You Have No Chance To Survive Make Your Time. Ha Ha Ha
Ha. Padres 6, Dodgers 5

post from 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog on 07 June 2007 06:37:00 PM. © 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Payback for the 4+1 game? I was pretty convinced the Dodgers were going to lose this one in the first half, not the second; Jake Peavy, who pwns the Dodgers, actually got outpitched today by Hong-Chih Kuo, but Jonathan Broxton blew up, assisted by numerous screwups in the field:

Nomar misplayed Terrmel Sledge's routine grounder, insisting on running it to the bag himself with Broxton already covering. Sledge beat him to the bag; two on, nobody out.
Consecutive singles from Marcus Giles to load 'em up followed by a generously-ruled infield single by Paul McAnulty drove in the Pads' first run.

That of course set up Adrian Gonzalez's big double, and only the accident of the ground rule bounce prevented it from becoming a walkoff hit. Instead, Broxton intentionally walked Josh Bard, gave up another run on an RBI single to Mike Cameron, and in the ultimate humiliation, walked in the go-ahead run to Russell Branyan — who has had 13 walks all year prior to tonight.

The Dodgers started the night second in the league in errors, and they made two more in this game, none more crucial that Nomar's bag blunder that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. What an appalling sweep, and what an appalling waste of a good outing against Jake Peavy.

This team reminds me a fair amount of the 2006 Angels: lots of fielding problems, too many veterans displacing kids who could do a better job, including a lousy, aging, underperforming centerf— wait, that was 2005.

Update: One of the DT commenters suggested the Dodgers' mojo completely turned around after Juan Pierre entered the game as a defensive substitute in the eighth. While the complaints about his offense are on the mark (his infamous seven pitches and four outs in Wednesday's game comes to mind), it's hard to blame him for this one. Now, the possibility arises that Grady Little could be blamed for it too, for leaving Broxton in when he clearly didn't have anything left; but then, recall Little also did not start Pierre. Rafael Furcal went 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot, scoring a run and driving in three. The Grittle giveth, and the Grittle taketh away.

Update 2: SOSG has the perfect visual aid.

Update 3: Jonathan Broxton, you're going to bed without your supper... -.980 WPCT.