Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

Vin Scully towards the end of his career on Sep 24, 2016 meets with the news media at a press conference to take questions about his long and glorious career (AP News file photo)

By Michael Duca and Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Long time Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully has passed away at the age of 94 years old. Scully broadcasted Dodger baseball from 1950-2016. Scully had the opportunity to break in with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 with Hall of Fame broadcaster Red Barber and Connie Desmond. Scully replaced another Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell who left to call New York Giants games Harwell would later gain his fame as a Detroit Tigers broadcaster.

Scully replaced Red Barber in 1953 on the Dodgers TV broadcasts when Barber got into a contract dispute with sponsor Gillette. Scully upon taking the job became the youngest broadcaster to call a World Series that year a record that still stands today. After Barber left to call New York Yankee games in 1954 Scully became the team’s number one announcer. Scully called Dodger games in Brooklyn until 1957.

The Brooklyn Dodgers moved from New York at the end of the 57 season and Scully left to call Dodger games in their new home in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Dodgers stayed at the Los Angeles Coliseum where Scully called games there from 1957 until the Dodgers moved into Dodgers Stadium in 1962.

Longtime Yankee broadcaster Mel Allen got fired in 1964 and Scully was offered the job which he declined to remain in Los Angeles as the Dodgers broadcaster and a chance to move back to New York. Los Angeles would remain Vin’s home for the rest of his broadcast career until his retirement in 2016. Scully also called the NFL on CBS Sports from 1975-1982.

Amongst some of Scully’s achievements he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, he won the Commissioners Achievement Award in 2014, Presidential Freedom Award (2016), The Hollywood Walk of Fame, and had his Dodgers microphone retired, he famously called Sandy Koufax’s no hitters, Kirk Gibson famous World Series home run in 1988, and one of the early TV broadcasts of the 1965 World Series that went seven games. In game seven Koufax closed out the Minnesota Twins to win the World Series for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers Trea Turner heads home after rounding third and third base coach Dino Ebel (9) in the top of the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon Aug 1, 2022 (AP News photo)

Giants Fall to the Rival Dodgers 8-2

By Barbara Mason

Monday night the San Francisco Giants (51-52) took on their rivals, the division leading Los Angeles Dodgers (69-33). The Dodgers not only lead their division, they have the best record in the National League. The Giants have been struggling since the all-star game but they did win a couple over the weekend against the Cubs. The Dodgers scored twice in the second and three times in the third to jump on San Francisco for a 5-1 lead which would prove to pay off later winning by six runs 8-2.

The Giants got on the scoreboard early in this game. They had the bases loaded in the first inning but could only come away with one run for the early 1-0 lead. Villar walked and with the bases loaded, Darin Ruf who was on third got a free pass home.

The Dodgers got their bats going in the second and the third inning proved to be a nightmare for SF pitcher Logan Webb. Max Muncy hit a home run in the second inning with Jake Lamb on base and Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead going into the fateful third inning.

The Dodgers started stringing hits together and by the end of the third Los Angeles had a 5-1 lead. James Outman, Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman all had hits in the third inning for the Dodgers.

It was a quiet fourth inning for both teams. The Giants and the Dodgers would both score a run in the fifth inning. Will Smith hit a double bringing Freeman home. The Giants Wilmer Flores homered to left so a productive inning for both clubs. San Francisco still trailed 6-2 and had an uphill climb ahead of them.

The Dodgers refused to let San Francisco into this game. In the seventh inning, Trae Turner hit his 17th home run of the season extending their lead to 7-2.

Los Angeles added insult to injury in the ninth inning scoring another run. Freddie Freeman singled bringing in Outman for an 8-2 score. It was all Dodgers in this game. The Giants had a chance back in the first inning with the bases loaded but that was about all that Los Angeles was willing to give up. Phil Bickford closed this game out for the Dodgers. It was three up, three down and that was the ball game 8-2.

It will be back to the drawing board for the Giants as they look ahead to game two of this four game series. They will send Alex Wood to the mound. Wood has a 4.11 ERA and an 7-8 record. The Dodgers will start Tyler Anderson who comes in with a 2.61 ERA and an 11-1 win loss record. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM PT.

Notes: Jon Moorsi of the MLB Network said that the Giants could be a sleeper in the Juan Soto sweepstakes.one possible scenario could have the Giants dealing pitcher Carlos Rodon and first baseman Brandon Belt to the Washington Nationals for Soto. Moorsi said that the Giants have gotten older and obtaining the 23 year old Soto and some prospects could be a huge benefit for a Giant team whose chance to make post season would improve by acquiring Soto.

