Dem Bums - A Dodgers Blog

The Dodgers leave Houston after taking three of four from the Astros and head to San Fran to take on the Giants with two of their regulars back in the lineup.

Nomar wasn’t set to return until next week’s homestand, but after a three-game rehab stint in Las Vegas this week, he will be activated for tomorrow’s game. He will play at short in place of Rafael Furcal, who just underwent back surgery this morning. He is expected to miss at least eight weeks, which would set his return to late August, but it isn’t crazy to say that he may be out for the remainder of the season.

Andruw Jones will also be activated for tomorrow’s game, rejoining the team two weeks earlier than expected. Jones and Nomar’s return will prompt Torre to option two players to make room on the roster. Also, Brad Penny was a maybe for his scheduled start this Saturday, but it has been put off and Chan Ho Park will start on Saturday and Eric Stults on Sunday.

Friday’s matchup is Derek Lowe and Jonathan Sanchez. Lowe’s record of 5-8 doesn’t show many of the strong outings he has, he has lacked run support all season long. Sanchez is 8-4 and has won six of his last seven starts.

Chad Billingsley gave up zero earned runs through eight innings as the Dodgers beat the Astros 5-2 to take the series and give themselves a three-game win streak before heading into San Francisco.

The Dodgers jumped on early with three in the first with an RBI-double by James Loney and a two-RBI-single by Blake DeWitt. Andre Ethier made it 4-0 in the third with his solo shot before Loney added his second hit of the game, a solo homerun in the sixth to cap the Dodgers at five runs.

Billingsley struck out five and gave up just six hits through eight to give him his eighth win. He gave up a pair of unearned runs in the fifth after Luis Maza, filling in for Jeff Kent who was taken out of the game, was charged with a fielding error. Saito had the tying run at the plate in the ninth but recovered to earn his 14th save and give the Dodgers the series win.

The Dbacks have now fallen back to .500 which puts the Dodgers just 1 1/2 games out of first in the division.

Hiroki Kuroda was activated just before Wednesday’s game for his first start in three weeks. To make room on the roster, Clayton Kershaw was optioned to Las Vegas after going 0-2 in eight starts for the Dodgers. Kershaw wasn’t happy about being sent down, but the attention soon shifted to Kuroda as he pitched seven shuout innings to lead the Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Astros.

The Dodgers spanned all four of their runs in the first five innings. Jeff Kent had two RBI-doubles for the first two runs. In the fourth, Blake DeWitt singled, moved to third and scored on a squeeze by Luis Maza. Andre Ethier capped off the runs in the fifth with a leadoff solo homerun, his eighth of the year.

Kuroda proved that missing three weeks is no biggie, he allowed just five hits in his seven shutout innings. The lone Astro run was off Cory Wade in the ninth, a solo shot to Carlos Lee. Wade then closed out the inning to give the Dodgers the win and put them just 2 games behind the Dbacks.

The Dodgers have avoided a series loss, they can tie the series with a loss or take it with a win in tomorrow’s afternoon game. Chad Billingsley will face Brandon Backe. Billingsley has won his last three decisions and is looking to set his record over .500. Backe 5-8 with an ERA over 5.

The injured plenty will see one making progress tonight as Hiroki Kuroda will make his first start in nearly three weeks.

Brad Penny also threw a simulated game of 50 pitches, and if all goes well he will be activated and ready to start Saturday’s game at San Francisco.

Andruw Jones and Nomar both made rehab starts for Las Vegas beginning on Monday. Jones homered in his first game at DH, and played center in Tuesday’s game. He should be ready to return after the All-Star Break.

Nomar played third on Monday and short on Tuesday in his rehab starts. He will likely be placed at short when he returns with the team, as word of Furcal’s return grows more bleak. Nomar should rejoin the team this weekend at San Francisco and be activated to play beginning for Monday’s homestand with the Braves.

The Dodgers and Dodger fans will love to see Nomar back at short, but that comes with a price: the continuing absence of Furcal. He played short on Monday and went 1 for 3 in four innings, but he awoke on Tuesday with pain in his lower back. He will be again sent back to LA for an exam, so word on his condition or date of return is still up in the air.

The Dodgers blew a five-run lead to send the game to extras, but Jeff Kent drove a solo shot in the top of the 11th to lead the Dodgers to the win to even the series.

