The amazing turnaround continues: Dodgers win their 15th straight road game, 3-2, over the Cardinals.

Zack Greinke had the game-winning RBI.

Dodger bats go cold for Kershaw (yet again) and they lose to the Cardinals, 5-1, to end their 15 game road winning streak.

Dodger bats wake up big time (too late for Kershaw, unfortunately) and they rout the Cardinals, 13-4.

Dodgers beat the Cardinals again, 5-1, taking three of four games from St. Louis.

Now it's back home for three games with the Rays starting tomorrow.

Dodgers come back from a 6-0 deficit to beat the Rays in a wild one, 7-6.

Dodgers win again, shutting out the Rays, 5-0.

The amazing Dodgers sweep the Rays with an 8-2 win...

Darvish almost did it again. Perfect thru 5 2/3, no hitter thru 7 1/3, struck out 15, Rangers beat Houston 2-1.

YU 'da man!!

What's funny is how he lost his perfect game:

HOUSTON (AP) Texas catcher A.J. Pierzynski has been ejected from Monday's game against Houston for arguing a call during Yu Darvish's bid for a perfect game.

Pierzynski was tossed in the sixth inning with Texas ahead 2-0.

Darvish had not allowed a runner when he threw a 2-2 breaking ball with two outs to Jonathan Villar. Darvish began walking off the mound and Pierzynski started heading to the dugout, but plate umpire Ron Kulpa said it was low. Pierzynski didn't like the call and started yelling in Kulpa's face.

Pierzynski was quickly tossed and replaced by Geovany Soto. Darvish then walked Villar, giving the Astros their first runner.

Dodgers win again, 4-2, over the Mets.

Amazing!

"Kuroda rules" still in effect in New York, he gets his standard 2 run support, pitches 8 innings of 3-hit shutout ball, Yankees win 2-1.

Dodgers win their ninth straight, a 4-0 shutout of the Phillies... That's 15 shutouts for the Dodgers this year.

Dodgers shut out the Phillies again, 5-0... That's ten straight wins, 42 of 50, and their 16th shut out of the year.

Wow.

Dodgers play fast and loose with the baseball and they lose to the Phillies, 3-2.

Dodgers lose their second straight game for the first time in a long time to the Marlins, 6-2.

Dodgers win a tough game against the Marlins, 6-4.

Yasiel Puig hits the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning on the first pitch he sees.

Could be the end of the line for Dice-K.

Matsuzaka released by Indians

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 Kyodo

Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has been given an unconditional release from the Cleveland Indians, the team said Tuesday.

The 32-year-old right-hander had spent the entire season with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate after signing a minor-league contract in February. In 19 starts for the Columbus Clippers, Matsuzaka owned a 5-8 record with a 3.92 ERA.

The former Seibu Lion came to the majors on a six-year contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2007, winning 15 games and helping the team to a World Series victory in his rookie season. He was sidelined for a year due to Tommy John elbow surgery in June 2011, and went 1-7 with an 8.28 ERA in 11 starts upon his return to the majors in 2012, his last year in Boston.

Matsuzaka is now a free agent and may enter into negotiations with any team.

In Breaking News, this just in:

Ichiro gets 4,000 hit between MLB and NPB combined

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki has singled for his 4,000th career hit between Japan and the major leagues.

The 39-year-old Suzuki slashed a line drive the opposite way to left field off Toronto's R.A. Dickey in the first inning Wednesday night for the milestone hit.

He has 2,722 hits in a 13-year major league career and amassed 1,278 hits in nine seasons with Orix of Japan's Pacific League.

His Yankees teammates streamed out of the dugout and surrounded him at first base. A grinning Suzuki then faced the cheering fans and bowed.

Pete Rose with 4,256 hits and Ty Cobb with 4,191 are the only two players that have reached the number solely in the major leagues.

According to STATS, Suzuki has the most hits through the first 13 seasons of a big-league career. Paul Waner is second. He had 2,648 for Pittsburgh from 1926-1938.

OMEDETOU ICHIRO!!!

gaijinmark wrote:

Ichiro gets 4,000 hit between MLB and NPB combined

Omedeto gozaimasu, Ichiro!


Other news:

Dodgers beat the Marlins, 4-1 and Arizona loses to the Reds, so now the Dodgers NL West lead is back up to 8-1/2 games.

Kershaw pitches another gem and the Dodgers shut out the Marlins, 6-0.

And the D-backs lose to the Reds, 2-1, and are now 9-1/2 games back.

gaijinmark wrote:

Could be the end of the line for Dice-K.

Or not:

Mets sign Matsuzaka

NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Mets are the latest team to take a chance on Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The Mets signed the Japanese right-hander to a one-year contract on Thursday and plan to start him in the opener of a weekend series against the Detroit Tigers.

The 32-year-old Matsuzaka was released by Cleveland on Tuesday. He had spent the entire season at Triple-A Columbus after failing to win a spot in Cleveland's rotation during spring training.

After working through early season injuries, Matsuzaka had pitched well in recent weeks, going 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 10 starts for the Clippers since July 2. He was 5-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 19 minor league starts overall.

The game against the Tigers will be Matsuzaka's first major league appearance since he went 1-7 with an 8.28 ERA in 11 starts for Boston last year.