San Francisco Giants first base coach Anton Richardson and manager Gabe Kapler were called out by the Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach Mark Pryor for stealing signs on Fri Jul 22, 2022. (file photo from Sports Illustrated)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 The San Francisco Giants were stealing signs as reported by Dodgers Nation during Fri Jul 22’s contest at Dodgers Stadium Dodgers pitching coach Mark Pryor and manager Dave Roberts noticed that Giants first base coach Anton Richardson was relaying the Dodgers catcher Will Smith’s signs to Giants batter Austin Slater. Pryor called time and went out to the pitchers mound to relay such information to Dodgers pitcher Tyler Anderson. It was then that Richardson started laughing while speaking with the first base umpire. The umpires met on the field to relay what was happening after talking with Pryor and Giants manager Gabe Kapler. Richardson was told to stay in the coaches box.

#2 The Giants knew the jig was up as Kapler and Richardson didn’t argue and going forward Richardson was no longer suspected of sign stealing.

#3 Marko, how much is sign stealing part of the game this incident in LA was not to the level of the trash can and cameras the Houston Astros used but there’s no doubt after the Dodgers past World Series experience with the Astros their on the look out for any kind of sign stealing.

#4 In their last meeting in LA the Dodgers swept the Giants. The Dodgers were in command with a three, four, two and three run wins during the four game series. The Giants couldn’t have come into LA in that last meeting with the Dodgers at a worse time as the Dodgers were coming off a four game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels.

#5 The Dodgers starting pitcher for Monday night is Andrew Heaney (1-0, 0.47) and for the Giants Logan Webb (9-4, 2.91) to start the four game series. Anytime these two teams meet it never fails something interesting always seems to happen?

#6 Will Clark’s number retirement speech was true to form that captured his character throughout his career with him thanking his family, friends, former teammates, and the Giants organization. By the way Will stayed to the very end of the game on Saturday night.

Marko is filling in for talk show host Morris Phillips who is heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Los Angeles Dodgers Gavin Lux slides in safely ahead of the throw as the San Francisco Giants catcher Joey Bart waits for the ball in the bottom of the third inning at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson brother’s Trayce Thompson of the Los Angeles Dodgers (64-30) got two RBIs to help the Dodgers pass up the San Francisco Giants (48-47) in the seventh inning for a 7-3 win at Dodgers Stadium for a four game sweep.

#2 Trayce who hit a two RBI single that thrilled his brother Klay who was watching from the stands. It’s not everyday that Klay gets to have a thrill like that.

#3 Dodgers clean up hitter Jack Lamb contributed with a tie breaking RBI in the bottom of the third with a double to help the Dodgers win their 24th game out of their last 29.

#4 For Cobb he got tattooed for eight hits, four earned runs, two walks, and six strikeouts Cobb said “Probably as frustrating as it gets” with the loss the Giants are now just a game above .500.

#5 The Giants will try and get back in the win column as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix. The Giants will start Jakob Junis (4-1, 3.06) and the Diamondbacks will start Tyler Gilbert (0-3, 5.34) a 6:40 pm PDT first pitch.

Marko Ukalovic is filling in for Morris Phillips who does the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts shares his excitement after belting a solo home run his 200th career round tripper in the bottom of the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

Dodgers Dominate In Series – Winning Third Game In a Row Over Giants 4-2

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (48-46) have endured a disappointing series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers (63-30) dropping their third game of the four game set on Saturday 4-2 at Dodgers Stadium. Thursday night the Dodgers prevailed 9-6 followed by a 5-1 win Friday night. Saturday afternoon the Giants were looking to turn things around in game three of their four game series.

It sure did not go as planned for San Francisco. The Dodgers were first up on the scoreboard with back to back solo homers from Mookie Betts and Trea Turner for a 2-0 lead in the third inning. In the sixth inning Gavin Lux tripled driving in Cody Bellinger giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

Julio Urias got through six innings allowing five hits with five strikeouts. He was relieved by Caleb Ferguson. The Giants Alex Wood went four innings with six strikeouts but it was the two homers in the third inning that really hurt San Francisco.

The Dodgers kept their foot on the pedal and in the seventh inning extended their lead 4-0 when Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run. So far it was total domination by the Dodgers. The Giants just could not handle the Los Angeles bullpen.

In the ninth inning the Giants came to life with their first run of the game. Thairo Estrada scored off a Luis Gonzalez single. San Francisco was not finished. A Joey Bart single drove Yermin Mercedes home and with Gonzalez and Bart on base the Giants had the go ahead run at the plate. Closer David Price took care of Austin Slater who struck out looking and that was the ball game.

Notes: In a court filing against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer who was accused of beating and sexually abusing a San Diego woman. Bauer has denied the allegations saying they are, “false, fabricated, or bogus.”

Bauer has also denied the charges and is suing the woman for defamation saying she lied regarding their sexual relationship with the intent of ruining his baseball career. After Bauer filed the defamation suit in April Major League Baseball suspended Bauer for two years. Photos of the woman shows her with two black eyes and a bruised face. Bauer said that the tryst was consensual the woman’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said “absolutely no one can consent to this logically or legally.”

The woman responded to Bauer’s claims that she lied saying that she did not make a “false, misleading or defamatory police report” the response was made through the US District Court of Santa Ana. Bauer said that she altered or filtered photos of a restraining order request in June 2021 which the woman denies doing.

Tomorrow the Giants will finish this series hoping for at least one win in this four game series. Los Angeles will be gunning for a sweep. Alex Cobb will take the mound for the Giants with a 3-4 record and an ERA of 4.09. The Dodgers will send veteran Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.13) to close out this series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM PT.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Cody Bellinger watches the flight of his bottom of eighth inning grand slam home run at Dodgers Stadium against the San Francisco Giants on Fri Jul 22, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The San Francisco Giants hoped to get a win over the LA Dodgers Friday night in the second game of the four-game series. The Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb, to the hill. The Dodgers countered with lefty Tyler Anderson.

Anderson is 10-1 and has an ERA of 2.91. The 32-year-old left made the National League All-Star team due to his outstanding work in the year’s first half. Both pitchers performed well. Each went six innings and allowed just one run. Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to send LA to a 5-1 win over the Giants.

The Dodgers drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts singled to get things going for LA. Webb retired the next two hitters. It was at this point that Webb could not find the strike zone. He walked Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Gavin Lux. Betts scored the Dodgers’ first run. 

Tyler Anderson was on top of his game for the first three innings of the game. He allowed the Giants just one hit. The Giants tied the game in the top of the fourth when they scored an unearned run. With one out, Evan Longoria singled to get things going for SF.

Thairo Estrada reached on an infield single. Dodgers’ third baseman Max Muncy’s throw to first got by first baseman Freddie Freeman. Longoria advanced to third on the error. Yermin Mercedes singled to drive in Longoria with the tying run. 

The score remained tied until the eighth inning. The Giants got a man into scoring position in the top of the eighth but failed to score. Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler brought in Lefty Sam Long to pitch. Long gave up a single to Freddie Freeman.

Freeman went to second on a wild pitch. Long retired Will Smith for the first out. Lamont Wade, who pinch-hit for Darren Ruf in the eighth, made a fielding error on Muncy’s sharp ground ball. Freeman went to third on the play.

Long struck out Lux for the second out. If Long could retire Jake Lamb, things might have turned out differently for the Giants. Long hit Lamb on his wrist to load the bases. Long had to face Cody Bellinger. Bellinger, a former National League MVP, hit a grand slam to put the Dodgers in the drivers’ seat. LA led 5-1 after eight.

The Dodgers brought in Craik Kimbrel to close out the game. Estrada singled. Kimbrel retired Mercedes for the first out. Luis Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for Joey Bart, doubled. Kimbrel then retired the next two hitters to secure the win for the Dodgers. 

Game Notes: With the loss, the Giants are 48-45. The Dodgers are 61-30.

The line score for the Giants was one run, seven hits, and two errors. The Dodgers’ line was five runs, eight hits, and one error.

The teams meet again on Saturday. Alex Wood (6-7, 4.20) will pitch for the Giants, and lefty Julio Urias (8-6, 2.89) goes for the Dodgers. The game will start at 4:15 pm.

San Francisco Giants All Star representative Joc Pederson (23) is stunned after striking out against Oakland A’s representative pitcher Paul Blackburn at the 2022 All Star Game at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Tue Jul 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 During the All Star break Joc Pederson was commenting that it would take the whole team including key players Mike Yastrzemski, Logan Webb, and Joey Bart to get a player like Juan Soto. Is Soto’s value on a different universe?

#2 It’s pretty rare that players comment on trades, trade rumors or players who would be in a deal. Michael you’ve heard outfielder Joc Pederson during interviews in the first half of the season he’s pretty outspoken.

#3 Michael former Giant Pablo Sandoval said he should have remained a Giant instead of leaving the team in 2014 to join the Boston Red Sox for a five year $90 million contract. Pablo said he should have stayed and that he learned his lession.

#4 San Francisco Giants team president of operations Farhan Zaidi is going to look at getting some younger players through free agency who are more athletic can what players do you see him achieving that through getting draft pick or prospects by trade deadline moves?

#5 The Giants open a four game in Los Angeles against the Dodgers tonight. The Giants will start Carlos Rodon (8-5, 2.66) for the Dodgers Mitch White (1-2, 4.20) a 7:09 pm PDT first pitch. Rodon didn’t pitch in the All Star Game to get some extra rest how wise of a move was that and it also gets him the opportunity to open the series tonight?

Join Michael Duca for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com