The offense got two in the first off Russell Martin’s two-run shot with Delwyn Young on base. They then scored one run in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th innings to make it 6-1. Martin ended up 3 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBI, Jeff Kent 2 for 4 with 2 BB’s and 2 RBI, James Loney 2 for 6, and leadoff man Matt Kemp 1 for 4 with 2 BB’s and an RBI. Kent’s one-out homerun with a 3-2 count put the Dodgers up 7-6 and Saito held the bottom half to give the Dodgers the win.

Clayton Kershaw’s eighth start in the big leagues failed again to give him his first win as he pitched in his home state. He was tagged for three runs on six hits through 5 2/3. Kershaw left in the sixth allowing just one runner to touch home, but he was tagged for two more runs when Brian Falkenborg came in and gave up a three-run shot to Ty Wigginton. Hong-Chih Kuo came in to escape the inning but Jonathan Broxton allowed Carlos Lee to get a 2-RBI double in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Beimel and Chan Ho Park then kept the A’s scoreless until Saito came in for the bottom half of the 11th with a one-run lead courtesy Jeff Kent, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Dodgers the win and put them 2 1/2 above the Dbacks.

Hiroki Kuroda will get his first start tonight after spending three weeks on the DL. The bullpen was used heavily last night so the Dodgers will need some innings from Kuroda at the very least. He will face Runelvys Hernandez, who is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA this season.

The Dodgers dropped their first to the Astros in Houston and their second straight in a 4-1 loss.

Batting leadoff for the Dodgers, and going 0 for 5 with 4 K’s in his first big league game of the year, was Jason Repko. He was brought up to replace Juan Pierre, who was placed on the 15 day DL for the first time in his career for a sprained ligament in his left knee. The Dodgers managed to belt 11 hits but only scored one run in the first off James Loney’s sacfly to score Andre Ethier, who had doubled. That gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead but it was quickly swept away when the Astros tied it in the bottom half and went on to score three more while Roy Oswalt kept the Dodgers scoreless after the first.

Eric Stults took his first loss of the season, giving up four runs on five hits through 5 1/3. He allowed the Astros to tie it at 1 with a solo shot to Lance Berkman in the first. He then allowed the Astros to rally for three runs in the fourth to take the lead.  Troncoso, Beimel, and Wade all relieved from the ‘pen but their one-hit combined effort wasn’t enough as the Dodgers couldn’t back them with any run support. The offense has put up just two runs in their last three games and has scored one run or none in five of their last seven.

The Dodgers look to get their bats going to tie the series in the second game on Tuesday. They send Clayton Kershaw to face Wandy Rodriguez. Kershaw is still in search of his first MLB win while Wandy is 3-3 with a 2.58 ERA and is 2-1 lifetime against the Dodgers.

Derek Lowe continued to lack run support and pitched a gem but still took the loss as the Dodgers lose 1-0 and fail to take the series sweep. They did seal the series win though, just their second series win in the past 11.

Angels’ starter John Lackey threw like an ace, allowing just three Dodger hits while striking out nine. The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth but the MLB leader in saves, K-Rod, got Loney to ground out to end the threat. Juan Pierre had one of the hits in the sixth but was pulled when he injured his knee while sliding into second on a steal. He will undergo an MRI and may be headed to the DL for the first time in his career. If so, the Dodgers would likely have to make a Triple-A callup and find a new leadoff hitter until Furcal’s return.

Derek Lowe suffered his eighth loss despite giving up just one run through seven. He gave up just five hits and fanned seven but lacked any run support to help him out.

The Dodgers are back to National League play after going 5-10 against the AL by heading to Houston tomorrow to begin a three-game set. Eric Stults will look to improve his perfect record to 3-0 and will face Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is 6-8 with an ERA at almost 5 and is 4-3 lifetime against the Dodgers.

Delwyn Young will likely get the start in place of Pierre on Monday and will bat leadoff until word on Pierre’s MRI comes, which may prompt Torre to bring up an extra outfielder. The injured trio of Andruw Jones, Nomar, and Furcal will all begin rehab starts with Las Vegas on Monday. Jones will rehab to focus on his swing and looks to return for the second half. Furcal and Nomar are looking to return just before the All-Star Break, with the Dodgers in much need of their regular leadoff hitter, especially if Pierre goes on the DL.

