Daily Clips

June 20, 2016

LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016

OC REGISTER: Kenta Maeda shows his mettle as Dodgers hold off Brewers-Joey Kaufman Final: Dodgers defeat Brewers, 2-1, for series win-Joey Kaufman Dodgers lineups: Carlos Frias recalled from Triple-A, Mike Bolsinger optioned-Joey Kaufman Struggling Mike Bolsinger sent down by Dodgers-Joey Kaufman On deck: Nationals at Dodgers, Monday, 7:10 p.m., SNLA-Joey Kaufman LA TIMES: Dodgers send starter Mike Bolsinger to triple-A and call up reliever Carlos Frias-Andy McCullough Dodgers edge Brewers, 2-1, thanks to a little patience-Andy McCullough DODGERS.COM: On a stroll: Grandal draws walk-off walk vs. Crew-Jack Baer and Adam McCalvy Dodgers acquire Taylor from Seattle for Lee-Jack Baer Maeda battles into 7th, gives weary 'pen a break-Jack Baer Dodgers recall righty Frias, option Bolsinger-Jack Baer DODGER INSIDER: Dusty’s Trail: A return to Baker’s Field-Jon Weisman Zach Lee traded to Seattle for infielder Chris Taylor-Jon Weisman Hernández delivers a Father’s Day he’ll never forget-Jon Weisman Dodgers recall Carlos Frias, option Mike Bolsinger-Jon Weisman TRUEBLUELA.COM: Brock Stewart strikes out career-high 10 in second Triple-A start-Brandon Lennox Dodgers acquire Chris Taylor from Mariners for Zach Lee-Eric Stephen Pinch-hit home run from Kiké Hernandez sparks comeback in 2-1 walkoff win-Craig Minami Justin Turner tries to keep hot streak going against Brewers-Craig Minami ESPN LA: Dodgers get INF Chris Taylor from M's for pitching prospect Zach Lee-AP Grandal's bases-loaded walk lifts Dodgers to a 2-1 win-AP Dodgers option struggling Bolsinger to Triple-A, recall Frias-AP NBC LA: Dodgers Celebrate Father's Day With Walk-off Walk in 2-1 Victory Over Brewers-Michael Duarte LA TIMES: Dodgers Dugout: Dodgers vs. Don Mattingly in the playoffs?-Houston Mitchell

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016

OC REGISTER

Kenta Maeda shows his mettle as Dodgers hold off Brewers By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES – Five days after he writhed in pain on the infield grass at Chase Field in Phoenix, after a 95 mph line drive by Paul Goldschmidt jolted into his right leg, Kenta Maeda answered any lingering questions about his durability. The rookie right-hander, making his scheduled start on a sweltering, 99-degree Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, threw 107 pitches to equal his season high as he lasted into the seventh inning. “First and foremost, Kenta’s got a lot of fight, a lot of heart,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “When you’re not feeling 100 percent, to go out there and compete, that’s what Kenta does.” Maeda, whose right leg was considered bruised after X-rays were negative, surrendered just one run on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks as the Dodgers defeated Milwaukee, 2-1, earning their third straight win in front of an announced crowd of 45,931. “I'm proud of him for the way he battled,” catcher A.J. Ellis said. The Dodgers pulled ahead of the Brewers late. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, catcher Yasmani Grandal drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 count to bring in the winning run. It was a fastball from Tyler Thornburg that missed the outside corner of the plate, leading to the walk-off walk. Grandal had been inserted as a pinch hitter. “I know Yasmani against a right-hander, can really conduct an at-bat, can hit a gap, get a base and maybe even draw a walk,” Roberts said. “Throughout his career, he gets on base.” It was another close call. Two of their three wins over the Brewers came in walk-off fashion, by one run. “For us, it wasn't the prettiest, and we kind of did it the hard way,” Roberts said, “but there’s a lot of fight in our guys. Finding ways to win is still important.” Adrian Gonzalez and Trayce Thompson began the ninth-inning rally with consecutive one-out singles. Joc Pederson struck out. But Howie Kendrick was walked on five pitches, loading the bases for Grandal.

Kiké Hernandez offered the game-tying home run in the eighth inning, when he knocked a fastball 421 feet into the bullpen in left field. “Such a big moment momentum swing,” Ellis said. Hernandez, like Grandal, came in as pinch hitter, giving the Dodgers their first run of the game. “Once I tied the game, everyone was like, ‘Oh, it’s really hot. Can you please score another one?’ They don't want to go to extras,” Hernandez said. “Sure enough we did.” It was his first pinch-hit home run against a reliever and he had been hitless in previous 16 at-bats when he began Sunday. “We're getting hits when we need them,” Ellis said. With Maeda on the mound, the Dodgers did not need a whole lot of them. It was as well as he had pitched this season, seemingly moving through the Brewers’ lineup with more and more ease as the game moved along. The lone run he allowed came against the second batter he faced when Scooter Gennett hammered his 91 mph fastball to center field. Maeda worked on 0-2 count against Gennett before throwing two balls. Gennett fouled off a pair. On the seventh pitch, he hit it 399 feet. It took Maeda 20 pitches to get through the first, and he threw 67 in the first three innings. “I wasn’t able to execute my pitches,” he said. “That’s it.” Things changed. “After that third inning, he got back in and reestablished his fastball,” Ellis said. “I know he got some insight in the dugout about trying to change some things up mechanically and it showed right away. It speaks to how talented he is, how athletic he is. His fastball command was dominant the rest of the game. That's huge for us, because Kenta can use his off-speed at will – and that's really good – but teams can sit on that.” PITCHf/x showed that Maeda threw his four-seam fastball 32 times and his two-seamer 20 times. Of those 52 pitches, 33 went for strikes. The mechanical tweaks helped. “At the top of his delivery, he was being a little too quick, and his arm had a hard time catching up,” Roberts said. “I think he worked on staying back and getting a little better pause at the top.” He later had a 1-2-3 fourth inning and faced no more than three batters in the fifth and sixth, working far more efficiently.

It saved an exhausted bullpen that had thrown 161/3 innings in the first three games of the weekend series. Maeda’s leg showed no serious restrictions, even on the base paths when he ran from first to third on a Corey Seager single in the third inning. The throw beat him, though. Milwaukee starter Matt Garza made his second start of the season and held the Dodgers to five hits over six scoreless innings after they had tallied 14 in a 10-6 win the previous night. Final: Dodgers defeat Brewers, 2-1, for series win By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers grabbed their third straight victory Sunday afternoon, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-1, when catcher Yasmani Grandal was walked with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. After taking three of four games from Milwaukee, the Dodgers moved to 38-33 overall. Kenta Maeda, making his first start since he left his last outing at Arizona with a bruised right leg, gave up just one run on six hits over 7 1/3 innings. Maeda, which also struck out eight and walked three, threw 107 pitches to equal a season high. The lone run he allowed was in the first inning when Scooter Gennett hit a solo homer 399 feet to center field. One night earlier, the teams combined for 16 runs and 25 hits. Outfielder Kiké Hernandez, appearing as a pinch runner the eighth inning, hit the game-tying home run with a 421-foot shot into the left-field bullpen. Dodgers lineups: Carlos Frias recalled from Triple-A, Mike Bolsinger optioned By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ overworked bullpen that has thrown 16 1/3 innings in the first three games of this weekend series against Milwaukee got a fresh arm for the finale on Sunday when Carlos Frias was recalled from Triple-A. Frias, a 26-year-old right-hander, made 32 appearances the past two seasons and had a 4.66 ERA, but has not pitched in the majors in 2016. “We needed some coverage and some length,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

