Dodgers Continue To Struggle in Loss to Texas

Offensive problems continued to plague the Dodgers as they opened a three-game series against the Rangers Friday night in Arlington. Three pitchers combined to blank LA, 6-0, on eight hits as the Dodgers failed to hit in the clutch. They went 0-for-18 with runners on base to make Ranger hurlers Vicente Padilla (5-3), Jason Jennings, and Jason Grilli look like all-stars. The Dodgers, 7-7 in their last 14 games, have scored more than four runs in two of their last 10 games.

“Who would have guessed that a team which scored more than six runs 10 times in May, including 16 and 10 once and 9 twice, would fall on such hard times?

“There’s no one to blame,” Dodger Manager Joe Torre said on the Dodgers’ website. “They’re out there trying but they’re pressing. We’re really pressing to get hits. One of these days, it’ll fall into place. Right now, we’re trying to go out there and play nine innings, he added. “If we win more games than everyone else in our division, we’ll win our division.”

As has been the case lately, the Dodgers had plenty of opportunities to score against the Rangers but failed to do so. James Loney was the main culprit, having the chance to drive in five runs but coming up empty. Others who left runners on base included Orlando Hudson and Corey Blake (three each) and Mark Loretta (two). Until recently, Hudson and Blake seemed to be the only Dodgers hitting with any consistency. Facing such an attack, the Rangers didn’t have to do much. Instead, after averaging 3.22 runs in their last nine games, they took advantage of a rare poor outing from Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda, making his third start after returning from the disabled list, allowed a season-high five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Still, slump or no slump, LA boasts the best record (40-22) in either league and leads second-place San Francisco by seven games.

“We’re capable of beating anybody,” Matt Kemp said on Dodger.com. “Our record shows that. We’re a good team.” Maybe so….but not right now.

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Dodger Chatter: LA is not a big fan of inter-league play, compiling a 36-63 record against American League teams including 1-3 this season. The Dodgers last played in Arlington June 5-7, 2000. They are 9-8 against the Rangers. Overall, Dodger batting averages have remained constant despite the team’s scoring slump. Only Orlando Hudson (.307) and Juan Pierre (.351) have seen their averages plummet drastically. Matt Kemp is hitting .304, Andre Ethier .276, James Loney .290, and Casey Blake .296. After two more games with Texas, the Dodgers return home next week to continue the inter-league part of their schedule with three games against Oakland before moving on to Anaheim for three more. LA then travels to play the White Sox for three games and returns home to finish inter-league action with a three-game set against Seattle.

By: Bob Trostler
Los Angeles Dodgers Correspondent

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