Jered Weaver and Jose Arrendondo held the Dodgers hitless through eight but a run in the fifth gave the Dodgers a 1-0 victory and series win.

The run came in the fifth when Matt Kemp got on after Weaver’s fielding error. He stole second and took third when the catcher’s throw sailed into the outfield. Kemp then scored on a sacfly by Blake DeWitt.

Billingsley earns his seventh win in his best start of the season to set his record at .500. He threw seven strong innings, giving up just three hits and fanning seven. Broxton got the hold and Saito allowed a walk and a hit in the ninth before sealing the win with his 12th save.

The Dodgers now sealed the series win, winning just their second Interleague series win in the past three years. They look to sweep the Angels with a possible third consecutive shutout win today. They send Derek Lowe to the mound for the last Interleague game of the year. Lowe looks for his sixth win and looks for run support from the offense, he has just seven runs scored in his seven losses. He will face John Lackey, who has a microscopic ERA of 1.65 and is 5-1 after returning from the DL last month.

The Dodgers put up 6 runs and shut out the Angels as they took the first game at home against their cross-town Interleague rivals.

The Dodger offense kept Angels’ starter Joe Saunders from getting his MLB-leading 12th win. Russell Martin put the Dodgers up in the first with a solo shot, his team-leading eighth of the year. They then added two more in the fifth, one in part to Erick Aybar’s error at short. Andre Ethier blasted a three-run homerun in the seventh to make it 6-0. The homer is Ethier’s second hit in his last 15 AB’s.

Chan Ho Park pitched a gem in just his third start of the year. He threw six shutout innings, giving up just four hits, walking none, and fanning seven. Brian Falkenborg held the seventh with no hits before Jonathan Broxton and Saito combined to strike out the last six Angels batters.

The win puts the Angels just 2 1/2 games behind the Dbacks, who are now at .500. They look to take the series tonight and give the Angels their first road series loss since the weekend of May 9th by sending Chad Billingsley to the mound. Billingsley is looking to even his record at 7-7 and faces Jered Weaver who stands at 7-7. Weaver is 3-0 lifetime against the Dodgers and is coming off a win against the Phillies where he gave up just one run.

Clayton Kershaw is still winless in his career as the Dodgers were shutout by the John Danks and the Sox, 2-0.

The Dodgers totaled just five hits for the game. They also walked four times and left at least one runner on base for the first seven innings, including a runner on third with less than two outs three times in the game. They couldn’t drive any home and take the series loss along with the shutout, their seventh time being shutout for the season.

Clayton Kershaw got his second loss after giving up two runs on six hits and four walks. He was removed after issuing two walks in the fifth and made way for Falkenborg who finished the inning. Cory Wade and Ramon Troncoso each threw two but the offense gave no support as the Dodgers sailed to their fifth loss in the past seven.

The Dodgers now sport an Interleague record of 3-9 as they head into the final series with the Angels this weekend, who lead the AL West. The Dodgers dropped two of three to the Angels in Anaheim back in May. They have home field advantage this time around, but the Angels sport the best road record in all of baseall. Chan Ho Park will take the mound and face lefty Joe Saunders, who leads the AL with 11 wins. Saunders won his start against the Dodgers last month, but will be pitching at Dodger Stadium for the first time. The good news for the Dodgers is that they will only see one of the Angels 1-2 punch hurlers, as Ervin Santana pitched yesterday and will not face the Dodgers this weekend.

Eric Stults, throwing in place of Brad Penny and Hiroki Kuroda, got his second win in as many starts as he held the Sox to four hits in his complete game shutout while the Dodgers put up five runs of their own.

The Dodgers had just six hits on the nights but managed to get five runs off Sox starter Gavin Floyd. Two came in the first with the help of a Sox error. They made it 5-0 by scoring three in fourth: Blake DeWitt drove a 2-RBI-double and then scored on Stults’ sacfly, his first career RBI.

The offense drove in five runs but the player of the game was Stults. He threw 81 of his 116 pitches for strikes, had 3 K’s, and gave up just four hits and a walk. Torre wanted to take him out after eight but Russell Martin managed to persuade Torre to keep him in, and he sailed to his first complete game shutout and just the second Dodgers complete game shutout of the season.

