Dodgers Diaries

Monday night’s game wasn’t lost in the first inning; no game that ends with 15 runs scored and 28 hits is decided that early on. But the Dodgers set the tone for losing by running themselves out of an opportunity to score first.

Matt Kemp and James Loney had singled successively with two outs, and Kemp apparently scored on a third straight hit by Casey Blake. But Loney was thrown out at third before Kemp crossed home plate, negating the run.

Given that Reed Johnson didn't score the tying run against the Angels in the June 23 game where Russell Martin got tagged out at second, you'd think Larry Bowa would have smithed a branding iron that reads "Run Hard All the Way Home" and used it to stamp the backside of every runner rounding third base.

Or maybe he did make such a branding iron, but it rusted from lack of use.

Or maybe Dodger runners keep failing to score on third-out plays because they have to stop and ask directions to home plate.

It looks to me like the players have given up on this season. I know I won’t be spending any money to visit the Stadium unless I see a dramatic turnaround in the next few weeks.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL