Dodgers Can't Overcome Deficit

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5, their seventh loss in 11 games. Milwaukee took advantage of Clayton Kershaw's poor control, twice drawing walks with the bases loaded before driving the lefty out of the game in the fifth inning. Ryan Braun seemingly put the game out of reach with a three-run homer that gave the Brewers a 6-1 lead. However, the Dodgers scored a run in the seventh and three in the ninth. With the bases loaded and two out, Manny Ramirez could not be the hero as he flew out to right field to end the game. Matt Kemp doubled twice and scored twice, James Loney had a two-run double, and Orlando Hudson drove in two runs. Brad Ausmus had two singles and a run scored. Braun finished with four hits, and Casey McGehee had two hits and two runs scored.

Dodgers Salvage Series in Extras

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 in 10 innings, salvaging a victory from this four-game series. The Dodgers had a 3-2 lead going into the seventh, but Rick Ankiel tied it with one swing of the bat. The game entered extra innings, and with two out Matt Kemp singled to drive in two runs, more than enough for the win. Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless 10th to get his 24th save, and James McDonald's perfect ninth gave him his third career victory. Casey Blake had four hits, including a double, and scored twice, and Rafael Furcal drove in two runs. Kemp finished with three hits and three RBI's, and Brad Ausmus singled twice and had a run scored. Matt Holliday finished with two runs-batted-in, and Albert Pujols scored a run.

Scott Elbert was called up from Triple-A, and Brent Leach was demoted after he struggled this month.

George Sherrill will join the team tomorrow in Atlanta. A move on the roster will need to be made to make room for him.

Dodgers Complete Comeback Against 'Stros

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros 4-3, splitting the series two games apiece. Houston opened up with a three-run lead after the third inning, but the Dodgers scratched back for two runs before tying the game in the seventh on two errors by pitcher Alberto Arias. In the eighth, Matt Kemp homered with two out to give the Dodgers the lead for good. Jonathan Broxton rebounded from a tough outing yesterday to get his 22nd save. Kemp also doubled and scored all four runs, and Brad Ausmus doubled twice, driving in Kemp both times. Andre Ethier had three hits, and Rafael Furcal had an RBI. Michael Bourn doubled and scored a run for the Astros, and Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer.

Orlando Hudson injured his left wrist after bumping into Astros pitcher Russ Ortiz while running to first. It is the same wrist that Hudson underwent surgery on after he injured it last season. However, the Dodgers are saying the injury was sustained in a different area, and it is not serious. He is listed as day-to-day, and will have X-rays.

In addition to Jason Schmidt, who will make his first start since 2007 tomorrow against the Reds, two other Dodgers are on the verge of returning from the disabled list. Hong-Chih Kuo is making progress in his rehab starts, and Doug Mientkiewicz is ready begin his rehab and could be back in a matter of weeks.

Dodgers Finish Half on Right Note

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4, taking the series 2-1. The Dodgers had the early advantage, scoring twice in the first inning. Clayton Kershaw was solid, giving up only one run on two hits and five walks over six-plus innings of work. Ramon Troncoso notched the save with a scoreless ninth. Brad Ausmus connected for his first homer of the season, and Orlando Hudson had two home runs, one from each side of the plate. James Loney drove in two runs, and Manny Ramirez doubled twice and scored twice. Mike Cameron and Bill Hall both doubled, knocked in a run and scored a run for the Brewers.

The victory ended the Dodgers' nine-game road trip, in which they went 6-3. It was also the last game before the All Star Break, which signals the end of the first half of the season.

Dodgers Scratch Out Win over Rox

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 1-0, taking the series 2-1. Both teams had trouble scoring, collecting only three hits through the first seven innings. However, Brad Ausmus singled to start the eighth, Juan Castro bunted him to second, and with Russell Martin pinch-running, Rafael Furcal hit a pinch-hit single that scored Martin. Clayton Kershaw went five innings, allowing only one hit, and the bullpen held Colorado to nothing for the rest of the game. Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth for his 19th save of the season. Brad Hawpe had two of the Rockies' three hits, including a double.

This was the last game the Dodgers played without Manny Ramirez. The embroiled slugger will return to the lineup Friday due to tomorrow's off-day.

The victory gave the Dodgers their 50th win, the first team in baseball to reach that mark.

