Hanley Ramirez hit the first pitch he saw as a Dodger for a sky-high triple to the center-field wall. He scored to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, then later rallied the team to a 2-2 tie with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
Even when he mangled a ball defensively, all was okay. A ninth-inning grounder richocheted off his chest to shortstop Luis Cruz, who threw to first base to end the inning.
Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a walk in his Dodger debut, but he could not prevent Los Angeles from dropping its second in a row in St. Louis, a 12-inning, 3-2 defeat.
The sixth Dodger pitcher, Jamey Wright, got into trouble by walking ailing pinch-hitter Lance Berkman with one out in the bottom of the 12th. Matt Carpenter singled pinch-running pitcher Joe Kelly to second base, and then Rafael Furcal, the guy that Ramirez is in some ways replacing, singled in the winning run – thanks in part to Tony Gwynn failing to come up with the the two-hop hit in left field for a chance to throw out Kelly.
Aaron Harang pitched well enough to win for the Dodgers – eight strikeouts, two runs, six baserunners in 7 1/3 innings – but he was long gone by the time the game ended.
The biggest key to the loss was arguably Matt Kemp, batting two spots ahead of Ramirez, going 0 for 5.
The one-run defeat matched the result of the Dodgers’ first game with Manny Ramirez, a 2-1 loss to Randy Johnson and Arizona on August 1, 2008.
Anonymous
Still needed: A first baseman and/or a left fielder who can hit for a reasonable average with some power, and another starting pitcher (unless Lilly returns quickly).
Anonymous
Hairston isn’t a bad LF.
Anyone know why we didn’t see him tonight?
Anonymous
Lilly is expected to be back very soon, following a rehab stint in the minors within the next week.
Anonymous
WBB, I was very surprised at your reply to my reply to your comment on the situation when AJ was up with Cruz on base. I replied to you and I hope you will scroll down and read what I had to say as to why a hit-and-run might not have been the best idea with those particular 2 players. Please note the use of might.
Anonymous
I agree that AJ has not been making the same great contact he was earlier, but it’s frustrating to see Mattingly manage so passively. Every so often, you need to take a risk.
Tycho
Any news on Friday’s starter against the Giants? Hanley looks good in blue and though I may be in the minority I’d love to see him at short – even if only for a month or so until Dee is good. I think Cruz makes a nice backup and has earned that much.
Jason Ungar
If he hits like the old Hanley he can play anyplace he wants other than CF.
Anonymous
Speaking of centerfield, has anyone else wondered how Gordon would be out there? That way we could keep him as our lead-off man and base stealer and keep Ramirez at short. Uribe, Hairston, or newly acquired at third…
Anonymous
Personally, I kind of enjoy watching the existing centerfielder.
T.M. Brown
It’d be Juan Pierre redux, unfortunately. Unlimited range but I’m pretty sure you could score from 2nd on a deep sac fly with him in CF.
Anonymous
A man does not play shortstop with a weak arm. I think you’ll find that Gordon can throw (and run) with Matt Kemp…
Anonymous
Kemp should be playing RF IMHO, with Ethier in LF. Wonder if Mr. Puig plays center?
Anonymous
I haven’t read who might start. Fife pitched on the 17th so I’m not sure whether he satisfies the ten-day rule before returning; if he can, that would be my guess. Otherwise, I have no idea, especially given the roster tightness with players returning.
Anonymous
nice article on Fife:
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120724&content_id=35512898&vkey=news_t342&fext=.jsp&sid=t342
Anonymous
What a disappointing loss. You can’t win if you can’t score runs, and the offense did squat yesterday, especially considering that some of their relievers (e.g. Salas) aren’t all that great.
Oh well, at least the fans were better last night than their poor behavior on Tuesday.
Anonymous
I noticed your comment where you said the SL fans were not as they have been traditionally portrayed. Interesting for a midwest baseball town.
Anonymous
It only takes a small group of jerks to spoil the reputation of an entire town, and that’s what they did.
Anonymous
I remember a game in SL where Guerrero couldn’t pick up the base hit in LF and throw home. Just like last night. Guerrero angrily kicked the ball and my dad kicked the couch :)
Anonymous
Flash to Guererro throwing his glove down after 2 Run Tom pitched to Clark. Iiiiiiyyeee
Anonymous
Am I the only one who thinks Hanley’s sky high triple was a catchable ball? The CF, Jay(?), played it about as bad as a major league CF could. That is the kind of play you show to little leaguers on how not to go back on a fly ball. All that was missing was for him to trip over his own feet.
Anonymous
Yes, Jay played it poorly, but wind may have been a factor.
KT
it was though they were playingin candlestick
Jim Hitchcock
Glass half full?
After watching Ramirez’ lackadaisical trot to 1st on what ultimately became a triple, I will now refer to him as Hanley Hustleless.
Anonymous
Still, he hit a triple
Anonymous
First of all it should have been an out. Second if he had ran hard from the start as is his responsibility he could have had an inside the park HR. No excuse for being lazy on the field.
Anonymous
That wouldn’t have been an inside the park home run for anyone other than Billy Hamilton.
Why is there some assumption that every player today is the laziest one in the world and the guys in the past were so much better and more hard-working?
Apparently, everyone who played in (year of your birth + 8) is beyond reproach. Ever.
This, despite the fact that players today are far more talented than they were in the past.
But we cling to old memories of things THAT NEVER REALLY EXISTED.
Jon Weisman
I’m on board with the sentiment, but there might be a rule 6 here.
Anonymous
And if I may add hard work and talent have nothing to do with hustle.
Anonymous
Both Jim and myself had the capacity to determine that Hanley decided to stare at the ball and jog out of the box as opposed to running on contact. Heaven forbid its a crime of moral turpitude to run hard from the start. And just to refresh everyone’ memory Hanley arrived at third standing up and the LF retrieved the ball from CF. So yes Hanley had a good chance at an inside the park HR.
Anonymous
Look, I’m not on your lawn, OK?
Jason Ungar
I feel the same when I hear people say..”Oh kids today……” as if back in the day all kids were perfect.
Anonymous
See the song, “Kids” by Paul Linde in ‘Bye Bye Birdie,”
Anonymous
Cool Papa Bell?
Anonymous
Abreu’s Statue of Liberty imitation on his bunt was inexcusable.
Anonymous
According to MLBTR, the Dodgers are after the Devil Rays’ Jame Shields (definitely an upgrade on Dumpster). The competition appears to be the Anaheimers and the Rangers.
Anonymous
Last years’ Shields was. This year, not so much. Whip at 1.439. Dempster by far the better pitcher this year
Anonymous
Last night….bummer.
…
The game was not lost by T-Gwynn.
…
Lots of opportunities….
…
I hesitate to really comment…one way or another…on all this trade stuff until I see what all happens by Tuesday’s deadline….Then, we can ‘sum total’ it…
:-)
Anonymous
No, of course the game was not lost by Gwynn – the squandering of early chances to score prevented the team from wrapping up the win for Harang in 9 – but still, sure would have been nice to see him nail the runner at home – he was running in, had all his momentum going forward, and a good throw could have easily nailed the runner as he was just rounding third when Gwynn muffed it.
Anonymous
Other than the multiple missed opportunities to score early on, what really ended up losing the game were the dreaded lead off walks issued that eventually came around to score.
Anonymous
MO+LBB=L
Anonymous
Gwynn LF
Ellis 2B
Kemp CF
Ethier RF
Ramirez 3B
Rivera 1B
Cruz SS
Treanor C
Capuano P
Anonymous
Early start time is it not?
Anonymous
10:45 am PDT
Jon Weisman
NPUT