In the minors this season, he had been used as a starter, but is now the ninth member of the club’s bullpen. In the corresponding moved, Mike Bolsinger was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Bolsinger was 1-4 with a 6.83 ERA since joining the rotation in mid-May, and gave up nine hits and five runs in 2 2/3 innings on Saturday against the Brewers. “Mike understands that when you're up here, you got to get outs,” Roberts said. “So, to send him back there to work through some things, get some guys out, hopefully we’ll see him later. It is unclear if Frias’ arrival will be strictly for Sunday’s game or if he might see an extended stay. “A nine-man bullpen isn’t conventional, obviously,” conceded Roberts. Outfielder Yasiel Puig is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list on Monday, meaning one of the arms could be optioned. The Dodgers also must decide whether to skip the fifth spot in the rotation, a possibility considering their off-day on Thursday. They do not need a fifth starter until June 28. "We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to align our rotation," Roberts said. Today’s lineups: DODGERS (37-33) 2B Chase Utley SS Corey Seager 3B Justin Turner 1B Adrian Gonzalez RF Trayce Thompson CF Joc Pederson LF Howie Kendrick C A.J. Ellis P Kenta Maeda (6-4, 2.75 ERA) BREWERS (31-38) SS Jonathan Villar

2B Scooter Gennett LF Ryan Braun 1B Chris Carter 3B Aaron Hill CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis C Martin Maldonado RF Ramon Flores P Matt Garza (0-0, 2.25 ERA) Struggling Mike Bolsinger sent down by Dodgers By Joey Kaufman LOS ANGELES – Little more than 12 hours after he gave up nine hits and five runs, recording only eight outs, before his exit in the third inning on Saturday night, Mike Bolsinger was optioned to Triple-A. It was another rough start for Bolsinger, who joined the rotation in mid-May. Making six starts, the right-hander was 1-4 with a 6.83 ERA, and he had yet to pitch past the sixth inning. “Mike understands that when you're up here, you got to get outs,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “So, to send him back there to work through some things, get some guys out, hopefully we’ll see him later.” It was a letdown after he emerged as a capable fifth start a season ago. He made 21 starts for the Dodgers in 2015, pitching 1091/3 innings and posting a 6-6 record with a 3.62 ERA. But he did not reach that bar since taking over the fifth spot in the rotation for Ross Stripling, whom the Dodgers sent to the minors to conserve his innings following 2014 Tommy John surgery. In place of Bolsinger, the club called up relief pitcher Carlos Frias for the first time this season, adding a ninth arm to a bullpen that had been taxed in the weekend series against Milwaukee. They will, though, need to clear room on Monday) for Yasiel Puig, who is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list. Most notably, there are decisions to make early this week as far as starting pitching. “We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to align our rotation,” Roberts said.

Bolsinger’s departure creates a need for a fifth starter, but they do not, technically, need one until June 28, because of the off-day on Thursday. That allows them to start Kenta Maeda on normal rest Friday at Pittsburgh, before Clayton Kershaw starts the rotation anew on Saturday. Roberts declined to name candidates who might join the rotation, but they will be unable to add either Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu, who still must make a couple more minor-league rehabilitation starts. Neither is expected to pitch in the majors until July. PITCHER LEE TRADED Zach Lee, the Dodgers’ 2010 first-round draft pick, was traded to Seattle in exchange for Chris Taylor, a 25-year-old middle infielder . Lee, 24, was 7-5 with a 4.89 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A this season, but was a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the rotation during the final weeks of spring training, before Stripling beat him out. He appeared in the majors once, making a spot start last July in New York against the Mets. It did not go well. The right-hander allowed 11 hits and seven runs in 42/3 innings. Last season, Lee was the Dodgers’ minor league player of the year for the second time. Taylor, who joins the Dodgers, has appeared in 86 major-league games with Seattle the past three seasons, hitting .240 with a .296 on-base percentage and .296 slugging percentage. ALSO The next rehab start for McCarthy is scheduled for Wednesday. Hyun-Jin Ryu will follow on Thursday or Friday. Roberts said that they might appear at Triple-A. On deck: Nationals at Dodgers, Monday, 7:10 p.m., SNLA By Joey Kaufman Where: Dodger Stadium TV: SNLA, 7:10 p.m. Did you know? Clayton Kershaw’s strikeout-to-walk ratio through his first 14 starts is 19:1, best in the majors. The next closest, Noah Syndergaard, has a 8.83:1 ratio. THE PITCHERS

DODGERS LHP Clayton Kershaw (10-1, 1.58) Vs. Nationals: 9-2, 2.09 At Dodger Stadium: 69-29, 2.02 Hates to face: Stephen Drew, 1 for 17 (.059) Loves to face: Ryan Zimmerman, 7 for 19 (.368) NATIONALS RHP Stephen Strasburg (10-0, 2.90) Vs. Dodgers: 1-0, 1.71 At Dodger Stadium: 0-0, 1.29 Hates to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 4 for 9 (.444) Loves to face: Chase Utley, 4 for 27 (.148) UPCOMING MATCHUP Tuesday: Dodgers LHP Scott Kazmir (5-3, 4.64) vs. Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (6-4, 3.14), 7:10 p.m., SNLA

LA TIMES

Dodgers send starter Mike Bolsinger to triple-A and call up reliever Carlos Frias By Andy McCullough By Sunday morning, hours after Mike Bolsinger’s latest unsuccessful start, the Dodgers cleared out his locker and replaced his nameplate with one for Carlos Frias. The team recalled Frias from the minors and optioned Bolsinger to triple-A Oklahoma City after Bolsinger gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings Saturday. Frias serves as an emergency arm for a bullpen that has handled three consecutive nights of heavy work. Manager Dave Roberts indicated the team may not stick with a nine-man relief corps for very long. The team will likely option a reliever out on Monday to make room for Yasiel Puig as he returns from the disabled list. Roberts said the team has not yet determined who will be the fifth starter going forward. The Dodgers could use Thursday’s day off to skip the fifth spot, although they have shown a preference earlier this season for giving Kenta Maeda extra rest.

Roberts declined to provide names of candidates for the fifth spot when it does come back up in the rotation. “You can write some options down,” Roberts said. “And I think you’ll be in the ballpark.” So, in that vein, it is reasonable to consider Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas as two of the most likely candidates. The team needs placeholders for Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu as they finish rehabilitation assignments. Another possible option had been Zach Lee, but the Dodgers traded the right-hander to Seattle in exchange for infielder Chris Taylor. Lee, a first-round pick in 2010, was considered part of the organization's depth, but had been leap-frogged by pitching prospects like Cotton, Montas and Jose De Leon. Bolsinger, 28, was a credible fifth starter in 2015, posting a 3.62 earned-run average in 21 starts. He could not duplicate that production through six starts this season, getting pounded on a regular basis, with his ERA at 6.83. “Mike understands that when you’re up here, you need to get outs,” Roberts said. Dodgers edge Brewers, 2-1, thanks to a little patience By Andy McCullough One day last week, Enrique Hernandez decided to shave his head. His brown locks comprised the most recognizable hairdo on the Dodgers, but Hernandez had two reasons for the change. He hoped to reverse his rotten luck at the plate. And he hoped to pay tribute to his father, Enrique Sr., who is battling cancer. Hernandez did not find his name in his team’s lineup Sunday, Father’s Day at Dodger Stadium, but he spent hours during the 2-1 victory thinking about his dad, who scouted in Puerto Rico and coached his son in his youth. In the eighth inning, with the Dodgers scoreless and drifting toward a defeat against Milwaukee, Hernandez stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter. He would soon find a fitting tribute for this day. Hernandez turned on an inside fastball from Brewers reliever Will Smith and hit a solo home run, putting his team on the board and setting the stage for Yasmani Grandal’s bases-loaded walk to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. After his heroics, Hernandez felt rattled by emotion. “As soon as I hit it, I had goosebumps throughout my entire body,” he said. “I had to try to keep my composure as I ran the bases.” Powered by Hernandez, the Dodgers (38-33) wrenched a victory out of the day’s torpor. Baked by 98-degree heat, silenced by Milwaukee starter Matt Garza for six innings, the team still escaped this weekend with three victories in four games against the Brewers.

