Final
Reds-Dodgers Preview
Jul 22, 2009 - 6:35 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS WriterCincinnati (44-49) at Los Angeles (60-34), 10:10 p.m. EDT
Chad Billingsley's last start before the All-Star break didn't go particularly well, and his first outing after appearing in his inaugural midsummer classic couldn't have gone much worse.
Billingsley will try to bounce back from one of the worst starts of his career Wednesday night, but his Los Angeles Dodgers may be without Manny Ramirez as they seek a three-game sweep and their 12th straight home victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Billingsley (9-5, 3.76 ERA) has emerged over the past few seasons as the Dodgers' top starter, but the young right-hander has taken a few lumps lately.
The 24-year-old was 9-3 with a 2.72 ERA through his first 14 starts - earning him a trip to his first All-Star game - but he's 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA in his past six outings.
After giving up five runs over five innings without picking up a decision in Milwaukee on July 10, Billingsley was rocked Friday against Houston. He gave up six runs and nine hits before being chased after 1 2-3 innings as Los Angeles (60-34) lost 8-1.
"Right now it just doesn't look like he's as sure of himself as he was and will be," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official Web site. "I'm not concerned about it. It's going to happen from time to time."
Billingsley is 2-1 with a 0.92 ERA in four games - three starts - against Cincinnati (44-49), but on Wednesday he may not have the help of Ramirez in the middle of the Los Angeles lineup.
Ramirez, hitting .333 with four homers and 13 RBIs since his return July 3 from a 50-game suspension, tripled in two runs in his first at-bat Tuesday, but his second trip to the plate was less pleasant.
The 12-time All-Star was hit on the side of his left hand by a pitch from Homer Bailey leading off the third inning, and was taken to a local hospital. The Dodgers went on to win their fourth straight, routing Cincinnati 12-3, and Ramirez is listed as day to day after X-rays were negative.
"It's scary, it's so easy to break a bone," Torre said. "We're very fortunate it was only a bruise. You don't even want to think about doing without him again."
If Ramirez can play, he'll get his first look at former teammate Bronson Arroyo (10-8, 5.07), who won 24 games with Boston from 2003-2005.
Arroyo has had an extremely inconsistent season, allowing at least five runs in nine of his 19 starts, but he is currently on an upswing.
He pitched a four-hitter in a 3-0 win over the New York Mets on July 10, then scattered six hits in seven innings Friday in a 4-0 win against Milwaukee.
"I'm a roller coaster out there," Arroyo told the Reds' official Web site. "Right now, I'm going good. I'll take every zero on the board I can get. The more you go out there like that, you feel confident. ... You just try to ride the wave."
Arroyo is 1-3 with a 4.46 ERA in seven starts and eight overall games versus the Dodgers.
James Loney, who went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs Tuesday, is 7 for 12 (.583) with a homer and four RBIs against Arroyo. Matt Kemp, who homered Tuesday and is hitting .455 (20 for 44) in his last 12 games, is 4 for 6 versus Arroyo.
Los Angeles hasn't won more than four in a row since a seven-game streak from April 30-May 6.
- ** CONFIRMED **
NL
CINCINNATI 2
LA DODGERS 6 FINAL
Jul 23 1:03 AM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY MANNY RAMIREZ (11) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
6TH OFF NICK MASSET SCORED RUSSELL MARTIN, MATT KEMP AND
JAMES LONEY.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 2, LA DODGERS 6
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J PIERRE (.316, 1-FOR-2)
Reds 2, Dodgers 6 Bot 6, 0 OutsJul 23 12:14 AM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY CHAD BILLINGSLEY ALLOWED WILLY TAVERAS TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J VOTTO ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 2
LA DODGERS 2 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: E ENCARNACION (.211, 0-FOR-2)
Reds 2, Dodgers 2 Top 6, 0 OutsJul 22 11:53 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY JAMES LONEY SCORED ANDRE ETHIER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J LONEY ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 1
LA DODGERS 2 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: M KEMP (.322, 0-FOR-1)
Reds 1, Dodgers 2 Bot 4, 0 OutsJul 22 11:15 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ANDRE ETHIER (20) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 1ST OFF BRONSON ARROYO.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 1, LA DODGERS 1
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: C BLAKE (.279, 12 HR, 57 RBI)
Reds 1, Dodgers 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 22 10:23 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CINCINNATI 1 1 2 0
LA DODGERS 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: CIN - BRONSON ARROYO
LOS - CHAD BILLINGSLEY
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: R FURCAL (.255, 5 HR, 26 RBI)
O HUDSON (.292, 7 HR, 49 RBI)
A ETHIER (.257, 19 HR, 58 RBI)
Reds 1, Dodgers 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 22 10:17 PM
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