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Saturday April 26th 8:10 MT__TV: FSN-HD | Radio: KOA 850am TV: KCAL | Radio: KABC 790, KHJ 930
Dodger Stadium
_______Dodgers vs Rockies_______
_______Brad Penny 3-2 2.67era vs Mark Redman 2-1 5.23era_______
Dodgers: The Dodgers scored early and often against the Reds and Penny knew what to do with the lead, extending his record at Great American Ball Park to 5-0 while allowing one earned run over six innings. He faces his favorite opponent in this start, as he's 12-2 with a 2.92 ERA lifetime against the Rockies and was 2-0 last year. Penny not only is effectively spotting his fastball, but he is finally incorporating his splitter as a regular part of his repertoire
Rockies: In his last start, at home against the Phillies, Redman struck out five and forced nine ground-ball outs. He gave up just four fly balls, but three were home runs (one caromed off the wall in right-center for an inside-the-park homer). Working with a less-than-blazing fastball and a changeup that is his best pitch, Redman has little room for mistakes up and over the plate. This time, though, Dodger Stadium is more forgiving than Coors Field and the Dodgers' lineup doesn't match that of the Phillies.
_Joe Torre
Center fielder Andruw Jones came out of Friday night's game in the fifth inning with stiffness from a contusion in his left calf. He was said to be day to day
Of perhaps greater concern, third baseman Nomar Garciaparra was removed after suffering a strained left calf muscle making a quick movement going for Scott Podsednik's double down the line.
Garciaparra's injury, compounded by the fact that Chin-lung Hu and Delwyn Young had already been used, forced All-Star catcher Russell Martin into his Major League debut as a third baseman. The left calf is the same one that put Garciaparra on the disabled list last year. Garciaparra will be placed on the disabled list and Blake DeWitt will be recalled to replace him.
Clayton Kershaw, tuning up for his inevitable big-league promotion, allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in a no-decision for Double-A Jacksonville Friday night, lowering his ERA to 1.40. Kershaw also had as many hits as he allowed (two) ... Joe Torre's ejection Thursday night was the 71st of his Major League career, including both as a player and manager ... For the second time in a month, veteran left-handed reliever Mike Myers asked for and received his release out of Triple-A Las Vegas, one day after the Dodgers promoted Double-A reliever Cory Wade to the big leagues ... Triple-A outfielder George Lombard also was released from Triple-A on Friday. He was hitting .163 ... Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully will receive an honorary degree from Pepperdine University Saturday, when he gives the Seaver College Commencement address. Scully will receive Pepperdine's highest honor, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Dodgers president Jamie McCourt will introduce the Hall of Fame broadcaster ... Hu and Young, Dodgers alumni Bobby Castillo and Kenny Landreaux, and nearly 100 students from Allesandro Elementary School will particpate in the first Dodgers Play Ball L.A. on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
_Clint Hurdle
Eight of the Rockies' last nine games have been close in the late innings. Three of them, including Friday night's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers in 13 innings, have gone to extra innings. The Rockies have lost five of them.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, slowly but surely climbing out of a slump that led to a brief benching, has the support of his teammates. "I've been on teams where that wasn't the case," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "They're rooting for you to go 0-fer one more time so somebody can run you out of here. They're all pulling for [struggling rookie Jayson] Nix in there. They're happy for [catcher Chris] Iannetta, the way things have gone [this year, after a rough rookie year in 2007]. It's a very close bunch, very unselfish." ... Center fielder Willy Taveras is 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts and is a threat. But Hurdle believes Scott Podsednik, who is getting increased playing time in center, is better at it. "He is a base stealer," Hurdle said. "Other guys outrun the ball and have speed. That's one thing we're continuing to work on with Willy. He has great speed, and he's getting better as time goes on. He doesn't have the base stealing skills, I don't think, that Scott does at this point in time. That's one thing we're confident we can help him grow into." ... Nix started Friday night for the first time in four games, but descended deeper into his slump. He went 0-for-6 to drop his average to .111.
