Dodgers Diaries

A day that began with endless talk about the end of Manny Ramirez’s career with the Dodgers ended on a happier note: The stellar pitching performance of Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda had a no-no going through 7.2 innings before the hated Shane Victorino broke it up. He also had his first hit at the plate all season, giving him as many as the entire Phillie lineup.

That he did it against a surprisingly hittable Roy Halladay was even more impressive. Halladay didn’t exactly get bombed, but he gave up a staggering 10 hits in seven innings, including a homer to Rod Barajas, making his Dodger Stadium debut in front of 100 of his closest friends and family (he’s from the area and has, like Ted Lilly, long dreamed of wearing the blue).

(A word about guys who supposedly have long wanted to be Dodgers: What stopped you before? If being a Dodger was so important, why not take less money to play for them? Lilly was a free agent in 2007, but he accepted a four-year $40 million deal from the Cubs rather than play for his hometown. Let’s hope Lilly likes being a Dodger as much as he likes $40 million.)

Halladay, meanwhile, has pitched with some awful luck this year. In his 10 losses, the Phils have scored a total of 23 runs this year. Monday night was the second time they’ve been shutout while Halladay was on the mound; meanwhile, the doctor has held his opponents scoreless seven times. (and given up just one unearned run on another occasion). In 28 starts, he has yet to be removed before the sixth inning.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL