June 8th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka If you’ve been a Dodger fan for more than 10 minutes, you are well aware that they have the uncanny ability to absolutely positively not hit the moment – the very microsecond – that they get a runner in scoring position, or RISP. And if you’ve been a Dodger fan for years, or even decades, you are extremely well aware that this is – and always has been – the cause of nearly every Dodgers loss throughout their 136-year history.
Guess what the Dodgers did – or didn’t do – on Friday night?
Yep. The National League West 43-21 first place Dodgers lost a 2-1 game to the National League West last place 29-36 San Francisco Giants, when they went 0-for-2 with RISP in front of 35,157 at Oracle Park (previously AT&T Park; previously SBC Park; previously Pacific Bell Park).
Oh sure, you can argue that going 0-for-2 with RISP is nothing, especially when the Dodgers usually go 1-for-7, or 2-for-8 (etc.) with RISP. But on Friday night, in the very first inning, the Dodgers managed to load the bases with one out against Giants left-hander Drew Pomeranz (who entered the game with a 1-6 record and 8.08 ERA) and Messrs. David Freese (.292) and Corey Seager (.258) both struck out.
Although the Dodgers didn’t realize it at the time, they would not get another opportunity to score (with RISP or otherwise), stay for a solo home run by Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor off of recent former Dodger left-hander Tony Watson in the top of the eighth inning.
When SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo asked Dodgers manager Dave Roberts about those two game-losing missed opportunities in the top of the first inning, the Dodgers skipper immediately deflected the question by giving high praise to Pomeranz; a noble but clear attempt to avoid Rizzo’s question (and the question on every Dodger fan’s mind). But after beating around the bush for as long as he possibly could, Roberts finally answered the question … sort of.
“…and yeah, you mentioned the first inning where we had him on the ropes a little bit, got him up over 30 pitches, and couldn’t get the hit with the bases loaded with one out and … umm… so yeah, he kind of beared down right there and they got to the pen and we just really couldn’t … aah … put some hits together tonight and … aah … you know … I thought Clayton [Kershaw] was really good tonight…”
Translation (for those who need one): ‘We sucked tonight against the worst team on the planet.’
The good news is that Roberts didn’t use his normal excuse phrase: “We just have to turn the page.”
The bad news is that he did use his other excuse phrase: “We gotta bounce back tomorrow.”
What the Dodgers “gotta” do is get mad – real mad – and kick some Giants… well… you know.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
Being so committed to playing as many righthanders as possible rarely works out as they want.
I don’t know how this sounds, but I made it my thoughts never to expect them to hit with RISP, (unless it’s with a HR). If it happens great, but I don’t get my hopes up, too much. Like Roberts says, “We gotta bounce back tomorrow (tonight)”.
Dodgers batting average with RISP in 2019: .268, third in the NL, behind Colorado and Cincinnati. They’ve had poor performances with RISP some years, but not sure how you can complain about it this year.
You can’t expect them to do it every night.
And not hitting with RISP is the cause of nearly every loss by any MLB team in history.
Come on, Jon, please don’t let the facts interfere with my obvious emotional rant. lol!
Thanks for checking in with us, my friend. Truly an honor.
The #BasesLoadedCurse lives.
And lefties…