Golden Boys – A Dodgers Dynasty

[xiberger]

Game 149: Dodgers (88-60) @ Giants (67-81)

Rocket Goes Distance, But Can't Avoid Setback

Left: Shea Hillenbrand hits his third long ball in two days; Right: Nick Swisher flashes some leather in right field.

Despite pitching eight innings, LA's ace Roger Clemens could not avoid the third loss in the final game of a four-game set at AT&T Park. In the end, the Giants triumphed over the Dodgers, 5-2. Shea Hillenbrand continued his recent hot streak by taking Clemens deep in the third inning to open the scoring. Hillenbrand, who was 3-for-4 on the afternoon, blasted a three-run homer off the Rocket, thus smacking his third roundtripper in two days against the Dodgers.

Jason Marquis, who started the game on the mound for the home team, limited the opposing side to just one run on two hits over six innings. After Nick Swisher had made it 4-0 for the hosts in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Dodgers were finally put on the board by Omar Vizquel's solo home run in the sixth. The Giants scored again in the eighth when Craig Counsell's two-out single drove in Brad Wilkerson from second base. In the ninth, LA's Larry Walker hit the game's third long ball, but that was it for the visiting team.

"This game didn't turn out the way we planned it", Clemens admitted after his team's second straight loss. "We wanted to finish the series with a win, so that we could go into the next one [against the Diamondbacks] without too much pressure." Due to the latest defeat, the Dodgers are now tied with the Rockies for first place in the NL West. "We don't need to win the division, in order to make it to the playoffs", manager Jim Tracy clarified LA's current situation. "The wild card spot will do the trick as well."

Boxscore: LAD 2 – SF 5

[sfgiantsflgators]

mmmm, mmm good. you're well on your way to that 15-game skid i was hoping for...

:razz:

seriously though - i'm glad you've stuck with this...despite the fact i have to sit here and see omar and barry in bum rags.

[DeuceBlades]

We have something like a beer league softball team where I live, and they are all over the age of 40, so nothing wrong with having a team with a bunch of aging vets....lol

Your making it work, so thats what counts...............its different and has a certain feel other dynastys dont, so thats why I stay interested. Im following all the ones in progress so far, but they keep falling away, one by one. You, Ox, and sfgiants keep rolling along, and Im trying to keep up, but I have along way to go.....lol

[xiberger]

mmmm, mmm good. you're well on your way to that 15-game skid i was hoping for...

At first, I was just laughing about your curse, but now I'm getting a bit scared...

seriously though - i'm glad you've stuck with this...despite the fact i have to sit here and see omar and barry in bum rags.

If I had focused this dynasty only on Omar and Barry, I would have chosen the title "From the Bay to LA" or the catchier version "From Rags to Riches". ;-)

You, Ox, and sfgiants keep rolling along, and Im trying to keep up, but I have along way to go.....lol

Don't worry, wallbanger. You're doing a good job so far. Always remember that patience is the key to success. Rome wasn't built in a day either.

[xiberger]

Game 150: Dodgers (88-61) @ Diamondbacks (77-73)

Dodgers Lose Game And Division Lead

Left: SP Odalis Perez snags a line drive; Right: CF Joey Gathright blasts a three-run homer off Shane Reynolds.

A bitter loss against the Diamondbacks made an end to the Dodgers' lead in the NL West. Due to the 0-5 shutout at Chase Field, LA is now ranked second in the division, one game behind Colorado. The game itself did not start too bad for the Californians, as starting pitcher Shane Reynolds kept the home team quiet during the first four innings. His opponent, D'backs starter Odalis Perez, suffered a minor concussion in the third inning and had to be replaced by relief pitcher Kurt Ainsworth.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the D'backs had two runners on base when Joey Gathright stepped to the plate. The outfielder connected for his seventh long ball of the year, making it 3-0 for the hosts. One inning later, Lyle Overbay and Aaron Rowand added to the lead by hitting back-to-back RBI singles off LA's reliever Mike Jackson. It was not until left-hander Kent Mercker took the mound that the Dodgers regained control of the Diamondbacks.

In terms of offense, the Dodgers could not get anything going. Not only were they held to only five hits, but they were also unable to record a single extra-base hit. "Of course we're disappointed", Barry Bonds replied to reporters after being asked about his thoughts on the game. "Next time, we need to play more aggressively." Despite trailing the Rockies by one game in the NL West, the Dodgers still have a five-game lead over the Brewers in the wild card race.

Boxscore: LAD 0 – ARI 5

[sfgiantsflgators]

If I had focused this dynasty only on Omar and Barry, I would have chosen the title "From the Bay to LA" or the catchier version "From Rags to Riches". ;-)

:puke:

i threw up in my mouth a little bit after reading that...

...but then i saw the results of game 150 the streak is alive!

[GEOLINK]

Did you really play all these games?

[xiberger]

No, I hired a bunch of slaves to do it for me. I don't write the game reports either. They're being done by an armada of monkeys.

[xiberger]

Standings, Stats & Scores:

Hall of Fame: SP Steve Sparks

Hall of Shame: RP Mark Guthrie

[sfgiantsflgators]

No, I hired a bunch of slaves to do it for me. I don't write the game reports either. They're being done by an armada of monkeys.

:lmao:

nothing like some good monkey humor.

[redsox]

This is getting really interesting now. Seems like its going to be a good run. Great job.

BTW: What do you base your "hall of shame" off of. Seems like Guthrie is doing a great job - 11-2, 3.78? Is it based on just recent events?

Once again, great job man.

[xiberger]

Your assumption is correct, redsox. The "Hall of Fame" and "Hall of Shame" awards are not based on the players' overall stats, but rather on their performance over the last ten games.

To be honest, it was kinda hard for me to put Guthrie into the HoS because he has been absolutely amazing this year. Actually, he was in the HoF a couple of weeks ago. However, he picked a terrible moment to record his first two losses, as both came in key games for my Dodgers. The team is really struggling at the moment, so I need pitchers I can rely on. I thought Guthrie belonged to that group, but he couldn't get the job done (unlike Sparks, who provided me with two crucial wins in a time of crisis).

[xiberger]

Game 151: Dodgers (88-62) @ Diamondbacks (78-73)

Misery Continues For Cursed Golden Boys

Left: Arizona's J. Gathright struck again with a clutch homer; Right: O. Vizquel empties the bases with a double.

In the second game of a three-game series at Chase Field, the Dodgers again found themselves on the losing side after nine innings. Even though the team from the West Coast had a four-run lead twice during an exciting battle, it was the Diamondbacks who were celebrating in the end. Thanks to center fielder Joey Gathright's second home run in as many days, the home team remained victorious, 8-6. LA's relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez suffered his fourth loss of the year, while Scot Shields earned his eighth win.

Each team scored a run in the first inning, but both sides went silent over the next three. With two outs in the fifth, shortstop Omar Vizquel connected for a bases-loaded double, driving in three runs for the Dodgers. Kenny Lofton added to the lead with an RBI single, but then the D'backs turned up the heat by scoring a total of seven runs over the next four innings. Raul Chavez went deep in the sixth, and Lyle Overbay tied the game in the seventh by singling in Felipe Lopez from second base.

After Gathright's two-run shot in the eighth inning, the visiting team buried its hope for a turnaround. Over the last couple of days, the Dodgers have suffered from what seems to be a curse that was put on the team. Since LA's 9-0 shutout against the Giants, the Californians have lost four games in a row. "We're all clueless", second baseman Craig Biggio said at the press conference. "It's like somebody flipped a switch, and all of a sudden nothing is going right."

Boxscore: LAD 6 – ARI 8

[KevinCaraballo]

I say that a bad gust of wind for golden boys :(

[sfgiantsflgators]

I say that a bad gust of wind for golden boys

i'd say it's well deserved... :toothless:

:party1:

[xiberger]

Game 152: Dodgers (88-63) @ Diamondbacks (79-73)

Dancing D'backs Complete Sweep of Dodgers

Left: Mike Hampton pitched a gem for the home team; Right: Vernon Wells follows through on a three-run blast.

Excellent pitching by Arizona's starter Mike Hampton, and two long balls by Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells sealed the deal on the Diamonbacks' three-game sweep over the Dodgers. The Californians have now dropped eight of their last ten games. Hampton dominated the visiting team and almost recorded a complete game shutout for his tenth win of the season. In addition to his impressive performance on the mound, the 33-year-old hurler also collected two hits against LA, both of them singles.

The D'backs took the first lead of the game in the fifth inning when Overbay homered off LA's starting pitcher Steve Sparks. The solo shot was the first baseman's 13th home run of the year. One inning later, Wells also went deep for Arizona, driving in three runs on his 33rd homer of 2005. Sparks, who struck out four batters, did not get much help from his offense. Despite collecting ten hits, Barry Bonds' RBI single in the ninth drove in the only run for the Dodgers.

After the game, reporters confronted Dodgers manager Jim Tracy with his team's current losing streak. "It's all in our heads", he replied. "Once we overcome this mental barrier, everything will be back to normal." Tracy's team has ten more games remaining in the regular season and all of them are going to be played at Dodger Stadium. After a four-game series against the Pirates, the Dodgers will host the D'backs and the Padres for the big finale.

(For the third time this season, I forgot to extract the boxscore after losing a game against Arizona. In all three cases, I was so frustrated that I just clicked through the game stats. Anyway, here's the line score of the latest game:)

[xiberger]

Game 153: Pirates (76-77) @ Dodgers (88-64)

Clemens Gets His Team Back On Track

Left: Vinny Castilla drives in a run despite breaking his bat; Right: The Rocket led the Dodgers to a crucial win.

Roger Clemens' 18th win of the season could not have come at a better time for the Dodgers. After five straight losses, the Rocket carried his team to a big 6-1 victory over the Pirates. "I just did my job", Clemens told reporters after the game. "I'm the team's ace, so I've to step up in critical situations." The future Hall of Famer pitched eight innings against Pittsburgh, giving up just one run on eight hits while striking out four batters.

The Dodgers started well into the game, scoring three runs in the opening inning. Larry Walker, Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas, and Greg Myers hit four consecutive two-out singles to give the home team an early lead. Because it was put under constant pressure, Pittsburgh's defense had many problems that night, resulting in two costly errors for the visitors. In the fourth, LA added another three runs, making it 6-0. Omar Vizquel and Kenny Lofton drove in one run each on RBI singles.

Edgar Renteria led off the eighth inning for the Pirates with a solo shot off Clemens. "If it hadn't been for that home run, it would've been a really great night for me", LA's starter grumbled at the press conference. Renteria's 19th long ball of the year marked the 27th given up by Clemens in 2005. Due to the importance of the game, manager Jim Tracy decided to start Clemens instead of scheduled starting pitcher Shane Reynolds. "I think everybody could see that it was the right decision", Tracy smiled afterwards.

Boxscore: PIT 1 – LAD 6

[GEOLINK]

come on Xiberger just a few more games!

[xiberger]

Game 154: Pirates (76-78) @ Dodgers (89-64)

Resurrected Blue Crew Rallies For Win

Left: B. Santiago went 4-for-4 with two RBIs on the night; Right: T. Hoffman recorded his 41st save of the year.

A strong finish lifted the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory over the Pirates. Two three-run innings - the sixth and the eighth - turned the game around for the home team. Starting pitcher Kevin Brown made his first appearance after having spent two months on the disabled list. The right-hander pitched six solid innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits. "I still haven't regained my full strength", Brown said after the game. "But I'm just happy to be back on the team."

Chris Shelton opened the scoring in the third inning with a two-out RBI single. Second baseman Fernando Vina added to Pittsburgh's lead in the fourth, and catcher Charles Johnson made it 3-0 with a solo home run in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Barry Bonds drove in Jeff Conine with a two-bagger to put the Dodgers on the board. Julio Franco and Benito Santiago then connected for back-to-back-to-back doubles, thus tying the game.

In the eighth inning, Santiago, who had a perfect night with four hits in as many at-bats, gave his team the lead by singling in Bonds from second base with his second RBI hit of the game. Vinny Castilla and Jose Vizcaino also drove in one run each for a comfortable three-run lead. LA's closer Trevor Hoffman took the mound in the ninth to seal the deal for the Dodgers. After two quick outs, Hoffman allowed a pair of runners to get on base. However, in the end, he got Terrmel Sledge to fly out to end the game.

Boxscore: PIT 3 – LAD 6

[xiberger]

Game 155: Pirates (76-79) @ Dodgers (90-64)

Sheets Shines As Come-Bucs Top LA

Left: Shortstop Edgar Renteria makes a stunning catch; Right: Pittsburgh's Ben Sheets struck out eight batters.

After two straight losses, the Pirates triumphed in game three of a four-game series against the Dodgers. Starting pitcher Ben Sheets dominated the opposing side and led his team to victory, 5-2. Sheets only allowed two runs over seven innings and struck out eight batters for his tenth win of the year. LA's starter Kenny Rogers gave up five runs on eleven hits, which ultimately resulted in his ninth loss. "My command was good, but I had some problems with my velocity", Rogers stated after the game.

Pittsburgh grabbed an early lead in the second inning and would hold on to it for the rest of the afternoon. Charles Johnson's 25th double of the season drove in Geoff Jenkins for the game's first run. In the fourth, two runs scored on Jason Alfaro's two-out single. The Dodgers had a big scoring opportunity in the next frame when they had loaded the bases with no outs. Greg Myers hit a fly ball deep enough into left field for Larry Walker to head home on the sacrifice fly. After that, the Pirates managed to get out of the jam without further damage.

In the seventh inning, Chris Shelton and Willy Mo Pena added to Pittburgh's lead with back-to-back two-out RBI singles. "I really hate to see the other side score on two-out base hits", LA's manager Jim Tracy griped about his team's poor performance in clutch situations. "We need to be more effective with two outs." Pinch hitter Julio Franco scored on Walker's RBI single in the bottom of the inning, but that was it for the Dodgers. In the ninth, closer Brad Lidge entered the mound for the Pirates, recording his 37th save of 2005.

Boxscore: PIT 5 – LAD 2

[xiberger]

Game 156: Pirates (77-79) @ Dodgers (90-65)

Mora's Solo Shot Enough For Pirates

Left: 3B Melvin Mora goes deep in the seventh inning; Right: SP Jeff Weaver shut down the Dodgers for the win.

All the Pirates needed for their second straight win at Dodger Stadium was a single run. Melvin Mora's solo home run off LA's starter Steve Sparks in the seventh inning provided the visitors with just enough offense to beat the home team, 1-0. While Pittsburgh's right-hander Jeff Weaver earned his eleventh win of the year by shutting down the Dodgers over 7 2/3 fabulous innings, Sparks suffered his most disappointing defeat of the season.

Sparks had a great outing, limiting the opposing side to just one run on five hits over seven innings. Additionally, the knuckleballer fanned a season-high nine batters, but all in vain. "Of course, I'm very frustrated", Sparks told reporters after the game. "Apart from Mora's homer, I pitched extremely well tonight. It really hurts to lose a game like this." Despite collecting nine hits over as many innings, the Dodgers were unable to score against the Pirates.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Frank Thomas got on base with a lead-off single. It was the second hit of the night for the first baseman. With the tying run on first and no outs, LA had a good chance of ruining Brad Lidge's attempt to save the game for Pittsburgh. However, the closer did not allow anything else for the hosts, retiring the next three batters on strikeouts for his 38th save of 2005. Still, there was also good news for the Dodgers, as their main competitors in the Wild Card race could not gain ground on the Californians.

Boxscore: PIT 1 – LAD 0

[ro290190]

90 game winner nice job . Bonds triple crown update?

[xiberger]

Bonds won't win the Triple Crown, mainly because his batting average isn't high enough. His .335 is only fourth in the NL, but he's leading the league in home runs (37) and RBIs (121).

[xiberger]

Game 157: Diamondbacks (82-74) @ Dodgers (90-66)

Dodgers Profit From Big Show By Biggio

Left: Craig Biggio celebrates after hitting his second home run; Right: Larry Walker draws a bases-loaded walk.

LA's second baseman Craig Biggio turned up the heat in the opening game of a three-game series against Arizona. In the first inning, the 40-year-old veteran drilled a pitch by starting pitcher Al Leiter for a two-run homer. Two innings later, Biggio took Leiter deep again for his 20th long ball of the season. "I was really locked in", Biggio later commented on his first multi-homer game of the year. "Lately, I had some trouble with my power, but that seems to be over now."

Shane Reynolds, who started on the mound for the Dodgers, was solid over four innings, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out a pair. Relief pitcher Mark Guthrie took over in the fifth and shut down the opposing side. In four innings, the lefty held the D'backs to just two hits, thus earning his twelfth win of 2005. The home team added to its lead in the seventh when the bases were loaded with one out. Larry Walker showed enormous patience at the plate and drew a walk to bring a runner home.

Barry Bonds also drove in a run in the seventh inning, but it was a horrible night for the slugger nonetheless. He went hitless in four attempts, striking out three times. "I'm struggling a bit at the moment, but I will get over this", Bonds stated at the press conference. In the eighth, pinch hitter Frank Thomas connected for a single that scored Greg Myers from third base for the final score of 6-1. With only five games left in the season, the Dodgers lead the NL Wild Card race by 4 1/2 games over the Phillies.

Boxscore: ARI 1 – LAD 6

[atlbraves]

A win clinches it!