[PilotMan]

8/17 6-3 L to the Phillies
Rhoden (13-8) got the start, walked 5 and struck out 8, but he was all over the place. LA's offense was all home runs again. Stubbs tied up the game in the 2^nd with #11, but the Phillies took the lead for good on a Steve Balboni 3-run shot. Dwayne Murphy would pull a couple back with his 19^th in the 5^th, but that was about it. Evans, Stubbs and Murphy had all but 1 of the hits in the game.


8/18 6-3 W over the Phillies
Pena (15-3) went 8 and struck out 11 in the victory. LA put up a 5 spot in the first and didn't look back. He was helped by George Foster's 12^th HR in the 3^rd. Dwayne Murphy went 3-4. Niedenfeur pitched the 9^th for his 27^th save.


8/19 3-1 L to the Phillies
Marty Bystrom (12-8) struck out 9 and allowed 2 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Valenzuela (14-9) took the loss and didn't show his best stuff, but you have to believe that another game of no run support is taking it's toll on the team. Mike Marshall left the game with an injury on a defensive play.


Report on Marshall is that he suffered a back strain on a diving catch. He's gone to the DL. Ron Kittle and his 39 homers in 100 games and 398 at bats is back in the majors in his place.


8/20 10-4 W over the Expos
Milt Wilcox (13-5) got the win allowing 4 in 7 innings of work. LA provided all the offense he would need, and the offense that Valenzuela wished he could've had. LA chiped away at Steve Rogers and by the end of the fifth had put up all 10 runs. They drew 6 walks in that time, and Dwayne Murphy hit his 20^th of the year in the 4^th. Kittle scored twice even if he failed to get a hit. This was the 4^th time in 7 games that we've beaten the Expos this year. It could be just as meaningless as last year. These teams will meet in the playoffs.


8/21 10-7 L to the Expos
No pitching, or at least poor pitching today. The offense ruled the day. Expos put up 3 in the first, LA answered when Dewey hit a 2-run shot, #24. LA was up 7-4 at one point, then the Expos put up 6 in the 5^th on a combination of hits and errors. Tanana only went 4, but it was Jerry Reuss (0-2) that took the loss.


8/22 2-1 (12) W over the Expos
For all the lack of pitching yesterday today it was all about Rhoden, Knepper and the bullpens. Willie Randolph made his return to the LA lineup, and even though the AAA season is winding down, maybe he should have done a rehab stint. He went 0-5 today. LA loaded the bases with 2 out thanks to a Burt Hooton (1-0) single. That brought up UL Washington who poked a single into right to send the fans home happy.


8/23 7-2 W over the Phillies
Pena pushes his record to 16-3 and the Dodgers stop the Phils 5 game win streak. Pena goes 8 allowing an an earned and unearned run. Dewey hits #25, Randolph goes 2-5 with 3 RBI's in a much better performance and the seriously under performing Roy Smalley went 3-4 and scored 3 times.


8/24 6-2 W over the Phillies
Valenzuela (15-9) went the distance and pitched one of his best games of the year. He allowed no hits into the 5^th, allowed 3 the whole game, 2 were for extra bases. LA put up 5 in the first thanks to a 3-run homer by Grich (15) and Scioscia (5) going back to back. Willie Randolph does appear to be back 2-3, with a walk.


8/26 6-5 L to the Phillies
Wilcox (13-6) was victimized by a terrible error on Scioscia that lead to a 4 run first for the Phils. The team managed 12 hits in this one, and scored 4 runs in the top of the 9^th to bring Evans to the plate as the tying run. He dribbled out to the pitcher to end it.


8/27 4-3 W over the Phillies
Rhoden made it another 8 innings in a strong start, striking out 7. A Roy Smalley 2-run homer (9) in the 7^th tied it up. LA had plenty of chances, but they left 9 on base. Philly scored 3, and left 0 on base. Niedenfeur pitched a scoreless 9^th with 2 strikeouts for his 28^th save.


8/28 5-3 W over the Mets
We get to see Dave Stewart for the second time, and this time he hangs. He leaves the game in the 5^th with a 3-0 lead thanks to a Gary Redus (3) 3-run shot off of Tanana (13-9). Except for that Tanana was great. LA chipped 1 back in the 5^th and 7^th, and then in the 8^th, down 3-2, Mike Scioscia hit a bases loaded double off of Jessie Orosco that gave LA the lead. Niedenfeur pitched 2 innings for the save, his 29^th.


8/29 6-1 L to the Mets
Doc Gooden (15-10) struck out 9 and had his way with LA. Pena (16-4) allowed 12 hits and 15 baserunners in 6.2, in the losing effort. Every batter in the Met lineup got at least 1 hit. The shocking fact looking in to this Dynasty so far is that of the Sax brothers, Dave is still getting regular playing time, while Steve is stuck in AAA behind Willie Randolph. Dave has more MLB at bats, even if his avg is near the Mendoza line. A bonus thought, Kittle was averaging a HR every 9.5 AB or so in AAA, he's had nearly 50 in the majors this year and is still looking for his first.


8/31 1-0 L to the Expos
The #1 offense downed the #1 pitching staff and defense thanks to pitching. Of course, Montreal has the #2 staff in the league too. Scott Sanderson (15-4) allowed 3 hits in 6.2 innings of work. The closest LA came was a runner on second with 2 out in the 9^th. Reardon went 8 outs for his 38^th save. Valenzuela (15-10) throws a complete game and strikes out 7 in the loss. Wasted effort there.