AWESOME AUGUST – The Dodgers tonight play the second game of their three-game series against the National League Wild Card-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Los Angeles won last night’s series opener 5-3 following a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies to start the 10-game homestand. After an offday on Monday, the Dodgers will host the Colorado Rockies for their final regular-season visit to Dodger Stadium.
►The Dodgers are in the midst of playing 13 days in a row and in 29 of 30 days through September 3. Los Angeles is 7-4 thus far in that stretch, and the lone offday in that time comes on Monday.
BATTLE AT THE TOP – The Dodgers have been tied for first place in the National League West Division with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three days in a row after going 22 consecutive days in second place. Los Angeles last had sole possession of first place on April 4, when it was 0.5 game ahead of San Diego .
The Dodgers are four games above .500 for the first time since May 21, when they were 25-21. Los Angeles was a season-best five games above .500 on one occasion at 19-14 on May 6.
The Dodgers have won five straight, seven of their last nine, and 14 of their last 21. The five-game winning streak is tied with the Chicago Cubs for the longest active winning streak in the Majors.
HOMERS – The Dodgers have won seven in a row at home beginning August 2, their longest winning streak at Dodger Stadium since a seven-gamer from June 22-July 5, 2006. Los Angeles last won at least eight straight at home during the strike-shortened 1994 season, when they won nine consecutive games along Elysian Park Avenue from April 24-May 15.
The Dodgers have outscored their opponents during the seven-game winning streak just 40-24, with six of the seven games being decided by one or two runs. During the stretch, Los Angeles is hitting .338 (80-for-237) with 11 homers, a .406 on-base percentage, and a .544 slugging percentage.
The Dodgers have won 13 of their last 16 games at Dodger Stadium, and are 37-27 at home overall. Los Angeles was last 10 games above .500 at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2007, when they were 22-12. The Dodgers most recently were at least 11 games above .500 at home at the end of the 2006 season, when they were 49-32.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS – Each of the Dodgers’ last seven games have been decided by one or two runs. They are 5-2 in that stretch, including five straight wins. Beginning July 23, in fact, 18 of the Dodgers’ 22 games have been decided by three runs or less. Los Angeles is 10-8 in those 18 games and 14-8 overall in that time.
The Dodgers are 17-17 in one-run games, and 10-14 in two-run contests.
BLUE CREW VS. BREW CREW – By winning three of the first four games of this season series with the Brewers, the Dodgers will remain unbeaten in their last eight season series against Milwaukee . They are 5-0-2 beginning in 2001. Including a 3-1 mark against the Brewers in 2008, the Dodgers are 32-14 against them since the start of the 2001 season. The Dodgers last lost a season series to the Brewers in 2000 (3-4).
TURN OF EVENTS – The Dodgers are 9-5 since the arrival of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez on August 1, including a 7-1 mark at Dodger Stadium. In the last 14 games, Los Angeles has scored 67 runs for an average of 4.8 runs per game, up more than a half run per game than before Ramirez’s arrival. The club averaged 4.2 runs per game in its first 113 games (450 runs) through July 31. Ramirez’s 17 RBI in August lead the National League and rank fifth in the Majors.
Not to go unnoticed, the Dodgers are 13-7 since Casey Blake’s arrival on July 26. Blake is hitting .303 (23-for-76) with seven doubles, four homers, and 12 RBI in his 20 games. The 12 RBI have come in his last 13 games. He also has homered three times in his last eight games, including a two-run blast last night.
HEATIN’ UP – Jeff Kent has batted in the third slot in the order ahead of Manny Ramirez in each of the last nine games beginning August 7. In that time, Kent is hitting .500 (17-for-34) to raise his average to .277 from .256. The .500 mark is tied for the NL lead in that span with Atlanta ’s Mark Kotsay, who is 13-for-26. Only Texas ’ Marlon Byrd has a high average beginning August 7 (.515, 17-for-33).
THE ‘PEN IS MIGHTIER – The Dodger bullpen has tossed 13.0 consecutive scoreless innings in the last four games, giving up just three hits and striking out 15 in that span. Los Angeles relievers last gave up a run in the ninth inning on Monday vs. Philadelphia . The Dodger ‘pen had a season-best 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings streak from July 23-31.
