If Hyun-Jin Ryu keeps playing like this, we’re going to have quite a run at the Pun Store.
The rookie Dodger lefty had a barrel of fun against Arizona tonight, striking out 9 in 6 1/3 innings while going 3 for 3 at the plate – with his parents watching from the first row behind the Dodger dugout – in Los Angeles’ 7-5 victory over the Diamondbacks.
Heh. That’s actually kind of clever. RT @ratingsjedi: @mike_petriello D’backs announcer has taken to calling him Babe Ryuth.
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) April 14, 2013
Ryu baffled Arizona, allowing only four hits, a walk and an RBI groundout before the seventh inning, along with doubling and singling twice. His bid to become the first Dodger pitcher with four hits since Claude Osteen in 1970 was enabled and then disabled by Justin Sellers, who singled with two out in the top of the seventh but was picked off.
| Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Osteen | 1970-05-26 | LAD | SFG | W 19-3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Don Newcombe | 1955-07-15 | BRO | STL | W 12-3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Chris Van Cuyk | 1952-05-21 | BRO | CIN | W 19-1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Carl Erskine | 1950-08-31 | BRO | BSN | W 19-3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kirby Higbe | 1941-08-17 (1) | BRO | BSN | W 5-1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kirby Higbe | 1941-08-11 | BRO | NYG | W 15-7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bobby Reis | 1935-09-24 (2) | BRO | BSN | W 6-5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sloppy Thurston | 1932-08-13 (1) | BRO | NYG | W 18-9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dazzy Vance | 1927-05-12 | BRO | CIN | W 6-3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Burleigh Grimes | 1925-04-22 | BRO | PHI | L 7-8 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dutch Ruether | 1924-09-04 (2) | BRO | BSN | W 9-1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Burleigh Grimes | 1924-08-18 | BRO | PIT | W 7-4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dutch Ruether | 1922-04-16 | BRO | PHI | W 10-2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Burleigh Grimes | 1921-07-06 | BRO | NYG | W 11-4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Ryu wasn’t alone in providing offense, as the Dodgers knocked out a season-high 14 hits and got an Adrian Gonzalez homer in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth, building a 6-1 lead. Gonzalez went 3 for 4 with a walk, Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier each singled and doubled and Matt Kemp doubled his season RBI total from two to four.
Crossing the 100-pitch mark, Ryu gave up two hits to start the bottom of the seventh, and like Clayton Kershaw the night before, watched from the bench as the first Dodger reliever, in this case Ronald Belisario, allowed both to score. (Ryu’s ERA rose from 1.93 to 2.89.) Martin Prado homered off Kenley Jansen in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Dodger lead to 6-4, and Aaron Hill’s pinch-hit RBI double later in the frame made it a one-run game.
Jansen struck out Cody Ross to end the inning and preserve the lead, but back-to-back doubles by Ethier and Ramon Hernandez built it back to 7-5. Brandon League retired the side in order to end the game.
The Dodgers (7-4) are tied with Arizona and Colorado for second place in the National League West, half a game behind San Francisco.
Anonymous
From last post: Thanks for the information, Jon….I just looked up Koufax’ batting. He never had as many as three hits in a game, although he frequently allowed fewer. Despite a career batting average of .097, he hit .444 in July of 1965 — 8 for 18 — his best month ever. He hit a career high .177 that year. In his rookie year, 1955, he struck out in each of his 12 at bats. In 1956, he went 2-for-17, again with 12 strikeouts. Over his first three seasons, he batted .036.
Jon Weisman
Got it – thanks.
Jon Weisman
Also, the Chris Van Cuyk game is the record-setting game in which the Dodgers scored 15 in the first.
Jon Weisman
Dodger pitchers are now batting .286 this season (6 for 21). Dodger 3B are hitting .105 (4 for 38).
Anonymous
Let’s hope Matt’s clutch hit unleashes the Bison!
Anonymous
Couldn’t catch the game today, but very pleased with the result (and the hitting!)
Anonymous
Missed the game (Yeah!) and the previous posts (that …see you Monday in LA…is over the top for me)
tg
Ryu is a LHP by the way.
Anonymous
Sorry to chime in late but as much as I appreciate a clever tweet from our team, I agree with Jon that it doesn’t seem like the right thing to do. To all of you who defend it by saying it shouldn’t cause offense, I respectfully think you may miss the point. The reason you teach your kid not to be a bully at school is not out of protection of the other kids. Grace has a value. I’m disgusted by Quentin’s behavior and I don’t want to joke about it and I don’t want to engage in anything similar. Would Vin say something joking or provoking about this situation? Why not? Perhaps asking “WWVD?” Isn’t a bad idea in these cases.
Jon Weisman
NPUT