The Dodgers, now just 3 games behind the Dbacks, go for the series win today. They send Clayton Kershaw to the mound, who is still looking for his first career win. He is 0-1 in six starts with the Dodgers. Lefty John Danks will start for the Sox, who is 4-4 with a 2.80 ERA.

The team will also be without Scott Proctor, who landed himself on the 15-day DL for his elbow. Torre originally told him that he was being optioned to Las Vegas, but his elbow pain sent him to the DL. Brian Falkenborg was activated to take his spot. He has 13 saves and a 3.60 ERA in 32 relief outings with Las Vegas and could give the Dodgers a few solid innings, but he may not be needed if the starters follow Stults’ complete game shuout suit.

The bats couldn’t get going against Sox starter Mark Buehrle as the Dodgers lose the opener, 6-1.

Buehrle held the Dodgers to just six hits in his eight innings. The lone run came in the fifth from Delwyn Young’s solo shot, his first homerun since last September and just the third of his career. Kemp and Loney each had singles to extend their hit streaks, eight for Kemp and 11 for Loney. Pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney also gave Buehrle his 1000th strikeout of his career in the eighth.

Derek Lowe went 7 1/3 innings and struck out a season-high eight batters, but was still tagged for the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits. He gave up a pair spread between the first and second innings to give the Nats a 2-0 lead. Over the next five innings, Lowe regained command and gave up just one hit and one walk. He fell apart in the eighth, led by a single followed by AL Player of the Week Jermaine Dye’s two-run shot. Lowe then gave up another single before being pulled. Lowe has just seven TOTAL runs of support in his seven losses this season. Cory Wade then took the mound and gave up an RBI-triple and an RBI-single. Ramon Troncoso then threw the ninth, but the game was already over.

The Dodgers look to tie the series today by sending Eric Stults to the mound. Stults is making his second fill-in start for Penny and Kuroda and his first Interleague start of his career. He gave up just one earned run to get his first win this season last Thursday. He will face Gavin Floyd, who is 8-3.

The Dodgers had the day off Monday to prepare for the next 20 days in which they have no days off. The continue their homestand by hosting the first place White Sox of the AL Central.

The Dodgers look to give the Sox their 10th consecutive road loss by sending Derek Lowe to the mound. Lowe is 3-1 in his last four starts and is looking to even his record at 6-6. He will face Mark Buehrle, who stands at 4-6 with a 4.28 ERA.

Hiroki Kuroda should also be activated and ready to pitch on Saturday versus the Angels. He threw a few on Sunday and is scheduled for a bullpen session on Wednesday to test the strength of his shoulder. If Kuroda isn’t ready for Saturday’s start, Chan Ho Park will likely be the fill-in again for him. Brad Penny should also then be available next week after he felt okay throwing a few long tosses. Jason Schmidt’s return is about a month away, he is still rehabbing in the minors but is looking to join the Dodgers after the All-Star break.

The Dodgers were in danger of being swept by the Indians after being beat in extras for the past two games, but four runs scored in the first held out for a 4-3 win.

The Dodger offense came out striking in the first inning, tagging Indians’ starter Paul Byrd for four runs before he could even record an out. Juan Pierre and Matt Kemp got on with hits before being driven home by James Loney’s 2-RBI-double. Russell Martin then drove a two-run shot to put the Dodgers up 4-0. What looked like batting practice for the Dodgers turned into a one-run game by the third, as the Dodgers were held to just six more hits and no runs after their first inning rally.

Chad Billingsley became the Dodgers first pitcher to reach six wins, as he went five innings and fanned four. He let a 4-0 lead slip to a one-run game in the third and nearly lost the lead in the fifth before Andre Ethier threw out the tying run at the plate. The tired bullpen, off two straight losses, was effective in holding the Indians scoreless. Hong-Chih Kuo, Joe Beimel, and Jonathan Broxton combined with one inning each for the hold. Saito then had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save.

The Dodgers have Monday off before hosting the White Sox. They stay 3 1/2 under the Dbacks.

After losing in extras on Friday, the Dodgers dropped their second to the Indians in extras again on Saturday, stretching all the way into the 11th before the Indians exploded for a six-run inning and beat the Dodgers 7-2.

The Dodgers could only score one before it was sent to extras, coming in the sixth to tie it with Matt Kemp’s solo shot. Other than that, the Dodgers were shut out by C.C. Sabathia, who retired the first 11 batters and struck out 10 in his seven innings, with 3 K’s each for Kemp and Delwyn Young. The Dodgers entered the 11th with a 1-1 tie but begin the bottom half with a 7-1 deficit. They added one off James Loney’s RBI-double, but it wasn’t enough to match the Indian’s big six-run inning.

Chan Ho Park was a strong replacement for Hiroki Kuroda, he gave up just one run on three hits. He also fanned nine in his five innings, and his only run given up was to Indians’ starter C.C. Sabathia in the third. The bullpen, lead by Hong-Chih Kuo, Joe Beimel, and Jonathan Broxton, was effective at holding the Indians scoreless through the tenth. Cory Wade then had two men on with one out in the 11th and was lifted for Scott Proctor. Proctor fell apart from the start, giving up three hits and two walks to be tagged for four runs. Wade was still handed the loss, though, for the inherited runner that scored the go-ahead run.

The bullpen gets their second straight loss and the Dodgers fall 1-7 to AL teams this year.

The Dodgers snapped their three-game win streak with a loss to the Indians at home in the 10th inning on Friday.

The Dodgers were down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth after being shut out by Cliff Lee, but they added two in the eighth and two more in the ninth to force extra innings. Jeff Kent was 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. The Dodgers tied it at 4 with two runs in the ninth but ended their threat with the bases loaded to have 11 total men on base, 8 of them in scoring position. The Indians scored two in the top of the tenth and the Dodgers couldn’t produce a run in the bottom half to take the loss.

Clayton Kershaw threw five innings, gave up four runs on four hits with 5 K’s. He allowed the Indians to get on top in the third with a two-run homerun, then gave up another in the fourth and sixth innings. Scott Proctor, Ramon Troncoso (who was just called up to replace Kuroda’s roster spot) and Cory Wade held the Indians to two hits and no runs over the next four innings. Saito came in for the tenth and took his third loss of the season when he loaded the bases and allowed two runs to score.

Andruw Jones also took BP before the game and is expected to be back for the second half. Joining him should be Rafael Furcal, who will start a rehab assignment within the next two weeks, and Nomar.

The Dodgers started their roadtrip 1-5 and ended with a 3-0 sweep of the Reds before heading home to LA for an Interleague homestand beginning with the Indians tonight, who are coming off being swept by the Rockies.

Clayton Kershaw will have another chance to earn his first big league victory. He was pulled after four strong, scoreless innings in Detroit on Sunday due to a rain delay. He will face lefty Cliff Lee, who is a stellar 10-1 with a 2.55 ERA. The Dodgers will try and keep Lee from an AL-leading 11 wins.

An MRI exam on Hiroki Kuroda showed tendinitis in his shoulder, which will force him to go on the DL. It is retroactive to his last outing on June 13, so he is eligible to return on June 28. Chan Ho Park will take Kuroda’s place for Saturday’s matchup against C.C. Sabathia. Park looks to have a strong outing after giving up five runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief in Detroit on Sunday in his last outing.

In place of Kuroda, Eric Stults will likely get another start in the rotation, probably on Tuesday against the White Sox. But Torre is expected to make a call-up to fill the roster spot, most likely a reliever.

The Dodgers swept the Reds for the second time this season, and they head back to LA this weekend with a three-game win streak.

The Dodgers scored one in the first and never trailed in the 7-4 victory. Jeff Kent started off with a double in the first and scored on Russell Martin’s RBI-double. Two more came in the fourth, including a leadoff solo shot by Matt Kemp, who was 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. They added two more in the fifth when Kemp hit a two-out double and James Loney capped it off for the seventh run in the sixth inning with an RBI-single. Loney continued his hot month of June, going 3 for 4 with 2 runs and an RBI.

Eric Stults was outstanding in his first start with the Dodgers since September. He went six full scoreless innings before being pulled in the seventh, being tagged for three runs but only one earned. He ended by giving up just six hits and fanning five for his first win of the year. Scott Proctor came in for the seventh but was pulled after giving up a run. Joe Beimel and Jonathan Broxton then combined for a scoreless hold before Saito earned his tenth save of the season.

The Dodgers look to extend their win streak as they head back to home to host an Interleague series with the Indians.

Derek Lowe gave up just one run while the offense put up six to win their second straight against the Reds.