The level of competition will increase when the Washington Nationals arrive on Monday. Clayton Kershaw will duel with Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg. The impending arrival of Strasburg does not bode well for the Dodgers’ inconsistent offense. “It’s still a grind,” catcher A.J. Ellis said. “We had a hard time getting any runs across, getting anything going. But we got enough. We’re finding a way to win right now, which is important.” Making his first start since getting cracked in the knee by a line drive, Kenta Maeda struck out eight across 6 1/3 innings. He offered the bullpen a semblance of rest after the relievers logged 16 1/3 innings the previous three nights. Maeda surrendered a first-inning home run and little else. When Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt drilled Maeda last week, Maeda collapsed to the ground. The pain, he explained later, was like nothing he had ever felt on a baseball field. He skipped his bullpen session in between starts, but otherwise looked like himself. “The medical staff did a great job with Kenta,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “But Kenta’s got a lot of fight, a lot of heart. When you’re not feeling 100%, to still go out there and compete – that’s what Kenta does.” A misplaced fastball put the Dodgers in a first-inning hole. Maeda fed Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett a 91-mph fastball at the belt. Gennett volleyed the baseball over the center-field fence. After the second inning, Maeda made an adjustment that improved his handle on his fastball. He steadied the rhythm in his delivery so his lower half and upper half were in sync. “His fastball command was dominant the rest of the game,” Ellis said. “That’s huge for us.” In the morning, Roberts sounded optimistic about Maeda’s readiness. He joked that he hoped to see him run the bases. “I hope he has to slide on it,” Roberts said. Roberts got his wish in the third inning. Maeda reached on a throwing error by Garza. Corey Seager followed up two batters later with a single into right field. With two outs, Maeda decided to try to reach third base. Rather than putting a runner in scoring position for Justin Turner, the team’s hottest hitter, Maeda got himself thrown out to end the inning. “That was on his own,” Roberts said. “He was aggressive right there.” Maeda’s next time at the plate proved more productive. After Howie Kendrick hit a single and Ellis got hit by a pitch, Maeda bunted both into scoring position. But Chase Utley rolled into a groundout to end the fifth and keep the Dodgers scoreless. The outs only continued in the sixth. Turner smacked a one-out single. Adrian Gonzalez erased him by hitting into a 4-6-3 double play. The string of fruitless at-bats continued until Hernandez came off the bench in the eighth. His homer landed in the Dodgers bullpen, where it was retrieved for later.

So after the winning rally in the ninth, when Gonzalez singled, Trayce Thompson singled, Kendrick walked and Grandal drove in the winning run with another walk, a clubhouse attendant placed the ball inside Hernandez’s locker. Hernandez plans to see his father next week in Pittsburgh, and give him the gift. “It’s not my ball,” Hernandez said. “It’s my dad’s ball.”

DODGERS.COM

On a stroll: Grandal draws walk-off walk vs. Crew By Jack Baer and Adam McCalvy LOS ANGELES -- Yasmani Grandal's bases-loaded walk off of Tyler Thornburg gave the Dodgers their fourth walk-off victory of the year and 2-1 comeback over the Brewers on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Kiké Hernandez's solo homer off Will Smith in the eighth inning, a 421-foot shot, tied the game and gave the utility man his first hit in nine games. The ball landed deep in the Dodgers' bullpen, where closer Kenley Jansen caught it and began using it for warmups. The second opposite-field homer of Scooter Gennett's career had given the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the first, which they held for seven innings. The offensive heroics came after strong outings from both starters on a hot day at Dodger Stadium. Matt Garza threw six scoreless innings on his second start since being activated from the DL, forcing eight groundouts and striking out two. That was only one run better than Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda, who threw 6 1/3 innings while striking out eight, the second highest total of his MLB career. "We were losing when I had to get off the mound. The bullpen really did a good job and the team came back to win it, so I think overall it was a good day," Maeda said through an interpreter. Garza threw his six innings on just 70 pitches, but was pulled in the top of the seventh as the Brewers turned to Jonathan Lucroy to pinch-hit with two men on. The move prompted the Dodgers to pull Maeda. The new matchup, Lucroy against Pedro Baez, went the Dodgers' way as Baez forced a 1-6-3 double play. "It's nice to see [Garza] have some success, because we need him," Gennett said. "He's an important piece for us down the road." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Walk this way: Grandal's winning walk was that talk of both clubhouses, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lauding Grandal's overall plate discipline and the Brewers focused on Thornburg's 1-1 pitch.

Catcher Martin Maldonado held it an extra moment for umpire Tim Timmons, who deemed it just off the edge of the plate. But Pitch f/x data from the game suggested similar pitches had been called strikes. "A 1-1 pitch is the pitch that changes [the outcome of a plate appearance] most often," Thornburg said. "Obviously, I wanted that call. I've gotten that call plenty of times before. But it didn't make or break the AB." Garza gets help: All three Brewers outfielders delivered assists for Garza in the early going. In the first inning, with runners at second and third with one out, Ryan Braun caught Adrian Gonzalez's shallow flyout and appeared surprised to see Chase Utley tag up and break for home. Even with an off-balance throw, Utley was out by several steps. In the third, center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis took away a hit from Utley with a nice running catch, and right fielder Ramon Flores fielded a single and made a strong throw to third cut down Maeda for the inning-ending out. "They came to play," Garza said. "When I made a mishap, they were there to clean up my mess." Short innings needed: Through three innings, Maeda had thrown 67 pitches and looked on his way to providing another short start for the Dodgers. In the past three games, relievers had been forced to throw 16 1/3 innings, but entered Sunday with extra reinforcements thanks to a nine-man bullpen. Maeda tightened things up, though, striking out the side in 13 pitches in the fourth and getting through the fifth on just seven pitches. "After that third inning, he kind of got back in and reestablished his fastball," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "I know he got some insight in the dugout about trying to change some things up mechanically and it showed right away. It speaks to how talented he is, how athletic he is. His fastball command was dominant the rest of the game. That's huge for us, because Kenta can use his offspeed at will." QUOTABLE "The best part for me [Sunday morning] was I met Aaron Hill's father down in the lobby, and talked to Matt Garza's father today down in the lobby. They're proud dads today. They're as excited as anybody today to come to the park and watch their sons play a Major League Baseball game. It brings you a little closer to home, because those dads are fired up." -- Brewers manager Craig Counsell, on missing his four kids this Father's Day "He has obviously dominated left-handed pitching throughout his career and to be able to come off the bench and hit a home run in that spot, that was tremendous. He does a lot of things for us as far as the versatility. He's a heck of a player and no bigger hit than that right there." -- Roberts on Hernandez's game-tying, pinch-hit home run SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Thornburg was the first Brewers pitcher to issue a walk-off walk in more than four years, since Jose Veras walked Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas with the bases loaded in the 10th inning to seal a 4-3 loss on June 13, 2012. Brewers pitchers have now issued 12 walk-off walks in franchise history. WHAT'S NEXT