The Dodgers are tied for first in the Majors with the Toronto Blue Jays with a 3.00 bullpen ERA.
►The Dodgers are in the midst of playing 13 days in a row and in 29 of 30 days through September 3. Los Angeles is 7-4 thus far in that stretch, and the lone offday in that time comes on Monday.
BATTLE AT THE TOP – The Dodgers have been tied for first place in the National League West Division with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three days in a row after going 22 consecutive days in second place. Los Angeles last had sole possession of first place on April 4, when it was 0.5 game ahead of San Diego .
The Dodgers are four games above .500 for the first time since May 21, when they were 25-21. Los Angeles was a season-best five games above .500 on one occasion at 19-14 on May 6.
The Dodgers have won five straight, seven of their last nine, and 14 of their last 21. The five-game winning streak is tied with the Chicago Cubs for the longest active winning streak in the Majors.
HOMERS – The Dodgers have won seven in a row at home beginning August 2, their longest winning streak at Dodger Stadium since a seven-gamer from June 22-July 5, 2006. Los Angeles last won at least eight straight at home during the strike-shortened 1994 season, when they won nine consecutive games along Elysian Park Avenue from April 24-May 15.
The Dodgers have outscored their opponents during the seven-game winning streak just 40-24, with six of the seven games being decided by one or two runs. During the stretch, Los Angeles is hitting .338 (80-for-237) with 11 homers, a .406 on-base percentage, and a .544 slugging percentage.
The Dodgers have won 13 of their last 16 games at Dodger Stadium, and are 37-27 at home overall. Los Angeles was last 10 games above .500 at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2007, when they were 22-12. The Dodgers most recently were at least 11 games above .500 at home at the end of the 2006 season, when they were 49-32.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS – Each of the Dodgers’ last seven games have been decided by one or two runs. They are 5-2 in that stretch, including five straight wins. Beginning July 23, in fact, 18 of the Dodgers’ 22 games have been decided by three runs or less. Los Angeles is 10-8 in those 18 games and 14-8 overall in that time.
The Dodgers are 17-17 in one-run games, and 10-14 in two-run contests.
BLUE CREW VS. BREW CREW – By winning three of the first four games of this season series with the Brewers, the Dodgers will remain unbeaten in their last eight season series against Milwaukee . They are 5-0-2 beginning in 2001. Including a 3-1 mark against the Brewers in 2008, the Dodgers are 32-14 against them since the start of the 2001 season. The Dodgers last lost a season series to the Brewers in 2000 (3-4).
TURN OF EVENTS – The Dodgers are 9-5 since the arrival of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez on August 1, including a 7-1 mark at Dodger Stadium. In the last 14 games, Los Angeles has scored 67 runs for an average of 4.8 runs per game, up more than a half run per game than before Ramirez’s arrival. The club averaged 4.2 runs per game in its first 113 games (450 runs) through July 31. Ramirez’s 17 RBI in August lead the National League and rank fifth in the Majors.
Not to go unnoticed, the Dodgers are 13-7 since Casey Blake’s arrival on July 26. Blake is hitting .303 (23-for-76) with seven doubles, four homers, and 12 RBI in his 20 games. The 12 RBI have come in his last 13 games. He also has homered three times in his last eight games, including a two-run blast last night.
HEATIN’ UP – Jeff Kent has batted in the third slot in the order ahead of Manny Ramirez in each of the last nine games beginning August 7. In that time, Kent is hitting .500 (17-for-34) to raise his average to .277 from .256. The .500 mark is tied for the NL lead in that span with Atlanta ’s Mark Kotsay, who is 13-for-26. Only Texas ’ Marlon Byrd has a high average beginning August 7 (.515, 17-for-33).
THE ‘PEN IS MIGHTIER – The Dodger bullpen has tossed 13.0 consecutive scoreless innings in the last four games, giving up just three hits and striking out 15 in that span. Los Angeles relievers last gave up a run in the ninth inning on Monday vs. Philadelphia . The Dodger ‘pen had a season-best 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings streak from July 23-31.
The Dodgers are tied for first in the Majors with the Toronto Blue Jays with a 3.00 bullpen ERA.