The runs started in the first when Juan Pierre singled and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch by Bronson Arroyo. They added another in the second when Andre Ethier singled to score Matt Kemp. Ethier was 3 for 4 on the night. They then added one run in both the fourth and sixth innings, including a solo homerun by James Loney in the fourth, who was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI for the game to move his June BA to .396. The Dodgers capped it off to make it 6-1 in the seventh when Loney had an RBI-double followed by Pierre’s RBI-triple.

Derek Lowe threw six strong to get his fifth win of the season. His only mistake was a solo homerun in the second to give the Mets their only run. He kept them to three hits while fanning six, but was pulled in the sixth after only 85 pitches, because he is on four days rest after his last outing when he threw 121. Hong-Chih Kuo and Cory Wade then kept the Mets scoreless to seal the Dodgers win.

Hiroki Kuroda was scheduled to pitch today in the second game against Bronson Arroyo, but he was sent back to LA to have an MRI on his right shoulder. Derek Lowe will replace him as the starter, and is still on his usual days’ rest because of Monday’s off day. Lowe is in search of his sixth win, after losing in Detroit over the weekend despite giving up just two runs. Lowe will face his teammate of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox, Bronson Arroyo, who is 4-5 this season.

If Kuroda is cleared after the MRI, he should resume his spot in the regular rotation and start on Saturday against the Indians at home.

Brad Penny was also placed on the 15-day DL on Tuesday for mild tendinitis and inflammation in his right shoulder. Lefty Eric Stults was already called up from Las Vegas to make the start in Thursday’s game.

The Dodgers also got more bad news about Rafael Furcal. He still won’t be ready for a rehab start for at least two more weeks, which will set his date of return after the All-Star Break. Nomar will instead take Furcal’s spot at shortstop. Nomar homered in his first rehab game yesterday.

Chad Billingsley held the Reds to one run in his fifth loss of the season to help the Dodgers get their first win in six games by a score of 3-1.

The Dodgers put up three runs, which was enough run support to give Billingsley the win. They took the lead in the third on Juan Pierre’s RBI-double. They added another in the fourth to make it 2-0 off Russell Martin’s RBI-double to score Jeff Kent, who was 3 for 4 on the night. Blake DeWitt scored an insurance run in the eighth on Kent’s RBI-double.

Billingsley earned his first victory since May 20th, giving up just one run on five hits in 6 1/3 while fanning nine in his home state of Ohio. He left in the seventh after giving up back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. Joe Beimel then came in and got two groundouts to end the inning, but Billingsley was tagged for a run that scored. Jonathan Broxton held the Reds hitless and scoreless in the eighth before Saito closed out the ninth for his ninth save, his first since May 21st against the Reds at home.

The Dodgers continue to the final stop of their nine-game roadtrip to Cincinnati to face the Reds, who are last in the NL Central. The Dodgers look to win their first series since May 19-21 when they swept the Reds at home.

Chad Billingsley will take the mound to face Johnny Cueto, who is 5-6 with a 5.42 ERA. Billingsley hasn’t seen a win since May 20 against the Reds, he is 0-2 in his last four starts. Billingsley and the Dodgers look to snap their losing skid and get a series win before heading back to LA to open a nine-game Interleague homestand.

Brad Penny was given an MRI and no structural damage was found, but that doesn’t mean he will stay off the DL. He will miss his next scheduled start, which is Friday against the Indians, and will instead rest until Friday when he will resume throwing. If Penny stays off the DL and misses just one start, Torre is expected to start Chan Ho Park in place of him. If Penny makes a trip to the DL, Torre will have to make a call-up, likely Eric Stults from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Nomar was also cleared to begin a rehab assignment today. He will be rehabbing at shortstop, which is where he will play when he returns with the Dodgers, in place of Rafael Furcal at short and keeping Blake DeWitt at third.

What started as a pitchers’ duel unraveled after a rain delay into a 5-0 Tigers lead. The Dodgers then rallied for four runs in the ninth to make it 5-4 but still took the loss to be victims of the sweep.

Nate Robertson and Denny Bautista held the Dodgers to five hits through eight innings. The Dodgers were down 0-5 heading into the ninth but began to rally in hopes of a come-from-behind win. Russell Martin hit a two-run homerun to left for the Dodgers first runs of the game. James Loney and Matt Kemp then both singled, with Loney scoring on Jeff Kent’s RBI-single to make it 5-3. Kemp then scored the fourth run from a wild pitch by Tigers’ closer Todd Jones. Juan Pierre then flied out with the tying run on second to end the game and take the sweep.