Brewers: After a day off Monday, the Brewers begin a two-game series against the A's behind right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who is looking to get on track after three subpar June starts. It's Milwaukee's first visit to Oakland since 2002, their longest gap between trips to a road venue. First pitch is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. CT. Dodgers: Pitching matchups don't get much better than Monday's battle of aces at Dodger Stadium, as Clayton Kershaw will take the mound against Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals. Together, they are two of just seven 10-game winners in MLB this season and each rank in the top five in strikeouts. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. Dodgers acquire Taylor from Seattle for Lee By Jack Baer LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers acquired infielder Chris Taylor from the Mariners, trading right-handed pitcher and longtime top prospect Zach Lee after Sunday's 2-1 win. Taylor, 25, is hitting .312/.387/.457 in 73 games with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate Tacoma this season. He was drafted by Seattle in the fifth round of the 2012 Draft out of the University of Virginia. Over his first three seasons in the big leagues, Taylor has hit .240/.296/.296 in 256 plate appearances with eight steals. The 24-year-old Lee was the team's first-round pick in the 2010 Draft and winner of the club's 2013 and 2015 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year awards. He made one start with the Major League team in 2015, allowing seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Lee was the No. 21 prospect in the Dodgers' system. After a strong season with Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2015, Lee has struggled so far in 2016, yielding a 4.89 ERA and 1.493 WHIP in 73 2/3 innings. Maeda battles into 7th, gives weary 'pen a break By Jack Baer LOS ANGELES -- On a day when the Dodgers needed a strong, or at least long, start, Kenta Maeda battled through pain, heat, and mechanical problems to deliver an eight-strikeout start and help the Dodgers to a 2-1 win. Maeda left his previous start with a contusion after taking a 95-mph line drive off the right lower leg. X-rays were negative, but a painful bruise still remained at the point of impact.

"It starts with the player, the player has got to get the credit," manager Dave Roberts said. "The medical staff did a great job with Kenta, but first and foremost, Kenta has a lot of fight, a lot of heart, and when you're not feeling 100 percent and you still go out and compete, that's what Kenta does." Roberts had joked before the game that he hoped Maeda had to slide on the leg while baserunning, but there probably weren't too many smiles when Maeda slid into third in the third inning and was called out. Roberts chalked it up to Maeda's aggressiveness and said it didn't create any additional concerns. As if the leg discomfort wasn't enough, Maeda also had to deal with the hottest day at Dodger Stadium so far this season, with temperatures reaching as high as 99 degrees. However, Maeda said after the game that he had played in hotter temperatures in Japan. It was a slog early for Maeda, who allowed five baserunners on 67 pitches in the first three innings. Scooter Gennett took a badly placed two-seamer into the left-field stands to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead, which they would not relinquish until Maeda had exited the game. A mechanical adjustment was made and Maeda struck out the side in order in the fourth inning. "At the top of his delivery, he was being a little too quick with his arm and had a hard time catching up," Roberts said. "He worked on staying back and getting a better pause at the top out of the windup." A seven-pitch fifth inning allowed Maeda to reach the later stages of the game, a feat recently unfamiliar to the Dodgers. In their last three games, the bullpen had been forced to throw 16 1/3 innings due to abbreviated starts from the rotation -- Scott Kazmir on Thursday, Julio Urias on Friday and Mike Bolsinger on Saturday. Carlos Frias' recall from Triple-A Oklahoma City gave the team a nine-man bullpen in order to mitigate the stress. "It was great. It was what we desperately needed," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "Eat some innings. Bullpen's been pretty depleted. Kenta picked us up big time today. Just a really strong outing. I'm proud of him for the way he battled." Dodgers recall righty Frias, option Bolsinger By Jack Baer LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers optioned Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday after a Saturday start in which the right-hander did not get out of the third inning. Carlos Frias was recalled from Oklahoma City to replace Bolsinger on the roster. Bolsinger struggled in six starts after being activated from the DL in May, never throwing six innings in a start, while racking up a 6.83 ERA and a 1.518 WHIP. His abbreviated start Saturday forced the Dodgers to use more than six innings from an already stressed bullpen. Manager Dave Roberts said after the game Bolsinger was suffering from cramping, but it wasn't the sole cause of his troubles. "Mike understands that when you're up here, you need to get outs," Roberts said. "To send him back out there and work through some things, go back to getting guys out, hopefully we'll see him later."

Frias will work as a reliever with Los Angeles, giving the team a nine-man bullpen for Sunday. It's a setup that is expected to last only for a day, as outfielder Yasiel Puig (hamstring) will be activated from the DL on Monday, but Roberts didn't want to make that commitment. "We'll see how it goes. Carlos is here certainly for today," Roberts said. "We expect Kenta [Maeda] to go out there and throw well. A nine-man bullpen is unconventional, obviously. After today's game, we'll see where we're at and make the decision then." Puig had the day off Sunday at his rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. In five games with the Quakes, Puig has gone 5-for-12 with a homer and three walks. The exit of Bolsinger puts the Dodgers rotation after the current homestand further into a state of flux, as Julio Urias is expected to be taken out of the rotation following Wednesday's start against the Nationals in order to limit the teenager's innings. Frankie Montas was the only Minor Leaguer mentioned as a possibility to replace Urias, but the rotation of Triple-A Oklahoma City presents several options. Any replacements will likely be short term, as both Brandon McCarthy (elbow) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) are working through rehab assignments and on track to return in July. The Dodgers also don't need a fifth starter until June 28, thanks to an off-day Thursday, but the team has not yet decided if it will skip the fifth starter's spot. McCarthy will make his next rehab start Wednesday for either Rancho, the team he is currently with, or OKC, throwing four innings or 45-50 pitches. Ryu will pitch five innings or 65 pitches on Thursday or Friday. While Ryu's last start with Rancho went well with five strikeouts in four scoreless innings, Roberts reported the average velocity from the start to be 86 mph with fastballs reaching as low as 82 mph. Roberts said an average of 88 mph would be needed to pitch in a Major League game, an improvement he expects Ryu to make. Alex Wood (triceps) could also make a return in July, but no plans for a rehab assignment have been announced.

DODGER INSIDER

Dusty’s Trail: A return to Baker’s Field By Jon Weisman It’s been 40 years since Riverside native Dusty Baker made his debut in a Dodger uniform. He has also spent 40 seasons in the Major Leagues — 19 as a player (including eight with Los Angeles) and 21 as a manager, including this year’s debut season helming the Washington Nationals.

