DODGERS, LITTLE ARE NO LONGER HURTING BEAT COLORADO, WIN 6TH STRAIGHT DODGERS 8, COLORADO 1.Byline: VINCENT VINCENT Vital Information Necessary Centralized (movie, The Black Hole) BONSIGNORE Staff Writer It wasn't too long ago that Grady Little William Grady Little (born March 30, 1950 in Abilene, Texas) is a manager in Major League Baseball. He guided the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003, and has been manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2006. didn't know what to expect when he reported to Dodger Stadium • • [ each day. Over the first month or so of the season Little would brace himself every time a Dodgers trainer approached him, fearful he'd be getting a report about another injured player. At one point this year three Dodger starters were on the injured reserve at the same time, and in all they've sent seven key players to the disabled list. The result was a constant juggling act by Little as tried to piece together a quality line up each day. It made for an anxious manager and a disjointed team, one that slumped to last place by the first week of May. That was then, this is now. Slowly but surely the Dodgers are getting healthy, as shown by Tuesday's 8-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies For the National Hockey League team (1976 – 1982), now known as the New Jersey Devils, see . The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. They are in the West Division of the National League. at Dodger Stadium. What's more, a couple of young players brought up as replacements have solidified themselves as solid contributors. Little, once unsure how he'd fill the batting order Noun 1. batting order - (baseball) a list of batters in the order in which they will bat; "the managers presented their cards to the umpire at home plate" lineup, card each day, now writes it out in ink. His team has responded in kind. Buoyed by better health, quality pitching and an offense clicking in high gear, the Dodgers have risen from last place to within a half game of first-place Arizona. They won their sixth game in a row Tuesday. "Now I come to the park each day and see a team that thinks it's (got a chance) to win every time it takes the field," Little said before the game. "Before, you didn't really know what to expect. You didn't know who was available to play with all the injuries we had. It's tough when it's like that." Clearly that's no longer the case. The Dodgers quickly gave starter Brad Penny Bradley Wayne Penny[1] (born May 24, 1978 in Blackwell, Oklahoma)[2] is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[3] Early career a 2-0 in the bottom of the first behind a Kenny Lofton Kenneth Lofton (born May 31, 1967 in East Chicago, Indiana) is a Major League Baseball outfielder. He bats and throws left-handed. He currently plays left field for the Cleveland Indians, with whom he has spent 10 seasons during three separate stints. single, a triple by J.D. Drew and a double by Willy Aybar Willy Del Jesus Aybar (born March 9, 1983 in Bani, Dominican Republic), is an infielder in Major League Baseball under contract with the Atlanta Braves. He is the older brother of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim shortstop, Erick Aybar. . Aybar is one of the young players who have provided a spark since getting promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. , getting 12 hits and 10in his first 29 at bats. In addition, left fielder Andre Ethier
abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in ) and catcher Russell Martin (.294, nine RBI, great defense) have also shined since joining the big club. For years the Dodgers have raved about their well-stocked farm system, but they've resisted the urge to rush prospects to the big leagues. Out of necessity they've had to dip more into their system than they originally planned. But the more Aybar and Ethier and Martin perform, they more they show they belong. "I have to give our veteran players a lot of credit for that," Little said. "They way they treat these guys when they walk through that clubhouse door and the leadership they've shown makes it easier for them to come in here and do their jobs." The Dodgers added two more runs in the second, getting back-to-back singles from Rafael Furcal and Penny and a triple by Lofton to make it 4-0. Little isn't getting carried away with the Dodgers drawing so close to first place, pointing to a calendar that reads late May and remindful Re``mind´ful a. 1. Tending or adapted to remind; careful to remind. Adj. 1. remindful - serving to bring to mind; "cannot forbear to close on this redolent literary note"- Wilder Hobson; "a campaign redolent of that 116 games still remain. But considering the sad state of affairs a mere two weeks ago and the sudden turnaround that's brought them to the brink of first place, he won't totally downplay the significance. "Anytime you're (battling) for first place it's a good thing," Little said. Penny left with a 4-0 at the end of the fifth inning after throwing 104 pitches. He had five strike outs and gave up four hits to lower his ERA to 2.31. Tim Hamulack took over in the sixth and promptly surrendered a long home run to left by Garrett Atkins to make it 4-1. The Dodgers got the run back in the seventh when Nomar Garciaparra doubled home Lofton. vincent.bonsignore@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) The Dodgers' J.D. Drew is congratulated by third base coach Rich Donnelly after Drew's first-inning, run-scoring triple. (2) Colorado's Jason Jennings walks back to the mound after giving up a two-run triple to Kenny Lofton in the second inning. (3) The Dodgers' Kenny Lofton makes a play that kept Colorado's Luis Gonzalez from stretching his double. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer Box: DODGERS VS. COLORADO - Vincent Bonsignore |
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