The Dodgers made a few moves during the day. Eric Stults was activated from the 15-day disabled list and optioned to Triple-A so he could play regularly. Catcher A.J. Ellis was sent down to Triple-A as well, and Mitch Jones was designated for assignment. Jones now has 10 days to be traded, claimed by another team, or released. If he clears waivers, he will return to the minors. Claudio Vargas is expected to be activated from the 60-day DL, a move that could force the Dodgers to move Hong-Chih Kuo to that same list from the 15-day DL. Manny Ramirez will be activated from the Restricted List now that his suspension is over.

Blake Powers Dodgers Past Texas

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Texas Rangers 6-3, taking the series two games to one. The Dodgers were in an early hole when a Rafael Furcal error allowed two runners to score in the first inning, giving Texas a 2-1 lead. However, Casey Blake hit a 3-run homer that put LA up for good. Chad Billingsley went 7+ innings, allowing only three runs (two earned). Blake also had a double and scored a run. Orlando Hudson and Brad Ausmus both doubled, with Ausmus getting an RBI and Hudson scoring a run. Juan Pierre scored twice, and James Loney drove in a run. Andruw Jones hit a solo-homer for the Rangers, and both Hank Blalock and Michael Young scored.

Dodgers Continue Onslaught

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 7-1, their seventh win in nine games. The Dodgers jumped on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning, and never looked back. Eric Milton was able to go five innings and received his first win in two years. Juan Pierre had three hits, including a triple, scored twice and knocked in two runs, and Casey Blake had a 3-run double. Brad Ausmus singled twice and scored two runs, and Orlando Hudson reached base four times, twice by a hit, and knocked in and scored a run. Juan Castro enjoyed his third straight start by getting two hits and a walk and scoring a run. Not one Rocky had more than one base-hit, while Clint Barmes hit a homer for Colorado's only run.

Ausmus Saves Kuo's Bacon in Dodger Win

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-5, their 11th win of the season. The Dodgers hung two runs in the first inning, but could not score with the bases loaded and nobody out. Colorado slowly climbed back, and the score was tied going into the eighth inning. The Dodgers put two more runs on the board, but Hong-Chih Kuo gave up a two-run pinch-hit homer to Clint Barmes that tied the game. James Loney led off the ninth inning with a double, and with two outs, Brad Ausmus singled to send Loney home. Kuo ended up with both a blown save and a win. Ausmus finished the game with a double and a run scored in addition to the RBI-single. Andre Ethier had a double and two RBI's, Manny Ramirez knocked in a run, and Orlando Hudson scored twice. Chris Iannetta scored twice for the Rox, and Todd Helton knocked in a run. Jonathan Broxton pitched his second night in a row, but clamped down to get his sixth save.

Manny & Ethier Power Dodgers Past Rox

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-5, their seventh win in a row. Manny Ramirez connected twice for his first two home runs of the day, both solo shots. Andre Ethier also had two bombs, one solo and the other 3-run, his second multi-homer game of the season. Chad Billingsley went six innings to get his third win of the season, allowing three runs on four hits, three walks, while striking out six. Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI-single, and Brad Ausmus scored a run in his second start of the season. Will Ohman, in a rare at-bat, had an RBI single. Ian Stewart had a solo-homer for the Rockies, and Brad Hawpe had a two-run triple.

Manny's home run off starter Aaron Cook was his 528th career home run. It also meant that he has homered against all 30 major league teams in his career.

Corey Wade was put on the 15-day disabled list due to shoulder bursitis. The move is retroactive to April 12. The Dodgers called up lefty Scott Elbert to take his place in the bullpen. Elbert can also act as a long-reliever in addition to being a lefty-specialist.

Ronald Belisario could act as a substitute closer in tomorrow's game, despite him pitching today. He would replace Broxton, who is being given extra time off after pitching a five-out save on Friday.

Video: A Glimpse of the Dodgers' Opener

The Los Angeles Dodgers went all-out for their home-opener, including having each and every member of the 25-man roster enter the field through the stands. In this video, courtesy of Sons of Steve Garvey, you can see Brad Ausmus, Juan Castro, and a certain dog who hit for the cycle (hint: his first name is a city in Florida).

McDonald's Debut is D-Back's Parade

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4, their first losing streak of the season. James McDonald made his first major league start for LA, but was roughed up for five runs in the third inning. Brad Ausmus started for Russell Martin and took advantage of the opportunity, getting two hits and an RBI. Manny Ramirez also had two hits and an RBI, and Matt Kemp scored two runs. Casey Blake had a two-run homer. Chris Young came up a triple short of the cycle for the Snakes, and scored three times. Felipe Lopez had two hits, runs and RBI's, and Conor Jackson knocked in three.

Dodgers News: Manny Being Manny, Schmidt Gets Work, and J-Bro Has Bad Return

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Seattle Mariners 8-6, their 13th loss of the spring. Clayton Kershaw pitched five-and-a-third innings, giving up only two runs and three hits while striking out six. Hong-Chih Kuo pitched a scoreless inning. Manny Ramirez had his first home run of Spring Training, and Casey Blake and Brad Ausmus also hit solo shots. Doug Mientkiewicz had a two-run double, and Andre Ethier and Orlando Hudson both hit doubles.

Jason Schmidt and Shawn Estes both pitched in a minor-league game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Schmidt threw three innings and gave up two runs. Estes relieved and allowed two unearned runs in one inning.

Jonathan Broxton returned to camp after spending the last few weeks with Team USA of the WBC. Broxton gave up four runs in less than an inning of work, getting the blown save and the loss.

Since the Brewers will not use the DH rule in tomorrow's game, Manny Ramirez is expected to start in the outfield.

Dodgers News: Split Squad, Schmidt is Out, and Manny Will Sit

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Oakland Athletics 10-8, their 8th loss of the spring. Oakland scored 9 runs in the third inning off three different pitchers. Jason Schmidt pitched two scoreless innings, giving up only a hit and two walks and striking out two. Jeff Weaver surrendered four runs, and Shawn Estes gave up two. Matt Kemp had a double and RBI, and Brad Ausmus had two hits. Juan Castro had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

The Dodgers lost to the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in 10 innings, and lost both split-squad games. Mitch Jones had his fourth homer of the spring, and Orlando Hudson had two hits, including a double. Blake DeWitt had three hits, and Xavier Paul had two hits and a run scored. Hiroki Kuroda had a shaky outing, giving up two runs, one earned, in three innings on seven hits. Guillermo Mota, Corey Wade, and Ramon Troncoso each had a scoreless inning of work.

Jason Schmidt is out of the running for the fifth-starter spot, according to manager Joe Torre. Schmidt is unable to be ready to pitch on a normal 5-day rotation, suffering from severe fatigue after most of his outings.

Manny Ramirez will miss the rest of the week as he tries to heal his left hamstring. He aggravated his hamstring in yesterday's game as he ran to flag a double. Ramirez believes the injury was created from his extra workouts and exercises as he tried to make up for lost time.

Don Mattingly managed the Dodgers against Seattle as Joe Torre was the manager in the contest with Oakland. Mattingly is the hitting coach, and was a potential candidate to replace Torre as manager of the New York Yankees, where he spent his entire career. However, he lost the job to Joe Girardi. Mattingly is seen as the heir-apparent to Torre after the two remaining years on his contract are finished. His son, Preston Mattingly, plays in the Dodgers organization, and is a non-roster invitee to Spring Training.

Dodgers News: Manny's Debut, Wade Gets In, and Papelbon Won't Stop

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Texas Rangers 4-3, their eighth win of the spring. Manny Ramirez made his Spring Training debut, getting a hit, run, and two walks. Andre Ethier and Delwyn Young both had a hit and RBI, and Orlando Hudson had a hit and scored two runs. Brad Ausmus had a double. Chad Billingsley had a rough outing, giving up two homers in his first inning of work, resulting in three runs. James McDonald pitched two scoreless innings, but walked four batters. Jeff Weaver, Guillermo Mota, and Corey Wade combined to throw three scoreless innings, allowing only hit and striking out three between them.

Corey Wade pitched a perfect inning in his spring debut. Wade was suffering with a sore shoulder, keeping him sidelined for a few weeks from pitching in any games.

Valentino Pascucci returned to the Dodgers after playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. He struck out in his only at-bat. Italy went 1-2 in the WBC, ultimately being eliminated by Venezuela.

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon continued to explain his metaphor comparing Manny Ramirez to cancer. He likened Jason Bay, Manny's replacement, to chemotherapy. Ramirez was sent to LA from the Red Sox at the trade deadline in a three-way trade, and Bay was sent to Boston from Pittsburgh. Papelbon has drawn ire from the media for comparing Ramirez to cancer in an interview with Esquire.

