and Crawford tries to tag up, but is gunned down at third by a great throw from Marcell Ozuna. It’s a double play and a Tootlban all rolled into one. Excellent Dodgers. Gordon steals second, but it’s too little too late, as Andre Ethier grounds out to end the frame.

Capuano retires the Fish in order in the top of the second. Cappy gets his first whiff of the day on a strikeout of Nick Green. The Dodgers jump out in front in the bottom of the second. Scott Van Slyke filling in for the resting and sore Adrian Gonzalez, homers over the center field wall, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. That’s Van Slyke’s third career major league home run.

Cappy whiffs Koehler and Polanco to make quick work in the top of the third. Move to the top of the fourth. Capuano gets into a bit of trouble, but gets a little help from his teammates to escape. A one out Ozuna single, and a wild pitch puts a runner into scoring position for the Fish. Olivo’s grounder moves Ozuna to third. After a walk to Green, Cappy gets Derek Dietrich to ground out to first, but it’s a great diving play by Van Slyke that gets the third out, and saves a run from scoring in the process. Nice work Scott!

Kemp collected his 1,000th career hit.-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers extend their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Tim Federowicz singles, and advances to third on a long double from Schumaker. Nick Punto’s sacrifice fly scores Fedex, and the Dodgers lead by two.

Matt Kemp collects his 1,000 career hit in the bottom of the fifth, on a broken-bat single. The Dodgers don’t score in that frame, but congratulations to Bison on a career milestone.

Capuano surrenders his third home run of the season, a solo shot to Justin Ruggiano. The home run which is Ruggiano’s seventh of the season, makes the score 2-1 Dodgers. Ryan Webb a right hander, takes over for To Koehler in the bottom of the sixth. Koehler made 79 pitches through five frames, and allowed two runs on seven hits. He walked one, and whiffed just one.

Webb retires the Dodgers 123 in the bottom of the sixth. That keeps the score 2-1, as we move into the seventh.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler (34) pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Dietrich’s one-out double in the top of the seventh, worries us, and puts a runner into scoring position for the Marlins. Mattingly hooks Capuano after just 79 pitches, and goes to Kenley Jansen to stop this late rally. Cappy allows one run on five hits, through 6.1, while whiffing seven.

Jansen comes in from the bullpen and easily whiffs Adeiny Hechavarria, and pinch-hitter Chris Coughlin. The Dodgers get out of it, and still cling to a 2-1 lead.

The Dodgers score three runs off the Fish bullpen in the seventh. With the gentle giant Jon Rauch on the mound in the bottom of the seventh, Punto singles to center, and Uribe’s (he was double switched in with Jansen.) ground-ball single to center, gets Punto to third. This forces the Fish to make a pitching change. Enter lefty Mike Dunn of the 1.62 ERA, Dunn. Crawford reaches to poke a single through the drawn-in infield to score Punto, and make it a 3-1 Dodger lead. Gordon’s sacrifice moves the runners to second and third with one out.  The Fish intentionally walk Kemp to load the bases.

Andre Ethier’s sacrifice fly is hit to the right side of the outfield, or should I say into left field, where Pierre’s noodle-like arm is unable to throw out Juan Uribe, as he scores to make it a 4-1 Dodger lead. Van Slyke’s line drive base hit to right, scores Crawford to give the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. Mattingly lets Jansen hit for himself, and he grounds out to end the frame.

Miami Marlins third baseman Placido Polanco (30) tags out Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford (25) at third base in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jansen makes quick work of the fish in the top of the eighth, getting Pierre to ground out, and whiffing Polanco and Ruggiano.

Move to the top of the ninth, with the Dodgers leading 5-1. Of course, Mattingly just had to bring in Brandon League. Why? I don’t know. The guy is cooked. Marcell Ozuna grounds out. Miguel Olivo bloop single to center starts it all. The Dodgers are unable to turn a double play on a Nick Green grounder, which turns into a force out. Dietrich’s single sends Green to third. Dietrich then takes second on defensive indifference. Hechavarria doubles in both runs, and the Fish are down 5-3. Finally pinch-hitter Gregg Dobbs makes the last out and grounds sharply to Uribe to end the game, and give the Dodgers a Mother’s Day victory.

Enjoy the winning while it lasts guys, because starting tomorrow night, Washington comes into town for a three game series. Tomorrow’s mismatch features Washington’s Jordan Zimmerman and his 1.59 ERA, against Josh Beckett’s winless record and his 5.13 ERA for the Dodgers. Tomorrow night’s game time is 7:10 PM. The Dodgers are now 15-21 on the season.

Before I sign off, I just want to give a shout out to my Mom, and tell her how much I love her. I love you Mom! This win was for you. Until tomorrow guys! Go Blue.