Dodgers Diaries

Now playing the role of Scott Proctor: Jeff Weaver. The guy has pitched in nine of the last eight games. Yet when the Dodgers clawed their way back into a 3-3 game, who does Joe Torre bring in to pitch the 8th? George Sherrill, the man who is supposed to be the 8th-inning guy? Ramon Troncoso, the guy who was the 8th inning guy until Sherill took over that role in late 2009?

No, instead he brings in Jeff Weaver. I understand that there isn’t really an arm out there that Torre trusts right now. But why not go straight to Troncoso in that situation? Ramon had pitched all of 1/3 of an inning the night before, tossing just five pitches. That’s hardly an appearance. Play last night’s game as though you expect to win and maybe you don’t have to go into extra innings. Instead, Torre mapped out the game as if he planned to use at least one Ortiz and that’s exactly what he got. He also had to use Broxton for the third straight night, effectively eliminating his chances to pitch Friday night.

Weaver’s failure -- he immediately gave up a tie-breaking homer to Justin Upton -- was compounded an inning later by another tomato can outing by Sherrill. Had the Dodgers not rallied in the ninth, aided by Stephen Drew’s Mat Hollidayesque error on what should have been the last out of the game, that’s all we’d be talking about today.

Luckily for Torre, Andre Ethier was up to his old tricks again, delivering his first game-winning hit of 2010, much like his first of 2009: with a simple single.

The rest of the game was a dishonor to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier 63 years ago last night. The Dodgers played a distracted game throughout. Matt Kemp failed to find a lazy fly to center (before he atoned with his fourth homer in five games). Starter Hiroki Kuroda went seven strong, but brain farted in the second inning when he went into a full windup, allowing Chris Young to steal third without a throw. Rafael Furcal followed a terrific stop with a throwing error that allowed Arizona’s second run to score.

Still, it’s a W, something the Dodgers aren’t likely to see tonight unless Vicente Padilla rights his ship against the streaking Giants. Charlie Haeger takes on Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum on Saturday afternoon, and Barry Zito takes on a Dodger starter TBA (no word yet on why it’s not Clayton Kershaw).

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL