[Vision2020] Hitless Dodgers Beat Angels

[Tom Hansen]

The Los Angeles Dodgers became only the fifth team in basbeall history to 
win a game without a hit.

>From the Los Angeles Times -

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Hitless Dodgers Beat Angels

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Angels starting pitcher Jared Weaver is upset after allowing a run in the 
fifth inning Saturday night against the Dodgers. Despite combining with 
reliever Jose Arredondo on a no-hitter, Weaver took the loss.

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Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp scores the game's only run on a sacrifice 
fly by third baseman Blake DeWitt as Angels catcher Jeff Mathis awaits the 
late throw. 

The Dodgers became only the fifth team in the modern era of baseball to 
win a game without getting a hit. The last team to do it was Cleveland, 
which was no-hit by Matt Young of Boston for eight innings but won, 2-1, 
on April 12, 1992.

"This is pretty bizarre," Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said.

Talk about there being no margin for error.

The difference in the game was a fifth-inning run by Matt Kemp, made 
entirely possible by Weaver's inability to pick up a slow-rolling grounder 
and catcher Jeff Mathis' errant throw that sailed into center field on a 
stolen-base attempt.

For his six no-hit innings, Weaver (7-8) was rewarded with a loss. Because 
the Dodgers didn't hit in the ninth, he and Arredondo weren't credited 
with a no-hitter.

"This is definitely the craziest game," Angels center fielder Torii Hunter 
said. "I've never been part of a game where you give up no hits and have 
five hits and you can't get it done."

The Angels were blanked for the second night in a row, this time by Chad 
Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito. Billingsley followed up 
Chan Ho Park's six scoreless innings Friday night by putting up seven 
zeros and limiting the Angels to three hits and three walks. He struck out 
seven.

Billingsley (7-7) helped cut short Weaver's night, as Manager Mike 
Scioscia opted to pinch-hit for the right-hander in the seventh with two 
out and Gary Matthews Jr. at second. Chone Figgins grounded out to short 
to end the threat. 

Asked whether any part of him sympathized with Weaver, Billingsley laughed.

"No," he said.

He paused, and then continued, "I don't want to ever experience that."

The result had no effect on the standings, the Dodgers remaining 2 1/2 
games back of first-place Arizona in the National League West and the 
first-place Angels 3 1/2 ahead of Oakland in the American League West. For 
the Angels, the loss sealed their first series loss since they were swept 
by Tampa Bay on May 9-11.

Weaver cruised through the first four innings, encountering trouble in the 
fifth only when he failed to snag a slow-rolling grounder toward first 
base hit by Kemp.

With Blake DeWitt at the plate, Kemp bolted for second, taking advantage 
of Weaver's slow delivery. Mathis' throw to second sailed high and into 
center field, allowing Kemp to take third.

"I knew he had a high leg kick and that I could be aggressive," Kemp said.

DeWitt said he saw Kemp out of the corner of his eye, adding, "I was 
taking no matter what."

DeWitt drove the next pitch to right field and Kemp tagged up and scored.

"Obviously, it stings a little bit, but any time you lose, it hurts," 
Weaver said. "I'm sure you guys are going to eat this up more than I am."

Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier made a couple of key defensive plays, 
gunning down Erick Aybar at second base when Aybar was trying to turn a 
single into a double in the sixth and snagging a hard-hit line drive by 
Howie Kendrick that was hit to right-center field in the seventh. 

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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