The Dodgers continued their struggles against their cross town rivals in Anaheim with another series loss. In all, the Dodgers lost five of six to the Angels and I for one am glad to know we won’t have to face that team again (unless it’s in the World Series).
Things started off well enough with a great start by Derek Lowe. Prior to Friday, his season high was six strikeouts and against the Angels he rang up eleven K’s. Lowe has won three of his last four and since a rough start at the end of April, Lowe’s ERA has dropped from 4.62 to 3.08. He’s also been the workhorse on the staff and he leads the team with 102 1/3 innings.
The problem of course has been the offense. Russ Martin leads all starters but he only has a .288 batting average. And only the Nationals have a worse slugging percentage in the National League. A .379 team slugging isn’t going to cut it for too long because you never how long the pitching is going to be able to keep doing what they’ve done so far. They’re third in the majors and second in the National League with a 3.67 ERA.
A big reason for that solid ERA is Brad Penny who’s really come into his own. Relegated to basically a third starter, he’s really thrived and he leads the team with eight wins (only on loss) and he has a 2.18 ERA. He’s given up only two homeruns and he’s been pretty much the model of consistency. Even if you take into account the eight run beating he took on May 18th to the Angels, he’s given up more then three runs in a start just twice and he’s given up just three or more just four times and that’s in fourteen starts. We’re talking Cy Young potential here.
The West contenders have all had a tough stretch and despite winning just five of ten, the Dodgers haven’t lost any ground. The Dodgers sit just two losses back of the first place Padres and they’re tied with the Diamondbacks. As important, the Dodgers play two teams they should be able to handle. This week it’ll be the Blue Jays in Toronto and then it’s off to St. Petersburg to take the always poor Devil Rays. Brad Penny gets the start in the opener and he’ll go up against Dustin McGowan tomorrow.