The Dodgers are honoring Baker, who played for four National League West titlists, three NL pennant winners and the 1981 World Series champions, with a bobblehead giveaway for Wednesday’s series finale. In that spirit, team historian Mark Langill profiled Baker for Dodger Insider magazine. Read the entire story by clicking here. Bonus: Here’s a 1979 snapshot of Baker and Davey Lopes with “Happy Days” stars Ron Howard and Tom Bosley. Baker hit a two-run homer with Lopes aboard that night. Zach Lee traded to Seattle for infielder Chris Taylor By Jon Weisman Chris Taylor, a 25-year-old shortstop who has been OPSing .845 for Seattle’s Triple-A team in Tacoma, has been acquired by the Dodgers in exchange for pitcher Zach Lee. Taylor has a .387 on-base percentage and .457 slugging percentage this season. In 256 career big-league plate appearances with the Mariners, he has twin .296 on-base and slugging percentages. The 2012 fifth-round draft pick out of Virginia has also played second and third. Lee, the Dodgers No. 1 draft pick in 2010 and a two-time minor-league pitcher of the year for the organization, has a 1.49 WHIP and 4.89 ERA in 73 2/3 innings this season for Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 57 strikeouts. The 24-year-old Lee made one start for Los Angeles, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Mets on July 25. He ended up pitching 725 innings in the organization, dating back to 2011. Hernández delivers a Father’s Day he’ll never forget By Jon Weisman Kiké Hernández’s father, you might have heard by now, is battling cancer. For Hernandez to hit a home run, on Father’s Day, is pretty much all the story anyone would need on this day. The fact that Hernández’s home run, the first of his career as a pinch-hitter, stopped a shutout and tied the game for the Dodgers in the bottom off the eighth inning, well, that’s just a gift for the rest of us. “I don’t think I have any words to describe it,” Hernández told AM 570’s David Vassegh after the game. “I still have a little bit of goose bumps from it, and it was a little bit hard not to cry running the bases. I woke up this morning, and I was thinking about the same thing: I probably won’t start, but if I get a pinch-hit at-bat, it’s kind of like a movie. … I’m sure my dad loves every bit of it.”

Hernández’s homer set the stage for another pinch-hit RBI, Yasmani Grandal’s bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth, to give the Dodgers a 2-1 victory over Milwaukee. Adrian Gonzalez and Trayce Thompson began the final half-inning with singles, and one out later, Howie Kendrick walked. Grandal came up to bat for A.J. Ellis, and went to a full count before a no-doubt ball four outside from Tyler Thornburg. Kenley Jansen was the winning pitcher, but Kenta Maeda deserved a reverse save. Maeda gave up a home run to the second batter he faced, Scooter Gennett, and needed 67 pitches to complete his first three innings. But he used only 31 over the next three, and finished with a plus outing: 6 1/3 innings, six hits, one run, three walks and eight strikeouts. Over his past five starts, Maeda has a 1.52 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings. He has averaged nearly six innings per start despite being knocked out of his previous appearance by a line drive Tuesday at Arizona. The leg that was blasted by Paul Goldschmidt’s shot up the middle seemed to be the least of Maeda’s problems. After reaching base on an error in the third inning, Maeda went to second on a Corey Seager single and sped right along toward third base — where, unfortunately for the Dodgers, he was thrown out. That, combined with Chase Utley’s out at home plate on a short fly ball by Adrian Gonzalez in the first inning, contrived to end the Dodgers’ two best scoring opportunities against Brewers starter Matt Garza, who pitched six shutout innings. Pedro Baez got five outs on 12 pitches to keep the Dodgers close, before Jansen pitched a perfect ninth on six pitches. The Dodgers were a living, breathing rally cap in this four-game series against Milwaukee. Even in the series opener Thursday that they lost, they twice rallied from three-run deficits. Friday, Justin Turner’s eighth-inning homer tied the game before his 10th-inning walkoff single won it. Saturday, they bounced back from down 5-2 to win, 10-6. Today, the Dodgers eliminated their fifth deficit in four games when Hernández hit the first homer Milwaukee reliever Will Smith has allowed this year. “He came right in at me with a fastball, and I was looking for a heater,” Hernández told Vassegh. “He came in on me, and I put a good swing on it.” To be clear, the following information does not represent the Dodgers’ goal. But for the record, they are now in wild-card position, having moved ahead of the Mets, Cardinals and Pirates to draw within .001 of the other wild-card team, Miami. Dodgers recall Carlos Frias, option Mike Bolsinger By Jon Weisman

Carlos Frias has been called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to bring a fresh arm to a tired Dodger pitching staff, with Mike Bolsinger being optioned down. This move materialized as a likely possibility when Frias didn’t make a scheduled long-relief appearance Saturday, shortly before Bolsinger struggled to get seven outs. Frias presumably could take Bolsinger’s turn in the rotation, but could be needed out of the bullpen first. In the past seven days, Dodger relievers have needed to face 96 batters, an average of 13.7 per day. The Dodgers have an off day Thursday, when Bolsinger was next scheduled to start. The 26-year-old Frias has a 4.60 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 31 1/3 minor-league innings this year with 25 strikeouts. Most recently, in June, Frias’ ERA is 3.63 with a 1.10 WHIP and 14 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. Last year, Frias pitched 77 2/3 innings for the Dodgers — fifth-most on the big-league staff — with a 4.06 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. As a Dodger, Frias has performed considerably better against right-handed batters (.630 OPS) then lefties (.868), as well as at Dodger Stadium (.657 OPS) and in night games (.660 OPS). Frias was optioned to Oklahoma City before the start of the season, but didn’t pitch his first game in the minors this year until May 12 (for Double-A Tulsa) because of an oblique injury, the same injury that cost Bolsinger a spot in the starting rotation in April. Bolsinger, who had a 3.62 ERA for the Dodgers in 2015, hasn’t reached six innings in any of his six starts this year. In the past three, he has allowed 14 runs on 25 baserunners in 12 2/3 innings, with 11 strikeouts. On Saturday, Frias had been scheduled to follow Jose De Leon, who threw four innings (65 pitches) for Oklahoma City, allowing a run on two hits and two walks while fanning three.

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Brock Stewart strikes out career-high 10 in second Triple-A start By Brandon Lennox A pair of Dodgers affiliates saw their first-half playoff pursuits end on Sunday, with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa both losing. But arguably the hottest pitcher in the farm system had a great start in just his second start with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Player of the day Brock Stewart has shot up the Dodger prospect charts since joining the club as a sixth-round pick in 2014. On Saturday he punched out 10 in his second start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing just five hits and one run over seven frames. The right-hander has a 1.35 ERA in 14 starts across three levels this season, leading all Dodgers minor leaguers with 86 strikeouts against only 13 walks in 80 innings.

Triple-A Oklahoma City Player of the day Stewart led the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins) on Sunday. Stewart won his second game since joining Triple-A, while Jacob Rhame permitted a run in the eighth. Luis Avilan saved his fourth game of the season after tossing a scoreless ninth. At the dish right fielder James Ramsey connected on his sixth homer of the season, while Charlie Cumberson was 2-for-5 with a two-run shot. Double-A Tulsa The Drillers had just two extra-base hits on Sunday as they fell to the Springfield Cardinals 5-2. Kyle Garlick was 1-for-3 with a double, while shortstop Jordan Trasovich drove in a run with a single. Starter Tim Shibuya allowed four hits and three runs over four frames. Michael Johnson threw well in relief, but Daniel Corcino got hit hard and did not allow the Drillers to get back into the game. Entering the game, Tulsa needed to beat Springfield both Sunday and Monday to capture North Division first-half honors in the Texas League. Class-A Rancho Cucamonga The Quakes came up short in their first-half division title quest in a loss to the San Jose Giants 5-3. Rancho Cucamonga finished one game back of High Desert in the California League South Division despite finishing 42-28, its best first-half record ever. Starter Andrew Sopko allowed five hits and four runs over five frames, punching out five along the way. Luis De Paula tossed a couple of shutout frames, while Bubby Rossman permitted a run in relief. At the dish Rancho had just on extra-base hit in his game, with Edwin Rios going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Devan Ahart and Matt Beady also each drove in a run to keep the game close. Class-A Great Lakes The Loons were shutout on Sunday, falling to the Dayton Dragons (Reds) 1-0. Brendon Davis was 1-for-4 with a double, but that was about it for Great Lakes' offense. Starter Chris Powell took a run at the player of the day after allowing just three hits over five shutout frames. Wes Helsabeck punched out five over the next thee innings while maintaining the shutout, but Brian Bass gave up the run in the top of the ninth to take the loss. Rookie level Ogden The Raptors had an off day on Sunday, but will host Grand Junction in their home opener on Monday. Transactions

