[PilotMan]

6/1 3-2 W over the Astros
LA scrapped a win against the best team in baseball tonight. Beattie gave the team a chance with 5.1 innings and 4 k's, but the offense couldn't get it going against former Dodger Dave Stewart. Stewart lowered his ERA to 2.12, but a Dodger run in the 8^th tied it up, then a double by Pete O'Brien in the 9^th against Tom Henke (0-5). McGriff homered for the 11^th time this year.


6/2 11-7 W over the Astros
And LA takes down the champs again! Quite the offensive battle today. Pitching didn't matter much today. LA was lucky to knock Dennis Martinez around (5-3). He came into the game with a sub 2 ERA. Tanana (4-6) still gave up 2 homers, but was picked up with a Hayes HR (2) and Scioscia HR (6). Tanana even did his own damage. Coming into the game on an 0-25 streak, Tanana went a blistering 2-4 with 2 RBI's. Barrett and Scioscia added 3 hit games each.


6/3 4-2 L to the Astros
I guess we couldn't sweep or anything. Frankly we were lucky to get 2 runs off of Candiotti, who is having a stellar season (8-3, 1.15 ERA). LA had 0 extra base hits, and wasted a good effort by Viola (5-7). The game was tied heading to the bottom of the 6^th, when McGriff got his first career hit off of Frankie, a deep drive into the right field seats (13). Tom Henke closed for his 20^th save.


6/4 4-3 L to the Astros
Another game lost from the jaws of victory. Despite allowing 13 baserunners in 7 innings, Bryn Smith managed to keep the Astros from crossing home plate. Well...mostly. Every time LA would score the Astros would answer. Down 2-1, in the 8^th, BJ Surhoff lauched a 2-run blast (1) off of former Dodger Alejandro Pena. It was the first run Pena has allowed in 17 innings worked this year. LA couldn't hold the lead. Two runners lead off the bottom half of the inning and the manager went to Franco, and he couldn't keep those 2 from scoring. LA threatened in the 9^th, but Barrett lined into a DP to end it.


6/5 3-1 L to the Braves
Just when things were turning, we're back to another losing streak. The offense didn't show up again today, as the Braves Ramon Martinez struck out 8 and upped his record to 4-3. His only mistake was a 4^th inning HR by Ken Caminiti (1). Ken Howell (2-5) took the loss for LA. Jim Acker got his 12^th save for Atlanta.


Blue Jays first baseman Jack Clark mashed his 300^th career HR last night. The Blue Jays crushed the Brewers 13-1.


6/6 5-1 L to the Braves
Another failure of the bats tonight. The Braves fearsome lineup with names like, Kelly, Browne, Thomas and Winningham, beat up on Jim Beattie (3-4) scoring in 4 of the first 5 innings. Mark Leiter, making his 2^nd career start, (2-0) shut down LA over 7 scoreless. LA only scored in the 9^th, when it was already over.


6/7 2-1 L to the Braves
Another sweep of LA for the Braves. Randy Johnson, despite a 72 minute rain delay in the 4^th inning, took a no hitter into the 8^th inning, before Caminiti broke it up with a double to left. He would score for LA's only run. The Dodgers, Frank Tanana (4-7), also pitched well. The first 2 batters he faced after the delay singled and homered (Komminsk (8)), and really, that was all the Braves needed. In the 7^th, Tanana was forced out of the game with back soreness. No word yet on his condition.


Ugh, this team is tough to watch. They have scored 8 runs in the last 5 games. Before that they put up 11 in one against Houston. The players are complaining about a lack of team leadership as well as selfish players in the clubhouse (hmmmmm, sounds like Henderson). Manager Adam Abercrombie can't like his chances of staying with this 1 year deal right now, and even the GM should be concerned. Shockingly, LA is 3^rd in team payroll, and attendance has dropped by over 10,000 per game compared to last season. It's gonna be a long, hot summer of losing.


Good news at least with Tanana, he's been diagnosed with spasms and will not be going to the DL, for now anyway.


6/9 3-1 L to the Reds
This is 6 straight losses for the Dodgers now. Ron Darling went 8 and improved his record to 2-8, while Viola pitched into the 8^th and lost to go to 5-8. Henderson went 2-4 and was the only bright spot. LA put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with no outs against Eck and couldn't get even one run across. John Franco was removed from the game with back tightness, but it was only precautionary. He should be fine. This was Darling's first game with the Reds after a trade from the Padres yesterday. The Padres got Gary Redus and a minor leaguer.


