[PilotMan]

5/17 4-3 W over the Phillies
Shane Rawley had LA in control all day. He left after 8 innings of work with a 3-1 lead. Dave Smith came on to pitch the 9^th. The Stubbs lead off and grounded out, Frank White struck out and just when it looked like it was over Roy Smalley and his buck something average and 0 dingers, hit a monster 440 ft shot to center. That brought us down 1. Sid Bream stepped in next and he pulled the ball into the right field seats to tie it up. LA wasn't done there, Steve Sax singled pinch hitting, stole second (man haven't seen that in a long time here). Randolph hit a single into right and Sax came home to put us up. Niedendfeur pitched a perfect 9^th for his 9^th save to preserve it.


Nettles has a torn thumb ligament and he's on the DL. Frank White got the start at third in the last game and Tony Phillips was recalled to take his spot on the roster. Stubbs played for Murphy who is still out and no word on his timeline either. LA also signed Steve Howe to a 2-year extension, but the 2^nd year requires vesting.


5/18 4-1 W over the Phillies
It was Rick Rhoden taking the ball for LA today and he didn't have his best stuff, but he got a lot of support. Rhoden walked 6 in 5 innings of work before being yanked after 106 pitches. LA got on the board first when Randolph scored on a Evans single. Sid Bream then doubled home 2 more. We picked up another on a Kittle sac fly. Jim Beattie finally pitched a couple good innings and Niedendfeur struck out 4 in the last 2 for his 10^th save.


It's more bad news for the Dodgers. Murphy has a broken leg and it looks like it's worse than the 6 week kind. He's going to miss most of the season. We're going to have to get it done without one of our best players. Tony Brewer who had 3 at bats last year was called up to take his place on the roster. Stubbs is expected to take his place in center field.


5/19 5-2 L to the Phillies
The Phillies got on the board in the first off of John Denny (3-2), but we answered with a couple in the 4^th to take the lead. A rain delay of nearly an hour didn't have an impact on either pitcher and Denny was rolling along easy. Bottom 6, Wayne Gross, who was 0 for life against Denny hit a 2 run homer for his first hit and put the Phils in the lead. Pedro Guerrero would add another for the Phillies. More concern for LA as Pena left in the 9^th after feeling discomfort. We couldn't take Dave Smith down this time as he shut the door on us in the 9^th.


Harold Baines hit for the cycle against the Rangers.


5/20 7-3 W over the Expos
Hey look another win against the team we can't beat in the playoffs! The Expos still have the best record in the NL. Frank Tanana (2-2) got the start today and got the help of a big 4-run first inning. Mike Scioscia doubled in Randolph to start the scoring, then later in the inning, it was Mike Marshall hitting a 3-run homer (4). We would tack on 3 more in the 4^th. Right now, including the pitcher, there are 4 starters with sub .200 averages starting and our leading home run hitter wouldn't even crack the top 3 on most teams. John Franco made his first appearance of the season, allowing 2 hits in a scoreless 9^th.


5/21 7-1 L to the Expos
Rick Reuschel (5-2), an ex Dodger, put it to us again. We only managed 3 hits, and committed 3 errors that lead to Franco, who pitched the 9^th, to allow 4 unearned runs, on 4 hits. Jim Beattie pitched a couple scoreless innings and Jerry Reuss (1-1) was mildly effective over 5. Our only run came on a Franklin Stubbs HR, his 2^nd.


The good news is that reigning MVP, Alejandro Pena is only going to miss 2 weeks with some shoulder tendinitis. Considering all the other injuries, this is good news. Young prospect, Ken Howell, is called up. Although, his 8.44 ERA in AAA is less than inspiring.


5/22 9-6 W over the Expos
Valenzuela (5-2) got the win, but allowing 11 hits and 2 homers in 6 innings wasn't awesome. He's struggled quite a bit since his great first couple of games, but the offense got going and helped him out. Ever time LA opened the game up, Montreal closed it back up again. LA got a 2-run homer from Marshall in the 5^th (5) and a solo shot from Evans (6) in the 6^th. LA also drew 7 walks against David Palmer (1-3) who was pitched out in the 5^th. LA left 13 runners on, so it could have been a much bigger score and both teams combined for 5 errors. Both of LA's were by Frank White, who is NOT a natural third basemen. Ken Howell made his ML debut going 2 innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1. Niedenfeur pitched the 9^th for his 11 save.