Triple A: Alex Hassan was activated from the disabled list, Carlos Frias was recalled to the Dodgers, and Mike Bolsinger was optioned to Oklahoma City. Sunday Scores Oklahoma City 5, New Orleans 2 Spingfield 5, Tulsa 2 San Jose 5, Rancho Cucamonga 3 Dayton 1, Great Lakes 0 Monday Schedule 9 a.m. PT - Oklahoma City (Jharel Cotton) at New Orleans (Paul Clemens) 5:05 p.m. - Springfield (Corey Baker) at Tulsa (Chase De Jong) 6 p.m. - Grand Junction (Mike Nikorak) at Ogden (Jairo Pacheco) Dodgers acquire Chris Taylor from Mariners for Zach Lee By Eric Stephen LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers made a trade after the game on Sunday, sending pitcher Zach Lee to the Mariners for infielder Chris Taylor in a reallocation of major league depth. Taylor, 25, is hit .312/.387/.457 with 19 doubles and 12 steals in 63 games for Triple-A Tacoma. He played mostly shortstop, with 50 starts at the position, but also made seven starts at second base and five more at third. The Mariners drafted Taylor in the fifth round in 2012. In 86 major league games over parts of three seasons, Taylor has hit .240/.296/.296 in 256 plate appearances, including 1-for-3 in two games in 2016. Taylor bats right-handed. Back in 2014, Vince Lara-Cinisomo at Baseball America said "profiles better at second base because of range and arm strength," for what it's worth. Taylor began the season with 139 days of major league service time, and this is the second of his three option years. Lee, 24, was 7-5 with a 4.89 ERA in 13 starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2016, with 57 strikeouts and 15 walks in 73⅓ innings in his third year in Triple-A, with numbers down across the board from 2015.

Unfortunately for Lee, his $5.25 million signing bonus as the Dodgers' No. 1 draft pick in 2010 — before there were penalties for teams going over slot recommendations — inflated expectations when it was really the result of his leverage of having a football scholarship to play quarterback at LSU. Lee was passed on the Dodgers' starting pitching depth chart, now behind Julio Urias, Mike Bolsinger, Ross Stripling, Frankie Montas and likely Jharel Cotton at least, and the only reason Jose De Leon wasn't technically ahead of him at the moment is because De Leon hasn't quite fully stretched out since returning to the OKC rotation. Lee has been called up three different times to the Dodgers in 2015-2016, but only made one appearance, allowing seven runs in 4⅔ innings in his only major league start last July against the Mets. The Dodgers were thin at position player depth, especially in the infield, on the 40-man roster, and this move helps to address that. Pinch-hit home run from Kiké Hernandez sparks comeback in 2-1 walkoff win By Craig Minami LOS ANGELES--- The Dodgers found another way to win a game. This time it was a walk-off walk by Yasmani Grandal that scored Scott Van Slyke that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 win over the Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon. That was the Dodgers' first walk-off walk since A.J. Ellis had one on May 18, 2012 against the St. Louis Cardinals. But there was no doubt the biggest play of the game came an inning earlier. Kiké Hernandez hit his first career pinch-hit home run to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth. "As soon as I hit it, I had goosebumps," Hernandez said. "Once I tied the game, everyone said well it is really hot, can you please score another one, we don't want to play extras and sure enough we did." The Dodgers added Carlos Frias to be another bullpen arm prior to the game, however, Kenta Maeda was able to have another solid start as he pitched into the seventh inning. Maeda went 6⅓ innings, allowed one run, five hits, walked three and struck out eight. Speaking through his interpreter after the game, Maeda said "a day like today, is an example of what I can do on more of a regular basis." After Maeda was removed in the seventh with runners on first and second and one out, Jonathan Lucroy batted for Matt Garza and he hit a comebacker. Baez grabbed and calmly started a double play to get out of inning. Pedro Baez pitched a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth.

The only run the Brewers scored was in the first inning, when with one out and after fouling off three pitches, Scooter Gennett hit a solo home run. The Dodgers would not be able to capitalize in the bottom of the first. Chase Utley singled and Corey Seager hit a double to left center to put runners on second and third and no out. The Dodgers would go scoreless when Justin Turner struck out and Adrian Gonzalez hit a short fly ball to left. Utley tried to score on the fly ball and was tagged out. The Brewers did get a fine pitching performance from Matt Garza, who was making his second start of the season. Garza pitched six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and struck out two on 70 pitches. Up next The Dodgers begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Clayton Kershaw and Stephen Strasburg will start against each other for the first time in their careers. The game starts at 7:10 p.m. Sunday particulars Home runs: Kiké Hernandez (5); Scooter Gennett (6) WP - Kenley Jansen (3-2): 1 IP, 1 strikeout LP - Tyler Thornburg (3-2): ⅔ IP, one run, two hits, two walks, 1 strikeout Justin Turner tries to keep hot streak going against Brewers By Craig Minami LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner will look to extend his six-game hitting streak as he bats in his familiar third spot against the Brewers on Sunday afternoon against the Brewers. Turner is hitting .500/.538/1.081 during the streak with four home runs. "He's been a huge lift, not only just putting those competitive at-bats, getting a walk," manager Dave Roberts said. "Now he's putting the ball in the seats, splitting gaps, driving in runs, doing everything we had hoped he would do. "Last night was a good night offensively [for the team], hopefully it carries over to today." Matt Garza has limited experience against the Dodger hitters he will face in the series finale. Howie Kendrick, who is playing left field, has had the most success, going 8-for-15 (.533) with a home run and a double. Chase Utley and Turner have also homered off Garza. Starting Lineups

Brewers Dodgers SS Villar (S) 2B Utley (L) 2B Gennett (L) SS Seager (L) LF Braun 3B Turner 1B Carter 1B Gonzalez (L) 3B Hill RF Thompson CF Niewenhuis (L) CF Pederson (L) C Maldonado LF Kendrick RF Flores (L) C Ellis P Garza P Maeda Location: Dodger Stadium Time: 1:10 p.m. PT TV: SportsNet LA Radio: AM 570 Injury updates Outfielder Yasiel Puig has completed his rehab assignment and he is off today for rest and travel back from San Jose, where he was playing with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Roberts confirmed that they expect to activate Puig for Monday's game at home against the Washington Nationals. Right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy and left-handed pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu had no health issues after their last rehab starts on Thursday and Friday, respectively. For their next rehab starts, Ryu will be extended to five innings and 65 pitches and McCarthy will have a target of four innings and 45-50 pitches. McCarthy is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday and Ryu will start on Thursday or Friday. Roberts said it was likely both pitchers will start for Triple-A Oklahoma City to face advanced competition.