6/10 5-1 L to the Reds
Now 7 in a row. Bryn Smith loses again and runs his record to 1-9 on the year. His 3.63 ERA belies that record. Today, he was victimized by a Schofield error, then the Reds pitcher, Roy Smith, hit a 2-run triple. Later it was Hendu who crushed an opposite field HR (11) to close it and chase Smith in the 6^th. LA got 2 hit games from Samuel, O'Brien and Surhoff, but left 8 runners on base.


6/11 6-1 L to the Reds
Good god. This is 8 now. LA could only muster 4 hits today. One of them was a leadoff HR by Samuel in the first (7). It was all downhill from there. Ken Howell (2-6) struck out 8 in 5 innings, but also allowed 6 hits, 3 walks and another HR by Hendu (12). Jeff Stember (6-4) is the winner.


Former Dodger, Fred Lynn got his 2000^th career hit last night for the Angels. Lynn went 2-4 as part of the Angels 6-4 win over the Royals. Lynn also hit HR number 303 in the game.


LA now has the worst record in the NL. I hate to say that I saw this coming, but I really did. I mean, the preseason pick saw us in 2^nd place, and I really didn't think we'd fall this far, this fast, but damn. With no farm system, and poor finances, this team was destined to struggle. Only 3 teams in baseball are worse. The Brewers and the A's.


Armando Moreno was activated from the DL, and once again, Marty Barrett was designated and placed on waivers.


6/12 4-3 (11) L to the Reds
OMG! We're up to 9 straight losses now. Von Hayes, Mike Scioscia, and Juan Samuel all had 2 hit games, and Frank Tanana left the game with a 3-1 lead, but Frank DiPino couldn't keep the Reds from scoring and sending it to extras. Lee Smith (2-2) took the loss. Juan Samuel left the game with an abdominal injury. They're already saying that he should be fine, and not planning to send him to the DL (not that it would matter at this point).


Marty Barrett was pulled off of waivers and Caminiti (.210/1/6) was sent back to Albuquerque.


6/13 8-0 W over the Astros
Well, we needed that, and for some reason, are really beating the best team in the league regularly. Jim Beattie (4-4) started and spread out 8 hits over 6 innings, while the rest of the team spread another 3 hits. The 'Stros out hit LA 11 to 9. Rickey cleared the bases with a double that broke the game open in the 7^th. Juan Samuel, already banged up, had to leave the game after legging out a double in the 6^th. Tom Candiotti, (8-4) who came into the game with a sub 1.30 ERA left with a 1.75 ERA after giving up all 8 runs in 6 innings. I should also say, that LA didn't get it's first hit until the 5^th. So how about that?!


Samuel has some hamstring tightness, but isn't going to the DL just yet.


6/14 14-4 L to the Astros
Houston put up 4 off of Frank Viola (5-9) in the first and never looked back. LA had actually cut the lead to 5-4 heading into the top of the 8^th before Houston blew it out. LA lost Eddie Vargas (.318/0/0) and Joe Price (0-1, 1S, 2.79) to injuries. Ricky homered in the first (7). Marty Barrett had his best game of the year going 3-4 with 2 RBI's.


Both Vargas and Price came back with minor injuries and neither will need to head to the DL. Good news for Price. He's been one of the best pitchers on the team.


6/15 11-6 L to the Astros
Another smackdown for the Champs against crappy LA pitching. Bryn Smith got lit up for 7 runs in 5 innings, while watching his record drop to 1-10. Ouch. Nolan Ryan (7-4) strikes out 7. Marty Barrett continued his hot streak going 3-3 and Jackson and Ricky added 2 hits each.


San Diego Padres pitcher, and former Dodger, Rick Reuchel, at age 40, with over 200 wins, and 2000 strikeouts, with 2 World Series rings and a Gold Glove, can now add no-hitter to his long list of career accomplishments. Tonight, Reuchel no hit the Cincinnati Reds 3-0, walking 2 and striking out 6.


The Dodgers ship pitching prospect Don Pall, 27, (0-1, 8.38 in AAA) to the Tigers for 22 y/o Jorge Brito. Brito was a 7^th round pick in '87, and was batting .074 in AAA prior to the trade. LA has sent him to low A Vero Beach. Pall was a former 4^th round pick of the Dodgers in '84. He was 24-26, with 10 career saves and a 3.98 ERA in his minor league career.