Oh, sure, it’ll look bad that John Ely, throwing for the first time in 12 days and second time since August 26, got lit up in the 12th as the Dodgers fell 5-2 to St. Louis. I can already see him getting killed, and that’s fine. But let’s be honest here, we’re really going to sit here and blame the ninth pitcher in an extra-inning game, a guy who’s a Quad-A type at best, and say this loss lies with him?
Of course not. With the exception of the extra innings and a surprisingly good start from Stephen Fife, this loss resembles so many others from recent weeks. Shane Victorino went 0-6, somehow managing to answer the question, “can Shane Victorino possibly be any worse?” The list goes on: Adrian Gonzalez contributed an 0-5 of his own. Matt Kemp couldn’t convert a bases-loaded situation in the tenth. Don Mattingly somehow blew through his entire expanded pitching staff in the game and intentionally walked hitters to set up Matt Holliday twice. In 12 innings, the only big hit the Dodgers got was Andre Ethier‘s two-run homer, his 19th of the year. That’s why the Dodgers lost today, not because of Ely; it should never have made it that far. (Okay, and Matt Treanor somehow walked three times, tying a career high he originally set back in 2006.)
It’s now been three weeks since the Dodgers actually won a series, taking 2 of 3 against Miami between August 24-26. Playoffs? We’re talking about playoffs?
