EVERYTHING IS GOING RIGHT FOR DODGERS BEAT COLORADO, WIN 6TH STRAIGHT DODGERS 8, COLORADO 1.Byline: VINCENT VINCENT Vital Information Necessary Centralized (movie, The Black Hole) BONSIGNORE Staff Writer Here's how good things are going for the suddenly sizzling siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. Dodgers these days: Brad Penny's only complaint after an 8-1 win over the Rockies was the high pitch count that cut his start short after five innings. Not that Penny's relatively early exit after 104 pitches mattered much. He left with a 4-0 lead and the Dodgers' scorching scorch v. scorched, scorch·ing, scorch·es v.tr. 1. To burn superficially so as to discolor or damage the texture of. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. offense just kept adding to it. They pounded out 14 hits against three Colorado pitchers, and scored two runs in the first, second, seventh and eighth innings. ``I would have liked to have gone longer,'' Penny said. ``But they must have fouled off 30 or so pitches and that pushed my pitch count up. But that's OK. That'll work itself out.'' Penny has been battling back trouble, but he said he felt better than he has in weeks. Nevertheless, he'll keep good on a previous appointment to get it rechecked with Dodgers doctors today. The way the Dodgers' offense is pummeling opposing pitchers lately, Penny could afford to leave early. The Dodgers have now won a season-high six straight games, outscoring their opponents 48-11 in that stretch and climbing from last place in the NL West all the way to second. They trail first-place Arizona by a half-game. There are several reasons for the Dodgers' sudden rise: Aaron Sele Aaron Helmer Sele (born June 25, 1970 in Golden Valley, Minnesota) is an MLB right-handed pitcher who plays for the New York Mets. His family moved to Poulsbo, Washington, a Scandinavian town on the Kitsap Peninsula, where Aaron pitched for North Kitsap High School. has helped solidify the pitching staff since replacing Odalis Perez in the rotation, giving the Dodgers an effective quartet of Penny, Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe[1] (born June 1, 1973 in Dearborn, Michigan)[2] is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He throws and bats right-handed. , Brett Tomko Brett Daniel Tomko[1] (born April 7, 1973 in Euclid, Ohio)[2] is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres, who previously played for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. and Sele. And when Jae Seo pitches effectively, as he did Monday in a win over the Rockies, the Rockies, the: see Rocky Mountains. staff is that much stronger. In addition, young players like catcher Russell Martin
Aybar had and RBI RBI 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 double in the first inning to give him 12 hits and 10 RBIs in his first 28 at bats. Ethier (.283, three home runs, eight RBIs) and Martin (.294, nine RBIs, great defense) have also shined since joining the big club. For years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time 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. ``Maybe it's been a help that we've come up together,'' Martin said. ``It's not just us playing well it's the entire team that's playing well.'' Dodgers manager Grady Little is noticing. ``And the good thing is we've got some guys back there coming up behind them that we're just as excited about,'' Little said. Lastly, the improved health of Nomar Garciaparra and Kenny Lofton has helped add speed and timely hitting to the lineup. Garciaparra had two more hits and another RBI to lift his average to .370. Lofton added three hits, two RBIs and two runs and is now hitting .304. 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 Dodgers starters were on the injured reserve at the same time, and in all they've sent seven key players to the DL. But with the better health, the offense is flowing. The Dodgers have scored six or more runs in five straight games and eight or more in three out of those five. ``Anytime the offense gives you run support like that it makes it easier to pitch,'' Penny said. But we also know as pitchers there'll be times when we have to pick them up.'' vincent.bonsignore(at)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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