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Dodgers get INF Chris Taylor from M's for pitching prospect Zach Lee By AP DETROIT -- The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Chris Taylor from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday night for pitching prospect Zach Lee. The 25-year-old Taylor has played in 86 major league games but has spent almost all of this season with Triple-A Tacoma. He hit .312 with three homers and 12 stolen bases with the Rainiers, spending time at shortstop, second base and third base. Taylor has hit .240 in the majors. The right-handed Lee was pitching at Triple-A Oklahoma City and was 7-5 with a 4.89 ERA. The 24-year-old was a first-round pick in 2010 and made his major league debut last year, allowing seven runs in 4⅔ innings against the Mets on July 25.

Grandal's bases-loaded walk lifts Dodgers to a 2-1 win By AP LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers had to wait for Kike Hernandez's eighth-inning homer to get on the scoreboard Sunday. Patience led to the winning run, too. Pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal walked with the bases loaded to end the game, and the Dodgers used another strong start from Japanese rookie Kenta Maeda to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Sunday. Grandal, hitting .184 this season, took a 3-2 pitch from reliever Tyler Thornburg (3-2) that missed high and outside, capping Los Angeles' third straight comeback win. "I know Yasmani can conduct an at-bat, hit a gap, even draw a walk" Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He's not hitting great right now, but I know he can get on base. I liked our chances." Adrian Gonzalez started the ninth-inning rally with a one-out single to center before moving to second on Trayce Thompson's single to right. Howie Kendrick later walked to load the bases. Hernandez pulled the Dodgers to 1-1 with his first career pinch-hit home run with one out in the eighth, drilling a 2-1 pitch from reliever Will Smith into the left-field bleachers. "(Kike) came up in a big spot, us down one, and hit a huge home run for us," said Justin Turner, a key player in the Dodgers' two previous victories. Kenley Jansen (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth, and the Dodgers won for the sixth time in seven games. Maeda (6-5) gave up one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and three walks. Matt Garza threw six scoreless innings for Milwaukee in his second start this season after recovering from a back injury. Garza only threw 70 pitches and held the Dodgers to five hits. He's allowed one run in 10 innings this year. The winning rally nearly ended when catcher Martin Maldonado almost picked off Van Slyke at second after Joc Pederson struck out for the inning's second out. The Brewers nursed a 1-0 lead through seven innings with Garza and Blaine Boyer holding the Dodgers to five hits. Hot-hitting Scooter Gennett got his sixth home run of the season in the first. Maeda made his first start since being helped from the field Tuesday night after being hit on the right leg by a comebacker. Corey Seager added two hits, a double and a single, for the Dodgers, who won three of four from the Brewers.

Ryan Braun added two hits for the Brewers, a double in the third and a single that fell between three Dodgers in short center field. Braun was thrown out by left fielder Kendrick trying to stretch his second hit into a double. BLOOPER MATERIAL Garza's throwing error in the third inning is likely to land on some blooper reels. Garza thought about barehanding a comebacker by Maeda only to have the ball bounce off his shin. He retrieved it at the edge of the mound with plenty of time but inexplicably threw a two-hopper to first baseman Chris Carter six feet wide of the bag. FATHER'S DAY FESTIVITIES Brewers manager Craig Counsell is a father of four, and his father, John, was an outfielder in the Twins organization (1964-68). "The best part for me today already was I met Aaron Hill's father down in the lobby, and talked to Matt Garza's father in the lobby," Counsell said. "They're proud dads today. They're as excited as anybody to come to the park and watch their sons play in a major league baseball game. It brings you closer to home. "My dad is watching my boys play baseball today, and that's how it should be." BULLPEN RELIEF The Dodgers optioned RHP Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City and replaced him with RHP Carlos Frias, who will give the Dodgers a nine-man bullpen. TRAINER'S ROOM Brewers: LHP Chris Capuano flew to Milwaukee with more discomfort in his left elbow. He's expected to be examined by Dr. William Rasch on Tuesday. C Jonathan Lucroy got a routine day off after seven consecutive starts. Dodgers: C Grandal was replaced in the lineup by A.J. Ellis. Trainers twice came to home plate to check on Grandal after he was struck by a pitch Saturday night. ... Yasiel Puig (strained hamstring) went 1 for 4 with a single in seven innings for Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday night. Puig will get a day off Sunday and is expected to be activated on Monday. NEXT UP Brewers: They begin a two-game series at Oakland on Tuesday night, the eighth game in a nine-game, 10-day road trip. RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-6, 3.92) makes his first start against the A's. Nelson is 0-3 with 9.69 ERA over his last three starts, raising his ERA from 2.88 to 3.92.

Dodgers: They open a three-game series vs. Washington. LHP Clayton Kershaw (10-1, 1.58) faces RHP Stephen Strasburg (10-0, 2.90) in a matchup of aces on Monday night. In his last seven starts against Washington, Kershaw is 7-0 with an 0.82 ERA Dodgers option struggling Bolsinger to Triple-A, recall Frias By AP LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned right-hander Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday and recalled right-hander Carlos Frias. Bolsinger, who gave up five runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings Saturday night in the Dodgers' 10-6 victory over the Brewers, was 1-4 with a 6.83 ERA in six starts. Frias was 1/3 with a 4.66 ERA in seven minor league games this season, including two for Double-A Tulsa, as he has recovered from an oblique injury. He has not pitched in the majors yet this season. Frias is 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 32 career appearances, including 15 starts, for the Dodgers.

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Dodgers Celebrate Father's Day With Walk-off Walk in 2-1 Victory Over Brewers By Michael Duarte Maybe it was the heat. Tyler Thornburg walked pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal with the bases-loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on a walk-off walk in the sweltering heat on Father's Day at Dodger Stadium. Temperatures reached triple digits on the field as reportedly the Los Angeles area received record high heat before the official start of summer began. "It was a hot day," Dodgers' starter Kenta Maeda said of the record temperatures at game time. "Thankfully, it didn't affect my performance. I've pitched in hotter conditions than this in Japan before." On the field, the Dodgers' bats were anything but hot as the Brewers kept the LA offense mostly contained less than 24 hours after they scored 10 runs on 14 hits. "We had a hard time getting runs across or getting anything going today," Dodgers' catcher A.J. Ellis said. "It was a grind, but we got enough and we're finding ways to win which is important."

Veteran right-hander Matt Garza led the charge for Milwaukee throwing six scoreless innings in just his second start of the season. Garza allowed no runs on five hits with two strikeouts in six strong innings, lowering his ERA to 0.90 on the season. "Garza was great," Ellis said of the Brewers' starter. "He was really strong, used both sides of the plate, he was tough, that's why he's such a talented pitcher." Enrique Hernandez tied the game with the first pinch-hit home run of his career in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Dodgers completed the comeback in the bottom of the ninth. "Once I tied the game, everybody said 'it's really hot can you please score another one, we don't want to play extra-innings," Hernandez said. "Sure enough we did." Hernandez was near tears as he rounded the bases, thinking of his father, Enrique senior, who is currently battling cancer. "As soon as I hit it, I had goosebumps in my entire body," Hernandez said after the game. "It was a little bit hard not to cry while running the bases. I woke up this morning and I was thinking...if I get a pinch-hit at-bat...it's kinda like a movie...I'm sure my dad loves every bit of it." Adrian Gonzalez started the rally with a one-out single and Trayce Thompson followed with a single of his own. Scott Van Slyke entered into the game to pinch-run for Gonzalez at second, but Thornburg (3-2) lost control, walking Howie Kendrick and Yasmani Grandal to give LA their fourth walk-off victory of the season. Scooter Gennett scored the only run for the Brewers in an impressive seven-pitch at-bat that ended in a solo home run to center field off Kenta Maeda. "I was trying to locate my pitches, especially with a two-strike count," Maeda said through an interpreter. "I wasn't able to locate one of my pitches and it ended up being a home run." Other than the one mistake, Maeda was dazzling for the Dodgers on Father's Day. The Japanese right-hander allowed just one run on six hits in six and 1/3 innings of work. "We were losing when I came out of the game, but the bullpen did a great job and we came back to win," Maeda said of the outing. "Overall, I think it was a good day." Dodgers' closer, Kenley Jansen worked a perfect ninth inning, earning his third win of the season. Meanwhile up north, San Francisco won their eighth consecutive game, leaving the Dodgers still trailing by 6.5 games in the National League West Division. Players of the Game: Matt Garza: 0 runs on 5 hits with 2 strikeouts in 6 IP. Kenta Maeda: 1 run on 6 hits with 8 strikeouts in 6.1 IP. Enrique Hernandez: Game-tying solo homer.