Click for Dodgers Stats
Click for Rockies Stats
Dodger Stadium
_______Dodgers vs Rockies______________Brad Penny 3-2 2.67era vs Mark Redman 2-1 5.23era_______Dodgers: The Dodgers scored early and often against the Reds and Penny knew what to do with the lead, extending his record at Great American Ball Park to 5-0 while allowing one earned run over six innings. He faces his favorite opponent in this start, as he's 12-2 with a 2.92 ERA lifetime against the Rockies and was 2-0 last year. Penny not only is effectively spotting his fastball, but he is finally incorporating his splitter as a regular part of his repertoire
Rockies: In his last start, at home against the Phillies, Redman struck out five and forced nine ground-ball outs. He gave up just four fly balls, but three were home runs (one caromed off the wall in right-center for an inside-the-park homer). Working with a less-than-blazing fastball and a changeup that is his best pitch, Redman has little room for mistakes up and over the plate. This time, though, Dodger Stadium is more forgiving than Coors Field and the Dodgers' lineup doesn't match that of the Phillies.
_Joe Torre Center fielder Andruw Jones came out of Friday night's game in the fifth inning with stiffness from a contusion in his left calf. He was said to be day to day
Of perhaps greater concern, third baseman Nomar Garciaparra was removed after suffering a strained left calf muscle making a quick movement going for Scott Podsednik's double down the line.
Garciaparra's injury, compounded by the fact that Chin-lung Hu and Delwyn Young had already been used, forced All-Star catcher Russell Martin into his Major League debut as a third baseman. The left calf is the same one that put Garciaparra on the disabled list last year. Garciaparra will be placed on the disabled list and Blake DeWitt will be recalled to replace him.
Clayton Kershaw, tuning up for his inevitable big-league promotion, allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in a no-decision for Double-A Jacksonville Friday night, lowering his ERA to 1.40. Kershaw also had as many hits as he allowed (two) ... Joe Torre's ejection Thursday night was the 71st of his Major League career, including both as a player and manager ... For the second time in a month, veteran left-handed reliever Mike Myers asked for and received his release out of Triple-A Las Vegas, one day after the Dodgers promoted Double-A reliever Cory Wade to the big leagues ... Triple-A outfielder George Lombard also was released from Triple-A on Friday. He was hitting .163 ... Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully will receive an honorary degree from Pepperdine University Saturday, when he gives the Seaver College Commencement address. Scully will receive Pepperdine's highest honor, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Dodgers president Jamie McCourt will introduce the Hall of Fame broadcaster ... Hu and Young, Dodgers alumni Bobby Castillo and Kenny Landreaux, and nearly 100 students from Allesandro Elementary School will particpate in the first Dodgers Play Ball L.A. on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
_Clint HurdleEight of the Rockies' last nine games have been close in the late innings. Three of them, including Friday night's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers in 13 innings, have gone to extra innings. The Rockies have lost five of them.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, slowly but surely climbing out of a slump that led to a brief benching, has the support of his teammates. "I've been on teams where that wasn't the case," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "They're rooting for you to go 0-fer one more time so somebody can run you out of here. They're all pulling for [struggling rookie Jayson] Nix in there. They're happy for [catcher Chris] Iannetta, the way things have gone [this year, after a rough rookie year in 2007]. It's a very close bunch, very unselfish." ... Center fielder Willy Taveras is 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts and is a threat. But Hurdle believes Scott Podsednik, who is getting increased playing time in center, is better at it. "He is a base stealer," Hurdle said. "Other guys outrun the ball and have speed. That's one thing we're continuing to work on with Willy. He has great speed, and he's getting better as time goes on. He doesn't have the base stealing skills, I don't think, that Scott does at this point in time. That's one thing we're confident we can help him grow into." ... Nix started Friday night for the first time in four games, but descended deeper into his slump. He went 0-for-6 to drop his average to .111.
Click for Dodgers Stats
Click for Rockies Stats