Clayton Kershaw had a fantastic outing, giving up just four hits in his four innings of work. Almost an hour rain delay prompted Torre to pull Kershaw, though, and replace him with Chan Ho Park. Park proved ineffective, being tagged for all five Tiger runs on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings. He allowed the Tigers to rally for three runs in the fifth and then gave up back-to-back solo homeruns in the sixth to dig the Dodgers in a 5-0 hole. Park was tagged for the loss, his second of the season, and elevated his ERA from 1.96 to 2.95.

The Dodgers still haven’t seen a series win in almost a month, and they now have a five-game losing streak as they head into Cincinnati.

The Dodgers continued in their losing ways on Saturday in Detroit, with Brad Penny being roughed up while the Tigers won 12-7.

The Dodgers got on the board first with a run in the second but the Tigers tied it up at 1-1 in the third. The Dodgers then took a 4-1 lead with three runs in the fourth, but the Tigers exploded for sixth runs in the bottom half to regain the lead. Three more Dodger runs in the sixth couldn’t match the Tigers’ 12 by the end of the night. Andre Ethier led the offense, going 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs, including his sixth homerun of the year. James Loney and Delwyn Young, playing DH, each added three hits.

Brad Penny was tied with the Tigers 1-1 heading into the fourth, but he didn’t escape the inning and was tagged for six more runs that inning, with seven hits total, to give him his ninth loss of the season. Four of the runs in the fourth were off two two-run homeruns to Marcus Thames and Miquel Cabrera. Scott Proctor didn’t fare much better, giving up four more runs (though just one earned, Angel Berroa was tagged for a throwing error) over the next two innings. Cory Wade threw 1 1/3 before Saito came in for the eighth, yielding three hits and another run.

Even worse news came with the loss, as Brad Penny left the game with pain in his right shoulder. Penny will return to LA on Sunday to get an MRI, and the results will tell whether he needs just a few extra days rest or a trip to the DL.

The Dodgers dropped their first to the Tigers in the Interleague series to give them a three-game losing streak. The offense has also not scored a run in 23 innings.

Tigers’ rookie Armando Galarraga held the Dodgers to just three hits and fanned them for 5 K’s, including two for the unfamiliar DH role, Mark Sweeney. In 22 of the Dodgers’ 36 losses, they have scored one or zero runs.

Derek Lowe gave up just three runs (two earned) in his seven innings, but again lacked run support for a win. He takes his sixth loss of the season and just his second against the Tigers lifetime in nine decisions. Cory Wade then pitched the eighth and gave the Tigers two more runs off Magglio Ordonez’s homerun.

The Dodgers are now a season-worst five games below .500. They send Brad Penny to the mound tonight to face Eddie Bonine, who is making his major league debut. Penny is winless since May 2 but is coming off two quality starts.

The Dodgers have dropped three of four and are now 4 1/2 behind the Dbacks in the division. They head out on a six-game roadtrip beginning in Detroit for a three game series with the Tigers, who are sporting a three-game win streak.

Derek Lowe is back in his home state this weekend and will take the mound tonight. Lowe looks to even his record at 5-5 with a win. He is 7-1 lifetime with a 1.82 ERA against the Tigers, though he hasn’t faced them in nearly three years. He will face Tiger rookie Armando Galarraga, who is 5-2 with a 3.70 ERA.

The Dodgers were shut out while the Padres rallied for nine runs to win the rubber match.

First things first….Matt Kemp won his appeal to reduce his suspension to two games instead of four after last Tuesday’s brawl with Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba. Kemp then had to begin his suspension today. Torre didn’t want both Kemp’s and Russell Martin’s bats out of the lineup, so Torre started Martin as Kuroda’s battery mate instead of the scheduled Danny Ardoin. Torre also added that Martin will still play all three games in the weekend series in Detroit.

Torre’s decision to add offensive power by starting Martin didn’t have an effect, as the Dodgers were held to just five hits for the game, and got only three through six innings off Padres starter Jake Peavy. The win improves Peavy’s record to 5-3 and 12-1 lifetime against the Dodgers. The team went 0 for 5 with RISP, which makes them 0 for 12 with RISP in their last two games.