Dodgers News: LA Bites Snakes, Abreu is Out, and Paul is In

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3, their seventh win of the spring. Casey Blake slugged a solo homer, and Matt Kemp had a 2-run home run. Brad Ausmus had two hits, including a double, and James Loney had two hits, two RBI's and a run scored. Juan Pierre tripled and Orlando Hudson scored a run. Hiroki Kuroda pitched three-and-two-thirds scoreless innings with six strikeouts, and has not given up an earned run all spring. Jeff Weaver gave up a run in his only inning, and Guillermo Mota pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

The Dodgers will have tomorrow off, and will play an exhibition against Team Korea on Thursday. Manny Ramirez is expected to make his debut that day.

Tony Abreu is no longer a candidate for a utility role with the big-league club. Abreu strained his groin during Spring Training, and hasn't played in a game since. He is improving, but due to his lack of playing time (he was out all last season with sports hernia and hip surgery), he will play in the minors. Juan Castro, Blake DeWitt, Hector Luna, and Doug Mientkiewicz are all candidates for the utility-man spot. Chin-lung Hu, normally a defensively-gifted middle infielder, has made too many errors to be in the running.

Xavier Paul is a strong candidate for the fourth outfield spot if Juan Pierre is traded. Paul is batting .406 in Spring Training with 10 RBI's, one homer, two triples, and three doubles. Juan Castro's bat is making him the favorite to become a utility infielder. Castro has a .524 batting average with a home run and five doubles.

Dodgers News: Whipe-Out, Blake is Back, and Schmidt Will Pitch

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Chicago White Sox 9-4, their 6th loss of the spring. Mark Loretta had 2 hits, including a double, and knocked in a run, and Brad Ausmus had a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Rafael Furcal had a single and his first RBI of the spring. Clayton Kershaw threw two-and-two-thirds scoreless innings, and James McDonald gave up two runs in two innings. Scott Elbert had a rough outing, surrendering three runs in just one inning of work.

Casey Blake played third base for the first time after recovering from a hamstring injury. Blake previously played in the DH position in yesterday's game.

Jason Schmidt is scheduled to pitch in Monday's game against Texas. It will be the first game Schmidt would pitch with the Dodgers since 2007.

Dodgers News: Cubs, Cuts, and No Manny Yet

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-4, improving their Spring record to 5-4. Randy Wolf threw three scoreless innings, and Jeff Weaver gave up two hits and a walk but no runs in two innings. Doug Mientkiewicz had his second home run in as many days, and Brad Ausmus had an RBI. Delwyn Young hit a two-run double. Juan Castro, Matt Kemp, and James Loney each had a hit and a run.

The Dodgers cut several players from the Spring Training roster. Greg Miller, Justin Orenduff, Ronald Belisario, Yhency Brazoban, and Jacobo Meque were all sent to minor-league camp.

Blake DeWitt played another game at shortstop, with Mientkiewicz starting the game at third-base.

Mark Sweeney retired from baseball, and joined the Dodgers as an assistant coach. Sweeney will work with players during pre-game workouts in the regular season, serve as a Spring Training instructor, and act as a liaison between the advance scout and the Dodgers, including for series preparations. Sweeney joined the club in 2007 in a trade with the Giants, and hit .154 last season. He is the second all-time pinch-hitter with 175 pinch-hits. Sweeney joins all-time pinch-hitting leader Lenny Harris and third-place Manny Mota to give the Dodgers a coaching staff with the three greatest pinch-hitters of all-time.

Manny Ramirez is expected to play his first game on Thursday in an exhibition against a World Baseball Classic team to be determined.

Dodgers Sign Ausmus, Kent Retires

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed catcher Brad Ausmus (below) to a one-year, $1 million contract to serve as a backup to Russell Martin. Ausmus is a career .251 hitter with 79 home runs and 596 RBI, and has won 3 gold gloves. He is known for handling pitching staffs. 2B Jeff Kent is ready to retire from baseball tomorrow, ending his hall-of-fame career with the Dodgers. Kent has accumulated many incredible statistics over the years, including a .290 batting average, 377 home runs, 1518 RBIs, 560 doubles and a .500 slugging percentage. 351 of his homers are the most by any second baseman in baseball history. He won the NL MVP award in 2000, and is 5-time All Star and 4-time Silver Slugger. Kent played with Toronto, Cleveland, the New York Mets, San Francisco and Houston before coming to LA. His best year with the Dodgers came in 2005, his first season with the team, when he hit 29 home runs to go with 105 RBIs and 100 runs scored.