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By Jon Weisman
On Tuesday in Oakland, Clayton Kershaw and A.J. Ellis had big games, but they went for naught in an extra-inning defeat. Today in Houston, it happened again in a 3-2, 10-inning loss to Houston — the Dodgers’ fifth straight loss.
With the Dodgers ahead, 1-0, in a game that was tense from start to finish, Ellis doubled in the fifth inning and scored the Dodgers’ second run on two wild pitches. Then in the bottom of the sixth, Ellis tagged out Carlos Gomez on an attempted straight steal of home, despite being inadvertently kicked in the head by Gomez on his slide. Examined at length by Dodger vice president of medical services Stan Conte, Ellis remained in the game.
Kershaw pitched eight innings of one-run ball, striking out 10 and walking none, leaving with the Dodgers ahead 2-1 going into the ninth. Kershaw lowered his ERA to 2.29, fourth in the big leagues. In a stretch straddling Carlos Correa’s at-bats in the second and fourth innings, Kershaw threw 18 consecutive pitches without a ball.
Working on six days’ rest, Kenley Jansen entered the ninth for the save. Jansen had retired 14 batters in a row, striking out nine, since last allowing a baserunner August 6 in Philadelphia, but gave up a leadoff single to Carlos Correa, who stole second base after Luis Valbuena struck out. Evan Gattis popped to second, but Marwin Gonzalez lined a first-pitch, game-tying RBI single to right.
In the bottom of the 10th, Chris Hatcher, who had retired all 11 batters he had faced since returning from the disabled list, threw a one-out, 96 mph fastball that Houston catcher Jason Castro hit to left for a game-winning homer.
Since May 26, Kershaw has a 1.29 ERA in 118 2/3 innings with 16 walks and 149 strikeouts. Since the same day, Ellis (2 for 4) has a .440 on-base percentage and .507 slugging percentage in 84 plate appearances.
It was the second blown save of the season for Jansen, first since June 10 and first that led to a loss.
Al Kenderes (@Coach__K)
Not what we expect of a $300 million dollar roster. They have the 8th best record in baseball, yet are the highest paid. I think the coaching staff, particularly Mattingly should be under fire by management. Too many excuses.
Nancy Flatt
Find a hitting coach that can actually get those high priced players doing what they are paid for. Also we need a manager that know how to handle pitchers. What we have now is not working.
oldbrooklynfan
The Dodgers have been looking for a good hitting coach for over a decade. They’ve tried numerous in recent years. The offense has long been this team’s archille’s heel. This team is constantly going into hitting slumps. Unfortunately the pitching, especially the bullpen, hasn’t been answering the bell lately.
Just going through rough times I’d suppose.
Eva Evita Barba
SOrry but the bull pen needs a lot of work. Friedman should have should set some money aside and begin looking for some pitchers because if our defense cant produce more than 2 dam runs when our aces are up we are going to keep loosing when the bullpen comes in…plain and simple///you can have all the defense and offense in the world but if your pitching sucks or better said bull pen cant hold on to a lead then they should thank friedman for his stupid changes….
oldbrooklynfan
Sometimes these things happen, nothing goes right because to many things are going wrong. Even when things are going right they find a way to go wrong before they end