5/23 8-3 W over the Mets
Rick Rhoden (6-2) pitched another quality game today, but he didn't carry the team. Today, that was Mike Scioscia, the #2 hitter in the lineup. Scioscia went 3-4, with 3 runs and 3 RBI's. One of those hits was a solo shot in the 3^rd, his 4^th. Only holding a tight 1 run lead LA erupted for 4 in the 9^th. The big hit was Franklin Stubbs, 3-run home run. Roger McDowell threw 42 pitches and couldn't get out of the 9^th. Rookie, Rick Aguileria had to finish.


5/24 9-4 L to the Mets
This Denny/Gooden matchup looked like it should have been a pitchers dual. Gooden leads the league in pretty much everything right now. Denny wouldn't hold up his end of the bargain as the Mets touched him for 6 runs in 4.2 innings. Sid Bream put us up in the 4^th with his 4^th, but the Mets answered with 2. Then in the 5^th Scioscia answered with his 5^th to cut the lead to 1, but the Mets again got another 2 to increase the lead for good. Tony Phillips got the rare start and went 2-4 for LA.


5/26 3-1 (11) L to the Mets
A pitchers dual between Frank Tanana and Jay Tibbs. Tibbs shut the Dodgers out for 8 innings then gave way to Roger McDowell. Down 1-0 in the 9^th, with 2 out and runners at the corners, Frank White legged out an infield single that scored Franklin Stubbs to tie the game. John Franco pitched 2 scoreless, before Niedenefeur (1-3) served up a 2-run homer to Kevin Mitchell (9) that ended it.


5/27 5-2 W over the Mets
At least we managed a split to the Mets. Fernando picked up his 6^th win, going 8 and striking out 6. The Mets scored in the first and the 1-0 lead held the day until the 6^th when Valenzuela, who had singled, scored on a Scioscia single. The Mets tied it up again, but LA scored in the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th. Mike Scioscia, who went 2-4, pulled up with an injury after a double. Buck Martinez filled in, and then hit a 2-run homer (2) in the 9^th to cushion the lead. Niedenfeur pitched the 9^th for his 12^th save.


Good news on Scioscia. It's just some soreness in his groin, and the team expects that he can play through it for a couple of days. We really didn't need to lose his bat right now.


5/29 4-2 (13) L to the Phillies
We used to win these kinds of games. The Phillies went up 2-0 early off of Rick Rhoden, but LA tied it up with runs in the 3^rd and 4^th and the now rare HR from Roy Smalley (2) in the 3^rd. . It stayed like that through 9 with Rhoden going all 9. After it was turned over to the bullpens LA couldn't get anything going. Ultimately, it was 2 unearned runs, thanks to a Ken Howell (0-1) error, that put the Phillies in front. Even with LA turning 4 DP's in the game, fielding cost the game.


Former 6-time Gold Glove winning center fielder, Gary Maddox was claimed off of waivers from the Mariners. Tony Brewer was sent down to make room for him. It still looks like Stubbs will keep his job for now, but that .194 batting average might cost him. Maddox hasn't seen any real playing time since he started for the A's back in '83.


5/30 7-1 L to the Phillies
It started off good for us. Willie Randolph lead off the bottom of the first with his first homerun of the year. The top of the second was horrid for John Denny (3-4) though. He would walk 4 runners, twice with the bases loaded and then allowed another on a wild pitch. He settle down until the 7^th when Keith Moreland touched him for a 3-run homer, his 5^th. Yet again, our offense is non-existent as Kevin Gross (3-7) shut us down.


5/31 9-3 W over the Expos
Good news/bad news. Good news, the offense finally got something going, and against Reuschel no less. Plus, this was against the best team in the NL and a team that's had our number. Roy Smalley went 2-4, with 3 RBI's and he smashed 2 HR to give him 4 on the year. Sid Bream had a good game too. He was 3-4 with 2 RBI's and his 17^th double. Bad news. Tanana (3-2) pitched alright, but walked 6 in the win, and allowed 8 hits in 7 innings. Willie Randolph was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game. He's got a bruised elbow and will join everyone else on the DL. Utility player Ross Jones was called up to take his place. Sax will take over 2^nd while he's out.