Three Takeaways: 1. This One's For You, Dad: Los Angeles Dodgers' super-utility player, Kiké Hernandez shaved his head last week as a tribute to his father, Enrique Hernandez Senior, who is currently undergoing treatment for his battle with cancer. The home run ball Hernandez hit landed in the Dodgers bullpen, and the team saved it for Kiké who said he was going to give it to his dad. 2. Boxers or Briefs: The Los Angeles Dodgers handed out free boxers to all everyone in attendance in celebration of Father's Day. I guess we will now know the answer for Dodger fans to the age-old question: Boxers or briefs? 3. Comeback Kids: The Los Angeles Dodgers came from behind five different times during the four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers, including three separate three-run deficits. Up Next: Brewers (31-39): Milwaukee has an off day on Monday before heading to Oakland to face the Athletics. Dodgers (38-33): Clayton Kershaw takes the mound on Monday opposite Stephen Strasburg in a marquee matchup of 10-win pitchers. Game time is scheduled for 7:10 PM PST.

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Dodgers Dugout: Dodgers vs. Don Mattingly in the playoffs? By Houston Mitchell Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and because of this heat, I’m pretty sure the Earth has been torn from its orbit and is hurtling toward the sun. Random thoughts On the way to a too-hot Monday. -- The Dodgers won Sunday, thanks to two guys who are hitting below .200. First, Kiké Hernandez (.196) homers, then Yasmani Grandal (.184) draws a bases-loaded, walk-off walk. --Grandal’s yearly batting averages since his rookie season in 2012: .297, .216, .225, .234, .184. But according to OPS+, this is the only season he has been a below-average hitter because he always draws a lot of walks. He has a career batting average of .234, but a career on-base percentage of .345. Of the 31 catchers with at least 1,000 plate appearances since 2001, Grandal is 23rd in batting average, but fourth in on-base percentage. A.J. Ellis is eighth in OB% in that span (.339). --In his last 14 games, Justin Turner is hitting .340 with six homers and 14 RBIs.

--The Dodgers are on pace to go 86-76 this season. Last season they went 92-70. --If the season had ended after Sunday’s game they would have qualified for the second wild card spot, and guess who they would have played? Don Mattingly’s Miami Marlins. --The Dodgers are 13-18 against teams with a winning record and 25-15 against teams with a losing record. --The Dodgers traded Zach Lee on Sunday, officially giving up on their 2010 first-round draft pick who was also twice named their minor-league pitcher of the year. --Who will replace Mike Bolsinger in the rotation now that he has been sent to the minors? Probably Jharel Cotton or Frankie Montas, giving the Dodgers a rotation of Kershaw, Maeda, Kazmir, Urias and Cotton/Montas. Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy are still at least a couple of weeks away from returning. The magic number Each week I will look at a uniform number a current Dodger is wearing and go through the history of that number with the Dodgers. When I was a kid and went to games, I was always curious who wore the number of my favorite players. Then again, I was a strange kid. For “best Dodgers to wear the number,” only the stats a player compiles while he was with the team and wearing that number count. Next up is: No. 25 (Will Venable) Best Dodgers to wear No. 25: Hugh Casey (1939-42, 1946-48), Frank Howard (1958-64), Tommy John (1972-78). Others to wear No. 25 with the Dodgers: Max Rosenfeld (1932-33), Les Munns (1934-35), Ed Brandt (1936), Johnny Cooney (1937), Kiki Cuyler (1938), Wes Flowers (1944), Don Lund (1945), Otho Nitcholas (1945), Chris Van Cuyk (1950-52), Bob Milliken (1953-54), Dick Smith (1965), Wes Covington (1966), Jim Campanis (1967-68), Joe Moeller (1969-71), Jerry Reuss (1979), Ted Power (1981-82), German Rivera (1983-84), Mariano Duncan (1985-89), Darrin Fletcher (1989-90), Dennis Cook (1990-91), Mike Piazza (1992), Tim Wallach (1993), Mike Busch (1995-96), Juan Castro (1997-98), Bobby Bonilla (1998), Dave Hansen (1999-2002), Rickey Henderson (2003), Mike Edwards (2005), Sandy Alomar (2006), Esteban Loaiza (2007), Andruw Jones (2008), Jim Thome (2009), Carl Crawford (2013). What Vin Scully means to me I asked you to tell me your best Vin Scully memory, and I got a lot of responses. I will publish selected ones in each newsletter. And keep emailing them to me. Kyle Coffin: My entire family are Giants fans. Born in 1967, I was a complete and total momma's boy until age 9. When I was 2, my parents divorced, and the next seven years mom stayed single, raising my sister and me. Mom then married the man who has since been "dad." And he felt one of his missions in

life was to toughen me up a bit. So he signed me up for Pony Baseball. And I was horrible. Never hit a fair ball all season. My teammates made fun of me. Anyway, I hated baseball. That off-season was 1976, and my dad wanted me to start watching baseball with him on TV. Every time the Giants played the Dodgers, he'd get all riled up. They split their head-to-head series, but the Blue won 92 games that season while the Giants won 74. Then a new kid my age – Todd Larson - moved in across the street from me. His family were avid Dodger fans, and his dad rigged his radio to pick up Vin every night. I hung out at their place all the time, so I was quickly indoctrinated and mesmerized by Vin. My friend signed up for Pony Baseball that year, so naturally, I thought I'd give it a try again. And guess what team we got on together? Yep, the Dodgers. I swear my dad tried for years for Pacific Grove’s Pony League Baseball Assn. to not have a Dodgers team, but to no avail. In the third game, I came up with the bases loaded, last inning, two out and down two runs. And for the first time in my life, I made solid contact. Right back up the middle and through the center fielder's legs. All three runners scored, I was mobbed. When the Dodgers won it all in 1981, I was so obnoxious, Grandpa wanted to disown me, and Dad to this day has never bought me anything Blue. Looking back I always whisper a little thank you to Mr. Larson for knowing how to rig a tiny radio clear enough to hear Vin from 400 miles away. Vin was the only Dodger I could name as a 9-year-old kid. And he’s still No. 1 today. The TV situation If you would like to complain about the Dodgers’ TV situation, you have three options: The Dodgers, Time Warner Cable and whatever local cable or satellite provider you have that doesn’t carry the Dodgers. Here’s who to contact: For the Dodgers, click here or call (866) DODGERS ([866] 363-4377). (I hope you like form letters). For Time Warner, click here. For DirecTV, call (800) 531-5000 or click here. For your local cable or satellite provider, consult your bill for the customer service number and for the website. And finally Clayton Kershaw talks about being a dad. Read all about it here.