Hiroki Kuroda sunk the Dodgers in a 0-5 hole after giving up five runs in the first inning. Kuroda allowed the first six Padres batters to reach base, including giving up back-to-back homeruns, a three-run shot to Brian Giles followed by a solo shot to Adrian Gonzalez. He was pulled in the third and was tagged for his sixth earned run of the game to set his ERA at a season-high 4.04. Chan-Ho Park finished the inning and the next two before Hong-Chih Kuo gave the Padres one in seventh and Scott Proctor gave up two more runs in the eighth.

The Dodgers have now dropped three of four and haven’t seen a series win in almost a month. The team begins a six-game road trip, beginning with the Tigers in Detroit for Interleague Play.

The Dodgers could only muster four hits off Padres’ starter Randy Wolf and had a total of just five on the night, with one run, in the 1-4 loss.

The lone Dodger run came in the fourth after already being down 0-3. Andy LaRoche drove a solo shot to left, his first homerun in his AB this year and just his second in the big leagues. He played first in place of James Loney, who did enter to pinch hit in the ninth but grounded out to snap his hit streak at nine games. The offense went 0 for 7 with RISP, including having a man on third with just one out in the sixth, and were fanned nine times by Wolf, including 3 K’s for Matt Kemp.

Chad Billingsley struggled in the first few innings, but regained command after that. He allowed a solo homerun in both the first and second innings before falling to be down 3-0 in the third when Padres’ starter Randy Wolf singled and came around to score. Billingsley gave up another in the seventh before leaving after that inning. He took his seventh loss and is now winless since May 20. Hong-Chih Kuo threw a hitless eighth with 2 K’s.

The Dodgers, still sitting 3 games under .500 and 3 1/2 behind the Dbacks, send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound to go for the series win. Kuroda’s battery mate will be Danny Ardoin for the third time. The duo has given Kuroda an ERA under 1 in their three outings together, including the last outing, a four-hit shutout against the Cubs. They will face Padres ace Jake Peavy, who has been on the DL and hasn’t made a start in almost a month. Peavy is 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA this season.

Blake DeWitt shared the NL Rookie of the Month ballot with Joey Votto of the Reds, Geovany Soto from the Cubs, and Manny Acosta of the Braves, but DeWitt took the award for the month of May.

DeWitt batted .322 with 5 homers in May to earn him the award as he fills in for Nomar at third. Nomar is expected to begin a rehab assignment beginning next week, which could put him on target to rejoin the team in about three weeks. The difference this time around is that Nomar will return to his original position at shortstop for both the minor league assignment and when he returns to the team. Nomar hasn’t played short in three years, but the absence of Rafael Furcal at short and DeWitt’s shining performance at third will prompt Torre to place Nomar at short.

Furcal has now missed 33 games in the past few weeks and will still be out at least another 2-3 weeks. Furcal was re-examined by a doctor and it was concluded that his back isn’t 100% healthy for play. Furcal will likely spend a week in the minors before returning with the team, which would likely be right before the All-Star Break. Furcal’s absence has moved him down in the All-Star voting, though, beyond the top 5.

Both Russell Martin and Matt Kemp drove in three runs each to help the Dodgers get a 7-2 victory over the Padres.

The Dodgers led off the first with a run to take a 1-0 lead off Martin’s first RBI-single of the night. Veteran Greg Maddux then held the Dodgers scoreless through six. Down 1-2 in the seventh with two outs, the Dodgers added four runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Dodgers loaded the bases up for Martin, who drove a two-run single for the go-ahead RBI. Matt Kemp then followed suit with a two-RBI single also. The Dodgers added two insurance runs in the ninth. Martin ended up 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Clayton Kershaw, facing a pitcher who is over twice his age, pitched a strong 5-plus innings but again failed to take a decision. He allowed just two runs on six hits and had 5 K’s. Proctor, Beimel, Broxton, and Wade then combined to finish the game and hold the Padres scoreless, with Proctor getting the W.

The Dodgers have now won 3 of 4 and will send Chad Billingsley to the mound for the second game of the series. He will face lefty Randy Wolf. Both pitchers are searching for their fifth wins. Andy LaRoche will also be in the lineup tonight, likely replacing James Loney at first because of the lefty matchup.